Software Detection Monitor

Problem Overview

Uncontrolled or unauthorized software installations can pose security risks, violate compliance requirements, or lead to unexpected system performance issues. Manually verifying software presence across devices is inefficient and time-consuming.

Description

This monitor is designed to detect if specific software is installed on devices running Windows, macOS, or Linux. By providing the name or identifier of the target software, the monitor scans the device to confirm its presence and triggers an alert when a match is found.

You can use this monitor to enforce software policies, prevent the use of unauthorized applications, and maintain compliance with organizational standards. Pair it with an optional remediation automation to uninstall unwanted software or notify IT personnel for further action.

Preview

Use Cases

• Security Compliance: Detect unauthorized or risky software installations.
• License Auditing: Monitor for unlicensed or over-provisioned software.
• Policy Enforcement: Ensure only approved applications are installed in sensitive environments.
• Troubleshooting: Quickly identify known conflicting software during issue resolution.
• Change Management: Track software installation activities in managed environments.

Recommendations

• Getting Started: Configure the monitor with the exact name or identifier of the software you want to detect.
• Testing Instructions: Test the monitor by installing and uninstalling the target software on a test device. Verify that the monitor generates alerts accordingly.
• Automation Pairing: Import a remediation automation to automatically uninstall the detected software or escalate the alert for review.
• Best Practices: Regularly update the target software list to reflect changes in approved or restricted applications.

FAQ

• Can this monitor detect multiple software applications at once?
  ‍Yes, you can configure the monitor to check for a list of specific software titles.

• Does this monitor automatically remove unauthorized software?
  ‍No, the monitor only generates alerts. However, you can pair it with a remediation automation to uninstall software.

• How often does the monitor scan for software?
  ‍The frequency of scans can be configured based on your environment’s needs. By default, this monitor checks hourly

• What platforms does this monitor support?
  ‍This monitor supports Windows, macOS, and Linux devices.

• Will the monitor alert me if the software is uninstalled?
  ‍This monitor is designed to detect the presence of software. If the software is uninstalled, the absence will no longer trigger an alert and the alert will be automatically resolved.