CompTIA Linux+

Certification Exam
Objectives
EXAM NUMBER: XK0-005
 About the Exam
Candidates are encouraged to use this document to help prepare for the CompTIA
Linux+ XK0-005 certification exam. The CompTIA Linux+ certification exam will verify
the successful candidate has the knowledge and skills required to configure, manage,
operate, and troubleshoot Linux on-premises and cloud-based server environments,
while using security best practices, scripting, containerization, and automation.

This is equivalent to at least 12 months of hands-on experience working with Linux servers
in a junior Linux support engineer or junior cloud/DevOps support engineer job role.

These content examples are meant to clarify the test objectives and should not be
construed as a comprehensive listing of all the content of this examination.

EXAM ACCREDITATION
The CompTIA Linux+ exam is accredited by ANSI to show compliance with the ISO 17024
standard and, as such, undergoes regular reviews and updates to the exam objectives.

EXAM DEVELOPMENT
CompTIA exams result from subject-matter expert workshops and industry-wide survey
results regarding the skills and knowledge required of an entry-level IT professional.

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PLEASE NOTE
The lists of examples provided in bulleted format are not exhaustive lists. Other
examples of technologies, processes, or tasks pertaining to each objective may
also be included on the exam although not listed or covered in this objectives
document. CompTIA is constantly reviewing the content of our exams and updating
test questions to be sure our exams are current, and the security of the questions is
protected. When necessary, we will publish updated exams based on existing exam
objectives. Please know that all related exam preparation materials will still be valid.

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 TEST DETAILS
Required exam XK0-005
Number of questions Maximum of 90
Types of questions Multiple-choice and performance-based
Length of test 90 minutes
Recommended experience 1 2 months of hands-on experience working with
Linux servers, as well as A+, Network+, and Server+
or similar certifications and/or knowledge
Passing score 720 (on a scale of 100 to 900)

EXAM OBJECTIVES (DOMAINS)

The table below lists the domains measured by this examination
and the extent to which they are represented.

DOMAIN PERCENTAGE OF EXAMINATION

1.0 System Management 32%

2.0 Security 21%
3.0 Scripting, Containers, and Automation 19%
4.0 Troubleshooting 28%
Total 100%

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 1.0 System Management
1.1 Summarize Linux fundamentals.
• F
 ilesystem Hierarchy • Basic boot process • B
 asic package compilation
Standard (FHS) - Basic input/output system (BIOS) from source
- /boot - Unified Extensible Firmware - ./configure
- /proc Interface (UEFI) - make
- /sys - Commands - make install
- /var • mkinitrd • Storage concepts
- /usr • grub2-install - File storage
- /lib • grub2-mkconfig - Block storage
- /dev • grub2-update - Object storage
- /etc • dracut - Partition type
- /opt - initrd.img • Master boot record (MBR)
- /bin - vmlinuz • GUID [globally unique identifier]
- /sbin - Grand Unified Bootloader Partition Table (GPT)
- /home version 2 (GRUB2) - Filesystem in Userspace (FUSE)
- /media - Boot sources - Redundant Array of
- /mnt • Preboot eXecution Independent (or Inexpensive)
- /root Environment (PXE) Disks (RAID) levels
- /tmp • Booting from Universal • Striping
Serial Bus (USB) • Mirroring
• Booting from ISO • Parity
• Kernel panic • Listing hardware information
• Device types in /dev - lspci
- Block devices - lsusb
- Character devices - dmidecode
- Special character devices
• /dev/null
• /dev/zero
• /dev/urandom

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 1.0 | System Management

1.2 Given a scenario, manage files and directories.

• File editing • File metadata • File and directory operations
- sed - stat - mv
- awk - file - cp
- printf • Soft and hard links - mkdir
- nano • Copying files between systems - rmdir
- vi(m) - rsync - ls
• File compression, - scp - pwd
archiving, and backup - nc - rm
- gzip - cd
- bzip2 -.
- zip - ..
- tar -~
- xz - tree
- cpio - cat
- dd - touch

1.3 Given a scenario, configure and manage

storage using the appropriate tools.
• D isk partitioning • M onitoring storage space • Inspecting RAID implementations
- Commands and disk usage - mdadm
• fdisk - df - /proc/mdstat
• parted - du • Storage area network (SAN)/
• partprobe • Creating and modifying network-attached storage (NAS)
• Mounting local and remote devices volumes using Logical - multipathd
- systemd.mount Volume Manager (LVM) - Network filesystems
- /etc/fstab - Commands • Network File System (NFS)
- mount • pvs • Server Message Block
- Linux Unified Key Setup (LUKS) • vgs (SMB)/Common Internet
- External devices • lvs File System (CIFS)
• Filesystem management • lvchange • Storage hardware
- XFS tools • lvcreate - lsscsi
- Ext4 tools • vgcreate - lsblk
- Btrfs tools • lvresize - blkid
• pvcreate - fcstat
• vgextend

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 1.0 | System Management

1.4 Given a scenario, configure and use the

appropriate processes and services.
• S ystem services • P
 rocess management - Process states
- systemctl - Kill signals • Zombie
• stop • SIGTERM • Sleeping
• start • SIGKILL • Running
• restart • SIGHUP • Stopped
• status - Listing processes and open files - Job control
• enable • top • bg
• disable • ps • fg
• mask • lsof • jobs
• Scheduling services • htop • Ctrl+Z
- cron - Setting priorities • Ctrl+C
- crontab • nice • Ctrl+D
- at • renice - pgrep
- pkill
- pidof

1.5 Given a scenario, use the appropriate

networking tools or configuration files.
• Interface management • N
 ame resolution • N etwork monitoring
- iproute2 tools - nsswitch - tcpdump
• ip - /etc/resolv.conf - wireshark/tshark
• ss - systemd - netstat
- NetworkManager • hostnamectl - traceroute
• nmcli • resolvectl - ping
- net-tools - Bind-utils - mtr
• ifconfig • dig • Remote networking tools
• ifcfg • nslookup - Secure Shell (SSH)
• hostname • host - cURL
• arp - WHOIS - wget
• route - nc
- /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ - rsync
- Secure Copy Protocol (SCP)
- SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 1.0 | System Management

1.6 Given a scenario, build and install software.

• P
 ackage management • S
 andboxed applications • System updates
- DNF - snapd - Kernel updates
- YUM - Flatpak - Package updates
- APT - AppImage
- RPM
- dpkg
- ZYpp

1.7 Given a scenario, manage software configurations.

• U
 pdating configuration files • C
 onfigure kernel options • C onfigure common system services
- Procedures - Parameters - SSH
• Restart service • sysctl - Network Time Protocol (NTP)
• Reload service • /etc/sysctl.conf - Syslog
- .rpmnew - Modules - chrony
- .rpmsave • lsmod • Localization
Repository configuration files • rmmod - timedatectl
• /etc/apt.conf • insmod - localectl
• /etc/yum.conf • modprobe
• /etc/dnf/dnf.conf • modinfo
• /etc/yum.repo.d
• /etc/apt/sources.list.d

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 2.0 Security
2.1 Summarize the purpose and use of security
best practices in a Linux environment.
• M
 anaging public key • C ertificate use cases
infrastructure (PKI) certificates -S  ecure Sockets Layer (SSL)/
- Public key Transport Layer Security (TLS)
- Private key - Certificate authentication
- Self-signed certificate - Encryption
- Digital signature • Authentication
- Wildcard certificate - Tokens
- Hashing - Multifactor authentication (MFA)
- Certificate authorities -P  luggable authentication
modules (PAM)
-S  ystem Security Services
Daemon (SSSD)
-L  ightweight Directory
Access Protocol (LDAP)
- Single sign-on (SSO)
• L
 inux hardening
- Security scanning
- Secure boot
• UEFI
- System logging configurations
- Setting default umask
- Disabling/removing
insecure services
- Enforcing password strength
- Removing unused packages
- Tuning kernel parameters
- Securing service accounts
- Configuring the host firewall

2.2 Given a scenario, implement identity management.

• A
 ccount creation and deletion • A
 ccount management
- Utilities - passwd
• useradd - chage
• groupadd - pam_tally2
• userdel - faillock
• groupdel - /etc/login.defs
• usermod
• groupmod
• id
• who
•w
- Default shell
- Configuration files
• /etc/passwd
• /etc/group
• /etc/shadow
• /etc/profile
• /etc/skel
• .bash_profile
• .bashrc

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 2.0 | Security

2.3 Given a scenario, implement and configure firewalls.

• F
 irewall use cases • C
 ommon firewall technologies Key firewall features
- Open and close ports - firewalld - Zones
- Check current configuration - iptables - Services
- Enable/disable Internet - nftables - Stateful
protocol (IP) forwarding - Uncomplicated firewall (UFW) - Stateless

2.4 Given a scenario, configure and execute remote

connectivity for system management.
• SSH • E
 xecuting commands
- Configuration files as another user
• /etc/ssh/sshd_config - /etc/sudoers
• /etc/ssh/ssh_config - PolicyKit rules
• ~/.ssh/known_hosts - Commands
• ~/.ssh/authorized_keys • sudo
• /etc/ssh/sshd_config • visudo
• /etc/ssh/ssh_config • su –
• ~/.ssh/config • pkexec
- Commands
• ssh-keygen
• ssh-copy-id
• ssh-add
- Tunneling
• X11 forwarding
• Port forwarding
• Dynamic forwarding

2.5 Given a scenario, apply the appropriate access controls.

• File permissions • A ppArmor
- Access control list (ACL) - Application permissions
- Set user ID (SUID) • Command-line utilities
- Set group ID (SGID) - chown
- Sticky bit - umask
• Security-enhanced Linux (SELinux) - chmod
- Context permissions - getfacl
- Labels - setfacl
• Autorelabel - ls
- System booleans - setenforce
- States - getenforce
• Enforcing - chattr
• Permissive - lsattr
• Disabled - chgrp
- Policy types - setsebool
• Targeted - getsebool
• Minimum - chcon
- restorecon
- semanage
- audit2allow
CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)
Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 3.0 Scripting, Containers,
and Automation
3.1 Given a scenario, create simple shell scripts
to automate common tasks.
• S
 hell script elements • Common script utilities
- Loops - Standard stream redirection • awk
• while •| • sed
• for • || • find
• until •> • xargs
- Conditionals • >> • grep
• if •< • egrep
• switch/case • << • tee
- Shell parameter expansion •& • wc
• Globbing • && • cut
• Brace expansions • Redirecting • tr
- Comparisons • stderr - head
• Arithmetic • stdout - tail
• String - Here documents • Environment variables
• Boolean - Exit codes - $PATH
- Variables - Shell built-in commands - $SHELL
- Search and replace • read - $?
- Regular expressions • echo • Relative and absolute paths
• source

3.2 Given a scenario, perform basic container operations.

• C ontainer management
- Starting/stopping
- Inspecting
- Listing
- Deploying existing images
- Connecting to containers
- Logging
- Exposing ports
• Container image operations
- build
- push
- pull
- list
- rmi

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 3.0 | Scripting, Containers, and Automation

3.3 Given a scenario, perform basic version control using Git.

•  lone
c
• push
• pull
• commit
• add
• checkout
• branch
• tag
• gitignore

3.4 Summarize common infrastructure as code technologies.

• F ile formats • C ontinuous integration/
- YAML Ain’t Markup continuous deployment (CI/CD)
Language (YAML) - Use cases
- JavaScript Object • Advanced Git topics
Notation (JSON) - merge
• Utilities - rebase
- Ansible - Pull requests
- Puppet
- Chef
- SaltStack
- Terraform

3.5 Summarize container, cloud, and orchestration concepts.

• K ubernetes benefits and • C ontainer networks
application use cases - Overlay networks
- Pods - Bridging
- Sidecars - Network address translation (NAT)
- Ambassador containers - Host
• Single-node, multicontainer • Service mesh
use cases • Bootstrapping
- Compose - Cloud-init
• Container persistent storage • Container registries

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 4.0 Troubleshooting
4.1 Given a scenario, analyze and troubleshoot storage issues.
• H igh latency • C apacity issues • D evice issues
- Input/output (I/O) wait - Low disk space - Non-volatile memory
• Low throughput - Inode exhaustion express (NVMe)
• Input/output operations per • Filesystem issues - Solid-state drive (SSD)
second (IOPS) scenarios - Corruption - SSD trim
- Low IOPS - Mismatch - RAID
• I/O scheduler - LVM
- I/O errors
• Mount option problems

4.2 Given a scenario, analyze and troubleshoot

network resource issues.
• N etwork configuration issues • B andwidth limitations
- Subnet - High latency
- Routing • Name resolution issues
• Firewall issues - Domain Name System (DNS)
• Interface errors • Testing remote systems
- Dropped packets - Nmap
- Collisions - openssl s_client
- Link status

4.3 Given a scenario, analyze and troubleshoot central

processing unit (CPU) and memory issues.
•  unaway processes
R • C PU process priorities • H
 ardware
• Zombie processes - nice - lscpu
• High CPU utilization - renice - lsmem
• High load average • Memory exhaustion - /proc/cpuinfo
• High run queues - Free memory vs. file cache - /proc/meminfo
• CPU times • Out of memory (OOM)
- steal - Memory leaks
- user - Process killer
- system • Swapping
- idle
- iowait

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 4.0 | Troubleshooting

4.4 Given a scenario, analyze and troubleshoot

user access and file permissions.
• U ser login issues • Password issues
• User file access issues • Privilege elevation
- Group • Quota issues
- Context
- Permission
- ACL
- Attribute
- Policy/non-policy

4.5 Given a scenario, use systemd to diagnose and

resolve common problems with a Linux system.
• Unit files • Common problems
- Service - Name resolution failure
• Networking services - Application crash
• ExecStart/ExecStop - Time-zone configuration
• Before/after - Boot issues
• Type - Journal issues
• User - Services not starting on time
• Requires/wants
- Timer
• OnCalendar
• OnBootSec
• Unit
• Time expressions
- Mount
• Naming conventions
• What
• Where
• Type
• Options
- Target
• Default
• Multiuser
• Network-online
• Graphical

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 Linux+ Acronym List
The following is a list of acronyms that appear on the CompTIA
Linux+ XK0-005 exam. Candidates are encouraged to review
the complete list and attain a working knowledge of all listed
acronyms as part of a comprehensive exam preparation program.

ACRONYM SPELLED OUT ACRONYM SPELLED OUT

ACL Access Control List LVM Logical Volume Manager
AJAX Asynchronous JavaScript and XML MFA Multifactor Authentication
API Application Program Interface MBR Master Boot Record
ARP Address Resolution Protocol MTU Maximum Transmission Unit
Bash Bourne Again SHell MySQL My Structured Query Language
BIND Berkeley Internet Name Domain NAS Network-attached Storage
BIOS Basic Input/Output System NAT Network Address Translation
CI/CD Continuous Integration/ NFS Network File System
Continuous Delivery NGINX Engine X
CIFS Common Internet File System NTP Network Time Protocol
CPU Central Processing Unit NVMe Non-volatile Memory Express
DNS Domain Name System OOM Out of Memory
FHS Filesystem Hierarchy Standard OS Operating System
FTP File Transfer Protocol PAM Pluggable Authentication Module
FUSE Filesystem in Userspace PID Process Identification Number
GPT GUID (Globally Unique PKI Public Key Infrastructure
Identifier) Partition Table PPID Parent Process ID
GRUB Grand Unified Bootloader PXE Preboot Execution Environment
GUI Graphical User Interface RAID Redundant Array of Independent
GUID Globally Unique Identifier (or Inexpensive) Disks
HBA Host Bus Adapter RPM Redhat Package Manager
HTML HyperText Markup Language RSA Rivest-Shamir-Adleman
HTTP HyperText Transfer Protocol RTC Real-time Clock
HTTPD HyperText Transfer Protocol Daemon SAN Storage Area Network
HTTPS HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure SCP Secure Copy Protocol
ICMP Internet Control Message Protocol SELinux Security Enhanced Linux
I/O Input/Output SFTP Secure File Transfer Protocol
IOPS Input/Ouput Operations Per Second SGID Set Group ID
IP Internet Protocol SMB Server Message Block
ISO International Organization SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol
for Standardization SQL Structured Query Language
JSON JavaScript Object Notation SSD Solid-state Drive
KVM Kernel-based Virtual Machine SSH Secure Shell
LDAP Lightweight Directory Access Protocol SSHD Solid State Hybrid Drive
LUKS Linux Unified Key Setup SSL Secure Sockets Layer

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
 ACRONYM SPELLED OUT
SSO Single Sign-On
SSSD System Security Services Daemon
SUID Set User ID
TCP Transmission Control Protocol
TFTP Trivial File Transfer Protocol
TLS Transport Layer Security
UDP User Datagram Protocol
UEFI Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
UFW Uncomplicated Firewall
USB Universal Serial Bus
UUID Universally Unique Identifier
VM Virtual Machine
VNC Virtual Network Computing
XML Extensible Markup Language
YAML YAML Ain’t Markup Language

CompTIA Linux+ Certification Exam Objectives 3.0 (Exam Number: XK0-005)

Copyright © 2021 CompTIA, Inc. All rights reserved.
Linux+ Proposed Hardware and Software List
CompTIA has included this sample list of hardware and software to
assist candidates as they prepare for the Linux+ XK0-005 exam.
This list may also be helpful for training companies that wish to
create a lab component for their training offerings. The bulleted
lists below each topic are sample lists and are not exhaustive.

EQUIPMENT SOFTWARE
• Laptop or desktop that supports virtualization • Repository access
or access to a cloud service provider • PuTTY or SSH client
• Network • Automation tools (e.g., Ansible, Puppet, etc.)
- Router • Git
- Switch • Virtualization software
- Wireless access point • Docker or Podman
• Internet access
RECOMMENDED DISTRIBUTIONS
SPARE PARTS/HARDWARE • Ubuntu
• Hard disk drive • Fedora Linux
• USB or DVD media • Debian
• openSUSE
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux

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