Feature

Application Context

See applications, not just files

Airlock Digital Application Context helps organizations understand what software is actually running across their environment by turning raw execution data into recognizable applications.

Instead of requiring administrators to interpret large volumes of file-level activity, Application Context automatically groups related files and libraries based on how they execute together at runtime. This creates an application-level view that reflects real activity across endpoints, including third-party software, unmanaged tools, and internally developed applications.

Application Context gives security and IT teams clearer visibility into software usage, helping them make faster, better-informed trust, policy, audit, and governance decisions.

How Application Context Works

Application-Level Visibility
See recognizable applications instead of individual files, helping teams understand software activity more quickly. 
Execution-Based Grouping

Group related files, libraries, and processes based on how they actually run together, rather than relying on predefined application lists or installation data.


Component-Level Context

Drill into an application to understand its related files, publishers, runtime relationships, and where it has been observed.

Category Visibility
Identify software categories such as remote access tools, VPN/VDI software, AI tools, and other applications that may require review.
Observed vs. Active Usage

Distinguish between applications that have been seen historically and applications that are actively running in the environment.

Support for Unknown and Internal Applications
Identify internally developed, unmanaged, and previously unseen applications without relying on predefined application catalogs. 

More Context. Faster Trust Decisions.

File-level visibility and control provide the precision required for effective application control. Application Context builds on that foundation by helping teams understand how files relate to the applications running across their environment. 

Teams can see what applications are running, how they are composed, where they are used, and whether they should be trusted. 

Put simply: Application Context helps teams understand the application behind the file.

Operational Benefits

Reduce File-Level Guesswork

Help administrators quickly understand what software file activity relates to, reducing the effort required to interpret execution events.

Identify Unknown and Unmanaged Software

Surface unexpected, high-risk, or previously unseen applications, including shadow IT, AI tools, remote access utilities, and internally developed software.

Support Audit and Cleanup

See where applications are running, which hosts have used them, and who is using them to support software review, rationalization, and governance activities.

Strengthen Policy Decisions

Use application-level context to make faster, more confident trust and enforcement decisions while maintaining file-level enforcement. 

Improve Software Visibility

Gain a clearer view of software usage across the environment, including applications that may not appear in traditional inventory systems. 

Complement Existing Inventory Tools

Application Context provides execution-driven software visibility. It is not a replacement for asset management or ITAM platforms, but it complements them by showing what actually runs, not just what is installed.

Application Context FAQs

Application Context is Airlock Digital’s application-level visibility capability. It groups related files into logical applications using heuristics based on real execution data, helping teams understand what software is actually running across their environment.

Application Context analyzes execution relationships, shared properties such as installation paths and publishers, and other telemetry to group related files and libraries into recognizable applications.

Application Context helps teams answer business‑level questions about software usage, not just file presence. It enables organizations to:
  • See what applications are actually running and being used in the last 30 days, versus just installed.
  • Identify unexpected or unwanted tools, such as remote access utilities that should not be present.
  • Support audit, clean‑up, and rationalization projects by showing where an app is, which hosts run it, and who is using it.
Because it works from local execution data, it can surface applications that customers did not know were present or widely used.

Teams can review related files and libraries, publishers, runtime relationships, categories, where the application has been observed, and whether it appears to be actively used.

Application Context is not a vulnerability management system. However, it can help teams quickly identify whether a known application or version family has been observed in the environment and where it has run.

No. Application Context provides visibility and context. Enforcement is handled through Airlock Digital policies. 

Keep Exploring

Airlock Digital Application Control Datasheet

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