Overview

The fcheck utility is an IDS (Intrusion Detection System) which can be used to monitor changes to any given filesystem.

Essentially, fcheck has the ability to monitor directories, files or complete filesystems for any additions, deletions, and modifications. It is configurable to exclude active log files, and can be ran as often as needed from the command line or cron making it extremely difficult to circumvent.

Operation and Getting Started

Flag passing is a fairly simple process. Primarily you will be using two commands. One builds (or rebuilds) your baseline database files (system snapshots). The second runs in a scanning comparison mode.

"fcheck -ac"

Builds the baseline database.

"fcheck -a"

Comparison scans the system against the baseline database.

For normal operation: Initially you will run fcheck by issuing the command "fcheck -ac" to create the initial baseline file used for comparison. Any runs after the creation of the basline will normally be with the following flags "fcheck "-a"" to scan for any system modifications.

After a scan is completed, you will probably want to have fcheck re-create its baseline database for the next comparison cycle. Otherwise you will be seeing every system modification since the last baseline re-build. In other words, run the "fcheck -ac" command again.

(Advanced Note:) A more intensive system check would be accomplished by building your database to include GID/UID checks, directories, and CRC checks by using the following sample syntax:

  "fcheck -cadsxlf /etc/fcheck/fcheck.cfg"

And provide periodic integrity scans from cron by using the following sample syntax:

  "fcheck -adsxlf /etc/fcheck/fcheck.cfg"