CrowdStrike Exclusions: Configure File, Folder & Process Exceptions

To identify candidates for exclusion, monitor for false positives during scans and review application logs for flagged legitimate applications. Tools like Sysinternals Process Monitor can help track file access and identify conflicting processes.

Once you identify exclusions, follow the outlined steps to exclude these items, document each exclusion, and maintain a change log. Always assess the security risks associated with exclusions before finalizing your decisions.

To test exclusions in CrowdStrike Falcon effectively, follow these steps:

1. Create a Test Group: Select a small, diverse subset of endpoints representing your environment.

2. Apply Exclusions: Implement exclusions only for this test group, documenting each exclusion per endpoint.

3. Monitoring and Logging: Monitor for unusual behavior using CrowdStrike’s logging tools, focusing on previously flagged false positives.

4. User Feedback: Collect feedback from users in the test group regarding application performance and security concerns after applying exclusions.

5. Iterate: Adjust exclusions based on monitoring data and user feedback. Refine or explore alternative solutions for persistent issues.

Once confident in the security of the exclusions, roll them out across your environment while continuing to monitor closely.

To effectively review and manage exclusions in CrowdStrike Falcon, follow these best practices:

1. Scheduled Reviews: Conduct quarterly reviews or after significant changes to your infrastructure to assess the necessity of exclusions.

2. Review Documentation: Evaluate each exclusion against current operational needs, considering whether they remain critical or if updates have resolved previous conflicts.

3. Risk Assessment: Assess the risks of removing exclusions and ensure adequate security measures are in place, informed by the latest threat intelligence.

4. Feedback Loop: Create a mechanism for users to report issues related to exclusions, providing insights into their impact on productivity.

5. Utilize Reporting Tools: Analyze alert trends using CrowdStrike Falcon’s reporting features to determine the relevance of exclusions.

6. Engage Stakeholders: Involve IT security teams and application owners to align exclusions with business objectives, ensuring security is not compromised.

These steps help maintain optimal security while managing exclusions effectively.