The answer is to add `alice web1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd` to `/etc/sudoers.d/alice`. This is correct because it grants passwordless sudo for a specific command on a specific host by combining a host-based restriction with the `NOPASSWD:` tag, ensuring Alice can restart httpd without a password only when she is logged into `web1.example.com`. The existing `%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL` line would still prompt for a password, so a dedicated file in `/etc/sudoers.d/` overrides that with minimal privilege—Alice gets no broader root access than the exact command needed. On the Red Hat Certified System Administrator EX200 exam, this tests your ability to apply host-based sudo rules and the `NOPASSWD` directive, a common trap being to forget the host specification or to use `ALL` instead of the precise command path. Remember the mnemonic: “Host, User, Target, Command, NoPass” to structure any minimal-privilege sudo entry.
EX200 Manage security Practice Question
This EX200 practice question tests your understanding of manage security. 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.
You are the system administrator for a small company. A developer, Alice, needs to restart the web server (httpd.service) on server 'web1.example.com' without being prompted for a password. She should also be able to run any command as root on that server, but only from the server itself (not remotely). Currently, Alice can SSH into the server using her SSH key, but when she runs 'sudo systemctl restart httpd', she is prompted for her password. You have verified that Alice is in the 'wheel' group. The sudoers file currently has the line '%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL'. You want to modify sudoers to satisfy the requirement with minimal privilege. Which action should you take?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Add 'alice web1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd' to /etc/sudoers.d/alice.
Option B is correct because it grants Alice passwordless sudo access specifically to the command `/usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd` on the host `web1.example.com` as root, meeting the requirement with minimal privilege. The `NOPASSWD:` tag is essential to bypass the password prompt, and the host restriction ensures the rule applies only when Alice is on that server.
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 'alice web1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL' to /etc/sudoers.d/alice.
Why it's wrong here
Gives unrestricted root access, not minimal.
✓
Add 'alice web1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd' to /etc/sudoers.d/alice.
Why this is correct
Minimal: only allows the needed command without password.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Add 'alice web1.example.com=(root) /usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd' to /etc/sudoers.d/alice.
Why it's wrong here
Missing NOPASSWD; will still prompt for password.
✗
Change '%wheel ALL=(ALL) ALL' to '%wheel ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL' in /etc/sudoers.
Why it's wrong here
Gives all wheel users passwordless root, not minimal.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often forget the `NOPASSWD:` tag when the requirement explicitly says 'without being prompted for a password', leading them to choose Option C, which grants the command but still requires authentication.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The sudoers syntax `alice web1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd` uses a host-based restriction (`web1.example.com`) that matches the local hostname, not the remote SSH client. Under the hood, sudo checks the `Host_Alias` or literal hostname against the output of `hostname`; if Alice SSHes from another server, the rule won't match, enforcing the 'only from the server itself' requirement. The `NOPASSWD:` tag is a sudoers flag that overrides the default `authenticate` setting, and it must precede the command list.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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: Add 'alice web1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: /usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd' to /etc/sudoers.d/alice. — Option B is correct because it grants Alice passwordless sudo access specifically to the command `/usr/bin/systemctl restart httpd` on the host `web1.example.com` as root, meeting the requirement with minimal privilege. The `NOPASSWD:` tag is essential to bypass the password prompt, and the host restriction ensures the rule applies only when Alice is on that server.
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: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Variation 1. A system administrator wants to allow user 'jdoe' to execute any command as root via sudo without being prompted for a password, but only from the host 'client1.example.com'. Which sudoers rule achieves this?
hard
✓ A.jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
B.jdoe client1.example.com=(root) ALL
C.jdoe ALL=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL
D.jdoe ALL=(root) ALL
Why A: Option A is correct because the sudoers rule 'jdoe client1.example.com=(root) NOPASSWD: ALL' specifies the user 'jdoe', the host 'client1.example.com' as the source host from which the command is run, the target user '(root)', the NOPASSWD tag to skip password authentication, and the command 'ALL' to allow any command. This matches the requirement exactly: passwordless root access restricted to a specific client host.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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This EX200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Red Hat certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the EX200 exam.
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