This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of network client management. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A user reports that they cannot SSH to a remote server using the usual command 'ssh user@remote.example.com'. The administrator tests and gets 'Permission denied (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic)'. The user's public key is in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the remote server. The local client has the matching private key. Which step should the administrator take to resolve the issue?
Generate a new RSA key pair on the client with ssh-keygen.
Why wrong: Existing key is supposed to be correct.
Run 'ssh-add' to add the private key to the SSH agent.
Why wrong: Agent not needed if key is directly used.
Restart the sshd service on the client.
Why wrong: Client daemon not involved.
Check /var/log/auth.log on the remote server to see why the key was rejected.
Server logs show the exact reason for key rejection.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Check /var/log/auth.log on the remote server to see why the key was rejected.
The error message indicates that the SSH server rejected all offered authentication methods, including publickey. Since the user's public key is in the remote server's authorized_keys file and the client has the matching private key, the most likely cause is a file permission or SELinux/AppArmor issue on the remote server, or a key format mismatch. Checking /var/log/auth.log on the remote server will show the exact reason for the rejection, such as 'bad permissions' or 'key not recognized', allowing targeted troubleshooting.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Generate a new RSA key pair on the client with ssh-keygen.
Why it's wrong here
Existing key is supposed to be correct.
Run 'ssh-add' to add the private key to the SSH agent.
Why it's wrong here
Agent not needed if key is directly used.
Restart the sshd service on the client.
Why it's wrong here
Client daemon not involved.
Check /var/log/auth.log on the remote server to see why the key was rejected.
Why this is correct
Server logs show the exact reason for key rejection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates assume the key pair is the problem and jump to regenerating keys or using ssh-add, when the real issue is often a server-side configuration or permission problem that can only be diagnosed by examining the remote server's authentication logs.
Detailed technical explanation
SSH public key authentication requires that the private key file (~/.ssh/id_rsa) on the client have permissions 600 or 644, and the remote server's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file and ~/.ssh directory must have strict permissions (typically 600 and 700 respectively) to avoid being ignored by sshd. Additionally, the remote server's sshd_config may have AuthorizedKeysFile pointing to a non-default location, or SELinux contexts may block access; /var/log/auth.log (or /var/log/secure on RHEL) will log the specific denial reason.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the LPIC-2 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
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FAQ
Network Client Management — This question tests Network Client Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Check /var/log/auth.log on the remote server to see why the key was rejected. — The error message indicates that the SSH server rejected all offered authentication methods, including publickey. Since the user's public key is in the remote server's authorized_keys file and the client has the matching private key, the most likely cause is a file permission or SELinux/AppArmor issue on the remote server, or a key format mismatch. Checking /var/log/auth.log on the remote server will show the exact reason for the rejection, such as 'bad permissions' or 'key not recognized', allowing targeted troubleshooting.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This LPIC-2 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-2 exam.
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