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This article explores the challenges and limitations of using taxonomic lists in biosecurity regimes. While taxonomic lists are commonly used to regulate access to harmful organisms and toxins, they often lack specificity or clarity. Advances in biological engineering have further complicated the effectiveness of taxonomy-based control systems. The article suggests a more structured approach to designing biosecurity regimes, including understanding the goals of the regime, translating those goals into biological functions to be controlled, and identifying the most suitable tools for the job. It also proposes improvements to taxonomic lists, such as regular updates, inclusion of functional equivalence, consideration of ease of engineering, and clarification of language. Additionally, the article suggests alternative approaches, such as using reference databases and sequence-based methods, to better capture organisms that may pose harm. It emphasizes the need for improved sequence databases and the development of databases for known toxins and virulence factors. Ultimately, the article advocates for the development of more effective and tailored biosecurity tools. [Extracted from the article]