Which statement correctly differentiates a domain user from a local user?

Which statement correctly differentiates a domain user from a local user?

• A. A domain user authenticates via Active Directory but cannot access domain resources.
• B. A local user account is shared across a domain.
• C. A domain user uses local authentication on the local computer.
• D. A domain user authenticates via Active Directory and can access domain resources; a local user account exists only on a single computer and uses local authentication.

Answer: (D)

A domain user is authenticated by the organizational directory service (Active Directory), which means their credentials are verified by a domain controller and they can access resources across the domain, such as domain-joined computers, network shares, and services governed by domain policies. A local user account, on the other hand, exists only on a single computer and is authenticated against that machine’s local security database (the SAM). It does not roam with the user to other machines and doesn’t grant access to domain resources by default. So the statement correctly captures the distinction: domain users authenticate via Active Directory and can access domain resources, while a local user account exists only on one computer and uses local authentication.

A domain user is authenticated by the organizational directory service (Active Directory), which means their credentials are verified by a domain controller and they can access resources across the domain, such as domain-joined computers, network shares, and services governed by domain policies. A local user account, on the other hand, exists only on a single computer and is authenticated against that machine’s local security database (the SAM). It does not roam with the user to other machines and doesn’t grant access to domain resources by default.

So the statement correctly captures the distinction: domain users authenticate via Active Directory and can access domain resources, while a local user account exists only on one computer and uses local authentication.