This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 Samba share is configured with 'guest ok = yes'. What must also be configured to allow guest access?
security = share
Why wrong: This is a deprecated security mode and not required for guest access.
map to guest = Bad User
This parameter maps authentication failures to the guest account, enabling guest access.
force user = nobody
Why wrong: This forces the user but does not enable guest access.
guest only = Yes
Why wrong: This forces all connections to be treated as guest, but guest ok must also be set.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
map to guest = Bad User
When 'guest ok = yes' is set on a Samba share, the server still requires a mechanism to map unauthenticated or failed authentication attempts to the guest account. The 'map to guest = Bad User' directive tells Samba to treat any connection attempt with an invalid username as a guest connection, which is necessary for guest access to function. Without this mapping, clients presenting a non-existent or incorrect username will be rejected rather than being granted guest privileges.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
security = share
Why it's wrong here
This is a deprecated security mode and not required for guest access.
map to guest = Bad User
Why this is correct
This parameter maps authentication failures to the guest account, enabling guest access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
force user = nobody
Why it's wrong here
This forces the user but does not enable guest access.
guest only = Yes
Why it's wrong here
This forces all connections to be treated as guest, but guest ok must also be set.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'guest ok = yes' alone is sufficient for guest access, overlooking the mandatory 'map to guest' directive that actually enables the mapping of unknown users to the guest account.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, Samba's guest access relies on the 'map to guest' parameter, which can be set to 'Never', 'Bad User', 'Bad Password', or 'Bad Uid'. When set to 'Bad User', Samba checks the supplied username against the local user database; if the username does not exist, the connection is mapped to the guest account (typically 'nobody' or 'pcguest'). In real-world scenarios, this is critical for public file shares where clients may not have local accounts, such as in a print server or a read-only document repository accessed by anonymous users.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: map to guest = Bad User — When 'guest ok = yes' is set on a Samba share, the server still requires a mechanism to map unauthenticated or failed authentication attempts to the guest account. The 'map to guest = Bad User' directive tells Samba to treat any connection attempt with an invalid username as a guest connection, which is necessary for guest access to function. Without this mapping, clients presenting a non-existent or incorrect username will be rejected rather than being granted guest privileges.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
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