XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
A file has permissions set to 2755. Which special permission is enabled, and what does it do?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between the numeric representations of special permissions (1=sticky, 2=SGID, 4=SUID) and their specific effects on directories versus files, leading candidates to confuse SGID with SUID or the sticky bit.
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
✓
SGID; new files in the directory inherit the group
The permission 2755 includes the SGID (Set Group ID) special permission, indicated by the leading digit '2'. When SGID is set on a directory, new files and subdirectories created within it inherit the group ownership of the directory, rather than the primary group of the user who creates them. This is critical for collaborative environments where multiple users need shared group access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
SGID; new files in the directory inherit the group
Why this is correct
Correct: SGID on directories.
- ✗
No special permission; it is just octal 755
Why it's wrong here
The leading 2 indicates SGID.
- ✗
Sticky bit; only file owners can delete their files
Why it's wrong here
Sticky bit would be 1xxx.
- ✗
SUID; the file runs with the owner's privileges
Why it's wrong here
SUID would be 4xxx.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Permissions and Ownership
Key term
SGID
SGID stands for Set Group ID, a Unix/Linux file permission that allows a process or executable to run with the group privileges of the file's group owner, not the user who runs it.
Key term
User
A user is any person, system, or device that interacts with an IT service, resource, or identity system, typically authenticated through credentials and authorized to perform specific actions.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every XK0-006 question from scratch — 979 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This XK0-006 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 XK0-006 exam.