Download: https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/
Packages available for: Debian, Ubuntu, Redhat, .tar.gz.
cfgtrack tracks and reports diffs in files between invocations.
It lets you add directories and files to a tracking list by keeping a separate
copy of the file in a tracking directory. When invoked with the 'compare'
command, it outputs a Diff of any changes made in the files since the last
time you invoked with the 'compare' command. It then automatically updates the
tracked file. It can also send an email with the diff attached.
Limitations (otherwise known as "features")
- Does not track file attribute changes (future?)
- Does not track who made the change (future?)
- Does not track additions to directories (but does track removals of tracked files) (future?).
- It's not a configuration management system.
- It's not an intrusion detection system.
cfgtrack is useful when you want to stay informed about changes happening to files by third-parties or automatic updates.
Example:
[fboender@jib]~$ sudo ./cfgtrack track /etc/crontab
Now tracking /etc/crontab
# Two weeks later
[fboender@jib]~$ sudo ./cfgtrack compare
--- ./etc/crontab 2015-01-23 18:23:06.906938089 +0100
+++ /./etc/crontab 2015-01-23 18:23:26.842937817 +0100
@@ -12,6 +12,3 @@
25 6 * * * root test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.daily )
47 6 * * 7 root test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.weekly )
52 6 1 * * root test -x /usr/sbin/anacron || ( cd / && run-parts --report /etc/cron.monthly )
-# MISSION CRITICAL: DO NOT REMOVE
-00 3 1 * * root /usr/local/bin/fix_all_the_things.py
-
[fboender@jib]~$ echo "Oh god, why???" | mail -s "YOU'RE FIRED" --to admin@noobcorp.com
cfgtrack is written as a straight-forward portable shell script. No special installation is required other than downloading and copying the script to a directory.
If you want to to use the mail function (-m/--mail), you'll need Python.
- Download the .deb file from https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/
- Install the package:
sudo dpkg -i cfgtrack*.deb - To uninstall:
apt-get purge cfgtrack
If you want to use the mail (-m) option, Python (v2.5+) must be installed. Python is available on nearly all unices.
- Download the .rpm file from https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/
- Install the package:
sudo rpm -i cfgtrack*.rpm
If you want to use the mail (-m) option, Python (v2.5+) must be installed. Python is available on nearly all unices.
- Download the .tar.gz or .zip file from https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/
- Unpack it with
tar -vxzf cfgtrack-*.tar.gz - Change to the cfgtrack directory:
cd cfgtrack* - Install it on your system with
sudo make install - Uninstall it from your system with
sudo make uninstall
If you want to use the mail (-m) option, Python (v2.5+) must be installed. Python is available on nearly all unices.
To start tracking an entire tree of files:
$ sudo cfgtrack track /etc/
To track a single file:
$ sudo cfgtrack track /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrades
Note that cfgtrack keeps a copy of the files that are tracked in a separate directory. If you track large directories (which you really shouldn't), this will take up twice as much space.
To show differences between the last time you ran 'compare' and now:
$ sudo cfgtrack compare
To send an email upon changes:
$ sudo cfgtrack --silent --mail admin@example.com compare
To stop tracking changes to an entire tree of files:
$ sudo cfgtrack untrack /etc/
To stop tracking changes to a single file
$ sudo cfgtrack untrack /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/50unattended-upgrade
To get a daily report via email of changes and put the resulting diffs in the archive:
$ vi /etc/cron.daily/cfgtrack
#!/bin/sh
/usr/bin/cfgtrack -a -s -m admin@foocorp.com compare >/dev/null
$ chmod 755 /etc/cron.daily/cfgtrack
See also man 1 cfgtrack