CrowdStrikeintermediate

How to Configure Exclusions in CrowdStrike Falcon

Learn how to properly configure file, folder, and process exclusions in CrowdStrike

8 min readUpdated January 2025

In some cases, administrators may need to exclude certain files, folders, or processes from CrowdStrike Falcon scanning. This is useful for preventing interference with critical applications, reducing false positives, and optimizing system performance.

This guide explains how to configure file, folder, and process exclusions in CrowdStrike Falcon using the Falcon Console.


Step 1: Log Into the CrowdStrike Falcon Console

  1. Open a browser and go to the CrowdStrike console. There are two possibilities (Will depend on your tenant):
  2. Sign in using your admin credentials.

Step 3: Add Exclusions

File or Folder Exclusions

To exclude a specific file or folder from scanning:

  1. In the left-hand menu, click Endpoint Security > Configure > Exclusions
  2. Select the machine learning exclusions tab
  3. Click Create Exclusion
  4. Select the host group you want to apply the exclusion to, click next
  5. Enter the exclusion pattern
  6. Click Create exclusion
  7. repeat the process on the Sensor Visibility tab


Best Practices for Exclusions

Use Exclusions Sparingly – Excluding too many files or processes can create security risks.
Regularly Review Exclusions – Ensure that old exclusions are still needed.
Test Before Applying Globally – Apply exclusions to a test group first before rolling them out to all endpoints.

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions

Recommended exclusions in CrowdStrike Falcon include files, folders, or processes that are critical to operations or known to cause false positives, such as legacy application files and essential system processes.

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