RHEL Linux - Red Hat System Administration Practice Exam

What file stores user account information on a Linux system?

1. /etc/passwd

2. /etc/useradd

3. /usr/etc/passwd

4. /var/lib/passwd

The correct answer is: /etc/passwd

The file that stores user account information on a Linux system is located at /etc/passwd. This file is essential for the system as it contains vital information about each user account, including the username, password placeholder (usually an "x" indicating that the hashed password is stored in /etc/shadow), user ID (UID), group ID (GID), user information (often called GECOS), home directory, and the default shell for the user. When a user logs into a Linux system, the user authentication processes make use of the information stored in /etc/passwd to verify the credentials and establish the user session. It’s important to note that while /etc/passwd contains several user details, sensitive information related to passwords is securely stored in /etc/shadow, which is only accessible by the root user for security reasons. The other file paths mentioned do not correspond to standard locations or functions associated with user account information in Linux systems. /etc/useradd is not a user account information file but rather a script or configuration file related to the useradd command. /usr/etc/passwd and /var/lib/passwd are not typical locations for user account data and would not be recognized by the system for that purpose. Therefore, /etc