XK0-006 Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user cannot access a website, but other websites work. The administrator wants to see the HTTP response headers from the web server. Which command is most appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
XK0-006 often tests the difference between curl -I (headers only) and curl -v (verbose with body), or confuses wget --spider with header inspection, but the exam expects knowledge that -I is the precise tool for headers.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
curl -I https://example.com
The curl -I command sends a HEAD request to the server and displays only the HTTP response headers. This is the most appropriate way to quickly inspect headers like status codes, content-type, and server information without downloading the body. It directly addresses the administrator's need to see response headers.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
wget --spider https://example.com
Why it's wrong here
wget --spider verifies link availability and reports status codes, but suppresses the full response headers the administrator needs. Spider mode suits checking for broken links or confirming a URL resolves, not inspecting server response headers for diagnosis.
- ✓
curl -I https://example.com
Why this is correct
The -I flag makes curl issue a HEAD request, returning only the HTTP response headers without the body. This directly satisfies the administrator's goal of inspecting server headers to diagnose why one site fails while others load.
- ✗
curl -v https://example.com
Why it's wrong here
curl -v prints request and response headers to stderr, directly satisfying the requirement, so it is not the failing option here. It is tempting because verbose output also shows TLS handshake and connection details, which would be the right choice when diagnosing certificate or redirect problems rather than reading headers.
- ✗
telnet example.com 80
Why it's wrong here
Telnet opens a raw TCP session, requiring the administrator to hand-type an HTTP request and read the reply manually; it cannot follow HTTPS or parse responses. It suits testing whether a specific port accepts connections, not retrieving HTTP response headers from a TLS-protected website.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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