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.
In Samba 4, what is the default security mode when no 'security' parameter is set in the [global] section?
ads
Why wrong: ADS must be explicitly set for Active Directory membership.
share
Why wrong: Share-level security is deprecated and not the default.
domain
Why wrong: Domain security is for NT4-style domain membership, not default.
user
Samba defaults to user-level security.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
user
In Samba 4, when no 'security' parameter is explicitly set in the [global] section, the default security mode is 'user'. This means clients must authenticate with a valid username and password, and Samba validates credentials against the local passdb backend (e.g., tdbsam or LDAP). This default has been consistent since Samba 3.x and ensures that each connection is tied to a specific user identity.
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.
ads
Why it's wrong here
ADS must be explicitly set for Active Directory membership.
share
Why it's wrong here
Share-level security is deprecated and not the default.
domain
Why it's wrong here
Domain security is for NT4-style domain membership, not default.
user
Why this is correct
Samba defaults to user-level security.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the historical 'share' security mode (which was the default in very early Samba versions) with the modern default, or mistakenly think that Samba 4 defaults to 'domain' or 'ads' because of its Active Directory integration capabilities, but the actual default remains 'user' for backward compatibility and security.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the 'user' security mode in Samba 4 maps each incoming connection to a Unix user via the passdb backend, and authentication is performed using NTLM or NTLMv2 challenge-response. In real-world scenarios, administrators often assume 'share' mode is still available for simple guest access, but Samba 4 enforces user-level authentication by default, which can break legacy scripts expecting anonymous file sharing. The default can be verified by running 'testparm' and noting the absence of a 'security' line in the output.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-2 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
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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: user — In Samba 4, when no 'security' parameter is explicitly set in the [global] section, the default security mode is 'user'. This means clients must authenticate with a valid username and password, and Samba validates credentials against the local passdb backend (e.g., tdbsam or LDAP). This default has been consistent since Samba 3.x and ensures that each connection is tied to a specific user identity.
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
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI 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 LPIC-2 exam.
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