In order to enforce software restrictions in Windows Server 2012 R2, what must be created?

To enforce software restrictions in Windows Server 2012 R2, a Group Policy Object must be created. This is because Group Policy Objects (GPOs) are the primary mechanism in Windows environments for configuring settings and enforcing policies across multiple computers and users in a domain or organizational unit. When it comes to software restriction policies, GPOs allow administrators to define rules that determine which applications can run, helping to enhance security by preventing unauthorized or harmful software from executing.

Creating a GPO provides a streamlined approach to managing software restrictions across an entire network, as opposed to applying local policies individually on each machine or relying on a single user account. This not only simplifies administration but also ensures consistency in policy enforcement.

Additionally, while local policies could restrict software on an individual machine, they do not provide the centralized management and scalability that GPOs do. Domain controllers are necessary components of a network that uses GPOs, but they do not directly create policies themselves. User accounts are also important in Windows environments, but they are not devices for enforcing software restrictions directly.