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OSSEC for FIM: Accelerating Advanced Security - Atomicorp - Unified Security Built on OSSEC

OSSEC for FIM – 6 Whys and Ways to Security and Compliance

Posted on by Casey Priester

Leverage open source security (OSSEC) for file integrity monitoring (FIM), easier compliance, and to accelerate overall enterprise-strength security.

2020’s shift to large-scale remote work and distributed computing forced IT teams to roll out new or expanded services just to keep the business running. 2021 must be about reinforcing security and compliance across this rapidly- and widely-deployed network computing paradigm.

An excellent place to start this security and compliance is with OSSEC (Open Source Security), the world’s most popular open source host-based intrusion detection system that is a workhorse for tens of thousands of security and DevOps teams. OSSEC includes critical security capabilities including host-based log management and forwarding, active response, and file integrity monitoring (FIM).

FIM provides the crucial ability to establish a trustworthy baseline of all resident files, automatically know when file changes occur, and to inspect those changes for malicious activity. It is a key part of workload protection, overall security, and compliance. 

FIM is also a requirement for many organizations. PCI-DSS, NIST, and JSIG frameworks and regulations require file integrity monitoring explicitly. To meet HIPAA’s and GDPR’s performance requirements, you’ll need a FIM solution.

Why OSSEC for FIM

So why turn to OSSEC for essential FIM?

  • It’s free (initially). The “vanilla” open source package can be downloaded and installed right away, and other paid solutions with additional features can be layered on top. Why not take advantage by using the free version OSSEC, which can serve as a platform for flexible future advanced security?
  • It’s integrative. OSSEC works in cloud and container environments, supporting open source development platforms including Kubernetes, Docker, the Linux OS. Through Atomicorp, OSSEC can support Azure, AWS, GCP and other cloud platforms. 
  • It’s secure. More than just crucial FIM, Atomic OSSEC includes automatic log scanning, strong endpoint protection, vulnerability management, and cloud workload protection. OSSEC for FIM brings these capabilities to bear on PCI-DSS, NIST, CMMC compliance, JSIG frameworks and regulations, and HIPAA’s and GDPR’s performance requirements, keeping organizations and their data safe and compliant.
  • It provides needed context. With most FIM solutions, you know that a file changed, but not the why. OSSEC has the rules to allow you to match that file change with other behavior that could indicate an attack, or not an attack. It also will tell you which user changed the file and the process that changed the file. OSSEC FIM from Atomicorp has additional rules, therefore providing richer context, with visualization through a secure information and event management (SIEM) console.
  • It’s automation-friendly. Atomic OSSEC FIM accelerates advanced security implementation in your operations. During development and deployment, security becomes a more important and timely consideration and is ready when the business is (DevSecOps). Meanwhile, automation saves time on manual file monitoring, detection, and response.
  • It improves over time. Machine learning and scaled defense-in-depth security from Atomicorp learn as they go and get better with age.

 

Atomic OSSEC for FIM

Leverage open source security (OSSEC) for file integrity monitoring (FIM) and accelerated enterprise strength security with Atomicorp.

Read the FIM whitepaper. 

Learn more about Atomic OSSEC.