EX200 Create simple shell scripts Practice Question
This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of create simple shell scripts. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
An organization uses a shell script that runs daily via cron on a central management server to archive logs from 50 remote Red Hat Enterprise Linux servers. The script uses `scp` with SSH key-based authentication (passwordless) to transfer files. Recently, after a security team rotated the SSH host keys on all remote servers, the script started failing with 'Host key verification failed' errors. The administrator needs to restore automated log transfers without compromising security. The remote servers are in a controlled internal network, and the management server's `~/.ssh/known_hosts` file is not centrally managed. Which course of action should the administrator take?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use ssh-keyscan to retrieve the new host keys and add them to the management server's known_hosts file.
Option B is correct because using `ssh-keyscan` to retrieve the new host keys and add them to the management server's `known_hosts` file is the proper method to update host keys without disabling security. This approach maintains SSH host key verification, which prevents man-in-the-middle attacks, while allowing the script to authenticate the remote servers after the key rotation.
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.
✗
Add the -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no option to the scp command in the script.
Why it's wrong here
Plausible but unsafe: disables host key verification, exposing to MITM attacks.
✓
Use ssh-keyscan to retrieve the new host keys and add them to the management server's known_hosts file.
Why this is correct
Correct: updates known_hosts with new keys, re-establishing trust securely.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Modify the sshd_config on each remote server to disable host key checking.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: host key checking is a client-side setting, not server-side.
✗
Replace scp with rsync in the script, as rsync uses a different authentication method.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect: rsync over SSH still uses host key verification and will fail.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think disabling host key checking (Option A) is an acceptable quick fix, but Cisco tests the understanding that `StrictHostKeyChecking=no` is a security risk and that the correct approach is to update the `known_hosts` file with the new keys using `ssh-keyscan`.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSH host key verification works by comparing the remote server's host key against entries in the client's `known_hosts` file (typically `~/.ssh/known_hosts`). When host keys are rotated, the client sees a mismatch and refuses the connection. `ssh-keyscan` uses the SSH protocol's key exchange to retrieve the current public host key from a remote server, and the output can be appended to `known_hosts` to restore trust. In a controlled internal network, this is a secure and automated way to update keys without manual intervention.
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.
Create simple shell scripts — This question tests Create simple shell scripts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use ssh-keyscan to retrieve the new host keys and add them to the management server's known_hosts file. — Option B is correct because using `ssh-keyscan` to retrieve the new host keys and add them to the management server's `known_hosts` file is the proper method to update host keys without disabling security. This approach maintains SSH host key verification, which prevents man-in-the-middle attacks, while allowing the script to authenticate the remote servers after the key rotation.
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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