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File Integrity Monitoring

What is File Integrity Monitoring?

A security control that detects changes to critical system files, configurations, and content by comparing current states against known good baselines.

Information Security

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as file integrity monitoring. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on file integrity monitoring

Requirements naming file integrity monitoring across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

Security Dimension 6 Data Integrity per X.805 Clause 6.6: Data Integrity ensures the correctness or accuracy of data. The data is protected against unauthorized modification + deletion + creation + replication and provides an indication of these unauthorized a...

X805-Dim6-Data-Integrity-Correctness-Accuracy-Unauthorized-Modification-Deletion-Detection · ITU-T X.805 Security Dimension 6 - Data Integrity + Correctness + Accuracy + Unauthorized Modification Prevention + Deletion Detection + Hashing + HMAC + Digital Signatures + Merkle Trees + Blockchain Integrity + File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
PCI DSS 4.03 controls

File integrity monitoring or change-detection mechanisms are used on audit logs to ensure that existing log data cannot be changed without generating alerts.

10.3.4 · File integrity or change detection on logs

Detect and respond to unauthorized configuration changes through file integrity monitoring, registry monitoring, change correlation with approved tickets, and alerting on deviations not tied to an approved change record.

SecCM-MONITOR-5 · Unauthorized Change Detection

Apply NIST SP 800-146 Chapter 7 IaaS operational recommendations to every IaaS service consumed. Coverage must include (a) infrastructure-as-code as the canonical provisioning method (no manual console provisioning of production), (b) base image and template h...

NISTSP146-4 · IaaS Operational Recommendations and Workload Hardening

Operate detection and analysis per NIST SP 800-61 Rev 2 Section 3.2 (Detection and Analysis). Tasks include (a) Attack vectors as taxonomy (External/Removable Media + Attrition + Web + Email + Improper Usage + Loss or Theft of Equipment + Other) for categorisa...

NISTSP61-4 · Detection and Analysis: Sources, Triage, Categorisation, Prioritisation

Operate OT configuration + patch + vulnerability + malware protection per NIST SP 800-82 Rev 3 Chapter 6 + Chapter 7. Configuration Management must (a) establish baseline configurations per asset class + version + maintain canonical golden image library, (b) e...

NISTSP82-5 · OT Configuration Management, Patching, Vulnerability Management, and Malware Protection

Questions people ask about file integrity monitoring

What is File Integrity Monitoring?
A security control that detects changes to critical system files, configurations, and content by comparing current states against known good baselines.
Why is File Integrity Monitoring important for compliance?
File Integrity Monitoring is a key concept in Information Security. Understanding file integrity monitoring helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address File Integrity Monitoring?
File Integrity Monitoring appears in the requirement text of ITU-T X.805 - Security Architecture for End-to-End Communications, PCI DSS 4.0, NIST SP 800-128, NIST SP 800-146, NIST SP 800-61. Across these standards we have identified 8 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about File Integrity Monitoring?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how file integrity monitoring applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how File Integrity Monitoring applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.