Configuration Settings Keep Getting Reset

-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 127.0.0.1:DENY
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

Are you editing/saving the file as root?. :shock:

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

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 .

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>

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

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 ?