XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
An administrator needs to apply a set of permissions to an existing directory and all its contents, setting the owner to 'rwx', group to 'rx', and others to '---'. Additionally, newly created files within the directory should inherit the group. Which commands should the administrator run? (Assume the directory is /data, and the group is 'staff'.)
⚠ Common exam trap
XK0-006 often tests the difference between recursive and non-recursive chmod, and the effect of the setgid bit on directories, leading candidates to forget the -R flag or the setgid command.
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 -R 750 /data; chmod g+s /data
The command 'chmod -R 750 /data' recursively sets permissions for the directory and all its contents to owner rwx, group rx, and others none. The command 'chmod g+s /data' sets the setgid bit on the directory, ensuring that newly created files and subdirectories inherit the group ownership of the directory (staff). Together, these commands meet the requirements.
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 -R 750 /data; chmod g+s /data
Why this is correct
The recursive 750 sets owner rwx, group rx and no others permissions across /data and its contents, while the setgid bit forces new files to inherit the staff group rather than the creator's primary group, meeting the inheritance constraint.
- ✗
chmod 750 /data; chmod g+s /data
Why it's wrong here
Omitting -R leaves existing contents untouched, so only /data itself gains 750; the stem requires the permissions applied recursively. The setgid bit is genuinely needed for group inheritance, making this option tempting, but it must accompany a recursive chmod rather than a single-directory one.
- ✗
chmod -R 755 /data; chmod g+s /data
Why it's wrong here
chmod -R 755 sets owner rwx, group rx and others rx, leaving others with read and execute instead of the required ---. It is tempting because the recursive flag and setgid bit are needed, but the numeric mode must be 750 to remove all others permissions.
- ✗
chmod -R 750 /data
Why it's wrong here
chmod -R 750 sets the permission bits correctly but does nothing about inheritance, so new files will not adopt the 'staff' group. Setting the setgid bit (chmod g+s) on /data is what makes newly created entries inherit the directory's group.
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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.