---
id: os_application_allow_list
title: Define Allowed Applications
discussion: |
  Requiring all authorized applications to be in an application allow list prevents the execution of any applications (e.g., unauthorized, malicious) that are not part of the allow list. Failure to configure an application allow list properly could allow unauthorized and malicious applications to be downloaded, installed, and executed on the mobile device, causing a compromise of DoD data accessible by these applications. Applications with the listed characteristics have features that can cause the compromise of sensitive DoD data or have features with no known application in the DoD environment.

  Application note: The application allow list, in addition to controlling the installation of applications on the MDM, must control user access/execution of all core and preinstalled applications, or the MDM must provide an alternate method of restricting user access/execution to core and preinstalled applications.

  Core application: Any application integrated into the OS by the OS or MDM vendors.

  Preinstalled application: Additional noncore applications included in the OS build by the OS vendor, MDM vendor, or wireless carrier.

  NOTE: See rule YAML file for implementation comments.
references:
  nist:
    cce:
      ios_27:
        - CCE-XXXXX-X
      ios_26:
        - CCE-95649-0
      ios_18:
        - CCE-94431-4
      ios_17:
        - CCE-93417-4
    800-53r5:
      - CM-7
      - CM-7(5)
  disa:
    cci:
      - CCI-000366
    disa_stig:
      ios_18:
        - AIOS-18-007400
      ios_17:
        - AIOS-17-007400
        - AIOS-17-707400
    sfr:
      - 'FMT_SMF_EXT.1.1 #8b'
    cmmc:
      - CM.L2-3.4.6
      - CM.L2-3.4.8
  bsi:
    indigo:
      ios_26:
        - ANNEX D (Section 5.8 - App-Installation)
      ios_18:
        - ANNEX D (Section 5.8 - App-Installation)
      ios_17:
        - ANNEX D (Section 5.8 - App-Installation)
platforms:
  iOS:
    '27.0': {}
    '26.0':
      supervised: true
      benchmarks:
        - name: indigo_base
          severity: medium
        - name: indigo_high
          severity: medium
    '18.0':
      supervised: true
      benchmarks:
        - name: ios_stig
          severity: medium
        - name: indigo_base
          severity: medium
        - name: indigo_high
          severity: medium
    '17.0':
      supervised: true
      benchmarks:
        - name: ios_stig
          severity: medium
        - name: ios_stig_byoad
          severity: medium
        - name: indigo_base
          severity: medium
        - name: indigo_high
          severity: medium
    introduced: '15.0'
tags:
  - 800-53r5_moderate
  - 800-53r5_high
  - manual
  - cmmc_lvl2
  - cmmc_lvl3
  - cnssi-1253_moderate
  - cnssi-1253_low
  - cnssi-1253_high
mobileconfig_info:
  - PayloadType: com.apple.applicationaccess
    PayloadContent:
      - allowListedAppBundleIDs:
          - bundleID1
          - bundleID2
