This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of manage security. 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 system administrator wants to allow user 'jdoe' to execute any command as root via sudo without being prompted for a password, but only from the host 'client1.example.com'. Which sudoers rule achieves this?
jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
Correct syntax: user host_list=(runas) TAG: command.
jdoe client1.example.com=(root) ALL
Why wrong: Missing NOPASSWD tag; will prompt for password.
jdoe ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
Why wrong: Allows from any host, not just client1.
jdoe ALL=(root) ALL
Why wrong: Allows from any host and requires password.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
Option A is correct because the sudoers rule 'jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL' specifies the user 'jdoe', the host 'client1.example.com' as the source host from which the command is run, the target user '(root)', the NOPASSWD tag to skip password authentication, and the command 'ALL' to allow any command. This matches the requirement exactly: passwordless root access restricted to a specific client host.
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.
jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
Why this is correct
Correct syntax: user host_list=(runas) TAG: command.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
jdoe client1.example.com=(root) ALL
Why it's wrong here
Missing NOPASSWD tag; will prompt for password.
jdoe ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
Why it's wrong here
Allows from any host, not just client1.
jdoe ALL=(root) ALL
Why it's wrong here
Allows from any host and requires password.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often forget the NOPASSWD tag when passwordless access is required, or they use 'ALL' for the host list instead of specifying the exact hostname, assuming 'ALL' means 'all commands' rather than 'all hosts'.
Detailed technical explanation
In sudoers syntax, the host list (second field) is matched against the hostname returned by the 'hostname' command or the system's configured host name, not the IP address or FQDN unless explicitly set. The NOPASSWD tag is a command tag that overrides the default authentication requirement; it must be placed before the command list and applies to all subsequent commands until another tag overrides it. In real-world scenarios, restricting sudo by source host is critical in environments with shared user accounts across multiple servers to enforce least privilege and audit trails.
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 EX200 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
Manage security — This question tests Manage security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL — Option A is correct because the sudoers rule 'jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL' specifies the user 'jdoe', the host 'client1.example.com' as the source host from which the command is run, the target user '(root)', the NOPASSWD tag to skip password authentication, and the command 'ALL' to allow any command. This matches the requirement exactly: passwordless root access restricted to a specific client host.
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 11, 2026
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