Each rule in the policy file specifies a system object to be monitored. Rules also describe which changes to the object to report, and which to ignore. System objects are the files and directories you wish to monitor. Each object is identified by an object name. A property refers to a single characteristic of an object that Tripwire software can monitor.
Directives control conditional processing of sets of rules in a policy file.
During installation, the text policy file is encrypted and renamed, and becomes the active policy file. The database file is an important component of Tripwire software. When first installed, Tripwire software uses the policy file rules to create the database file. The database file is a baseline snapshot of the system in a known secure state. Tripwire software compares this baseline against the current system to determine what changes have occurred.