Summary CSIS 325 – System Administration and Security Complete Study Guide + Practice MCQs (2025 Edition)

CSIS 325 – System Administration and
Security (2025 Edition)


📘 TABLE OF CONTENTS:
1. Introduction to System Administration
o What is System Administration?
o Roles and Responsibilities
o Types of Operating Systems
2. Linux Administration Basics
o Linux Directory Structure
o File Permissions & Ownership (chmod, chown)
o User & Group Management (useradd, passwd, groupadd)
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o Package Management (APT/YUM)
o Cron Jobs and Automation
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3. Windows Server Administration
o Active Directory Overview
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o Group Policy Management
o User/Computer Account Management
o Services and Task Scheduler
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o File Sharing and NTFS Permissions
4. Authentication and Access Control
o Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
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o LDAP & Kerberos
o Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
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o Account Lockout Policies
5. Network Services & Configuration
o DNS, DHCP, FTP, and HTTP Services
o Configuring IP and Host Files
o Static vs Dynamic IPs
6. System Security Concepts
o Firewalls (UFW/Windows Firewall)
o Antivirus & Anti-Malware
o Patch Management
o Event Logging and Monitoring
7. Hardening Operating Systems
o Disable Unused Services
o Secure Boot and BIOS Settings
o File Integrity Monitoring
o Least Privilege Principle

, 8. Backup and Recovery
o Backup Strategies (Full, Incremental, Differential)
o Windows Backup Tools
o Linux Backup with rsync, tar, and cron
o Disaster Recovery Planning
9. Command-Line Essentials
o Linux Command Cheatsheet
o Windows PowerShell Essentials
o Common Admin Scripts
10. Practice Questions & MCQs
o 30+ Multiple Choice Questions
o Command-Based Questions
o True/False Concept Check
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1. Introduction to System Administration
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What is System Administration?
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System Administration is the practice of managing and maintaining computer systems,
networks, and servers to ensure they operate efficiently, securely, and reliably. System
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administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operations of IT infrastructure.
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Roles and Responsibilities
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Key Responsibilities:

 User Management: Creating, modifying, and deleting user accounts
 Security Management: Implementing security policies and monitoring threats
 System Monitoring: Tracking system performance and resource usage
 Backup and Recovery: Ensuring data protection and disaster recovery
 Software Installation: Managing applications and system updates
 Network Administration: Configuring and maintaining network services
 Documentation: Maintaining system documentation and procedures

Daily Tasks:

 Monitor system performance and logs
 Respond to user support requests
 Apply security patches and updates
 Manage user accounts and permissions
 Perform system backups
 Troubleshoot hardware and software issues

Types of Operating Systems

,1. Windows Server

 Characteristics: GUI-based, Active Directory integration, proprietary
 Use Cases: Enterprise environments, Microsoft-centric organizations
 Versions: Windows Server 2019, 2022

2. Linux/Unix

 Characteristics: Command-line focused, open-source, highly customizable
 Popular Distributions: Ubuntu Server, CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux
 Use Cases: Web servers, databases, cloud infrastructure

3. macOS Server

 Characteristics: Apple ecosystem integration, limited enterprise use
 Use Cases: Creative industries, small Apple-focused environments



2. Linux Administration Basics
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Linux Directory Structure
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Root Directory Structure:
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/ (root)
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├── /bin # Essential user binaries
├── /boot # Boot loader files
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├── /dev # Device files
├── /etc # Configuration files
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├── /home # User home directories
├── /lib # Shared libraries
├── /media # Removable media mount points
├── /mnt # Temporary mount points
├── /opt # Optional software packages
├── /proc # Process information
├── /root # Root user home directory
├── /sbin # System binaries
├── /tmp # Temporary files
├── /usr # User programs and data
└── /var # Variable data (logs, mail, etc.)

Important Directories:

 /etc: System configuration files
 /var/log: System log files
 /home: User home directories

,  /usr/bin: User executable programs
 /proc: Virtual filesystem with system information

File Permissions & Ownership

Permission Types:

 r (read): Permission to read file contents (4)
 w (write): Permission to modify file contents (2)
 x (execute): Permission to execute file or access directory (1)

Permission Groups:

 Owner: The user who owns the file
 Group: Users in the file's group
 Other: All other users

Reading Permissions:
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bash
ls -l filename
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-rwxr-xr-- 1 user group 1024 Jan 15 10:30 filename
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||| |||
||| ||└── Other permissions (r--)
||| |└─── Group permissions (r-x)
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||| └──── Owner permissions (rwx)
||└──────── Number of hard links
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|└───────── File type (- = regular file, d = directory)
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└────────── File permissions

chmod Command:

bash
# Numeric method (octal)
chmod 755 filename # rwxr-xr-x
chmod 644 filename # rw-r--r--
chmod 600 filename # rw-------


# Symbolic method
chmod u+x filename # Add execute for owner
chmod g-w filename # Remove write for group
chmod o=r filename # Set other to read only
chmod a+r filename # Add read for all (a=all)

chown Command: