Configuration Drift Causing Issues - Troubleshooting Guide

Configuration Drift Causing Issues - Troubleshooting Guide

Services behaving unexpectedly, configuration changed, system unstable. This guide gives you immediate steps to diagnose and fix configuration drift causing issues—now. No theory, just action.

For setting up monitoring to prevent this in the future, see Server Configuration Drift Monitoring Guide after you've resolved the immediate crisis.

60-Second Triage

Run these commands in order:

# Step 1: Check configuration changes (takes 10 seconds)
diff /etc/ssh/sshd_config /backup/sshd_config.baseline

# Step 2: View recent config modifications (takes 5 seconds)
find /etc -type f -mtime -1 -ls

# Step 3: Check configuration file integrity (takes 5 seconds)
md5sum /etc/ssh/sshd_config /backup/sshd_config.baseline

# Step 4: Verify service configuration (takes 5 seconds)
systemctl cat service-name

Common Configuration Drift Issues and Quick Fixes

Symptoms of Configuration Drift

Configuration drift manifests in several ways:

• Service behavior changes: Services behave differently than expected
• Configuration errors: Services show configuration-related errors
• Security issues: Security settings are modified unexpectedly
• Service failures: Services fail due to configuration problems

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Step 1: Identify Configuration Drift

When configuration drift is suspected:

1. Compare with Baseline:

   diff /etc/ssh/sshd_config /backup/sshd_config.baseline
   

2. Check Recent Modifications:

   find /etc -type f -mtime -1 -ls
   

3. Verify Configuration Integrity:

   md5sum /etc/ssh/sshd_config /backup/sshd_config.baseline
   

Step 2: Investigate Configuration Issues

Once you identify configuration drift:

1. Review Configuration Changes:

   diff -r /etc/ /backup/etc-baseline/ | head -50
   

2. Check Configuration File Status:

   stat /etc/ssh/sshd_config | grep Modify
   

3. Verify Service Configuration:

   systemctl cat service-name
   systemctl status service-name
   

Step 3: Restore Configuration

When configuration issues are identified:

1. Restore from Backup:

   sudo cp /backup/sshd_config.baseline /etc/ssh/sshd_config
   

2. Reload Service Configuration:

   sudo systemctl reload sshd
   

3. Verify Configuration Restored:

   diff /etc/ssh/sshd_config /backup/sshd_config.baseline
   

Step 4: Prevent Future Configuration Drift

To prevent configuration drift:

1. Monitor Configuration Continuously:

   • Use Zuzia.app to monitor configuration files
   • Set up alerts for configuration changes
   • Track configuration modifications

2. Maintain Configuration Baselines:

   • Keep accurate configuration baselines
   • Store baselines in version control
   • Update baselines when authorized changes occur

Automatic Detection with Zuzia.app

Zuzia.app automatically monitors configuration and detects drift:

• Checks configuration files every few hours
• Detects configuration changes immediately
• Sends alerts when configurations are modified
• Tracks configuration history

Set up configuration monitoring in Zuzia.app to prevent drift:

1. Add scheduled task: diff /etc/ssh/sshd_config /backup/sshd_config.baseline
2. Configure alerts for configuration changes
3. Monitor configuration continuously

Best Practices for Preventing Configuration Drift

1. Monitor Configuration Continuously

Don't wait for configuration issues:

• Use Zuzia.app for continuous configuration monitoring
• Set up alerts before configuration issues become critical
• Review configuration changes regularly

2. Maintain Configuration Baselines

Keep accurate configuration baselines:

• Store baselines in version control
• Update baselines when authorized changes occur
• Use baselines for comparison

3. Respond Quickly to Configuration Changes

Have response procedures ready:

• Define escalation procedures for unauthorized changes
• Prepare configuration restoration procedures
• Test configuration recovery regularly

FAQ: Common Questions About Configuration Drift

How do I know if configuration drift is causing issues?

Compare configurations: diff /etc/config /backup/config.baseline. Check service status: systemctl status service-name. Review configuration errors: Check service logs for config-related errors.

What should I do immediately when configuration drift is detected?

Immediately compare configurations: diff /etc/config /backup/config.baseline. Identify changes: Review diff output. Restore configuration if unauthorized: sudo cp /backup/config.baseline /etc/config. Reload service: sudo systemctl reload service-name.

Can configuration drift cause security vulnerabilities?

Yes, if security configurations are modified unexpectedly, security vulnerabilities can be introduced.

How can Zuzia.app help prevent configuration drift?

Zuzia.app monitors configuration files continuously, detects configuration changes immediately, sends alerts when configurations are modified, and tracks configuration history.

Related guides, recipes, and problems

• Related guides

  • Server Configuration Drift Monitoring Guide
  • Server Security Audit Complete Guide

• Related recipes

  • Check Configuration File Changes
  • Monitor System User Account Changes

• Related problems

  • System Updates Breaking Services
  • Firewall Rules Blocking Legitimate Traffic