!!! make sure all the paths are correct before running the script !!!

Verify Changed Files

Runs daily at 1am (via cron), hashes your important files, compares with stored hashes in VerifyFile, and sends a Telegram message listing any new or changed files.

How it works

1. Hash: SHA256 of each configured important file is computed.
2. Compare: Each hash is compared to the one stored in VerifyFile for that path.
3. New file: If there is no entry in VerifyFile for that path, a new label/entry is created and the hash is stored (first run or newly added file).
4. Changed: If the stored hash differs from the new hash, the file is reported as changed.
5. Notify: A Telegram message is sent with all new/changed (and optionally missing) files. VerifyFile is updated with the latest hashes.

Setup

1. Config

Copy the example config and edit:

cp config.example.json config.json

Edit config.json:

• important_files: List of {"path": "/absolute/path/to/file", "label": "Short name"}. Use absolute paths.
• telegram_bot_token: From @BotFather (Create bot → copy token).
• telegram_chat_id: Your user or group ID (e.g. from @userinfobot, or create a group and add your bot, then use the group ID).

2. VerifyFile

VerifyFile is created automatically on first run. It stores one line per file: path|hash. Do not use | in file paths (fix this bug next time).

3. Run at 1am (cron)

Make the script and runner executable:

chmod +x verify_files.py schedule_1am.sh

Add a cron job (run at 1:00 every day):

crontab -e

Add this line (replace with your real path):

0 1 * * * /home/path/to/veriChangedFiles/schedule_1am.sh

Cron runs only when the system is on. If the laptop is suspended at 1am, the job runs when it next wakes (or use wake-from-suspend below).

4. Alternative: systemd timer (instead of cron)

If you prefer systemd, install a user service and timer:

mkdir -p ~/.config/systemd/user
# Copy and replace /home/path/to/veriChangedFiles with your actual path in the .service file
cp verify-files.service.example ~/.config/systemd/user/verify-files.service
cp verify-files.timer.example ~/.config/systemd/user/verify-files.timer
# Edit verify-files.service and set your paths in ExecStart and WorkingDirectory
systemctl --user daemon-reload
systemctl --user enable --now verify-files.timer

The timer runs the service daily at 1am.

5. Optional: wake laptop at 1am

To wake the machine from suspend so the job runs at 1am:

• rtcwake: Schedule wake and run the job after wake:

  # Example: suspend now, wake at 01:00 and run verify
  sudo rtcwake -m mem -t $(date -d "01:00" +%s) -s 0

  Or use a separate cron entry that runs when the system is already up (e.g. after you wake it manually), or combine with a systemd timer that runs at 1am and, if you use suspend, set BIOS/OS “wake at RTC” to 01:00 so the machine wakes and cron can run.

• BIOS: Some laptops have “Wake on RTC” or “Scheduled power on” — set to 01:00 so the laptop is on when cron runs.

Usage

• Manual run (e.g. test):

  python3 verify_files.py

• Dry run (no VerifyFile update, no Telegram):

  python3 verify_files.py --dry-run

• Custom paths:

  python3 verify_files.py --config /path/to/config.json --verify-file /path/to/VerifyFile

Requirements

• Linux
• Python 3.9+ (uses str | None type hint; for older Python use Optional[str])
• Network access for Telegram API

No extra Python packages: uses only the standard library (hashlib, json, urllib).