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.
Scenario: A cloud hosting company uses SELinux in enforcing mode on all Linux servers. A developer reports that a custom web application running under Apache (httpd) is unable to write log files to /var/log/myapp/. The directory /var/log/myapp/ has permissions 755 and is owned by root:root. The httpd process runs as the 'apache' user. The administrator checks SELinux context: /var/log/myapp is labeled with default_t type. The administrator wants to allow httpd to write to this directory while maintaining security. Which command should the administrator run?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "which command"
Why it matters: Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Run 'semanage fcontext -a -t httpd_log_t "/var/log/myapp(/.*)?"' and then 'restorecon -Rv /var/log/myapp'
Option D is correct because it permanently relabels the directory with the httpd_log_t SELinux type, which is specifically designed to allow Apache (httpd) to write log files. The semanage fcontext command adds a file context mapping to the SELinux policy database, and restorecon applies that mapping to the filesystem. This approach maintains SELinux enforcing mode and does not rely on temporary changes like chcon or insecure workarounds like disabling SELinux.
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.
✗
Change ownership with 'chown apache:apache /var/log/myapp'
Why it's wrong here
Ownership change does not affect SELinux policy.
✗
Run 'setenforce 0' to disable SELinux
Why it's wrong here
Disabling SELinux reduces security unnecessarily.
✗
Run 'chcon -t httpd_log_t /var/log/myapp'
Why it's wrong here
chcon makes a temporary change that may be overwritten by restorecon.
✓
Run 'semanage fcontext -a -t httpd_log_t "/var/log/myapp(/.*)?"' and then 'restorecon -Rv /var/log/myapp'
Why this is correct
This permanently sets the context to httpd_log_t, allowing httpd to write.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "which command" in the question point toward this answer.
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 choose chcon (Option C) because it works immediately, but they overlook that it is not persistent and will be overwritten by restorecon or policy updates, whereas semanage fcontext followed by restorecon is the correct persistent method.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SELinux uses type enforcement (TE) where each process (domain) and file (object) has a type; httpd runs in the httpd_t domain and can only write to files with types like httpd_log_t, httpd_sys_content_t, or httpd_cache_t. The semanage fcontext command writes the mapping to the file_contexts.local file, making the change persistent across relabels, while chcon only modifies the extended attributes in the inode directly. In real-world scenarios, failing to use semanage can lead to silent log failures after system updates or when restorecon is run for other reasons.
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 practitioner preparing for the XK0-005 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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: Run 'semanage fcontext -a -t httpd_log_t "/var/log/myapp(/.*)?"' and then 'restorecon -Rv /var/log/myapp' — Option D is correct because it permanently relabels the directory with the httpd_log_t SELinux type, which is specifically designed to allow Apache (httpd) to write log files. The semanage fcontext command adds a file context mapping to the SELinux policy database, and restorecon applies that mapping to the filesystem. This approach maintains SELinux enforcing mode and does not rely on temporary changes like chcon or insecure workarounds like disabling SELinux.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "which command". Tests specific CLI syntax. Recall the exact command and its required context — near-synonyms and partial matches are common distractors.
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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