NTFS, Share Permissions, Attributes, and Inheritance for A+
Short answer
Effective access is the intersection of share permissions and NTFS permissions; the most restrictive applicable permission usually governs network access. Inheritance simplifies management: child objects inherit parent ACLs unless inheritance is changed. Attributes (read-only, hidden) affect file behavior but not ACLs.
Why it appears on the exam
- Given NTFS and share permission settings, determine effective access for a network user. - Decide the correct step to stop an inherited permission from reappearing after parent changes. - Identify where to view and change NTFS permissions via file Properties > Security.
Key concepts
Concept 1
Required terms
NTFS permissions: File-system security applied on NTFS volumes controlling access per user or group at file and folder level (Read, Write, Modify, Full Control). Share permissions: Permissions applied to a shared resource over the network; combined with NTFS permissions to determine effective access. Inheritance: Permission entries applied to parent folders that propagate to child objects unless inheritance is blocked or explicit entries override them. NTFS permissions: file-system ACL entries controlling access on NTFS volumes.
Example
A folder with NTFS Full Control for Group A but share permissions set to Read for Everyone results in network users only getting Read access (most restrictive applied).
Concept 2
How NTFS, Share Permissions, Attributes, and Inheritance works
Effective access is the intersection of share permissions and NTFS permissions; the most restrictive applicable permission usually governs network access. Inheritance simplifies management: child objects inherit parent ACLs unless inheritance is changed. Attributes (read-only, hidden) affect file behavior but not ACLs.
Example
A child file inherits a Deny entry from the parent folder and the administrator must remove inheritance and convert to explicit permissions to change it.
Concept 3
Common confusion
Many learners assume permissions add together rather than intersect; they also confuse attributes (hidden/read-only) with permission bits. Deny entries take precedence over Allow entries for the same principal.
Example
A folder with NTFS Full Control for Group A but share permissions set to Read for Everyone results in network users only getting Read access (most restrictive applied).
Concept 4
Core 2 (220-1202) question cues
Given NTFS and share permission settings, determine effective access for a network user; Decide the correct step to stop an inherited permission from reappearing after parent changes; Identify where to view and change NTFS permissions via file Properties > Security.
Example
A child file inherits a Deny entry from the parent folder and the administrator must remove inheritance and convert to explicit permissions to change it.
Sample questions
Select an answer to reveal the explanation. For tracked practice and weak-area review, use the Cultiv8 app.
Q1.A technician is troubleshooting this situation: A folder with NTFS Full Control for Group A but share permissions set to Read for Everyone results in network users only getting Read access (most restrictive applied). What should they identify?
Q2.A support ticket includes this clue: A folder with NTFS Full Control for Group A but share permissions set to Read for Everyone results in network users only getting Read access (most restrictive applied). Which concept is being tested?
Q3.An A+ support scenario describes this situation: A child file inherits a Deny entry from the parent folder and the administrator must remove inheritance and convert to explicit permissions to change it. Which answer fits best?
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