This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of manage security. 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.
After configuring sudo, a user reports: 'sudo: unable to open /etc/sudoers: Permission denied'. The admin checks the file permissions and sees '-rw-r-----' owned by root:root. 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 file permissions are too permissive (0640 instead of 0440).
Option C is correct because the sudoers file requires strict permissions of 0440 (owner read, group read) to be considered secure by sudo. The current permissions of 0640 (owner read/write, group read) are too permissive, as they grant write access to the owner (root), which violates sudo's security model. When sudo detects that /etc/sudoers has permissions other than 0440, it refuses to open the file and reports 'Permission denied' to prevent potential tampering.
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 file is owned by the wrong user.
Why it's wrong here
Ownership root:root is correct.
✗
The sudo binary is missing the setuid bit.
Why it's wrong here
The setuid bit on /usr/bin/sudo is needed, but the error is about opening /etc/sudoers, not executing sudo.
✓
The file permissions are too permissive (0640 instead of 0440).
Why this is correct
Sudo verifies that /etc/sudoers has strict permissions; 0640 includes write for owner, which is not allowed.
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.
✗
SELinux is blocking access.
Why it's wrong here
SELinux contexts are typically correct for /etc/sudoers; this is a permission issue.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume 'Permission denied' always means the user lacks read access, but sudo specifically rejects files with write permissions for root to enforce its security policy, not because the user cannot read the file.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, sudo performs a stat() call on /etc/sudoers and checks that the file's permission bits match the expected mode 0440 (S_IRUSR | S_IRGRP). If the file has any write bits set (e.g., 0640 includes S_IWUSR), sudo refuses to read it, even if the user has read access, to prevent privilege escalation via a compromised editor. In real-world scenarios, administrators often accidentally run 'visudo' with a umask that creates the file with 0640, or manually edit the file with 'chmod 0640 /etc/sudoers', triggering this exact error.
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 security — This question tests Manage security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The file permissions are too permissive (0640 instead of 0440). — Option C is correct because the sudoers file requires strict permissions of 0440 (owner read, group read) to be considered secure by sudo. The current permissions of 0640 (owner read/write, group read) are too permissive, as they grant write access to the owner (root), which violates sudo's security model. When sudo detects that /etc/sudoers has permissions other than 0440, it refuses to open the file and reports 'Permission denied' to prevent potential tampering.
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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