[CentOS] Configuration Compliance auditing for many CentOS 5.x boxes

Wed Feb 1 23:22:13 UTC 2012
Ross Walker <rswwalker at gmail.com>

On Feb 1, 2012, at 2:54 PM, Tom H <tom at limepepper.co.uk> wrote:

> Hi CentOS experts,*
> 
> Short Version*
> 
> I would like to produce a weekly report in HTML for each CentOS 5.x 
> server we have indicating configuration compliance with some industry 
> benchmark. I am looking for a tool or tools to implement this, I am 
> happy to use 3rd party proprietary stuff if necessary.
> *

You could have a weekly cron job on all boxes that does a rpm for all package config files, diff against a "snapshot" copy contained under /var somewhere, email those diffs to a change management system,then save the current files in the snapshot directory.

First run will send the complete configs, all subsequent runs will send the diffs.

Of course you need a change management system that will hold an inventory of systems, those systems' hardware/software inventories and configurations, and track those changes with alerts and reports and such.

I don't know of a good system for doing all that unfortunately, but if you do find one let me know.

-Ross