Conduct file integrity checking

- There are many types of files that should only change…under specific authorized circumstances.…For instance, entries in an accounting ledger program…should only be changed by members of the accounting team…when they are making valid business updates.…While most file changes are a part of doing business,…some can be malicious, such as when someone…deliberately manipulates or destroys file data.…File changes can also be an indication of malware,…since certain viruses will make changes to…system or configuration files.…

In addition, file changes can be accidental…in cases of human error or data corruption.…For any of these scenarios, an organization would want…to know if and when data is changing in sensitive…or important files without proper authorization.…That's where file integrity checking comes in.…The best way to check file integrity…is by using software which can hash files.…Hashing is a form of encryption…which takes a digital fingerprint, or checksum,…of a file and its contents.…

If even a single character is changed,…