XK0-006 System Management Practice Question
Which command displays the current default umask value for a user?
⚠ Common exam trap
XK0-006 often tests the distinction between commands that modify permissions (chmod) and commands that display or set the default creation mask (umask) — candidates confuse viewing permissions with viewing the umask.
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
✓
umask
The umask command, when run without arguments, prints the current file-mode creation mask for the shell session. This mask determines which permission bits are removed from newly created files and directories.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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chmod
Why it's wrong here
chmod changes permission bits on existing files and directories; it cannot report the process umask. It is tempting because both commands manipulate permissions, but chmod operates on file mode bits, whereas the umask is a separate creation mask shown by running umask alone.
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set
Why it's wrong here
The set builtin configures shell options and positional parameters; it neither reads nor prints the umask. It is tempting because set -o lists shell settings, but umask is a process attribute inherited at fork, displayed only by running umask with no arguments.
- ✓
umask
Why this is correct
Running `umask` with no arguments prints the current file-mode creation mask for the invoking shell, expressed in octal (for example 0022). This directly satisfies the stem's requirement to display the default umask value, since the command reads and reports the setting without modifying it.
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ls -l
Why it's wrong here
ls -l prints permission bits of existing files, not the umask used when creating new ones. It is tempting because the displayed permissions hint at the mask, but ls reads inode metadata, while the umask is a shell process attribute reported only by the umask command.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Basic Shell Scripting
Key term
Shell
A shell is a computer program that provides a user interface to access an operating system's services, typically by accepting text commands.
Key term
Value
Value is the perceived worth, benefit, or usefulness that a service, product, or activity delivers to stakeholders, especially customers and the business.
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JA
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
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