---
title: "HOST-BOOT-006 No File Integrity Monitoring"
canonical: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-BOOT-006.html
html: https://openvapt.com/checks/HOST-BOOT-006.html
site: OpenVAPT, https://openvapt.com/
license: OpenVAPT Source-Available Licence 1.3, https://openvapt.com/legal/licence-text.html
modified: 2026-10-14
version: 0.1.0-alpha.6
---

# HOST-BOOT-006 No File Integrity Monitoring

Checks that a file integrity tool (AIDE, Tripwire, Samhain or equivalent) is installed and scheduled to run.

- Domain: Server
- Severity: Medium
- Control category: Logging and Monitoring
- Fix effort: medium
- CVSS v3.1 vector: `CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N`
- CIS Controls v8: 4.1
- NIST CSF 2.0: PR.PS-01
- CWE: CWE-778
- NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5: SI-7, CM-3
- Benchmark topic: File integrity checking (CIS Controls v8 4.1) (topic only, no benchmark text)

## Why It Matters

After a compromise the first question is which files changed. Without a baseline and a scheduled comparison, a replaced binary, an added SUID file or an edited PAM stack stays invisible for months.

## How It Detects

Looks for the tools' programs and configuration (/usr/bin/aide, /usr/sbin/aide, /etc/aide/aide.conf, /etc/aide.conf, /usr/sbin/tripwire, /etc/tripwire, /usr/sbin/samhain, /etc/samhainrc, /usr/sbin/osqueryd and /opt/ossec/bin/ossec-syscheckd) and then for a schedule: a file in /etc/cron.d, /etc/cron.daily or /etc/cron.weekly, a systemd timer under /etc/systemd/system or /usr/lib/systemd/system, or a line in /etc/crontab that names the tool. Tool present with no schedule still fails. Stat and glob only; configuration contents are not read except /etc/crontab.

## How to Fix

Install AIDE (apt install aide / dnf install aide), initialise the database with  aideinit  or  aide --init, move the new database into place, and enable the daily check (dailyaidecheck.timer on Debian family, or a cron.daily entry) that mails or logs the differences.

## How to Verify

```
aide --check  (or your tool's check command) runs and reports; systemctl list-timers | grep -i aide  or  ls /etc/cron.daily | grep -i aide
```

## Learn the Theory

- [P17 Kernel, Filesystem and Boot Hardening](https://openvapt.com/academy/p17.md)

## References

- [AIDE, Advanced Intrusion Detection Environment](https://aide.github.io/)
- [NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5, Security and Privacy Controls](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/53/r5/upd1/final)
- [NIST SP 800-123, Guide to General Server Security](https://csrc.nist.gov/pubs/sp/800/123/final)

## Source Code

https://github.com/OpenVAPT/openvapt/blob/574f7f3333c44b75a3c649e2d93a76d507f75adf/internal/checks/host/boot.go

Run it: `openvapt scan --only HOST-BOOT-006`. Read it offline: `openvapt explain HOST-BOOT-006`.

---

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