easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
XK0-006 Practice Question: A user cannot access a directory '/data/projects'…
A user cannot access a directory '/data/projects' even though they are in the 'projects' group. The directory permissions are 'drwxr-x---' and the group owner is 'projects'. Which command should the administrator run to grant the group write permission?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between changing ownership (chown) and changing permissions (chmod), and candidates mistakenly think that setting the group owner again will grant write access, when in fact only chmod modifies the permission bits.
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 g+w /data/projects
The directory '/data/projects' has permissions 'drwxr-x---', meaning the group owner 'projects' currently has read and execute (r-x) but not write (w) access. Since the user is a member of the 'projects' group, the administrator needs to add write permission for the group using 'chmod g+w /data/projects'. This directly modifies the group permission bits to grant write access without affecting other permissions.
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 g+w /data/projects
Why this is correct
Adds write permission for the group.
- ✗
chmod o+w /data/projects
Why it's wrong here
This adds write for others, which is not needed.
- ✗
chmod u+w /data/projects
Why it's wrong here
This adds write for the owner, not the group.
- ✗
chown :projects /data/projects
Why it's wrong here
The group is already set to projects.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Permissions and Ownership
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.
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.
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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.