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.
Which file contains the hashed passwords for local user accounts?
/etc/security/passwd
Why wrong: This file does not exist in standard RHEL.
/etc/passwd
Why wrong: /etc/passwd contains user information but not password hashes (they are stored as 'x').
/etc/shadow
This is the file that stores hashed passwords.
/etc/gshadow
Why wrong: /etc/gshadow stores group passwords, not user passwords.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
/etc/shadow
The /etc/shadow file stores hashed passwords for local user accounts, along with password aging and expiration information. It is readable only by root (or privileged processes) to prevent unauthorized access to password hashes, unlike /etc/passwd which is world-readable.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
/etc/security/passwd
Why it's wrong here
This file does not exist in standard RHEL.
/etc/passwd
Why it's wrong here
/etc/passwd contains user information but not password hashes (they are stored as 'x').
/etc/shadow
Why this is correct
This is the file that stores hashed passwords.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
/etc/gshadow
Why it's wrong here
/etc/gshadow stores group passwords, not user passwords.
Common exam traps
Red Hat often tests the distinction between /etc/passwd (world-readable, stores user info but not hashes) and /etc/shadow (restricted, stores hashes), exploiting the common misconception that passwords are still in /etc/passwd.
Detailed technical explanation
Password hashes in /etc/shadow use formats like $id$salt$hashed, where $id indicates the hash algorithm (e.g., $6$ for SHA-512, $y$ for yescrypt). The shadow file is protected by root ownership and mode 000 or 640, enforced by the pam_unix module during authentication. In a real-world scenario, a misconfigured /etc/shadow with lax permissions (e.g., 644) would allow any user to retrieve hashes for offline cracking, a common security audit finding.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Manage security — This question tests Manage security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: /etc/shadow — The /etc/shadow file stores hashed passwords for local user accounts, along with password aging and expiration information. It is readable only by root (or privileged processes) to prevent unauthorized access to password hashes, unlike /etc/passwd which is world-readable.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
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