XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
A technician notices a script fails to execute because the user does not have permission. The script currently has permissions 644. The technician needs to add execute permission for the owner only. Which command accomplishes this?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse 'add execute for owner only' with setting permissions to 755 or using `a+x`, not realizing that `u+x` is the precise symbolic method to add execute solely for the user class without affecting group or others.
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
✓
chmod u+x script.sh
The script currently has permissions 644, meaning the owner has read/write (6), group has read (4), and others have read (4). The requirement is to add execute permission for the owner only. The command `chmod u+x script.sh` adds (+) execute (x) permission to the user (u) — the owner — without affecting group or others. This is the precise and minimal command to achieve the goal.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
chmod a+x script.sh
Why it's wrong here
This adds execute for all users, which is too broad.
- ✗
chmod 755 script.sh
Why it's wrong here
This sets rwxr-xr-x, adding execute for group and others, which is more than required.
- ✓
chmod u+x script.sh
Why this is correct
This adds execute permission for the owner only.
- ✗
chmod 744 script.sh
Why it's wrong here
This sets rwxr--r--, which does not add execute for owner (it already has it from 644? Actually 644 is rw-r--r--, so 744 is rwxr--r--, adding execute for owner. But the question asks to add execute for owner, and 744 is a valid way, but the best answer is u+x because it directly adds without assuming current permissions. However, 744 does add execute, but it also changes group and other permissions to read-only, which might not be desired. In a multiple-choice question, u+x is more precise.)
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Permissions and Ownership
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
chmod
chmod is a command in Linux and Unix-like operating systems used to change the permissions (read, write, execute) of a file or directory.
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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.