EX200 Essential Tools Practice Question
Network Topology
Refer to the exhibit. The backup script runs every 5 minutes but generates errors. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Red Hat often tests the distinction between file ownership and file permissions, where candidates mistakenly assume root ownership is the problem, but the actual issue is the missing executable bit that cron strictly enforces.
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
✓
The script is not executable.
The cron job fails because the script lacks execute permissions. Cron requires that scripts specified in crontab entries have the executable bit set (chmod +x) for the user under whose crontab the job runs. Without this, the cron daemon cannot spawn the script as a process, resulting in errors.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The script is owned by root.
Why it's wrong here
This is not the cause. On a typical RHEL system, root owns nearly all system crontab files and scripts, and cron jobs that run from root's crontab legitimately execute with root's privileges. Ownership only matters for determining the uid/gid during execution; it does not affect whether a script is executable. Since the cron job is running as root, root ownership is irrelevant to the failure.
- ✗
The cron daemon is not running.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect. If the cron daemon were stopped, the job would never be triggered, so no attempted execution and no error would appear in the cron log or email output. The exhibit shows the script is being launched and failing, which proves crond is alive and processing the crontab entry. Therefore, a non-running daemon cannot explain the observed permission-denied failure.
- ✗
The script uses absolute paths.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because using absolute paths in a cron job is a recommended practice. Cron executes jobs with a minimal PATH, so relying on relative paths or unqualified commands is a common source of 'command not found' errors. Here, the script paths are absolute, which avoids that entire class of problems and would not cause an execution permission error. Thus, the absolute-path usage is actually protecting the job, not breaking it.
- ✓
The script is not executable.
Why this is correct
This is the cause. The exhibit shows the script has permissions 644, meaning there is no execute bit set for the owner, group, or others. When cron encounters a script path in a crontab, it invokes that file directly via execve(), which requires at least one execute bit; otherwise the kernel returns EACCES and the job logs 'Permission denied' or sends a non-zero exit status. The file must be made executable, for example with 'chmod +x', for cron to run it successfully.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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