What exactly is the term file integrity monitoring?

It just refers to computer security technological processes that companies use to check specific weird components that have been adjusted or altered. You can also use this process to inspect operating systems, different software databases or additional computer files.

The solution creates a proper, trusted baseline for each different file, and it can audit all the file changes, by making a comparison to each of them on the baseline process. If it means that the file has been changed or updated, or completely corrupted, it will then produce an alert to allow more investigation and action to take place. 

So how do you make use of file security & integrity monitoring?

You can then utilize file integrity monitoring in two methods:

Active monitoring – live monitoring made to file changes based on different rules and different behavioural analysis as well.

Auditing – Different examination using forensic methods on files after security cases have been made.

How Utilizing File Security Makes File Integrity Monitoring Possible

File integrity monitoring solutions also rely on different security features that are in-built into other OS and databases.

Windows File Security

When using Windows, files can be secured fast. Access is done by a similar access control model that can handle all the other Windows apps.

Windows can also compare the computer permissions and the data requested by the website with the data in the additional security of the file and directory. If the access token and security requirements are met, then authorization is granted.

Linux File Security

The whole security model is based on a complex security model that the UNIX computer system utilize. When using Linux, there are three different types of users that utilize this software. The owner can also give permission or write proper permission for another user category.

Linux also has four different access codes when the access is made to a file:

  • 0- Access denied
  • 4-Read access given to the user.
  • 2-Written access given to the user.
  • 1-There is permission to execute the file given to the user.

File Security Platform

All different types of databases have in-built security features. There is a type of Oracle database which has a few similar user categories like the Linux platform – such as group or owner user databases. Only the owner of the file or another root can correctly assign or change the file permissions. Permissions are also reading, writing, denying access or executing processes on the file- which means users do not have any access or permissions to the file.

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Why is File Integrity Monitoring So Critical?

File integrity monitoring software can track and analyze and report about different changes to critical files in the computer environment. It can also support any response about the whole incident while giving a secure layer of file security for storing data and different applications. The four prominent cases for using the file integrity monitoring for monitoring file integrity are as follows:

  • Detecting Fraud Activities – When there is a security breach that happens, it is critical to know whether there has been an attempt to change necessary files in OS or apps on the computer systems. Even if other files or other detection software have completely been bypassed, the file integrity monitoring can also detect any significant changes to different parts of the computer ecosystem.
  • Identifying Accidental Changes – It is relatively common for a worker or other legal party to have made changes to the file by accidental. In some instances, a change can also harm the OS stability, or create a back security door, or cause the information to become corrupted. Therefore, there have to be proper investigations to prove and show what exactly happened, and who caused it.
  • Making Verified Updates and System Integrity – Computer systems are also updated regularly. You can utilize file integrity monitoring solutions to properly run different scans on different techniques that have been using the same firmware patch, to make sure that they all function the same way, by making a comparison to the file checksum. Similarly, you can also scan multiple different systems with the same OS or software, to make sure all the systems are running an operational version of the software.

Five Steps to Implement a File Integrity Monitoring Solution

You can also follow different processes to prepare the company for a proper file integrity monitoring solution, and properly implement it.

 1.Defining a Proper Policy

A file integrity monitoring strategy starts with suitable policies. In this crucial step, the firm will determine what type of files that will have to be monitored, and what kind of changes can impact it, and who is the person in charge that has to be notified and what actions have to be taken.

2.Creating a Baseline for Different Files

Based on different policies, a file integrity monitoring solution will scan the files that are relevant across other firms and create a baseline of individual files. Some of the compliance standards will need this baseline to be appropriately documented in a manner that can be shown to the auditor.

The whole baseline also includes the full version or the modified date, and other data that computer experts can utilize to verify that the entire file is valid.

3.Monitoring

Once the whole baseline is adequately recorded on all the related files, the file integrity monitoring can also monitor the entire file database. As the files are always changed lawfully, file integrity monitoring can create a lot of different false alerts – which might cause signals to the file although the files are not harmful.

A file integrity monitoring system uses different tactics to avoid these false alerts. The admins can properly define which alerts are not done correctly. There is also behavioural analysis made by file integrity monitoring to see if the change is done correctly and can be investigated appropriately.

4.Sending Different Alerts

When there is a file integrity monitoring software solution that detects different changes, a file security alert can be sent to teams and individuals that are accountable for the file changes. The signals should be sent to the staff, admins or security workers.

5.Reporting Results

The whole file integrity monitoring database creates a timely report showing the different file activities and the changes made in the company. The stories are used internally by security or computer staff. They are also sent to auditors to meet legal compliance purposes.

Final Verdict

Why Do You Use File Integrity Monitoring?

No matter what is the size of the company, many cyber threats might cause a breach of security, so it is only a matter of time when there is a security breach in the system. It is then necessary to integrate file integrity monitoring into the operating system. Make sure you use file integrity monitoring today!