Which classifies processes to minimize endpoint risk?

• A. Zero-Trust Application Service
• B. Layered Protection
• C. WatchGuard Patch Management
• D. Contextual Detections

Answer: (A)

Zero-trust Application Service embodies treating every process on the endpoint as untrusted until proven otherwise. By classifying processes according to risk and enforcing strict, policy-driven controls, it minimizes endpoint risk. In practice, this means verifying the identity and intent of a process, enforcing least-privilege execution, and restricting what the process can access or communicate with—regardless of where it originated or how it started. If a process behaves unexpectedly, its actions are blocked or limited in real time, which prevents credential theft, data access, or lateral movement by compromised software.

Layered protection spreads defenses across multiple areas but doesn’t inherently categorize every process by trust level. Patch management targets known vulnerabilities in software rather than ongoing behavior control. Contextual detections look for suspicious signals but don’t enforce ongoing trust decisions at the process level. The zero-trust approach directly addresses how to classify and control processes to reduce risk on the endpoint.