A server kernel processing system receives an input/output (I/O) request from a user mode computing environment. The I/O request is analyzed to determine whether it is a file open request. If so, target analysis logic determines whether the file open request is for a driver file or for a file within a protected volume that stores a driven whitelist file. If the file open request is for a file stored in a protected volume, the request is blocked. If the file open request is for a driver file, then the driver whitelist file is examined to determine whether the target driver is on the whitelist. If not, the file open request is also blocked.