XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
A Linux administrator needs to change the runlevel of a systemd-based system to a state where only a single user can log in for maintenance, without starting network services. Which systemd target should the administrator use?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse rescue.target with emergency.target; rescue.target provides a usable single-user shell with basic services, while emergency.target is even more minimal and may not allow normal login.
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
✓
rescue.target
The rescue.target is the systemd equivalent of single-user mode, providing a minimal environment with only essential services and no networking. It allows the administrator to log in as root for maintenance tasks. The emergency.target is more restrictive and mounts the root filesystem read-only, while multi-user and graphical targets start networking and multiple users. Therefore, rescue.target is the correct choice.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
emergency.target
Why it's wrong here
The emergency.target is even more minimal than rescue.target; it mounts the root filesystem as read-only and starts almost no services, not even those needed for a single-user login. It is intended for emergencies where the system is severely broken, not for a standard single-user maintenance mode with login.
- ✗
multi-user.target
Why it's wrong here
The multi-user.target is a standard target that starts a full multi-user environment with networking and other services, equivalent to runlevel 3. It does not restrict logins to a single user and starts network services, which contradicts the requirement for a maintenance state without network.
- ✗
graphical.target
Why it's wrong here
The graphical.target starts a graphical user interface along with all multi-user services, including networking. It is the default on many desktop systems and is the opposite of a single-user maintenance state. It does not meet the requirement of limiting to a single user without network services.
- ✓
rescue.target
Why this is correct
The rescue.target is a systemd target that provides a single-user environment with basic system services, but does not start network services. It is equivalent to the traditional runlevel 1 (single-user mode). This target is designed for maintenance and allows only the root user to log in on the console.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Installing Linux and Package Management
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.
Key term
Runlevel
A runlevel is a software configuration of a Unix-like operating system that defines which system services are running, essentially setting the system's operational state.
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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 CompTIA exam blueprint
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.