GSEC Linux Fundamentals Practice Question
A junior administrator needs to determine the default gateway configured on a Linux server to troubleshoot outbound connectivity. Which command will display the routing table and show the default route?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse interface configuration tools like ifconfig with routing table tools, even though both relate to networking.
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
✓
ip route show
To view the default gateway, the administrator should inspect the routing table. The 'ip route show' command outputs all routes, including the default route that specifies the gateway via which packets are sent when no other route matches. Interface configuration and socket statistics tools do not expose routing information, so they cannot answer the question.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
ip route show
Why this is correct
The 'ip route show' command displays the kernel routing table, including the default route typically marked with 'default via'. This directly answers the administrator's need to identify the default gateway. It is the modern replacement for the deprecated 'route' command and works consistently across current Linux distributions.
- ✗
netstat -tuln
Why it's wrong here
netstat -tuln lists listening TCP and UDP ports in numeric form. It is useful for identifying services bound to ports, but it does not display routing information or the default gateway. The administrator would not find the gateway address here, making this command irrelevant to the troubleshooting goal.
- ✗
ss -s
Why it's wrong here
The 'ss -s' command prints summary statistics about sockets, such as total established, closed, and orphaned connections. It provides no routing table data and cannot show a default gateway. Although ss is a modern replacement for netstat, this particular invocation focuses on socket summaries, not routing.
- ✗
ifconfig -a
Why it's wrong here
ifconfig displays interface configuration such as IP addresses, netmasks, and MAC addresses, but it does not show the routing table or default gateway. While it can confirm an interface is up, it cannot reveal where traffic is routed when no specific route matches, so it fails to provide the needed gateway information.
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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 GIAC exam blueprint
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