Question 394 of 750

Linux Commands and File Permissions →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

How to Fix Web Server Read Access to Directory in Linux

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of linux commands and file permissions. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 technician is troubleshooting a web server that is not serving pages from /var/www/html. The directory permissions are drwxr-x--- and the web server runs as user 'www-data'. The directory is owned by root:www-data. Which command will allow the web server to read the directory and its contents?

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
chmod g+rx /var/www/html
Why wrong: This adds group read/execute, but the group already has r-x, so this does not change anything if the user is not in the group.
B
chmod o+rx /var/www/html
Why wrong: This adds read/execute for others, which would work but is less secure than adding the user to the group.
C
chown www-data:www-data /var/www/html
Why wrong: This changes ownership to www-data, which may work but is not the standard practice; the web server user should be in the group.
D
usermod -aG www-data www-data
This adds the user www-data to the group www-data, ensuring the group permissions apply, which is the correct approach.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is to add the web server user to the www-data group using `usermod -aG www-data www-data`. This is correct because the directory `/var/www/html` has permissions `drwxr-x---`, meaning the owner (root) has full access, the group (www-data) has read and execute, and others have none. Since the web server runs as user `www-data`, that user must be a member of the group `www-data` to inherit those group permissions; otherwise, it falls into the “others” category and is denied read access. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding of Linux file permissions and user group membership—a common trap is assuming `chmod` is needed when the group permissions are already correct. Remember: if the group already has `r-x` but the user still can’t access the directory, the user likely isn’t in the group. Memory tip: “Group grants, user must join”—verify membership before modifying 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

✓

usermod -aG www-data www-data

Option D is correct because the web server runs as user 'www-data', and the directory /var/www/html has permissions drwxr-x--- (owner root, group www-data). This means the group has read and execute permissions, but the user 'www-data' is not in the group 'www-data' by default. The command 'usermod -aG www-data www-data' adds the user 'www-data' to the group 'www-data', granting group-level read and execute access to the directory and its contents, allowing the web server to serve pages.

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.

✗
chmod g+rx /var/www/html
Why it's wrong here
This adds group read/execute, but the group already has r-x, so this does not change anything if the user is not in the group.
✗
chmod o+rx /var/www/html
Why it's wrong here
This adds read/execute for others, which would work but is less secure than adding the user to the group.
✗
chown www-data:www-data /var/www/html
Why it's wrong here
This changes ownership to www-data, which may work but is not the standard practice; the web server user should be in the group.
✓
usermod -aG www-data www-data
Why this is correct
This adds the user www-data to the group www-data, ensuring the group permissions apply, which is the correct approach.
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 assume changing file permissions (chmod) or ownership (chown) is the only solution, overlooking the fact that the user 'www-data' is not a member of the group 'www-data', which is a common Linux group membership issue tested in the 220-1202 exam.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

In Linux, file permissions are checked in order: user, then group, then others. Since the directory is owned by root:www-data and the web server runs as 'www-data', the user 'www-data' is not the owner (root is), so the kernel checks group membership. If 'www-data' is not in the group 'www-data', the kernel falls through to 'others' permissions, which are '---', denying access. The 'usermod -aG' command modifies /etc/group and /etc/gshadow to add the user to the supplementary group, and the change takes effect on next login or by using 'newgrp' or 'sg' in the current session. In a production scenario, the web server process may need to be restarted or the user may need to re-authenticate to pick up the new group membership.

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 220-1202 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.

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: usermod -aG www-data www-data — Option D is correct because the web server runs as user 'www-data', and the directory /var/www/html has permissions drwxr-x--- (owner root, group www-data). This means the group has read and execute permissions, but the user 'www-data' is not in the group 'www-data' by default. The command 'usermod -aG www-data www-data' adds the user 'www-data' to the group 'www-data', granting group-level read and execute access to the directory and its contents, allowing the web server to serve pages.

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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