What happens if a user is in a group with inherited "ALLOW" and another with explicit "DENY" for reading a file?

• A. The user will be able to access the file
• B. The user will be denied access to the file
• C. The user must request special access
• D. The user may read the file with certain restrictions

Answer: (B)

In scenarios involving access control lists (ACLs) and permission inheritance, explicit "DENY" permissions take precedence over inherited "ALLOW" permissions. When a user belongs to a group that has an explicit "DENY" permission for an action, such as reading a file, that denial applies regardless of any inherited permissions from other groups.

This principle is rooted in the need to maintain security and prevent unauthorized access. Therefore, when a user is part of a group that has an "ALLOW" permission for reading a file and another group with an explicit "DENY," the result is that the user will be denied access to the file altogether. The explicit denial is a strong directive that overrides any more permissive settings that might be inherited from other groups.

This ensures that sensitive data can be protected, as the presence of an explicit denial indicates a deliberate choice to restrict access, emphasizing the importance of understanding how permission hierarchies operate in access control management.