EX200 Deploy, configure, and maintain systems Practice Question
This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of deploy, configure, and maintain systems. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 user is unable to log in via SSH. The administrator checks /var/log/secure and sees 'Authentication refused: bad ownership or modes' for the user's home directory. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The .ssh/authorized_keys file has incorrect permissions
Option C is correct because the error 'Authentication refused: bad ownership or modes' in /var/log/secure specifically indicates that the SSH daemon (sshd) has rejected authentication due to overly permissive permissions on the user's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. SSH requires that this file be owned by the user and not writable by group or others (typically mode 600 or 644), and the directory ~/.ssh must be mode 700. This is a security check enforced by sshd to prevent unauthorized key injection.
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.
✗
The sshd service is not running
Why it's wrong here
If sshd were not running, the connection would be refused immediately, not with an authentication error.
✗
The SELinux context is wrong
Why it's wrong here
SELinux issues produce different log messages, such as 'SELinux is preventing'.
✓
The .ssh/authorized_keys file has incorrect permissions
Why this is correct
The error directly refers to bad ownership or modes; typically the authorized_keys file permissions are too permissive.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The user's home directory is owned by root
Why it's wrong here
The home directory being owned by root would cause a different error or prevent login at all.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Red Hat often tests the distinction between home directory ownership issues and the specific permissions of ~/.ssh/authorized_keys, leading candidates to incorrectly select 'home directory owned by root' when the log message explicitly mentions 'bad ownership or modes' for the key file.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, sshd checks the permissions of ~/.ssh/authorized_keys using the function auth_secure_path() in OpenSSH source code, which verifies that the file is not writable by group or others and that the directory is not writable by group or others. In real-world scenarios, this error often occurs after restoring user home directories from backup with incorrect permissions, or when a user accidentally runs chmod -R 777 on their home directory. The exact check is documented in the sshd(8) man page under 'AuthorizedKeysFile'.
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.
Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — This question tests Deploy, configure, and maintain systems — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The .ssh/authorized_keys file has incorrect permissions — Option C is correct because the error 'Authentication refused: bad ownership or modes' in /var/log/secure specifically indicates that the SSH daemon (sshd) has rejected authentication due to overly permissive permissions on the user's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. SSH requires that this file be owned by the user and not writable by group or others (typically mode 600 or 644), and the directory ~/.ssh must be mode 700. This is a security check enforced by sshd to prevent unauthorized key injection.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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