Application Categories | ThreatLocker Help Center

The ThreatLocker team conducts ongoing research on applications observed within environments protected by the ThreatLocker agent. As part of this process, each application is evaluated and categorized based on its primary function and intended use. Application categories are displayed as a green label throughout the platform, including on the Applications page, within the application sidebar, and in approval request details.

Application categories provide additional context and enhance policy enforcement capabilities. Administrators can use categories as conditions within Detect policies to receive alerts when applications from undesired categories are observed running or attempting to run in the environment.

Categories also improve the user experience by allowing the blocked item window to suggest similar applications that have already been approved in the ThreatLocker Application Store.

Additionally, categorization helps administrators make more informed decisions when determining whether an application should be permitted within their environment.

Categories:

AI Software: Software that uses artificial intelligence, including AI-generated text or images.

AI Assistant - Assists users with tasks, questions, automation, or recommendations using AI.
AI Image Generation Software -Generates images using AI based on text prompts or inputs.
AI Writing & Editing Software - Uses AI to generate, edit, summarize, or improve written content.

Application Management Software: Software that updates, installs or uninstalls other software.

Installation Software - Files that install software.
Uninstallation Software -Files that uninstall software.
Update Software - Files that update software.

Backup/Recovery Software: Software that allows users to backup or recover data.

Backup Software - Creates backups of files or systems.
Data Recovery Software - Recovers lost, deleted, or corrupted data.

Browser Extension: Software that is a browser extension (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, etc.)

Cloud Software: Cloud software is delivered over the internet and hosted by a third-party provider, allowing users to access applications and data from anywhere. It supports scalable computing, storage, collaboration, and software services without requiring on-premises infrastructure.

Cloud File Storage - Software that stores files or data on off-premise devices.

Communication Software: Software that involves communication between different parties.

Collaboration Software - Enables teams to collaborate on work and projects.
Email Management Software - Manages, organizes, or secures email communications.
Meeting Software - Hosts virtual meetings, webinars, or presentations.
Messaging Software - Enables real-time text-based communication.
VOIP Software - Provides voice communication over the internet.

Computer Hardware: Devices that are recognized as physical hardware devices, like USB devices.

Device Support Software - Supports, configures, or manages hardware devices.
Fax Software - Sends or receives faxes digitally.
Peripheral Software - Software about peripherals such as mice, keyboards, webcams, etc.
Printer Software - Manages printer functionality and drivers.

Custom Themes: Software that involves the changing of visual themes, layouts, etc.

Data Analytics Software: Software that records data, analyzes data, or visualizes it. It includes lab-work-type software that can analyze various components.

Database Software: Software that is responsible for holding, querying, creating, and managing databases.

Database Driver - Enables applications to connect to databases.
SQL Server Software - Manages and runs SQL-based database servers.

Design Software: Software that includes designing and editing, visual designs, building software, engineering software, circuit design software, etc.

Augmented Reality Software - Creates or manages AR experiences.
Building Information Modelling (BIM) Software - Designs and manages building data models.
Computer-Aided Design Software - Designs technical drawings or models.
Electrical Engineering Software - Designs and simulates electrical systems.
Graphic Design Software - Creates visual designs and graphics.
Industrial Design Software - Designs industrial products and prototypes.
Label Design Software - Designs printable labels.
Web Design Software - Designs and builds websites.

Development Software: Software that includes a suite of or multiple development tools, or runtime environments/SDKs.

Command-Line Interface Software - Provides text-based command execution.
Encryption Software - Encrypts code, data, or communications.
Frameworks & SDK - Provides tools and libraries for development.
Integrated Development Environment Software - Full development environments for coding.
Package Manager Software - Manages software dependencies.
Version Control Software - Tracks and manages code changes.

Diagnostic Tool: Software that is used for diagnosing, debugging or discovering what is wrong with something.

Computer Optimization Tool - Improves system performance.
Hardware Diagnostic Software - Diagnoses hardware issues.
System Information Software - Displays system configuration details.
Vehicle Diagnostic Software - Diagnose vehicle systems.

Document Software: Software that is used for managing, editing, or sharing documents.

Digital Note Management Software - Manages digital notes.
Document Scanning Software - Scans physical documents digitally.
E-signature Software - Enables digital signing of documents.
Reference Management Software - Manages academic or research references.
Template Software - Provides document templates
Writing and Grammar Assistance Software - Improves writing quality and grammar.

Driver Software: Software that is used for computer drivers does not include database drivers.

Educational Software: Software that are used for education/teaching or testing the knowledge of someone.

Exam Monitoring Software - Monitors exams for integrity.
Learning Management Software (LMS) - Manages educational courses and users.
Language Learning Software - Teaches languages.

Enterprise Software: Software that are used specifically ONLY for businesses or companies.

Business Intelligence Software - Analyzes business data.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software - Manages customer relationships.
Contact Management Software - Manages contact information.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software - Integrates core business processes.
Hospitality Software - Manages hospitality operations.
Productivity Tracking Software - Tracks employee productivity.
Server Software - Runs and manages servers.

Entertainment Software: Software that provides the user with entertainment such as tv shows and movies.

Audio Streaming Software - Streams music, podcasts, or audio content over the internet.
E-Reader Software - Displays and manages digital books and publications.
News Aggregation Software - Collects and displays news from multiple sources on one platform.
Social Media Platform - Enables users to create, share, and interact with content and communities.
Video Streaming Software - Streams video content on demand or live.

File Management Software: File management software enables users to organize, store, access, transfer, and control files across local systems, network shares, or cloud environments.

Cloud File Storage - Stores files remotely.
Compression Software - Software that involves compressing or decompressing files.
Data Erasure Software - Securely deletes data.
Download Manager Software - Manages file downloads.
File Conversion Software - Converts file formats.
File Viewer Software - Views file contents.
File Transfer Software - Software that helps in, assists, or initiates the transfer of data.
Partition Software - Manages disk partitions.

Financial Software: Financial software supports accounting, budgeting, payroll, invoicing, reporting, and financial analysis processes. It helps organizations manage financial records, ensure compliance, and monitor overall financial performance.

Cryptocurrency Software - Software used to manage, store, or transact cryptocurrency and blockchain-based assets.
E-Commerce Software - Software used for the buying & selling of goods over the internet commercially.
Point of Sales Software - Software used to process payments and complete sales transactions.
Tax Software - Software used to calculate, prepare, and submit tax-related information

Gaming Software: Software that pertains to gaming devices or software designed for entertainment purposes.

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Software: GIS software is used to capture, analyze, visualize, and interpret geographic and spatial data. It enables organizations to map locations, identify patterns, and make data-driven decisions based on geographic context.

Mapping & Navigation Software -Software that provides directions, such as GPS, maps, or route-planning software.

Healthcare Software: Software used for managing medical information, diagnosing patients, scheduling doctor appointments, or anything that pertains to the medical field.

Fitness Software - Software used to support fitness training, exercise tracking, or wellness activities.
Medical Imaging Software - Software that takes images of medical injuries, such as CT scans and X-rays.
Medical Practice Management Software - Software used to capture, view, or analyze medical images such as CT scans and X-rays.

Language Software: Language software supports translation, language learning, localization, or multilingual communication. It enables users to convert text between languages, improve language proficiency, or adapt content for use across different regions and audiences.

Language Learning Software - Software used to learn, practice, or improve proficiency in different languages.
Translation Software - Software used to translate text or speech between languages.

Legal Software: Software specifically designed to handle legal processes, information, or management.

Legal Services Software - Software used to support legal work, such as case management, document handling, and legal research.

Licensing Software: Software that allows users to create digital certificates, sign digital certificates.

Software License Management Software - Software used to track, manage, and ensure compliance with software licensing.

Malicious Software: Malicious software poses a significant risk to systems and data. If introduced or executed, it can enable unauthorized data exfiltration, compromise system stability, or cause a complete operational lockout. These impacts may leave affected systems exposed to known vulnerabilities, exploits, and additional malware.

Manufacturing Software: Software designed to help the manufacturing production process, manage inventory, supply chain, or methods used to optimize manufacturing efficiency.

Marketing Software: Software designed to assist businesses in analyzing, automating, and managing marketing operations. Includes social media campaign software and ads.

Media (Multimedia) Software: Software that includes video editing software and audio editing software.

Audio Conversion Software - Software used to convert audio files between different formats.
Audio Editing and Recording Software - Software used to record, edit, and produce audio content.
Video Editing Software - Software used to edit, enhance, and produce video content.
Photo Editing Software - Software used to edit, enhance, and manipulate digital images.

Networking Software: Networking software facilitates communication between devices by managing connections, data transmission, and network configuration. It may include tools for routing, monitoring, firewall management, and network performance optimization.

Device Support Software - Software used to support, manage, troubleshoot, or update hardware devices.
IP Scanning Tool - IP scanning or Port scanning software.
Networking & Connectivity Diagnostic Software - Software used to monitor, test, and troubleshoot network connectivity and performance issues.
Terminal Emulator - Terminal emulator software provides a command-line interface that allows users to interact with operating systems, servers, or network devices using text-based commands.
VPN Tool - Software that allows users to have a virtual private network.

Open Source: Software whose source code is made publicly available and can be inspected, modified, and enhanced by anyone. This often means the software is free to use and distribute, and it benefits from community-driven development and collaboration.

Operating Software: Software that automatically comes with the operating system. This can include Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, or specific vital files or programs that come preinstalled with Windows, like the Microsoft Store.

Office Suite Software: Office suite software includes productivity applications such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and email tools. These applications support document creation, data analysis, communication, and collaboration within organizations.

Office Suite Extension - Software used to extend or add functionality to office productivity suites.
Presentation Software - Software used to create and deliver visual presentations.
Spreadsheet Software - Software used to create, edit, and analyze tabular data.
Word Processing Software - Software used to create, edit, and format text documents.

PDF Software: PDF software enables users to create, view, edit, convert, sign, and secure PDF documents. It is widely used for document sharing, collaboration, and preserving formatting across platforms.

PDF Converter - Software used to convert files to or from PDF format.
PDF Editor - Software used to edit, annotate, or modify PDF documents.
PDF Viewer - Software used to open and view PDF documents.

Password Manager: Software that manages or stores passwords or confidential information.

Remote Management Software: Remote management software allows administrators or support personnel to monitor, control, and manage computers or devices from a different location. It is commonly used for IT support, system administration, and centralized device management.

Deployment Software -Software used solely for deploying applications.
Remote Access Clients - Software that has remote access to different clients.
Remote Access Software - Software that has remote access to different machines.
Remote Monitoring and Management Software - Software that remotely manages and monitors different environments.

Security Software: Software that is designed for protecting the users' computer systems, networks, and data from vulnerabilities, malware, etc.

Antivirus Software - Software used to detect, prevent, and remove malicious software.
Encryption Software - Software used to protect data by encrypting files, disks, or communications.
Multi-factor Authentication Software - Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) software enhances account security by requiring users to verify their identity using two or more authentication factors, such as a password, mobile app approval, hardware token, or biometric verification.

Shipping Management Software: Software that is involved in the shipping and logistics of certain goods.

Shopping Tool: Software that is used as a tool to help with making purchases from different websites or companies.

Surveillance Software: Software that records and monitors activities or behaviors can be both physical Surveillance or Digital surveillance.

Technology Company: Companies that develop software.

Transportation Software: Software that involves transporting users.

Utility Software: Utility software provides system-level tools that help manage, maintain, optimize, or troubleshoot computers and operating systems. These tools typically support performance, storage, diagnostics, or system configuration functions.

Adblocker - Software that blocks Ads
Augmented Reality Software - Software used to overlay digital content onto the real world through devices such as mobile phones or AR headsets.
Bookmark Management Software - Software used to save, organize, and manage web bookmarks.
Calendar Software - Software used to schedule, track, and manage events and appointments.
Clock / Time Software - Software used to display time, set alarms, or track time usage.
Fitness Software - Software used to support fitness training, exercise tracking, or wellness activities.
Polling Software - Software used to create and collect polls, surveys, or votes.
Screen Capturing Tool - Software that captures a user's computer screen, including screenshots or video capturing.
Tab Management Software - Software used to organize, group, or manage browser tabs.
Task Management Software - Software used to create, assign, and track tasks or to-do items.
Weather Software - Software used to display weather conditions and forecasts.

Virtualization Software: Software for the creation and management of virtual machines and virtual environments.

Web Browser: Software that allows users to browse the internet.