Part 3 File Systems 9 - 12

Question 1

3 partition schemes:

Answer 1

GUID partition table
APM Apple Partition Map
MBR Master Boot Record

Question 2

2 Mac volume formats

Answer 2

Mac OS Extended (journaled)

Mac OS Extended (journaled, encrypted)

Question 3

4 Window volume formats:

Answer 3

FAT File Allocation Table
ExFat Extended
UFS Unix File Systems
NTFS New Tech File Systems (read only)

Question 4

2 CD/DVD Formats

Answer 4

CDFS Compact disc File Syst

UDF Universal Disk Format (read only)

Question 5

How are disks, partitions, and volumes different from one another?

Answer 5

Disks are the actual storage hardware;
Partitions are logical divisions of a disk used to define the storage space
Volumes (contained inside partitions) are used to define how the individual files and folders are saved to the storage.

Question 6

How does file system journaling work?

Answer 6

records which file operations are in progress at any given moment. This way, if a power failure or system crash occurs, after the system restarts, it will be able to quickly verify the integrity of the volume by “replaying” the journal.

Question 7

What is Core Storage, and what major OS X features are implemented via Core Storage?

Answer 7

A file system management layer.

Provide disk encryption (i.e. FileVault) and combine separate disks (i.e. used by Fusion Drive)

Question 8

4 Erase options in disk utility:

Answer 8

1) Fastest
2) writes one pass of zeros
3) writes three separate passes of information on top of the previous disk data
4) writes seven separate passes of information on top of the previous disk data

Question 9

How does the Secure Empty Trash feature in Finder work?

Answer 9

Performs a 7-pass erase on the contents of the Trash folder.

Question 10

How can you ensure that previously deleted items are securely erased?

Answer 10

From the Erase tab in Disk Utility, choose ‘securely erase the free space’ of a disk or volume.

Question 11

How can you encrypt a disk without losing its contents?

Answer 11

From the Finder, secondary (or Control-) click the disk and choose Encrypt from the shortcut menu.

Question 12

What 3 methods can be used to eject a volume or disk

from the FINDER?

Answer 12

1) Drag the disk icon to the Trash in the Dock
3) Select the volume and choose Eject from the File menu
4) In Finder sidebar, click the small Eject button next to the volume

Question 13

What’s the potential side effect of improperly unmounting or ejecting a disk or volume?

Answer 13

May cause data corruption. (The system automatically verifies and repairs an improperly unmounted or ejected volume the next time it becomes available to the Mac.)

Question 14

How does FileVault protect a user’s data?

Answer 14

By using strong XTS-AES 128 encryption.

Question 15

What are the system requirements for using FileVault?

Answer 15

Must have the hidden OS X Recovery HD volume on the system disk.

Question 16

Which users are allowed to unlock a FileVault-protected system?

Answer 16

Any user who’s FileVault enabled is allowed to unlock a FileVault-protected system. This includes any local or cached network user account that was enabled when FileVault 2 was set up or created after FileVault 2 was enabled. Administrators may return to Security and Privacy preferences to enable additional accounts.

Question 17

How can you unlock a FileVault-protected system when all user accounts have lost their passwords?

Answer 17

By using the recovery key that was generated during the FileVault setup process.

Question 18

How do you identify the ownership and permissions of a file or folder in the Finder?

Answer 18

By using the Info or Inspector windows in the Finder.

Question 19

How do ACLs differ from standard UNIX file system permissions?

Answer 19

UNIX file system permissions allow for permissions to be set only per owner, group or everyone.
ACLs allow for an essentially unlimited list of permissions entries (diff permissions can be added at bottom of “get info” inspector box).

Question 20

What’s the locked file flag do?

Answer 20

Prevents anyone (including the item’s owner) from editing an item. Only the item’s owner can unlock the item.

Question 21

Why is the root, or beginning, level of a user’s home folder

visible to other users?

Answer 21

So other users so they can navigate to the Public shared folder.

Question 22

How does the default organization of the file system allow users to safely share local files and folders?

Answer 22

Every home folder contains a Public folder that other users can read and a Drop Box folder that other users can write to. All other subfolders in a user’s home folder (except the optional Sites folder) have default permissions that don’t allow access to other users. The Shared folder is also set for all users to share items.

Question 23

What’s unique about the permissions of the /Users/Shared folder?

Answer 23

The Shared folder is set up to allow all users to read and write files, but only the user who owns an item can delete it from the Shared folder. (This is accomplished using the sticky-bit permissions setting.)

Question 24

What does it mean when you choose the option to “ignore volume ownership” in the Finder? What are the security ramifications of ignoring volume ownership?

Answer 24

This will ignore any ownership rules and grant any logged-on user unlimited access to the contents of the volume. It’s a potential security risk because it will allow any local user account to have full access to the volume, even if that user didn’t originally mount the volume.

Question 25

Which two built-in OS X applications can be used to gather information about storage devices?

Answer 25

Disk Utility and System Information

Question 26

What does the Disk Utility Verify and Repair feature do?

Answer 26

Verify or repair the partition scheme and directory structure of a volume. (These elements contain the information used to locate files and folders on the volume.)

Question 27

What is target disk mode and how is it engaged?

Answer 27

Mac-specific hardware feature that will share the Mac computer’s internal disks through the FireWire or thunderbolt ports. Target disk mode can be engaged from Startup Disk preferences or by holding down the T key as you turn on the Mac.

Question 28

Which permissions are modified by the Disk Utility Repair Permissions feature?

Answer 28

Only repairs the ownership and permissions for items installed by Apple. However, this may resolve issues with third-party products.

Question 29

How can you reset a user’s home folder permissions?

Answer 29

From the Reset Password application on OS X Recovery.

Question 30

4 Level permission options with files and folders:

Answer 30

1) Read and Write
2) Read Only
3) No Access
4) Write Only (for Drop Box folder)

Question 31

List the standard three tiered permission structure (part of traditional UNIX system):

Answer 31

1) Owner
2) Group (i.e. staff)
3) Everyone