This LPIC-2 practice question tests your understanding of file sharing and samba. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 wants to mount a Samba share on a Linux client using the command line. Which utility is used for that purpose?
mount.cifs
Correct; mount.cifs is the standard tool for mounting Samba shares.
mount.smb
Why wrong: Incorrect; this is deprecated.
mount -t smbfs
Why wrong: Incorrect; smbfs is outdated; use cifs.
smbclient
Why wrong: Incorrect; smbclient is for interactive file access, not mounting.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
mount.cifs
The correct utility is mount.cifs, which is part of the cifs-utils package. It mounts Samba (SMB/CIFS) shares on Linux clients by using the Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol, the modern implementation of SMB. The mount command with -t cifs internally calls mount.cifs, making it the standard tool for this purpose.
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.
mount.cifs
Why this is correct
Correct; mount.cifs is the standard tool for mounting Samba shares.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
mount.smb
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; this is deprecated.
mount -t smbfs
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; smbfs is outdated; use cifs.
smbclient
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect; smbclient is for interactive file access, not mounting.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse the deprecated smbfs filesystem type (mount -t smbfs) with the current cifs implementation, or they mistake smbclient (an interactive tool) for a mounting utility.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, mount.cifs uses the Linux kernel's CIFS VFS module (cifs.ko) to negotiate SMB protocol versions (e.g., SMB1, SMB2, SMB3) and handle authentication via NTLM or Kerberos. A subtle behavior is that mount.cifs can be setuid root to allow non-root users to mount shares, but this requires proper configuration and security considerations. In real-world scenarios, using mount.cifs with options like 'vers=3.0' is critical for enforcing SMB3 encryption and avoiding legacy SMB1 vulnerabilities.
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
File Sharing and Samba — This question tests File Sharing and Samba — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: mount.cifs — The correct utility is mount.cifs, which is part of the cifs-utils package. It mounts Samba (SMB/CIFS) shares on Linux clients by using the Common Internet File System (CIFS) protocol, the modern implementation of SMB. The mount command with -t cifs internally calls mount.cifs, making it the standard tool for this purpose.
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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