Acronymized as FIM, File Integrity Monitoring is a process of compliance and detection of the changes that are made in a file’s baseline state. Baseline refers to the original and last authenticated status of the file, after which, any change made will not be registered. This is a very thought-provoking concept because of the vast scope of its usability, right from military information security to a corporate privacy control, the FIM has proven its role to be quintessential. Configuration Management (CM) is a concept that was devised originally in the United States Department of Defence in 1950 to maintain a management decorum and keep track of the hardware items. Soon, it was taken up by almost all industries and became a standard practice.
The first type of technical process, devised in the 1960s, was the “480 Series”. Owing to its origin in the Department of Defence, this system had a set of military standards, namely, MIL-STD-480, MIL-STD-481, and MIL-STD-483, which were issued in 1970. It was only after twenty years that a new series (MIL-HDBK-61) was launched, which catered better to the needs of both military and industry requirements. This system has ever since been in use and updated over time, making it a ubiquitous CM standard. That was followed by the conception and creation of the FIM by Gene Kim, who is also the founder of Tripwire. According to a new report by Reports and Data, the Global File Integrating Monitoring (FIM) Market is forecast to reach USD 1.75 Billion by 2026 from USD 593.2 Million in 2018, delivering a CAGR of 14% through the years.
Now, to know about the intricacies of the File Integrity Monitoring system, we need to unveil its objectives and applications. A change in the attributes of a file is not something unnerving; however, sometimes, these changes can conceal breach routes, compromising the integrity of the file. To offer enhanced comprehensibility, FIM monitor, detect and alert the user of any alterations made in certain constituents of a file. The values it keeps in check are core attributes like size, credentials, security settings, content, configuration values, and hash values. An enthralling fact about the hash values is that every time an alteration is made, the hash value of the file changes from the authentic hash value of the file, thus alerting the concerned authority. The contemptible stratagem of malicious software (or simply malware like a trojan horse, spyware, or viruses) is potentially parried by this technical discipline of using a File Integrity Monitoring system. This has become a mandatory product for all industries irrespective of what they offer. The requirements and the type of data that needs to be protected may vary. For instance, a company manufacturing car will need to protect the car designs, while an encyclopedia software company will require to protect and restrict alterations to its content. It virtually gives the authorized personnel visibility to oversee if anyone is attempting to delete or corrupt classified data of the company.
There are certain challenges, though, that are encountered by FIM users. Firstly, noise challenge, which is the oldest issue with an FIM tool. Assuming that the only job this tool does is notify the user of any alteration, it seems very elementary. Though some organizations are required to change or update their data regularly, the tool is incapable of comprehending the same and any change that is made is reflected in the records as an integrity inference. Secondly, once a threat or intrusion is detected, the tool solitarily does not recommend a preventive action or investigates to intercept the culprit. Lastly, the FIM tool is not generous enough to help establish detection strategies and only alerts the user in case of a break-in. These problems are solved using other supplementary tools; for example, Tripwire is used to detect the most imminent and indisputable threats out of all the alterations made to the files’ baseline. Similarly, for the remaining two issues, an investigating platform is imperative to inspect the damage and catch hold of the black hat.
The advantages of FIM outweigh the downsides by a considerable margin. It is one of the most indispensable software in the cybersecurity market, helping the IT industry across the world feel secure and ensuring that no modifications, by an unwanted entity, goes unnoticed. It also provides a robust real-time change detection engine and a unified security stature. These benefits have helped the FIM thrive and evolve in the global market. There are some participants in the market, who have secured for themselves, an influential position in the global market. Security Event Manager is a firm that offers FIM options ready for operating and detecting the modifications and alterations with unparalleled ease. Ossec is another firm which provides security solutions to firms that need a smaller footprint of the FIM operation, which means lesser noise challenge. Tripwire is a firm that is popular for its intrusion detection capacities; however, it also has well-reputed FIM capabilities. It is extremely easy to use and renders intricate and minute details of the changes made, making it convenient for people who need to work in compliance with CIS, NIST, and ISO.
The growth that is predicted for this market (14% CAGR) depicts the prospects to be extremely beneficial for those who have a stake or are potential entrants in the Global File Integrity Monitoring Market.
