CCOA Securing Assets Practice Question
You are hardening a Linux server and want to disable all unused network ports. Which command would be best to identify listening ports and their associated processes?
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
✓
ss -tulpn
'ss' (socket statistics) with the '-tulpn' flags is the modern, preferred tool over the deprecated 'netstat' for viewing listening sockets with process IDs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
lsof -i | grep LISTEN
Why it's wrong here
While 'lsof' works, 'ss' is faster and standard in modern distributions for socket monitoring.
- ✗
ps aux | grep port
Why it's wrong here
'ps' shows processes, not the network sockets they have opened.
- ✗
netstat -an | grep LISTEN
Why it's wrong here
'netstat' is deprecated in many modern Linux distributions.
- ✓
ss -tulpn
Why this is correct
This command shows all TCP/UDP listening ports and the process ID (PID) owning the port.
About these practice questions
One of 203 original CCOA practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official ISACA exam blueprint
This CCOA practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISACA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the CCOA exam.