Security Monitoring

The Top 7 File Monitoring Software

Discover the Top File Monitoring Software. Explore key features including real-time monitoring and alerts, and version control and rollback capabilities.

Last updated on Sep 12, 2024

Written by Mirren McDade

Technical review by Laura Iannini

The Top 7 File Monitoring Software includes:

1. CrowdStrike Falcon FileVantage
2. FileAudit by IS Decisions
3. ManageEngine ADAudit Plus
4. Netwrix Auditor
5. OSSEC
6. SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
7. Tripwire by Fortra

File Monitoring Software tracks changes to critical files and folders within your network. These tools provide real-time updates and alerts, helping businesses to better maintain control over their IT infrastructure.

File Monitoring Software is a valuable component of a robust security system, as these solutions actively monitor for abnormal file activity that could indicate a potential security breach. File Monitoring Software supports file integrity and access control, making it easier to detect unauthorized file access or manipulations.

These solutions help you to protection your sensitive data, as well as to identify potential threats. We’ve put together a shortlist of our top picks for the Top File Monitoring Software solutions, with each of our chosen vendors selected for their strong features, scalability, ease of use, and user satisfaction. Our research includes an examination of user reviews and personalized feedback from our technical team.

CrowdStrike Falcon FileVantage

FileVantage is a file integrity management solution that monitors changes to critical files and minimizes alert fatigue, helping organizations to comply with regulatory standards such as PCI that require monitoring.

Who it’s for: Ideal for security operations teams in enterprises requiring robust file monitoring capabilities.

Benefits: FileVantage offers centralized visibility and real-time tracking of changes to critical files, folders, and registries, ensuring better control and compliance with regulatory standards.

Supports pre-built policies and the creation of new ones for critical files, folders, registries, users, and processes.
Enables granular policy controls, including inclusions/exclusions and setting severity levels.
Quickly targets and connects file, folder, and registry changes to active detections for greater context.
Incorporates added threat intelligence and detection data for improved visibility and context around changes.

The bottom line: FileVantage provides a comprehensive file integrity management and real-time monitoring, making it an essential tool for security operations teams tasked with maintaining regulatory compliance and reducing alert fatigue.

Founded in 2011, CrowdStrike specializes in cybersecurity and offers advanced security solutions. A faulty CrowdStrike update was responsible for widespread outage and disruption to Microsoft systems.

FileAudit by IS Decisions

FileAudit is a file monitoring and auditing tool designed for Windows file servers and cloud storage systems.

Who it’s for: Ideal for a wide range of organizations, from SMBs to large enterprises, in need of real-time file access tracking and auditing capabilities.

Benefits: FileAudit provides transparent and comprehensive auditing for file access, making it a strong choice for ensuring data integrity and security.

Monitors access and usage of files and folders in real time across Windows servers and various cloud storage platforms, recording IP addresses, and machine names.
Allows for configuring custom alerts and triggered responses for file events such as denied access, file deletion, and multiple rapid access attempts.
Offers a centralized, searchable audit trail for files stored across all sources, with options to schedule detailed reports.
Supports a wide range of cloud storage platforms, including OneDrive, SharePoint Online, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Box.

The bottom line: FileAudit stands out for its non-intrusive, agentless design and its ability to track and audit file changes across multiple sources in real time. This makes it a reliable solution for organizations that need robust file monitoring and compliance capabilities.

Founded in 2000 and based in Biarritz, France, IS Decisions supports over 1,000 organizations.

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus

ManageEngine ADAudit Plus provides comprehensive auditing and monitoring for Active Directory, file servers, and NAS devices.

Who it’s for: This platform is ideal for enterprises seeking robust file and folder auditing capabilities in their IT infrastructure.

Benefits: ManageEngine ADAudit Plus excels in real-time tracking and management of file activities across multiple systems. It ensures organizations stay ahead of potential security issues with advanced auditing features.

Track and manage unintended or failed access attempts such as read, write, or delete, before they escalate into critical security issues.
Track and report on owner and permission changes in folders.
Set up custom reports and alerts to monitor specific files and folders, suspicious users, or even certain critical activity types.
Advanced behavior analytics can detect and notify administrators of abnormal file actions or critical changes.

The bottom line: ManageEngine ADAudit Plus is a high-performing auditing tool designed to enhance security and compliance by providing in-depth visibility into file and folder activities. Its real-time monitoring and advanced behavior analytics make it indispensable for maintaining IT security.

ManageEngine is a part of Zoho Corporation, founded in 1996, and trusted by 9 out of 10 Fortune 100 companies.

Netwrix Auditor

Netwrix Auditor is an IT auditing and reporting tool designed to track changes across various systems and file servers.

Who it’s for: Industries such as manufacturing, financial services, and insurance.

Benefits: Netwrix Auditor provides visibility into file changes, ensuring critical files remain secure and compliance is maintained.

Its agentless deployment can be set up either as an on-premises physical appliance or a virtual appliance, making installation flexible.
It tracks changes to permissions and monitors activities around vital files to help identify unauthorized modifications.
The tool reports on both successful and unsuccessful file access attempts across multiple file servers, enhancing oversight.
It alerts security teams to any suspicious activity, such as multiple file modifications or failed access attempts within a short timeframe.

The bottom line: Netwrix Auditor stands out for its robust auditing capabilities, helping organizations identify data leaks, remain compliant, and secure sensitive information by monitoring file activities comprehensively.

Netwrix was founded in 2006 and provides IT auditing solutions, serving diverse clients across multiple industries.

OSSEC

OSSEC is an open-source, host-based intrusion detection system that offers comprehensive file and registry monitoring and integrity checking.

Who it’s for: OSSEC is suitable for a wide range of users, from SMBs to large enterprises and government agencies.

Benefits: OSSEC excels at detecting and preventing unauthorized activities on host systems. It runs seamlessly on most operating systems including Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Provides robust application and system-level auditing, ensuring compliance with standards like PCI-DSS and CIS benchmarks.
Detects changes to both files and Windows registry settings in real-time, enhancing system security.
Maintains a forensic copy of data as it changes over time, aiding in detailed analysis.
Conducts a comprehensive system inventory, tracking files, software, hardware, network services, and listeners on the machine.
Allows for extended functionality through third-party plugins.

The bottom line: OSSEC stands out for its real-time monitoring capabilities and extensive auditing features, making it a valuable tool for maintaining host system integrity. Its open-source nature coupled with broad OS compatibility offers flexibility and robust security for organizations of all sizes.

Founded in 2004, OSSEC has grown as a reliable open-source security solution trusted by numerous clients worldwide.

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor

SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is a comprehensive file server monitoring tool that tracks both file changes and server performance. It automatically discovers your environment upon installation, enabling monitoring within an hour, and supports on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.

Who it’s for: Ideal for small businesses, enterprises, educational institutions, and public sector organizations.

Benefits: SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor provides real-time insights and performance tracking across diverse environments.

Integrates with a wide variety of third-party applications, enhancing functionality and ease of use.
Tracks file characteristics and changes in real time, ensuring you always have current information.
Offers over 1,200 customizable monitoring templates out of the box, tailored to different application, system, and infrastructure needs.
Prevents alert fatigue by allowing admins to set custom alert thresholds, ensuring you only receive the alerts that you need to know about.

The bottom line: SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor provides robust monitoring capabilities with real-time updates and a high level of customizability. Its quick installation and broad compatibility make it a strong choice for various organizations looking to enhance their IT infrastructure monitoring.

Founded in 1999, SolarWinds is a leading provider of IT management software for businesses of all sizes.

Tripwire by Fortra

Tripwire Enterprise is a file integrity monitoring solution designed to enhance security and compliance auditing with automated remediation capabilities. The solution supports on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments, offering flexibility across diverse IT infrastructures.

Who it’s for: Best suited for large enterprise organizations.

Benefits: Tripwire Enterprise excels in providing a robust and streamlined approach to file integrity monitoring, integrating seamlessly with existing IT security tools.

It integrates with ticketing systems, security configuration management, log management, and SIEM tools like Splunk, ServiceNow, and Jira.
It enables centralized control of configurations, maintaining uniform settings across both physical and virtual environments.
Continuously captures detailed real-time information on who made what changes and when, ensuring accountability and traceability.
Provides comprehensive IT infrastructure baselines and real-time change detection, with built-in intelligence to determine the impact of changes.

The bottom line: Tripwire Enterprise stands out for its extensive integrations, flexible environment support, and its ability to maintain centralized control over configurations. The automated features and real-time monitoring make it an essential tool for maintaining compliance and security within large enterprise IT infrastructures.

Founded in 1997, Fortra offers comprehensive IT solutions, focusing on enhancing security and compliance for numerous clients worldwide.

Everything You Need to Know About File Monitoring Software (FAQs)

What Is File Monitoring Software?

File monitoring software is designed to track changes to files and directories in real-time. These solutions monitor actions like file creation, modification, deletion, and access, whilst also providing users with alerts when unauthorized or suspicious activities occur. This helps to ensure data security, system integrity, and compliance.

File monitoring software gives admins a way to track changes to files within servers and distributed environments using several automated, streamlined features. A file monitor is designed to create a baseline for comparing file characteristics against future changes. File monitoring software can also provide users with alerts that can be set up to notify relevant individuals of specific file conditions, so they only receive critical alerts for issues that pertain to them.

How does File Monitoring Software Work?

File Monitoring Software integrates with your IT infrastructure and monitors specified files and directories for any changes. This could mean new files being created, existing files being deleted or modified, or changes to file permissions. These solutions issue alerts in real-time when unauthorized or abnormal file activity is detected.

A File Monitoring Software Solution works to track important file attributes, which may include the following:

Files core attributes
File configuration data
File credentials
File security and privilege settings
File content
File size
Hash values

Tracking these critical attributes makes it possible for the file monitoring software to detect changes to important files of system configurations. File monitoring systems observe the full environment when they are first installed to determine a status quo file baseline. This is then used to track alterations to files and see where they deviate from the norm. Any notable difference can then be easily identified, meaning that users can be quickly alerted of potential file integrity issues.

What Features Should You Look For in File Monitoring Software?

When selecting File Monitoring Software, consider the following features:

Real-Time Monitoring and Alerts – Any file monitoring software you consider should be able to provide up-to-the-minute information about file systems and send alerts for suspicious activity. These notifications are typically sent via email, SMS, or dashboards, and alert users when pre-defined events (like unauthorized access or file deletion) occur. This helps security teams to respond quickly and reduces the potential for damage.
Detailed Reports – The ability to generate comprehensive reports on file activity, changes, and access rights is necessary for auditing purposes, as well as for ensuring that the organization adheres to regulatory guidelines and requirements of standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA, or SOX, to avoid penalties.
Version Control and Rollback Capabilities – By tracking file versions, the solution can allow rollbacks to previous versions in the event of unauthorized modifications or deletions. This makes it easier to recover from malicious or accidental changes, minimizing downtime and reducing the impact of file corruption or ransomware attacks.
Multi-Platform Support – A good file monitoring software solution should support monitoring across multiple operating systems (Windows, Linux, macOS, etc.), as this maintains consistent file monitoring in heterogeneous environments, ensuring that all systems are covered regardless of the platform.
Integration – File monitoring software will often integrate with other security tools, including SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) systems, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), and antivirus solutions. This integration helps to strengthen an organization’s overall security posture by inputting file-related events into a broader security framework, improving incident response capabilities.
Scalability – As businesses grow and evolve, the file monitoring software must be able to handle increased file activity and be scalable according to your needs, without degradation in performance. This is particularly crucial for large organizations or growing businesses that need to monitor a significant number of files across multiple systems and users.

Mirren McDade

Senior Journalist & Content Writer

Mirren McDade is a senior writer and journalist at Expert Insights, spending each day researching, writing, editing and publishing content, covering a variety of topics and solutions, and interviewing industry experts. She is an experienced copywriter with a background in a range of industries, including cloud business technologies, cloud security, information security and cyber security, and has conducted interviews with several industry experts. Mirren holds a First Class Honors degree in English from Edinburgh Napier University.

Laura Iannini

Cybersecurity Analyst

Laura Iannini is an Information Security Engineer. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida. Laura has experience with a variety of cybersecurity platforms and leads technical reviews of leading solutions. She conducts thorough product tests to ensure that Expert Insights’ reviews are definitive and insightful.