Configuration Settings Keep Getting Reset

[ironiC]

-Lil' Buggers Won't Stick-

Specifically in /etc/ssh/sshd_config and /etc/host.deny settings I...set just keep getting changed on me. I've tried making them read only and everything, it seems as if my changes take effect but then after a certain amount of time or a reboot they get switched back.

In sshd_config I want to set the line
PermitRootLogin without-password
to
PermitRootLogin yes
but....
after I set it and save it eventually changes itself back to PermitRootLogin without-password.

In hosts.deny this line keeps showing up
ALL:ALL EXCEPT 127.0.0.1ENY
I delete it and it reappears, I comment it out and it comes back.

I'm beginning to think my box is playing a dirty trick on me, either that or I am going nuts.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
iD

[sarumont]

Are you editing/saving the file as root?.

[ironiC]

yea I'm doing everything via the root account, am I not supposed to?

[Goran]

the problem is very odd... check your start up scripts for suspicious lines and see if ps -aux gives you some unusual entry as it sounds really odd to me .

[slackieaddict]

maybe the config file is immutable, check the attributes with lsattr <filename> (example: lsattr /etc/passwd)

if there is i in the result do: chattr -i <filename>

[ironiC]

i did lsattr, there is no "i" and "ps -aux" didn't show anything that seemed out of place, i'm not sure what i'm supposed to look for there that might be out of place though

[hq4ever]

hmmm what tool do you use to edit the config files ?
it's there a chance that you edit the file but don't "save" it to disk when you exit ?