Authorized software settings

Accessing the settings

  • From the top menu, select Settings. From the side menu, select Authorized software.

  • Click Add. The Add settings page opens.

You can only assign authorized software settings to Windows servers or workstations.

Required permissions

Permission Access type

Configure authorized software

Create, edit, delete, copy, or assign authorized software settings profiles.

View authorized software settings

View the authorized software settings profiles defined.

Permissions required to access the authorized software settings

How the Authorized Software module works

Network users can run unknown software which is in the process of classification provided you have permitted it by using an authorized software rule.

After a program has been analyzed, Panda Adaptive Defense 360 classifies the program as goodware or malware. If the program represents a threat, it is blocked regardless of whether it was authorized in these settings.

Authorized Software module settings

Authorized software settings consist of one or more rules, each of which refers to a single software component or a family of software that you want to allow to run before it is classified.

Creating an authorized software rule

Click the Authorize programs link to create a rule with the following information. Then, click Authorize:

Field Description

Name

Rule name.

MD5 or SHA-256

MD5 or SHA-256 hashes for the programs you want Panda Adaptive Defense 360 to allow to run. See section Calculating the MD5 or SHA-256 hash of one or more files.

Product name

Product name value from the header of the file you want to unblock. To view the product name, right-click the program file and select Properties, Details.

File path

Path of the program on the server or workstation. System environment variables are accepted.

File name

The name of the file you want to unblock. Wildcards * and ? are accepted.

File version

Version from the header of the file you want to unblock. To view the version, right-click the program file and select Properties, Details.

Signature

The digital signature of the file you want to unblock. See section Getting the thumbprint of a signed program.

Configuring an authorized software rule

Deleting an authorized software rule

  • Click the icon next to the authorized software rule you want to delete.

  • In the upper-right corner of the page, click Save to update the newly edited authorized software settings profile.

Editing an authorized software rule

  • Click the name of an authorized software rule. The Authorize programs dialog box opens.

  • Edit the rule properties. Click Authorize.

  • In the upper-right corner of the page, click Save. The authorized software settings profile updates.

Copying an authorized software rule

  • Click the icon next to the authorized software rule you want to copy. The Authorize programs dialog box opens. The new rule name contains the name of the original rule with the prefix “Copy of”.

  • Edit the rule properties. Click Authorize.

  • In the upper-right corner of the page, click Save. The authorized software settings profile updates.

Calculating the MD5 or SHA-256 hash of one or more files

There are many tools available to calculate the MD5 or SHA-256 hash of a file. This section describes how to use the PowerShell tool in Windows 10.

  • In File Explorer, open the folder with the files. Select File, Open Windows PowerShell. A window with the command line opens.

Command line with the result of the Get-FileHas command

  • Enter the following command and replace $files with the file path. Wildcards * and ? are accepted.

MD5 hash

PS c:\folder> Get-FileHash -Algorithm md5 -path $files

SHA-256 hash

PS c:\folder> Get-FileHash -Algorithm sha256 -path $files

  • To copy the MD5 or SHA-256 hashes to the clipboard, press and hold the Alt key, and select the hashes with the mouse pointer. Press Ctrl + C.

  • To paste all MD5 or SHA-256 hashes from the clipboard to the Panda Adaptive Defense 360 console, click the MD5 or SHA-256 field of the authorized software rule and press Ctrl + V.

  • Click Authorize. In the upper-right corner of the page, click Save. The authorized software settings profile updates.

Getting the thumbprint of a signed program

  • Open Windows PowerShell. Navigate to the directory where the program is located.

  • Run this command:

  • Select the character string from the text box displayed and press Ctrl + C to copy it to the clipboard.

  • Open a text document and press Ctrl + V to paste the thumbprint to it. Remove the blank spaces between the characters and press Ctrl + C to copy the string without spaces.

  • Click the Signature field of the authorized software rule and press the keys Ctrl + V to paste the thumbprint to the management console.

  • Click Authorize. In the upper-right corner of the page, click Save. The authorized software settings profile updates.