Whitelisting is a network security approach that blocks resource access to all but a select few trusted entities. Whitelists create a registry of the entities that may access a resource, and they can contribute to your access control strategy by making highly sensitive resources harder for adversaries to penetrate. Whitelists work best with centrally managed and relatively static systems where users have few expectations of control. However, whitelists become difficult to manage in more dynamic environments and may degrade the user experience. To overcome these limitations, whitelists can be used as one element of a layered security strategy that includes perimeter defenses, endpoint protections, anti-malware systems, and more. Whitelisting is not complete security solutions and has limitations that should be considered before using whitelists for secure access control. Creating an effective whitelist system requires an up-front commitment of time and resources, and it can disrupt business operations if implemented incorrectly. However, whitelists can significantly enhance security by reducing attack surfaces and minimizing the impact of successful security breaches. Twingate's Zero Trust Network Access solution lets you benefit from whitelist access control while mitigating their trust-driven limitations.