Tracking file system permission changes with fschange

[dpanych]

I got fschange to track when a file is added/modified/deleted, but I am having trouble tracking permission changes. Is there a way to do that with fschange?

[AdamRosen]

STEALTHbits offers a file activity monitor that does exactly what you are looking for. Splunk app is available here: https://splunkbase.splunk.com/app/3432/

[MuS]

Hi dpanych,

from the docs http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/6.3.3/Data/Monitorchangestoyourfilesystem :

This feature has been deprecated.
This feature has been deprecated as of Splunk Enterprise version 5.0. This means that although it continues to function in version 6.x of Splunk Enterprise, it might be removed in a future version. As an alternative, you can:
 - Learn how to monitor file system changes on Windows systems http://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/6.3.3/Data/MonitorfilesystemchangesonWindows 
 - Use the auditd daemon on *nix systems and monitor output from the daemon.

If you're running on *nix you can create a scripted input that checks the file permission and index the output result of this script; used in combination with auditd this will provide some excellent results.

Hope this helps ...

cheers, MuS

[lguinn2 · Accepted solution]

First, fschange has been deprecated since Splunk 5.0. It's still in the product, but you are taking a risk in using it - because the feature could be removed in any future Splunk release. Splunk's recommendation is that you use the features of the native OS to track changes to files.

Second, fschange does not monitor file permissions. There is no fschange setting which will accomplish that.

You might want to look at this documentation Monitor Changes to Your Filesystem, which is about fschange and its options. There are also recommendations for alternatives to fschange. For *nix environments: "Use the auditd daemon on *nix systems and monitor output from the daemon." There is also a link to Monitor file system changes on Windows.

[MuS]

HeHe, I was typing for too long - again 🙂