LPIC-1 Essential System Services and Networking Practice Question
A sysadmin notices that after modifying iptables rules, the SSH service is unreachable from a specific subnet (192.168.1.0/24). Which command should be used to view the current rules with line numbers for easier identification?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose `iptables -L` (Option A) because it shows rules, but they overlook the `--line-numbers` flag, which is critical for efficient rule management and is a common LPIC-1 exam detail.
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
✓
iptables -L --line-numbers
The `iptables -L --line-numbers` command displays all current iptables rules in the default filter table with line numbers prepended to each rule. This allows the sysadmin to easily identify and reference specific rules (e.g., for deletion or insertion) when troubleshooting why SSH traffic from 192.168.1.0/24 is being dropped or rejected.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
iptables -L
Why it's wrong here
Shows rules but without line numbers.
- ✓
iptables -L --line-numbers
Why this is correct
Shows rules with line numbers for easier editing.
- ✗
iptables -t raw -L
Why it's wrong here
Shows raw table, not relevant for SSH filtering.
- ✗
iptables -t nat -L
Why it's wrong here
Shows NAT table, not filter table for SSH.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This LPIC-1 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI 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 LPIC-1 exam.