200-201 Host-Based Analysis Practice Question
An analyst is investigating a Linux system for persistence mechanisms. Which TWO of the following are common locations for cron-based persistence? (Select TWO)
⚠ Common exam trap
200-201 often tests distinguishing persistence mechanisms by category — candidates confuse cron locations with init/systemd service directories, picking /etc/init.d/ or /etc/systemd/system/ when the question specifically asks about cron.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
/var/spool/cron/crontabs/
Option A (/var/spool/cron/crontabs/) is correct because this is the directory where per-user crontab files are stored on Debian/Ubuntu-style systems, and attackers commonly drop a crontab entry here to run a payload under a specific user account at scheduled intervals. Option C (/etc/crontab) is correct because it is the system-wide crontab file that supports the extra user field and is a frequent target for persistence, since a malicious line added here executes with the specified user's privileges on a recurring schedule. Option B (/etc/init.d/) is not cron-based; it holds SysV init scripts for service startup, not scheduled jobs. Option D (/var/log/cron) is a log file recording cron activity, useful for detection but not a persistence location. Option E (/etc/systemd/system/) is for systemd unit files, a separate persistence mechanism from cron.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
/var/spool/cron/crontabs/
Why this is correct
User crontab files are stored under /var/spool/cron/crontabs/, with one file per user, making it a standard location attackers modify to schedule recurring commands. This satisfies the cron persistence requirement, unlike directories holding system binaries or logs.
- ✗
/etc/init.d/
Why it's wrong here
/etc/init.d/ contains SysV init scripts executed at boot by the init daemon, not entries in a cron schedule. It is tempting because it is a legitimate Linux persistence path, and would be correct if the question concerned legacy init-based startup persistence instead of cron-based mechanisms.
- ✓
/etc/crontab
Why this is correct
/etc/crontab is a system-wide cron table, read directly by the cron daemon for root and other users' scheduled jobs. Attackers write entries here to survive reboots, satisfying the scenario's requirement for a common cron-based persistence location on Linux.
- ✗
/var/log/cron
Why it's wrong here
`/var/log/cron` stores historical execution logs for cron jobs, not the job definitions themselves. For persistence, an analyst must inspect the crontab files or directories (e.g., `/etc/crontab`, `/var/spool/cron/`) where scheduled commands are declared. It is tempting because cron logs confirm that jobs have run, which could mislead an investigator into thinking the log file itself is the persistence mechanism, whereas it merely records the output of a separate, pre-existing cron task.
- ✗
/etc/systemd/system/
Why it's wrong here
/etc/systemd/system/ holds systemd unit files, which provide service-based persistence through systemctl enable, not cron scheduling. It is tempting because it is a genuine Linux persistence location, and would be the right answer if the question asked about systemd services rather than cron jobs.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 200-201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-201 exam.