Cataloging file system-level changes to a source storage between image backups of the source storage

A computer-implemented method for cataloging file system-level changes to a

• source storage between image backups of the source storage, the method comprising:
• obtaining first file system metadata (FSM) associated with a first image backup of the source storage that represents a first point in time;
• obtaining second FSM associated with a second image backup of the source storage that represents a second point in time;
• identifying a set of blocks that changed in the source storage between the first point in time and the second point in time without performing a full compare of the first image backup and the second image backup;
• analyzing the set of blocks, the first FSM, and the second FSM to:
• identify hybrid FSM-file content blocks, each of which being a single block that includes FSM in an FSM portion as well as file content in a file content portion, in the set of blocks where file content portions of the hybrid FSM-file content blocks changed;
• and
• identify files to which the changed file content portions belong;
• and
• cataloging the files to which the changed file content portions belong as files and/or directories that changed in the source storage between the first point in time and the second point in time based on the analyzing.