FAQ
Question 1: What is Fic?
Fic stands for File Integrity Check.
This application and service are to offer common computer Operating System
File Integrity Check using a local database and remote database on the
Internet and/or Intranet. The databases contain clean file signatures.
The user can check their OS System File signature against the databases, on-demand
or on-scheduled.
Once a file change found, the Fic GUI application will alert the user, and
effectively guide the user to
approve the change, and store the approval into the local database.
The application can also check those differences against the remote database
on Fic Web-Service Server on the Internet and/or Intranet. This procedure has been
named as PreApprove in the application.
The remote databases store all the signatures of the
specific clean/original file, for every System File, for all common Operating System.
Each System File may have multiple signatures on the remote database.
Fic Service has an effective + automatic way to ensure the database on the Internet
is up to date. i.e. When OS vendors release the new System Files update, we have
automatic facility to ensure the relevant remote database on the Net is updated.
Question 2: What is the difference of Fic from Anti-Malware program?
Anti-Malware program uses a known Malware signature database to check/verify
the file system.
Fic does the opposite, using database containing known clean file signatures to check/verify
the system file, effectively utilising the 2 databases - local database and
remote database on the network.
Any file get changed, the user will get alerted.
So, Fic is able to detect unknown Malware - unexpected file changes.
eg. Fic is able to detect Zero-day attack.
Fic user may need a bit of technical knowledge about computer file system.
Question 3: Is Fic slow?
Fic is very fast! Please refer to the Performance Test Result on Windows
Most of CPU power consumption is to access the local database on the hard drive.
We use a very quick, effective and embedded database engine H2.
Have a try and will feel it is very fast.
The remote database check/approve is very fast too, as we use optimized
Client/Server communication.
Question 4: Is Fic service secured?
Yes. Fic effectively uses the latest security and encryption technology for all Client/Server
communication. It does Mutual Authentication and asymmetric encryption.
Question 5: What is the typical use of Fic application and service?
Stand Alone User can use this program for free, to build a local database and check
their File System's Integrity on a daily base, and get the alert once something changes.
Computer trouble shooter can use Fic client application and databases to check and
verify for their client's computer System File's integrity. Potentially,
once the file changes are detected and identified, file replacement/restoration
can be possible, once the proper backup file server is setup in place.
Click here to see the File Restoration Use Case demonstrated.
Cooperate IT support can install Fic Server onto their Intranet and have their
end user to use Fic client application, utilising the full Fic Service.
Anti-Malware research guys, you know what it is for, right?! When you are dis-assembling
the unknown virus on a daily base, you may like to use Fic to make sure you do not
get infected yourself.
In the Anti-Malware research and development lab environment, large VmWare images and
snapshots would have been used, people sometimes may be reluctant to do Windows update
for every VmWare image and snapshot. That will expose to vulnerability attack to all the
PC within whole lab Intranet. Also people tent to disable Real Time AV
protection because the nature of the work. So do a daily Fic scan will help to
ensure your file system's integrity, against any
vulnerability attack,
especially the
Zero-day attack.
Question 6: Can Fic be used for Web site protection?
Yes. Fic can protect any file system including files in the Web folder on the HTTP server.
Once any change is detected, Fic can send email alert to the administrator.
Question 7: Is Fic Cloud Aware? and how?
Yes. The Fic administrator issues signed PKI certificate for trust and technical capable entity/user in the Internet Cloud,
so as to allow authorised user to upload the change for the Clean File Database in the Internet Cloud. A few voting
algorithms can be applied to ensure the change request uploaded.
Once we have enough trust entity/user in the Cloud for Fic, we will be utilising the whole Internet Cloud to fight
against the attacks.
With Fic's effective security (PKI) certificates for Fic servers and users, the identity of the trust entities/users
can be ensured.
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