Definition
FortiGate Application Control classifies supported application traffic and applies allow, monitor or block actions according to configured policies.
How it works
An Application Control profile is associated with a FortiGate firewall policy. FortiOS uses application signatures and traffic inspection to identify supported applications. Encrypted traffic, inspection settings and signature coverage influence detection accuracy.
Real-world example
An organization monitors file-sharing applications before restricting unauthorized services, while confirming that approved business applications remain accessible.
Limits and best practices
Review logs and application signatures, test in monitor mode where appropriate, and validate the effect of TLS inspection and possible false positives before enforcing widespread blocks.