- A
Use 'usermod -a -G sudo' for each developer and edit /etc/sudoers manually with visudo
Why wrong: Adding to the 'sudo' group (Debian style) often gives full privileges unless custom rules exist; manual edit is error-prone.
- B
Create a new group 'devops', add developers to it, and create a sudoers drop-in file with rules for specific commands
Allows granular command restrictions and is maintainable.
- C
Add all developers to the 'wheel' group and configure %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
Why wrong: Gives full root access, not specific commands, violates least privilege.
- D
Edit /etc/sudoers directly to add each developer username with command restrictions
Why wrong: Direct editing of /etc/sudoers is risky; using /etc/sudoers.d/ is safer, and adding users individually is less scalable than groups.
LFCS User and Group Management Practice Question
This LFCS practice question tests your understanding of user and group management. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company follows the principle of least privilege. Several developers need sudo access to run specific commands like systemctl and journalctl. What is the best practice for granting this access?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Create a new group 'devops', add developers to it, and create a sudoers drop-in file with rules for specific commands
Option B is correct because it follows the principle of least privilege by creating a dedicated 'devops' group and using a sudoers drop-in file (e.g., /etc/sudoers.d/devops) to grant only specific commands like systemctl and journalctl. This avoids modifying the main /etc/sudoers file directly, which is error-prone, and ensures that developers have no more privileges than necessary. The drop-in file approach is the recommended best practice for maintainability and security.
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.
- ✗
Use 'usermod -a -G sudo' for each developer and edit /etc/sudoers manually with visudo
Why it's wrong here
Adding to the 'sudo' group (Debian style) often gives full privileges unless custom rules exist; manual edit is error-prone.
- ✓
Create a new group 'devops', add developers to it, and create a sudoers drop-in file with rules for specific commands
Why this is correct
Allows granular command restrictions and is maintainable.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Add all developers to the 'wheel' group and configure %wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL
Why it's wrong here
Gives full root access, not specific commands, violates least privilege.
- ✗
Edit /etc/sudoers directly to add each developer username with command restrictions
Why it's wrong here
Direct editing of /etc/sudoers is risky; using /etc/sudoers.d/ is safer, and adding users individually is less scalable than groups.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often default to adding users to the 'sudo' or 'wheel' group for convenience, overlooking the principle of least privilege and the proper use of sudoers drop-in files for command-specific restrictions.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Gives full root access, not specific commands, violates least privilege.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, sudo reads configuration from /etc/sudoers and files in /etc/sudoers.d/ in lexicographical order, with the last matching rule taking precedence. Using a drop-in file allows for atomic updates via visudo -f, preventing syntax errors that could lock out administrative access. In a real-world scenario, a DevOps team might need only 'systemctl restart nginx' and 'journalctl -u nginx', which can be specified as 'Cmnd_Alias' and '%devops ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/systemctl, /usr/bin/journalctl'.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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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User and Group Management — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this LFCS question test?
User and Group Management — This question tests User and Group Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a new group 'devops', add developers to it, and create a sudoers drop-in file with rules for specific commands — Option B is correct because it follows the principle of least privilege by creating a dedicated 'devops' group and using a sudoers drop-in file (e.g., /etc/sudoers.d/devops) to grant only specific commands like systemctl and journalctl. This avoids modifying the main /etc/sudoers file directly, which is error-prone, and ensures that developers have no more privileges than necessary. The drop-in file approach is the recommended best practice for maintainability and security.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "least". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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