This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. 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.
Samba is integrated with Active Directory using security = ads. Which service is required for Kerberos authentication?
smbd
smbd handles Kerberos authentication via GSSAPI.
winbindd
Why wrong: winbindd resolves IDs but does not handle Kerberos directly.
samba
Why wrong: samba is a wrapper service.
nmbd
Why wrong: nmbd is for NetBIOS, not Kerberos.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
smbd
When Samba is integrated with Active Directory using `security = ads`, Kerberos authentication is handled by the `smbd` daemon. `smbd` is responsible for authenticating incoming SMB connections, and in an AD domain it uses the Kerberos protocol (via the GSSAPI) to validate tickets presented by clients. Without `smbd`, no Kerberos-based authentication can occur for SMB/CIFS services.
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.
smbd
Why this is correct
smbd handles Kerberos authentication via GSSAPI.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
winbindd
Why it's wrong here
winbindd resolves IDs but does not handle Kerberos directly.
samba
Why it's wrong here
samba is a wrapper service.
nmbd
Why it's wrong here
nmbd is for NetBIOS, not Kerberos.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse winbindd (which handles identity mapping) with the actual authentication daemon, or assume the generic 'samba' service is a single binary that handles everything, when in fact smbd is the specific daemon for Kerberos-based SMB authentication.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, smbd calls the MIT Kerberos library (or Heimdal) to validate service tickets via the GSS-API SPNEGO mechanism. In `security = ads` mode, smbd must have a valid `krb5.conf` and a machine keytab (`/etc/krb5.keytab`) to decrypt the ticket. A real-world scenario: if smbd is not running, clients receive 'access denied' errors even if winbindd and nmbd are up, because no daemon is available to verify the Kerberos ticket.
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: smbd — When Samba is integrated with Active Directory using `security = ads`, Kerberos authentication is handled by the `smbd` daemon. `smbd` is responsible for authenticating incoming SMB connections, and in an AD domain it uses the Kerberos protocol (via the GSSAPI) to validate tickets presented by clients. Without `smbd`, no Kerberos-based authentication can occur for SMB/CIFS services.
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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