This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of essential commands. 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 policy requires that all users in the 'webadmin' group should have read and write access to files in /var/www/html. New files created in that directory should automatically be assigned to the 'webadmin' group and have group read/write permissions. Which combination of permissions and group ownership should be set on /var/www/html?
Option D is correct because setting the setgid bit (g+s) on /var/www/html ensures that new files inherit the directory's group ('webadmin'), and the 2775 permissions grant group read/write/execute (rwx) while the setgid bit is represented by the leading 2. This combination satisfies the security policy: group ownership inheritance and group read/write access for all new files.
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.
Setgid bit ensures new files inherit group, and permissions allow group write.
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 confuse the setgid bit (g+s) with the sticky bit (o+t) or setuid bit (u+s), and may overlook that the numeric mode must include the leading 2 (or 2xxx) to enable setgid, not just the symbolic chmod g+s.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The setgid bit (chmod g+s) on a directory causes the kernel to assign the directory's group ID to any newly created file or subdirectory, overriding the user's primary group. The numeric mode 2775 breaks down as: 2 = setgid, 775 = rwxrwxr-x (owner rwx, group rwx, others r-x). In real-world web server scenarios, this ensures that when developers in the 'webadmin' group create or upload files via tools like rsync or FTP, the files remain writable by the group, preventing permission errors during collaborative content management.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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.
Essential Commands — This question tests Essential Commands — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: chmod g+s /var/www/html; chmod 2775 /var/www/html; chown root:webadmin /var/www/html — Option D is correct because setting the setgid bit (g+s) on /var/www/html ensures that new files inherit the directory's group ('webadmin'), and the 2775 permissions grant group read/write/execute (rwx) while the setgid bit is represented by the leading 2. This combination satisfies the security policy: group ownership inheritance and group read/write access for all new files.
What should I do if I get this LFCS question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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