Difficulty: Easy
Correct Answer: A primary group with the same name as the user identifier, created as a user private group
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Linux systems use user identifiers and group identifiers to control file permissions and resource access. Modern distributions often adopt a user private group scheme, where each user has a default group created specifically for that user. Understanding this default helps when interpreting file ownership and permission bits for newly created files.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
In the user private group model, when an administrator creates a new user, the system also creates a group with the same name as the user identifier. This group becomes the primary group of the user. For example, creating user ashwin results in a primary group ashwin. This design makes it easier to manage default permissions, because files created by the user can safely have group write permission enabled without automatically giving write access to unrelated users. Additional group memberships can be configured for shared project directories.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognize that many Linux distributions such as Ubuntu and Fedora use user private groups as their default account model.Step 2: Understand that in this model, each user has a primary group whose name matches the username.Step 3: Note that system wide groups like system or staff are used for special purposes and are not the default for every new user.Step 4: Conclude that the correct default primary group for a new user is a group with the same name as the user identifier.Step 5: Select the option that explicitly mentions a primary group with the same name as the user identifier, created as a user private group.
Verification / Alternative check:
On a Linux system, the file /etc/passwd lists user accounts and their primary group identifiers, while /etc/group lists group definitions. Examining these files after creating a new user typically shows an entry where the username appears both as a user and as a group. Additionally, commands such as id username show that the primary group name matches the username. These observations confirm the user private group model in practice.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B: The system group is often used for service accounts but is not the default for normal login users.Option C: The staff group may contain administrative or privileged users but is not used as the primary group for every new user.Option D: The others category in permission bits is not a real group name and does not represent the default primary group for new users.
Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse the abstract set of other users represented by the others permission class with actual Unix groups. Another confusion is thinking that all users share a single default group such as users or staff. While some legacy systems used such schemes, modern user private group models improve security and flexibility by giving each user a distinct primary group.
Final Answer:
The correct answer is A primary group with the same name as the user identifier, created as a user private group.
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