> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://cortex-docs.paloaltonetworks.com/application-security/application-security-posture-management-aspm/applications/defining-business-applications/reference-core-concepts.md).

# Reference: Core concepts

Reference details for Application Criteria types, evaluation, business context, and application scope.

## Criteria types

Cortex Cloud supports two Criteria types, targeting different asset domains. Select the type that matches the source of organizational truth for your applications.

| Type      | Asset domain     | Grouping mechanism                                                                                                                                                                                 | Use when                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
| --------- | ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Code**  | VCS repositories | Groups assets by VCS hierarchy (organization, project, or repository). A single code Criteria can target multiple VCS provider types in the same rule (for example, GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket) | Grouping code repositories and their connected runtime/deployment assets into applications based on VCS structure. This is the most common Criteria type for organizations with code-centric ownership models           |
| **Cloud** | Cloud resources  | Groups assets by shared cloud resource tag key-value combinations within a single cloud account                                                                                                    | Grouping cloud resources (compute instances, serverless functions, storage) into applications based on existing tagging conventions. Use this when the cloud tag model is the source of truth for application ownership |

## Code-to-Cloud unification

You do not have to choose between code and cloud Criteria; both operate concurrently. When a Code rule groups a source repository and a Cloud rule groups the live infrastructure running that code, the platform automatically merges them into a single application boundary to provide true end-to-end risk correlation.

## Continuous evaluation logic

The Criteria engine operates on a continuous evaluation model. It evaluates rules immediately upon saving and re-evaluates them on a periodic background cadence. As repositories are added, renamed, or removed, and as cloud resources gain or lose tags, the engine automatically updates application membership without manual intervention.

## How business context prioritizes risk

When you define a Criteria rule, you assign business tags that every generated application automatically inherits. The platform uses these tags to prioritize issues.

**Business criticality** directly influences **Urgency** calculations. High business criticality elevates the Urgency tier of every issue associated with the application.

**Business owner** determines who receives notifications and owns issue remediation.

## Application access and policy scope

Criteria-generated applications define the scope for security controls. The platform uses these boundaries to enforce Unified Application Security Policies and Scope-Based Access Control (SBAC).

**SBAC** scopes user access to specific application boundaries. **Policies** scope security enforcement to application boundaries. Refer to [Scope user access to applications (Application SBAC)](/application-security/application-security-posture-management-aspm/applications/scope-user-access-to-applications-application-sbac.md) for more information.


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