Question 413 of 750

Linux Commands and File Permissions →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

How to Restore a File with Preserved Permissions in Linux

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of linux commands and file permissions. 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.

A security incident is reported where a user accidentally deleted a critical script in /usr/local/bin. The script was owned by root and had permissions 755. Which command will restore the script from a backup located in /backup?

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.

A
mv /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
Why wrong: mv moves the file but does not preserve permissions by default; the backup may have different permissions.
B
cp /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
Why wrong: This copies the file but does not preserve the original permissions; it will use the backup's permissions.
C
cp -p /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
The -p flag preserves the original file's permissions, timestamps, and ownership if run as root.
D
rsync -a /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
Why wrong: rsync -a preserves attributes but is overkill for a single file; it would work but is not the simplest command.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is `cp -p /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/`. This command is correct because the `-p` flag (short for --preserve) tells the `cp` command to retain the original file’s permissions, ownership, and timestamps when copying it from the backup location to the target directory. In this scenario, the critical script was owned by root with 755 permissions, so simply copying without `-p` would assign the file to the current user and default umask permissions, breaking the script’s intended security context. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding of file attribute preservation during recovery operations—a common trap is choosing `cp -r` (recursive) or `mv` (move), which do not preserve metadata. Remember the memory tip: “p stands for preserve—keep the past permissions.”

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

✓

cp -p /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/

Option C is correct because the `cp -p` command preserves the original file's ownership (root) and permissions (755) when restoring the script from /backup to /usr/local/bin. Since the script was owned by root and had specific permissions, using `-p` ensures these attributes are retained, which is critical for a system script in /usr/local/bin. Without `-p`, the restored file would inherit the user's default umask and ownership, breaking the intended security context.

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.

✗
mv /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
Why it's wrong here
mv moves the file but does not preserve permissions by default; the backup may have different permissions.
✗
cp /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
Why it's wrong here
This copies the file but does not preserve the original permissions; it will use the backup's permissions.
✓
cp -p /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
Why this is correct
The -p flag preserves the original file's permissions, timestamps, and ownership if run as root.
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.
✗
rsync -a /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/
Why it's wrong here
rsync -a preserves attributes but is overkill for a single file; it would work but is not the simplest command.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often choose `cp` without `-p` (Option B) because they assume a simple copy is sufficient, overlooking that file ownership and permissions are not preserved by default, which is a common oversight in Linux file restoration scenarios tested on the A+ exam.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
rsync -a preserves attributes but is overkill for a single file; it would work but is not the simplest command.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

The `cp -p` flag (also `--preserve`) preserves the original file's mode, ownership, timestamps, and extended attributes by calling the `utimensat` and `fchown` syscalls internally. In a real-world scenario, if a critical system script like a cron job or init script is restored without preserving root ownership, it may fail to execute with proper privileges or become a security risk if a non-root user can modify it. The `-p` flag is essential for maintaining the integrity of system files during disaster recovery.

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 network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1202 question test?

Linux Commands and File Permissions — This question tests Linux Commands and File Permissions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: cp -p /backup/script.sh /usr/local/bin/ — Option C is correct because the `cp -p` command preserves the original file's ownership (root) and permissions (755) when restoring the script from /backup to /usr/local/bin. Since the script was owned by root and had specific permissions, using `-p` ensures these attributes are retained, which is critical for a system script in /usr/local/bin. Without `-p`, the restored file would inherit the user's default umask and ownership, breaking the intended security context.

What should I do if I get this 220-1202 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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