Free Tool

KG3N Sentinel

Standalone File Integrity Monitoring for Windows. Real-time detection, SHA-256 baselines, and a browser-based dashboard - all in a single .exe.

Download Free - Windows (.exe)

Standalone portable executable - No installation required

Overview

What It Does

KG3N Sentinel monitors your Windows file system in real time. Point it at any folder and it watches for file creates, modifications, deletions, renames, and permission changes. It compares every change against SHA-256 baselines to detect tampering, flags ransomware-like behavior automatically, and sends email alerts when something critical happens. The entire system runs from a single .exe with zero external dependencies - no database installation, no web server, no runtime. Launch it and open the dashboard at 127.0.0.1:9090.

Highlights

Why Use KG3N Sentinel

Real-Time Monitoring

Uses Windows kernel-level file system notifications to detect changes the instant they happen. No polling, no delays.

SHA-256 Baselines

Generate cryptographic baselines for your folders. Every file is hashed and tracked. If a single byte changes, Sentinel catches it.

Ransomware Detection

Behavioral detection for mass file changes, known ransomware extensions, ransom note filenames, and rapid rename patterns. Alerts fire automatically.

Email Alerts

SMTP integration with TLS/STARTTLS. Get notified by email when high-severity events occur. Configurable severity threshold and rate limiting.

Browser Dashboard

Full management interface served locally at 127.0.0.1:9090. Overview stats, event timeline, folder management, baseline scanning, and settings - all from your browser.

Multi-User Access Control

Role-based authentication with admin, operator, and viewer roles. Each user gets scoped permissions. Full audit trail logs every action.

Getting Started

How It Works

Download, launch, monitor.

1

Download the Executable

Download KG3NSentinel.exe. It's a single portable file - no installation, no database setup, no runtime dependencies.

2

Launch and Open the Dashboard

Run the .exe and the dashboard opens automatically in your browser at 127.0.0.1:9090. Everything is managed from here.

3

Add Folders to Monitor

Use the folder browser to select directories. Choose recursive monitoring, set file type filters, and define exclusion patterns.

4

Generate Baselines

Scan your folders to create SHA-256 baselines. Every file is hashed and catalogued. Future changes are compared against this snapshot.

5

Monitor and Respond

Events appear in real time via WebSocket. Acknowledge, resolve, or export them. Configure email alerts for critical events. Review the audit log for a full history of actions.

Technical Details

Under the Hood

Built with Go for performance and zero-dependency deployment.

Go (Golang) - Compiled to a single native binary. No runtime, no interpreter, no dependencies on the target machine
SQLite (WAL Mode) - Embedded database with write-ahead logging, stored in AppData. No database server required
ReadDirectoryChangesW - Windows kernel API for file system notifications. Instant detection with no polling overhead
SHA-256 Hashing - Streaming file hashing with concurrent worker pools for baseline generation
WebSocket - Live event push to the browser dashboard. No page refresh needed - events appear instantly
AES-GCM Encryption - SMTP credentials encrypted at rest with a machine-derived key (PBKDF2)
Myers Diff Algorithm - Content diffing for modified files with unified diff output, rendered in the event detail view
Self-Integrity Check - Sentinel periodically hashes its own binary and runs database integrity checks to detect tampering
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about KG3N Sentinel.

Is it free?

Yes, completely free. No sign-up, no licence key, no premium tier. Download and run it.

What does it monitor?

Any folder on your Windows machine. It detects file creates, modifications, deletions, renames, and permission changes in real time. It also runs periodic drift checks against your baselines to catch anything that slipped through.

How does ransomware detection work?

Sentinel watches for behavioral patterns: mass file changes within a short time window, files being renamed to known ransomware extensions (.encrypted, .locked, .crypted, etc.), and ransom note filenames appearing in monitored folders. When a pattern is detected, it triggers a critical alert.

Does it need a database or web server?

No. Sentinel embeds SQLite and its own HTTP server directly into the binary. There is nothing to install or configure. Launch the .exe and the dashboard is available immediately.

Can multiple people use the dashboard?

Yes. Sentinel supports multiple user accounts with three roles: admin (full control), operator (can manage folders and baselines), and viewer (read-only). Every action is logged in an audit trail.

Does it support HTTPS?

Yes. You can generate a self-signed TLS certificate from the settings page and enable HTTPS for the dashboard. Useful if you need encrypted access to the local interface.

Windows SmartScreen shows a warning?

SmartScreen may warn about the file because it's new and unsigned. This is normal for independent software. Click "More info" then "Run anyway" to proceed.

Where is data stored?

Everything is stored locally in %LOCALAPPDATA%\KG3N Sentinel\. The SQLite database, TLS certificates, and configuration all live in that folder. No data is sent anywhere.

Download

Monitor Your File System

Real-time integrity monitoring. Zero dependencies. One executable.

Download KG3N Sentinel