In cybersecurity measures, "whitelisting" implies the practice of allowing only specified trusted applications or IP addresses to access a system or network. Unlike blacklisting, which blocks known threats, whitelisting enables organizations to define which software is permitted to execute. This proactive approach reduces the risk of malware and other cyber threats by minimizing exposure to potentially harmful programs. However, it requires ongoing maintenance to update the list as new legitimate applications emerge while ensuring that security protocols do not hinder necessary operations.