--- title: "FileAudit gives SME real-time file server monitoring and ransomware alerting" description: "Reprocolor replaced complex Windows log analysis with FileAudit to get centralized, real-time file access monitoring and automated ransomware alerting across servers and cloud storage." locale: "en" updated_at: "2026-07-29T09:39:21.961Z" canonical: "https://www.isdecisions.com/en/fileaudit/case-studies/real-time-file-server-monitoring-ransomware-alerting" --- # FileAudit gives SME real-time file server monitoring and ransomware alerting _Reprocolor is an 80-employee Lille-based digital printing and reprographics SME offering specialized custom printing, scanning, document reproduction, and design services to businesses and individuals from offices across France._ **[Reprocolor](https://www.reprocolor.fr/)**** is an 80-employee Lille-based digital printing and reprographics SME offering specialized custom printing, scanning, document reproduction, and design services to businesses and individuals from offices across France.** > "For any company looking to improve file server monitoring without spending hours analyzing Windows logs, FileAudit is an effective and easy-to-implement solution." > > — Sébastien Deroubaix ## File monitoring and auditing was dangerously outdated Managing files is central to the company's digital workflow and a critical business asset. Any tampering with these files could quickly bring the company to a standstill and threaten a business model and wider reputation dependent on rapid turnaround and high levels of service. As the risk of ransomware attacks increased, Reprocolor IT Director, Sébastien Deroubaix, realized that the ability to [monitor file access](/fileaudit/features/file-and-folder-access-monitoring) in real time across an array of on-premises and cloud file stores was a must-have capability. A security incident in 2019 involving unusual file access exposed limitations in the organization's file access controls, which were based on manually configuring NTFS file permissions and tracking access using System Access Control Lists (SACLs), Windows system events, and Active Directory GPO auditing. Sébastien Deroubaix said, "We were spending too much time on configuration and on exploiting complex logs, and also needed better visibility and real-time alerting on how files were being accessed or altered." The complex, labor intensive setup also brought a growing potential for misconfiguration. Sébastien Deroubaix began looking for a system that could log and audit file access in a centralized way to verify the effectiveness of their security policies and minimize the potential of security blind spots. ## FileAudit centralized and simplified management After researching the market, Sébastien Deroubaix chose FileAudit as the most simple and cost-effective solution to monitor file access across the organization's primary Windows servers. With FileAudit, the team has implemented [NTFS permission tracking](/fileaudit/features/file-folder-ntfs-permissions-reporting), real-time monitoring and file auditing without the need for extra training and without adding to IT's workload. The IT team also now has a centralized view of access and permissions, making it much easier to identify who accessed files, from where, and what actions they took. According to Sébastien Deroubaix, "This has hugely simplified day-to-day management and allows the IT team to carry out more accurate and detailed compliance audits." FileAudit gives IT a consolidated view on a range of events: - **Tracking file and folder events to a user account**, machine name, IP address, with information on time of day and Windows domain. - **Real-time file access activity**: read, write, delete and rename actions. - **NTFS permission** modifications. - **File ownership and attribute changes**. - **The ability to look back in time at who accessed files or folders** for up to four weeks, with full user stats on access, deletions, copying and modification. - **File monitoring across multiple cloud services**, including OneDrive, Teams, SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox Business and Box. ## IT can monitor unusual file access in real time Monitoring NTFS permissions and file auditing had become tedious to configure and time-consuming to manage. Simply maintaining these policies over time was an unsustainable burden. The organization lacked visibility on real-time events and could only react after the event. Log analysis was also complex, making it difficult to identify suspicious access patterns even retrospectively. With FileAudit monitoring and centralized reporting in place, it is now much simpler to rapidly track and tie file events to real user accounts, getting full detail on what happened, when, and who did it. Better visibility has freed IT from having to rely on native tools such as Windows system events, which take a lot of time to sift through. Most transformative of all, IT can monitor and react to events in real time should something unusual occur. Previously, the assumption might have been that unusual access would be the exception rather than the norm. Today, the threat of [ransomware](/fileaudit/solutions/protection-ransomware-windows-cloud) has completely changed the balance of probability in a way that makes deeper real-time visibility an essential protection. According to Sébastien Deroubaix, "The ever-present worry is ransomware, and the fear that files or entire servers might be encrypted within minutes. Having FileAudit real-time monitoring and alerting in place to counter this possibility is hugely reassuring." The adoption of FileAudit turned out to be timely: since it was first used by the organization in 2019, it has alerted admins on numerous occasions to suspicious access, protecting the organization from potential attacks and vindicating the organization's decision to start using it. Sébastien Deroubaix stated, "For any company looking to improve file server monitoring without spending hours analyzing Windows logs, FileAudit is an effective and easy-to-implement solution."