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https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack

cfgtrack tracks and reports diffs in files between invocations.
https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack

Last synced: about 2 months ago
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cfgtrack tracks and reports diffs in files between invocations.

Host: GitHub
URL: https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack
Owner: fboender
License: mit
Created: 2015-03-12T21:20:04.000Z (almost 10 years ago)
Default Branch: master
Last Pushed: 2017-02-22T21:36:13.000Z (almost 8 years ago)
Last Synced: 2023-03-17T15:25:18.102Z (almost 2 years ago)
Language: Shell
Homepage:
Size: 23.4 KB
Stars: 15
Watchers: 4
Forks: 1
Open Issues: 0
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.txt

Awesome Lists containing this project

README

cfgtrack
========

Download: https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/

Packages available for: Debian, Ubuntu, Redhat, .tar.gz.

About
-----

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 [email protected]

Installation
------------

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.

### Debian / Ubuntu / Linux Mint installation

1. Download the .deb file from https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/
2. Install the package: `sudo dpkg -i cfgtrack*.deb`
3. 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.

### RedHat / Centos / RPM-based

1. Download the .rpm file from https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/
2. 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.

### Manual install

1. Download the .tar.gz or .zip file from https://github.com/fboender/cfgtrack/releases/
2. Unpack it with `tar -vxzf cfgtrack-*.tar.gz`
3. Change to the cfgtrack directory: `cd cfgtrack*`
4. Install it on your system with `sudo make install`
5. 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.

Usage
-----

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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] compare >/dev/null

$ chmod 755 /etc/cron.daily/cfgtrack