RHEL Linux - Red Hat System Administration Practice Exam

In regards to man page references, passwd(1) describes the command to change passwords, while passwd(5) explains the /etc/passwd _____

1. file format for storing local user accounts

2. file format for storing user passwords

3. file format for storing password policies

4. none of the above

The correct answer is: file format for storing local user accounts

The reference to passwd(5) specifically pertains to the file format used for storing local user account information in the /etc/passwd file, which is a standard configuration file in UNIX and Linux systems. This file is crucial as it contains essential data about each user account, such as the username, user ID (UID), group ID (GID), home directory, and default shell. The distinction between passwd(1) and passwd(5) is important. While passwd(1) describes the command that users execute to change their passwords, passwd(5) provides a detailed description of how user account data is organized and stored in the /etc/passwd file. This format is key for system administrators when managing user accounts and understanding the structure of account information used by the system. The other choices do not accurately define the content of passwd(5). The file does not explicitly store user passwords (which would typically be found in a separate shadow file for security reasons), nor does it contain password policies. Therefore, the choice regarding the file format for storing local user accounts aligns perfectly with the content provided in the man page reference.