This XK0-005 practice question tests your understanding of security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator needs to audit all write operations to the /etc/shadow file. Which audit rule should be added to /etc/audit/rules.d/audit.rules?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
-w /etc/shadow -p wa
Option D is correct because the audit rule `-w /etc/shadow -p wa` uses the `-w` (watch) flag to monitor the file for write (`w`) and attribute change (`a`) permissions, which captures all write operations to `/etc/shadow`. This is the standard syntax for auditing file writes in Linux auditd, and it directly meets the requirement to audit write operations without unnecessary syscall filtering.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
-w /etc/shadow -k identity
Why it's wrong here
The '-k' sets a key but does not specify permissions; the '-p' flag is needed.
✗
-w /etc/shadow -p rwxa
Why it's wrong here
'rwxa' includes read, write, execute, and attribute change; read is unnecessary and may generate excessive logs.
✗
-a always,exit -S open -F path=/etc/shadow
Why it's wrong here
This watches the open syscall on the file, which may not capture all write events (e.g., writes via already open fd).
✓
-w /etc/shadow -p wa
Why this is correct
This watches /etc/shadow for write and attribute changes, which includes modifications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the `-p` permission flags with syscall-based rules, mistakenly choosing option C because they think `-S open` captures all writes, but they overlook that writes can occur via other syscalls (like `write`) and that `-w -p wa` is the correct, simpler approach for file-based auditing.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `-w` flag in auditd creates a filesystem watch that hooks into the kernel's `fsnotify` subsystem, which intercepts all operations on the inode regardless of the syscall used (e.g., `write`, `pwrite64`, `mmap` with write). The `-p wa` filter ensures only write and attribute change events are recorded, avoiding noise from reads. In real-world scenarios, auditing `/etc/shadow` writes is critical for detecting unauthorized password changes or privilege escalation attempts, and using `-p wa` is the precise method recommended by the Linux audit documentation.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this XK0-005 question in full detail.
Security — This question tests Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: -w /etc/shadow -p wa — Option D is correct because the audit rule `-w /etc/shadow -p wa` uses the `-w` (watch) flag to monitor the file for write (`w`) and attribute change (`a`) permissions, which captures all write operations to `/etc/shadow`. This is the standard syntax for auditing file writes in Linux auditd, and it directly meets the requirement to audit write operations without unnecessary syscall filtering.
What should I do if I get this XK0-005 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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