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XK0-006 Practice Question: A Linux administrator is troubleshooting login…
A Linux administrator is troubleshooting login issues. Users can log in using SSH but not through the local console or graphical display manager. The /etc/pam.d/system-auth file was recently modified. Which PAM module is likely misconfigured?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse pam_securetty.so with pam_access.so or assume SSH is also blocked, but pam_securetty.so specifically targets local TTYs and does not affect SSH pseudo-terminals by default.
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
✓
pam_securetty.so
The pam_securetty.so module restricts root login to terminals listed in /etc/securetty. If this file was misconfigured or the module is incorrectly set to 'required' for all users, local console and graphical display manager logins (which use virtual terminals like tty1) would be denied, while SSH (which uses pseudo-terminals like pts/0) would still succeed because pam_securetty.so typically does not apply to SSH sessions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
pam_limits.so
Why it's wrong here
Sets limits but does not prevent login.
- ✓
pam_securetty.so
Why this is correct
Controls which TTYs root may log in; if misconfigured, console login can be blocked.
- ✗
pam_deny.so
Why it's wrong here
Explicitly denies access; would block all logins.
- ✗
pam_unix.so
Why it's wrong here
Handles authentication; misconfiguration would affect all logins.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Linux Fundamentals and History
Key term
PAM
Privileged Access Management (PAM) is a security framework that controls, monitors, and audits access to critical systems and accounts with elevated permissions.
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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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.