Final answer:
General control is a type of control activity relevant to numerous IT applications, ensuring the overall operation and security of IT systems.
Step-by-step explanation:
A type of control activity that applies to a number of IT applications is called general control. General controls are designed to ensure the proper operation and security of the IT environment as a whole. This contrasts with application controls, which are specific to individual software applications. General controls encompass a range of measures, from physical security and access controls to data backup and recovery processes. For example, having a consistent and well-maintained user authentication system would be a general control that affects multiple applications within an organization.