How does FortiGate's application control feature function?

FortiGate's application control feature is designed to identify and manage applications based on a combination of factors, which includes deep packet inspection and application signatures, rather than solely relying on ports and protocols. This means it can recognize applications even when they use non-standard ports or employ encryption technologies to obscure their traffic patterns.

By identifying applications regardless of the ports and protocols they use, FortiGate can enforce more granular policies, allowing or blocking specific applications based on their behavior, risk assessment, or other defined criteria. This capability enhances network security by providing visibility into application usage and ensuring only authorized applications operate within the network, even if they don't adhere to typical port assignments.

This contrasts with options suggesting application identification based solely on IP addresses, ports, or a blanket restriction of all applications, which would not provide the nuanced control and visibility that FortiGate's application control feature is designed to offer.