GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies Practice Test

Which of the following can cause a permissions issue on an Apache web server?

1. Setting ownership of /var/www to the www-data user and www-data group

2. Setting file permissions to 644 on the website

3. Setting directory permissions to 755 on the web site

4. Adding www-data user to the server's administrator group

The correct answer is: Adding www-data user to the server's administrator group

Adding the www-data user to the server's administrator group can lead to permissions issues on an Apache web server because it significantly increases the privileges assigned to that user. The www-data user is typically used by the Apache web server to run web applications and serve files. By granting it administrator privileges, the user could potentially access or modify files and directories that should remain protected. This could lead to security vulnerabilities, including unauthorized access to sensitive files, misconfiguration of the server, or even unintentional changes that affect the functionality and security of the web application. In contrast, the other options you provided, such as setting ownership or file and directory permissions, are typical configurations for managing access and do not inherently lead to permissions issues. Setting ownership to the www-data user and group ensures that the server has the necessary permissions to access the web files. Similarly, file permissions set to 644 and directory permissions set to 755 follow standard practices for web servers, allowing appropriate access while maintaining security boundaries.