Chapter 22 — CISAuditor
Based on: SIH1679 — Automated CIS Benchmark Auditing Software
Organization: National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO)
Category: Cybersecurity
Skills Required
- CIS Benchmark standards familiarity (Windows 11, Linux)
- Scripting with PowerShell and Bash
- System administration on Windows and Linux
- Compliance auditing and reporting
- Knowledge of security frameworks and policies
- Python or Go for automation
- Database design (SQLite/PostgreSQL)
- Web development (Flask/React) for dashboard
Project Description
CISAuditor is an automated compliance auditing system based on the Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks. It evaluates system configurations on Windows 11 and Linux against predefined security templates and reports deviations. Audits cover OS hardening, service configurations, patch levels, and access controls. CISAuditor generates comprehensive reports, offers remediation suggestions, and integrates with SIEM and ticketing systems for compliance management.
Tech Stack
- PowerShell (Windows audit scripts)
- Bash scripting (Linux audit scripts)
- Python or Go for orchestration and API backend
- SQLite/PostgreSQL for storing audit results
- RESTful API with Flask or FastAPI
- React or Angular for frontend dashboard
- Docker for deployment automation
Week-wise Plan
Week 1 — Requirements Gathering and Benchmark Study
- Review CIS Benchmarks for Windows 11 and Linux distributions.
- Define audit scope and compliance checklists.
- Setup development environment with scripting tools and test hosts.
- Deliverable: Detailed requirements and test environments.
Week 2 — Windows Audit Script Development
- Develop PowerShell scripts to check system settings, registry keys, and policies.
- Include checks for password policies, event logging, firewall settings.
- Deliverable: Windows compliance audit script package.
Week 3 — Linux Audit Script Development
- Implement Bash scripts to verify configuration files, user permissions, and services.
- Cover kernel parameters, SSH configuration, package versions.
- Deliverable: Linux compliance audit script package.
Week 4 — Result Collection and Normalization
- Define result data schema for storing audit outcomes.
- Build mechanisms to collect, parse, and normalize audit results from scripts.
- Deliverable: Data ingestion and parsing modules.
Week 5 — Backend API and Database
- Develop RESTful API endpoints for triggering audits and retrieving results.
- Setup database to store audit data securely.
- Deliverable: Auditing backend service with DB integration.
Week 6 — Frontend Dashboard Development
- Create dashboard UI to display compliance status, trends, and detailed findings.
- Implement filtering, report generation, and compliance scoring.
- Deliverable: Functional frontend dashboard prototype.
Week 7 — Integration and Notification System
- Integrate with SIEM platforms and ticketing tools via webhook/API.
- Add email and Slack notifications for critical audit failures.
- Deliverable: Integration adapters and alerting system.
Week 8 — Final Testing and Documentation
- Perform end-to-end testing on multiple host configurations.
- Refine scripts and UI based on user feedback.
- Complete user and developer documentation.
- Deliverable: Production-ready CISAuditor system.
Testing and Deliverables
- Setup test beds for Windows 11 and Linux audit runs.
- Validate compliance detection accuracy and performance overhead.
- Provide full source code, test reports, user guides, and demo videos.