LFCS User and Group Management Practice Question
A Linux server hosts a shared project workspace at /srv/design. The directory is owned by root and currently has permissions 0775 with group ownership set to the 'designers' group. A new file was just created inside /srv/design by user 'mira' (a member of designers), and the file's group is showing as 'mira' instead of 'designers'. The team lead wants every NEW file and subdirectory created under /srv/design to automatically inherit the 'designers' group, while leaving existing files untouched. Which command should the administrator run?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is assuming that adding an ACL or recursively changing group ownership will make future files inherit the group, when only the directory setgid bit provides persistent group inheritance.
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
✓
chmod g+s /srv/design
The setgid bit on a directory is the standard mechanism for group inheritance: any file or subdirectory created inside the directory takes the directory's group as its own group. Using chmod g+s on /srv/design applies this behavior without touching existing files or changing individual user group memberships.
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+s /srv/design
Why this is correct
Setting the setgid bit on a directory (chmod g+s) causes all newly created files and subdirectories within it to inherit the directory's group instead of the creating user's primary group. This matches the requirement exactly and does not modify existing file ownership or group memberships.
- ✗
chgrp -R designers /srv/design
Why it's wrong here
A recursive chgrp changes the group of existing files and directories now, but it does not persist for future creations. New files made afterward would still inherit the creating user's primary group, so this does not satisfy the 'automatically inherit' part of the requirement.
- ✗
setfacl -R -m g:designers:rwx /srv/design
Why it's wrong here
An ACL grants explicit permissions to the designers group but does not change which group a newly created file belongs to. The file's group would still be 'mira', so this option solves access rights, not group inheritance, and does not meet the stated requirement.
- ✗
chmod +t /srv/design
Why it's wrong here
The sticky bit on a directory only restricts deletion: users can remove files only if they own the file or the directory. It has no effect whatsoever on the group ownership of newly created files, so 'mira''s new files would still be grouped under her primary group rather than 'designers'.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Linux Foundation exam blueprint
This LFCS practice question is part of Courseiva's free Linux Foundation 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 LFCS exam.