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PASSEDserver / gpo_processing_failure
Group Policy Processing Failure
Group Policy processing fails across the domain after a SYSVOL replication issue leaves the DFS-R replicated SYSVOL share inconsistent between DCs. Workstations receive incomplete or conflicting policies. Security baselines not enforcing.
Pattern
ACTIVE_DIRECTORY
Severity
CRITICAL
Confidence
92%
Remediation
Remote Hands
Test Results
| Metric | Expected | Actual | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pattern Recognition | ACTIVE_DIRECTORY | ACTIVE_DIRECTORY | |
| Severity Assessment | CRITICAL | CRITICAL | |
| Incident Correlation | Yes | 22 linked | |
| Cascade Escalation | N/A | No | |
| Remediation | — | Remote Hands — Corax contacts on-site support via call, email, or API |
Scenario Conditions
Windows Server 2022 DCs. DFS-R SYSVOL replication. DC-01 SYSVOL has updated GPOs. DC-02 SYSVOL stale (DFS-R conflict). 500 workstations randomly authenticating against either DC. Security GPO includes BitLocker, AppLocker, firewall rules.
Injected Error Messages (2)
Group Policy processing failure — SYSVOL DFS-R replication conflict between DC-01 and DC-02, Event ID 4012: DFS Replication failed to replicate SYSVOL, GPO version mismatch detected, workstations receiving inconsistent policies based on authenticating DC
SYSVOL replication stale on DC-02 — DFS-R Event ID 2213: replication has been stopped for 24 hours, SYSVOL share missing 12 GPO folders, security baselines (BitLocker, AppLocker, Windows Firewall) not applying to 50% of workstations
Neural Engine Root Cause Analysis
SYSVOL DFS Replication has failed between DC-01 and DC-02, causing GPO version mismatches and inconsistent Group Policy processing across the domain. This is a classic DFS-R conflict where the two domain controllers have divergent SYSVOL content, preventing proper replication and causing workstations to receive different policies depending on which DC they authenticate against. The 12 correlated incidents suggest widespread domain authentication and policy application failures cascading from this core replication issue.
Remediation Plan
1. Immediately check DFS-R replication status on both DC-01 and DC-02 using 'dfsrdiag replicationstate' and 'dfsrdiag backlog'. 2. Identify the authoritative DC with the most recent/correct SYSVOL content by comparing GPO versions. 3. Stop DFS-R service on the non-authoritative DC. 4. Perform authoritative restore of SYSVOL on the primary DC using 'dfsrdiag pollad' and BURFLAGS registry modifications. 5. Clear conflicted files in PreExisting folder on both DCs. 6. Restart DFS-R service and monitor replication convergence. 7. Verify GPO consistency using GPMC and test policy application on client workstations.
Tested: 2026-03-30Monitors: 2 | Incidents: 2Test ID: cmncjiumr01uqobqekzoh0qh9