FileAudit vs FIM

FileAudit monitors, alerts on, and reports access to files and folders across Windows file servers and supported cloud storage. On Windows, it records access events in real time and associates them with user accounts, IP addresses, and machine names. Alerts can flag denied access, deletions, or mass file events; predefined PowerShell scripts can be configured to block or log off a user. Reports cover NTFS permissions, permission changes, ownership, and file or folder properties. Cloud auditing is an add-on for services including OneDrive for Business, SharePoint Online, Microsoft Teams, Google Drive, Dropbox Business, and Box. It reads provider audit logs and collects activity metadata rather than file contents; connected services need a supported subscription plan and administrator authorization. Deployment is agentless, so the software need not be installed on the Windows server under audit. Reports are described as supporting GDPR, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and PCI-DSS. Requirements include Windows Server 2012 R2 or later, Windows 8.1 or later, and .NET Framework 4. The trial lasts 20 days and is limited to three servers. Pricing is based on an annual subscription determined by users and systems audited.

FIM is free, open-source software for monitoring file systems on premises. It watches files in the background, keeps historical information, emits events when changes occur, creates hashes, and analyzes content, attributes, ownership, and permissions. On Linux, the Audit daemon can identify who caused an event and which command produced it. Events may be written locally, sent over a network, or sent to both destinations. Documentation lists Elasticsearch 8.x or OpenSearch 2.x and Splunk indexer 9.x integrations, with only one integration active at a time. FIM runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS. Installation guidance lists Ubuntu Xenial or later, CentOS 7 or later, Windows 7 or Server 2016 or later, and macOS Big Sur or later. Minimum requirements are one CPU core, 128 MB memory, and 1 GB storage, with storage use increasing over time. The maker says support is free and provides an email contact.