Citadel / Controls / ForbiddenApplications

ForbiddenApplications Control

What does this control check?

The ForbiddenApplications control checks that you don't have any applications installed that violate your organization's security or compliance policies. The specific list of forbidden applications is configured by your IT team based on security requirements and business needs.

Important: Citadel will tell you which specific application(s) need to be removed. Applications may be forbidden for various reasons: they might pose security risks, violate licensing agreements, conflict with company policies, leak sensitive data to unauthorized services, or simply be unauthorized shadow IT tools. Your IT team has determined that these specific applications should not be used on company devices.

Why is this important?

🚨

Security Risks

Forbidden applications may contain malware, vulnerabilities, or features that expose your device and company data to security threats that your IT team has identified.

📤

Data Leakage

Some applications may upload your files or data to external services without proper encryption or authorization, potentially exposing confidential business information.

⚖️

Compliance

Using unauthorized or unlicensed software can violate regulatory requirements, licensing agreements, and company policies, creating legal and financial risks for your organization.

How to fix this

Uninstalling Applications on Windows

  1. Click the Start button and select Settings
  2. Click Apps
  3. Click Installed apps (or Apps & features on older versions)
  4. Scroll through the list to find the forbidden application
  5. Click the three dots (⋯) next to the application name
  6. Select Uninstall
  7. Click Uninstall again to confirm
  8. Follow any additional prompts to complete the uninstallation
  9. Restart your computer if prompted
Alternative method: Search for "Add or remove programs" in the Start menu to access the same settings.
⚠️ Important notes:
  • Check with IT support if you need a replacement application for your work
  • Some applications may require administrator privileges to uninstall
  • If you can't find the application in the list, contact IT support for assistance
  • Don't just delete the application folder - use the proper uninstall process

Uninstalling Applications on macOS

  1. Open Finder
  2. Click Applications in the sidebar
  3. Find the forbidden application in the list
  4. Drag the application to the Trash
  5. OR right-click the application and select Move to Trash
  6. Enter your password if prompted
  7. Empty the Trash: Finder → Empty Trash
  8. Click Empty Trash to confirm
For stubborn applications: Some apps include their own uninstaller. Check if the application folder contains an "Uninstall" app, or look in Applications → Utilities.
⚠️ Important notes:
  • Check with IT support if you need a replacement application for your work
  • Some applications may require administrator privileges to uninstall
  • If you can't find the application in Applications folder, contact IT support
  • Some apps leave behind preference files - this is normal and not a security concern

Uninstalling Applications on Linux

The command depends on how the application was installed. Check with your IT team which package format applies, or try each in turn: 

# Debian/Ubuntu (.deb / apt)
sudo apt remove <package-name>
sudo apt autoremove

# Fedora/RHEL (rpm / dnf)
sudo dnf remove <package-name>

# Arch
sudo pacman -Rns <package-name>

# Flatpak
flatpak uninstall <app-id>

# Snap
sudo snap remove <package-name>

If you're not sure of the exact package name, list installed packages and grep for it, e.g. apt list --installed | grep -i <name>.

⚠️ Important notes:
  • Check with IT support if you need a replacement application for your work
  • Removing a package may also remove dependencies shared with other software — review the removal plan the package manager prints before confirming
  • If the application was installed manually (e.g. an AppImage or a binary in /opt), simply delete it and remove any related entries in ~/.local/share/applications

Verifying the fix

After uninstalling the forbidden application, Citadel will automatically verify this control during its next check.

To verify the application is removed:

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Installed apps
  2. Search for the application name in the search box
  3. The application should no longer appear in the list
  4. Restart your computer to ensure all components are removed

To verify the application is removed:

  1. Open Finder and click Applications
  2. Use the search box (top-right) to search for the application name
  3. The application should no longer appear
  4. Check the Trash is empty
  5. Restart your Mac to ensure all components are removed

To verify the application is removed:

apt list --installed | grep -i <name>   # or: dnf list installed | grep -i <name>
flatpak list | grep -i <name>
snap list | grep -i <name>

No output means the package is gone.