This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of manage users and groups. 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 server has been compromised, and the administrator suspects an unauthorized user account may have been created. Which file should be examined to list all local user accounts?
Why wrong: Option B is incorrect; /etc/shadow contains password hashes and aging information but may not include all system accounts (e.g., those without passwords).
B
/etc/passwd
Option A is correct: /etc/passwd contains one line per user account, listing all local users.
C
/etc/shells
Why wrong: Option D is incorrect; /etc/shells lists valid login shells, not user accounts.
D
/etc/login.defs
Why wrong: Option C is incorrect; /etc/login.defs contains default values for account creation, not a list of users.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
/etc/passwd
The /etc/passwd file is the primary local user account database on Linux systems, listing all user accounts with fields such as username, UID, GID, GECOS, home directory, and login shell. Examining this file reveals every local user account, including any unauthorized ones that may have been created, because each account must have an entry here to be recognized by the system.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
/etc/shadow
Why it's wrong here
Option B is incorrect; /etc/shadow contains password hashes and aging information but may not include all system accounts (e.g., those without passwords).
✓
/etc/passwd
Why this is correct
Option A is correct: /etc/passwd contains one line per user account, listing all local users.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
/etc/shells
Why it's wrong here
Option D is incorrect; /etc/shells lists valid login shells, not user accounts.
✗
/etc/login.defs
Why it's wrong here
Option C is incorrect; /etc/login.defs contains default values for account creation, not a list of users.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Red Hat often tests the misconception that /etc/shadow contains the list of user accounts, but it only stores password hashes and aging data; the actual account list is always in /etc/passwd.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the /etc/passwd file is world-readable (mode 644) and follows the format defined in the POSIX standard and the 'passwd' file format (RFC 2307). Each line corresponds to one user account, and the UID field (third colon-separated field) is critical: UID 0 is root, UIDs 1–999 are typically system accounts, and UIDs 1000+ are regular users. In a real-world compromise scenario, an attacker might create a user with UID 0 to gain root privileges without a separate entry in /etc/shadow, so examining /etc/passwd for duplicate UID 0 entries is a key forensic step.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Manage users and groups — This question tests Manage users and groups — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: /etc/passwd — The /etc/passwd file is the primary local user account database on Linux systems, listing all user accounts with fields such as username, UID, GID, GECOS, home directory, and login shell. Examining this file reveals every local user account, including any unauthorized ones that may have been created, because each account must have an entry here to be recognized by the system.
What should I do if I get this EX200 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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