What does FIM mean in UNCLASSIFIED

File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) is a process used to ensure that data stored on computing devices remains unaltered. It utilizes a variety of technological tools and processes to continuously review the status of a given file or directory and alert administrators when changes are detected. This enables organizations to detect malicious activity or unauthorized access in real-time.

FIM helps protect an organization from threats posed by external actors, as well as internal personnel with malicious intent. By monitoring all files for unauthorized modifications - including cryptographic hashes, time stamps, permissions settings - FIM can quickly detect if someone has added, modified, or deleted important files on a system. This real-time alerting can help prevent data breaches before they occur.

FIM works by continuously scanning the state of specified files and directories on one's system in order to detect any changes. Once it discovers a change it will create an alert so the administrator can take action if necessary. This process works in conjunction with other security measures such as antivirus software to ensure complete protection for your systems and data assets.

No, FIM is not an antivirus program but it complements antivirus solutions by providing additional protection against malicious activity or unauthorized access attempts within an organization’s networks and systems. While antivirus programs defend against known threats, FIM provides ongoing monitoring that allows organizations to detect activity that otherwise might have gone unnoticed until the damage was done.

The frequency of file integrity checks depends on the sensitivity of the data being monitored and compliance requirements; however a recommended baseline for most organizations is daily scans of critical systems/files with additional scans as needed when new systems or applications are deployed or significant changes are made to an existing IT infrastructure.

Yes, attackers may try various forms of evasion techniques like spoofing signatures and/or passwords but modern FIM solutions utilize advanced methods such as anomaly detection which look for deviations from expected behavior patterns rather than specific known threats, making them much more difficult to bypass than traditional security measures.

No additional hardware or software is typically required for most FIM solutions; however depending on your current setup you may need some additional software such as malware scanners or intrusion detection systems in order to fully implement this type of protection across all endpoints within your network.