---
title: "Allow selected applications"
slug: "allow-selected-applications"
updated: 2024-10-10T09:35:13Z
published: 2024-10-10T09:35:13Z
canonical: "help.scalefusion.com/allow-selected-applications"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.scalefusion.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Allow selected applications

Use this script to allow selected applications on Linux machines.

1. Copy and save the contents below to a **UTF-8** editor like **notepad++** OR **Sublime Text** in Windows or **gedit** in Ubuntu.
  1. If you are using **notepad++** then use the bottom right panel to change the type to **Unix (LF)**. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/175c0eac-012f-4410-bdc5-ac60794f82d8/Images/Documentation/image-SL94VAMV.png)
2. Or click [here](https://cdn.document360.io/175c0eac-012f-4410-bdc5-ac60794f82d8/Images/Documentation/Template_Allowed_Applications.sh) to download the file.

```bash
cat << EOF | sudo tee /etc/xdg/autostart/allowed_apps_daemon.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Exec=/usr/local/sbin/allowed_apps_daemon.sh
Hidden=false
NoDisplay=false
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true
Name=My Daemon
Comment=Start allowed apps daemon
EOF

cat << EOF | sudo tee /usr/local/sbin/allowed_apps_daemon.sh
#!/bin/bash
TARGET_USER=\$(whoami)
EXCLUDED_PIDS=\$(ps -u "\$TARGET_USER" -o pid= | sed 's/[[:space:]]//g')
EXCLUDED_COMMANDS=("APPLICATION_PROCESS_NAME1" "APPLICATION_PROCESS_NAME2" "APPLICATION_PROCESS_NAME3" )

while true; do
  # Get the list of running processes for the target user
  running_processes=\$(ps -u "\$TARGET_USER" -o pid=,cmd=)

  # Iterate over each process
  while read -r pid cmd; do
    # Check if the process should be excluded
    exclude=false

    # Check if the PID should be excluded
    for excluded_pid in \$EXCLUDED_PIDS; do
      if [[ \$pid == "\$excluded_pid" ]]; then
        exclude=true
        break
      fi
    done

    if [[ \$exclude == false ]]; then
      for excluded_cmd in "\${EXCLUDED_COMMANDS[@]}"; do
        if [[ \$cmd == "\$excluded_cmd" ]]; then
          exclude=true
          break
        fi
      done
    fi

    # Kill the process if it is not excluded
    if [[ \$exclude == false ]]; then
      echo "Killing process \$pid: \$cmd"
      kill "\$pid"
    fi
  done <<< "\$running_processes"

  # Pause for 25 seconds
  sleep 30
done
EOF

chmod 755 /usr/local/sbin/allowed_apps_daemon.sh
visudo_entry="ALL ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/local/sbin/allowed_apps_daemon.sh"
echo "$visudo_entry" >> /etc/sudoers
#Verify the sudoers file syntax
visudo -c

# Please reboot the Device once script is executed
```
3. In the script, replace the following placeholder:
  1. Please enter the application process name(s) that are to be allowed in the line: EXCLUDED_COMMANDS=("APPLICATION_PROCESS_NAME1" "APPLICATION_PROCESS_NAME2" "APPLICATION_PROCESS_NAME3" )
  2. For example,

```bash
EXCLUDED_COMMANDS=("firefox" "gedit" "gnome-terminal" "sshd" "bash" "chrome" "google-chrome" "Xwayland" "xdg-desktop-portal" "gsd-xsettings" "oosplash" "dbeaver" "Postman" "filezilla" "msedge" "opera" "thunderbird" "brave" "sublime_text" "code" "peek" "zoom" "vim" "terminator" "chromium-browser" "soffice" )
```
  3. Reboot of the device will be required.
4. Follow [our guide](/docs/deploy-linux-shell-scripts-using-scalefusion#step-1-upload-and-deploy-the-script) to upload & publish the script using Scalefusion Dashboard.

> [!CAUTION]
> Note:
> 
> 1. Some of the scripts and their contents are sourced from internet and yes, our new friend ChatGPT.
> 2. Please validate the scripts on a test machine before deploying them on all your managed devices.
> 3. Scalefusion has tested these scripts, however Scalefusion will not be responsible for any loss of data or system malfunction that may arise due to the usage of these scripts.