EX200 Operate running systems Practice Question
Exhibit
● httpd.service - The Apache HTTP Server
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/httpd.service; disabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Mon 2025-03-10 09:23:45 EDT; 5min ago
Docs: man:httpd.service(8)
Process: 12345 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/httpd $OPTIONS -k start (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Main PID: 12345 (code=exited, status=1/FAILURE)
Status: "Total requests: 0; Current requests/sec: 0; Current traffic: 0 B/sec"
Tasks: 0 (limit: 23132)
Memory: 0B
CGroup: /system.slice/httpd.service
Mar 10 09:23:45 server1 systemd[1]: Starting The Apache HTTP Server...
Mar 10 09:23:45 server1 httpd[12345]: [Mon Mar 10 09:23:45.123456 2025] [core:error] [pid 12345] (13)Permission denied: AH00035: access to /var/www/html/index.html denied (status 403)
Mar 10 09:23:45 server1 httpd[12345]: (13)Permission denied: AH00035: access to /var/www/html/index.html denied
Mar 10 09:23:45 server1 systemd[1]: httpd.service: Child 12345 belongs to httpd.service
Mar 10 09:23:45 server1 systemd[1]: httpd.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=1/FAILURE
Mar 10 09:23:45 server1 systemd[1]: httpd.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.Refer to the exhibit. What is the most likely cause of the httpd service failure?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates may overlook that some issues (like SELinux or file permissions) prevent serving content but do not crash the service. Always distinguish between the service failing to start vs. failures in serving requests.
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 Apache configuration has a syntax error.
The most likely cause of the httpd service failing to start is a configuration syntax error (option B). When the Apache configuration contains an invalid directive or syntax mistake, `httpd` will refuse to start and report the error via `apachectl configtest` or `systemctl start httpd`. A missing document root may cause a warning but does not prevent startup; incorrect SELinux context leads to 403 errors but does not stop the service; and a disabled service only affects boot-time startup, not manual starts.
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 httpd service is disabled.
Why it's wrong here
A disabled httpd service prevents automatic startup at boot, but it does not block an administrator from starting it manually with `systemctl start httpd`. The log in the exhibit shows a request being served and then denied at the file-access level, which means the service is running and processing requests. Therefore, the service being disabled cannot be the cause of this runtime permission error.
- ✓
The Apache configuration has a syntax error.
Why this is correct
A syntax error in Apache's configuration would prevent the server from starting or reloading cleanly, typically producing an explicit error like `Syntax error on line ...` in the error log or when running `apachectl configtest`. The exhibited log contains no such configuration complaint; instead, it shows an active request ending with `Permission denied`. Since Apache is running and serving the request, a configuration syntax error is not the cause.
- ✗
The /var/www/html directory does not exist.
Why it's wrong here
If the `/var/www/html` directory did not exist, Apache would return a `404 Not Found` response, not a `403 Permission denied`. The error message in the exhibit explicitly says access to `/var/www/html/index.html` is denied, which indicates that the directory and file path exist and were resolved successfully. The denial is happening at the permission stage, not because the file is missing, so a nonexistent directory is not the most likely cause.
- ✗
SELinux context on /var/www/html/index.html is incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
On RHEL, Apache runs in the `httpd_t` domain, and web content in `/var/www/html/` must have the `httpd_sys_content_t` SELinux type to be readable by the server. If the file `index.html` has an incorrect SELinux context (e.g., `user_home_t` or `etc_t`) from being copied or moved from another location, SELinux will deny access despite standard Unix permissions being correct. The log shows a `Permission denied` error with no filesystem quota or ownership issue, which is the classic signature of an SELinux denial and is the most likely cause in a default RHEL environment.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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