hardMultiple Select
XK0-006 Practice Question: Which TWO conditions must be met for a user to…
Which TWO conditions must be met for a user to successfully delete a file owned by a different user in a directory? (Choose two.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates mistakenly think file write permission (Option A) or file ownership (Option D) is required for deletion, when in fact directory permissions are the sole deciding factor for removing a directory entry.
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
✓
The user has write permission on the directory
To delete a file in Linux, the user does not need any permissions on the file itself; instead, the user needs write permission on the directory because deleting a file modifies the directory's contents (removing the directory entry). Additionally, execute permission on the directory is required to access the directory and its inode entries, allowing the user to traverse the directory to locate the file. These two permissions together enable the deletion of a file owned by another user.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The user has write permission on the file
Why it's wrong here
Deletion depends on write and execute permission on the containing directory, not on the file itself; file write permission governs content modification. It tempts because write access feels necessary to remove data, but a user with directory write can unlink a read-only file they do not own.
- ✓
The user has write permission on the directory
Why this is correct
Deleting a file modifies the directory's entries, so the kernel checks directory write permission rather than file ownership. This satisfies the stem's requirement for removing another user's file, since the file's own permissions are irrelevant to unlink.
- ✓
The user has execute permission on the directory
Why this is correct
Traversal into the directory requires execute permission, allowing the kernel to resolve the filename to its inode before unlinking. Without it, the user cannot reach the entry even with write access, so this condition is mandatory.
- ✗
The user is the owner of the file
Why it's wrong here
Ownership of the file grants no deletion right; unlinking requires write and execute permission on the parent directory, plus the sticky-bit rule where set. It tempts because owners control their files, but a non-owner with directory write can delete another user's file unless the sticky bit prevents it.
- ✗
The user is a member of the group that owns the directory
Why it's wrong here
Group ownership of the directory grants write permission on the directory itself, which permits creating, renaming or removing entries only when the sticky bit is absent; with the sticky bit set, deletion still requires ownership of the file or root. It is tempting because directory write access normally governs entry removal.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
File Transfer and Remote Access
Key term
inode
An inode is a data structure in a Unix-like file system that stores metadata about a file, such as its size, permissions, and location on disk, but not its name.
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.