configuring-host-based-intrusion-detection

name	configuring-host-based-intrusion-detection
description	Configures host-based intrusion detection systems (HIDS) to monitor endpoint file integrity, system calls, and configuration changes for security violations. Use when deploying OSSEC, Wazuh, or AIDE for endpoint monitoring, building file integrity monitoring (FIM) policies, or meeting compliance requirements for change detection. Activates for requests involving HIDS configuration, file integrity monitoring, OSSEC/Wazuh deployment, or host-based detection.
domain	cybersecurity
subdomain	endpoint-security
tags	["endpoint","HIDS","Wazuh","OSSEC","file-integrity-monitoring","intrusion-detection"]
version	1.0.0
author	mahipal
license	Apache-2.0
nist_csf	["PR.PS-01","PR.PS-02","DE.CM-01","PR.IR-01"]
mitre_attack	["T1059","T1543","T1547","T1070","T1055"]

Configuring Host-Based Intrusion Detection

When to Use

Use this skill when:

• Deploying HIDS agents (Wazuh, OSSEC, AIDE) across Windows and Linux endpoints
• Configuring file integrity monitoring (FIM) for compliance (PCI DSS 11.5, NIST SI-7)
• Monitoring system configuration changes, rootkit detection, and security policy violations
• Integrating HIDS alerts with SIEM platforms for centralized monitoring

Do not use this skill for network-based IDS (Suricata, Snort) or for EDR deployment.

Prerequisites

• Wazuh server (manager) deployed and accessible from endpoints
• Administrative access to target endpoints
• Network connectivity: agents to Wazuh manager on port 1514 (TCP/UDP) and 1515 (TCP enrollment)
• Wazuh dashboard (OpenSearch Dashboards) for alert visualization
• Understanding of critical files/directories to monitor per OS

Workflow

Step 1: Install Wazuh Agent

Windows:

# Download and install Wazuh agent
Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://packages.wazuh.com/4.x/windows/wazuh-agent-4.9.0-1.msi" `
  -OutFile "wazuh-agent.msi"
msiexec /i wazuh-agent.msi /q WAZUH_MANAGER="wazuh-manager.corp.com" `
  WAZUH_REGISTRATION_SERVER="wazuh-manager.corp.com" WAZUH_AGENT_GROUP="windows-workstations"
net start WazuhSvc

Linux (Debian/Ubuntu):

curl -s https://packages.wazuh.com/key/GPG-KEY-WAZUH | gpg --dearmor -o /usr/share/keyrings/wazuh.gpg
echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/wazuh.gpg] https://packages.wazuh.com/4.x/apt/ stable main" \
  > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/wazuh.list
apt-get update && apt-get install wazuh-agent -y
sed -i 's/MANAGER_IP/wazuh-manager.corp.com/' /var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf
systemctl daemon-reload && systemctl enable --now wazuh-agent

Step 2: Configure File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)

Edit agent configuration (/var/ossec/etc/ossec.conf or C:\Program Files (x86)\ossec-agent\ossec.conf):

<syscheck>
  <!-- Scan frequency: every 12 hours -->
  <frequency>43200</frequency>
  yes
  yes

  
  /etc
  /usr/bin
  /usr/sbin
  /bin
  /sbin
  /boot

  
  C:\Windows\System32
  C:\Windows\SysWOW64
  %PROGRAMFILES%

  
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services

  
  /etc/mtab
  /etc/resolv.conf
  .log$