EX200 Essential Tools Practice Question
An administrator wants to display a list of all currently logged-in users. Which command is most appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse `w` (which shows additional process information) with `who` for a simple user listing, or mistakenly think `last` shows current users because it lists login records.
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
✓
who
The `who` command displays a list of currently logged-in users along with their terminal, login time, and originating host. It is the most straightforward and appropriate command for this specific task, as it directly queries the system's utmp database to show active sessions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
who
Why this is correct
The `who` command reads /var/run/utmp and outputs a roster of every currently active login session, including the username, terminal/line, login time, and remote host when applicable. This directly satisfies the administrator's requirement to display a list of all users currently logged into the system, with enough detail to identify each session. It is the canonical utility for this purpose.
- ✗
w
Why it's wrong here
The `w` command also lists currently logged-in users, but it enriches each entry with the user's CPU time, idle time, and the full command line of their current process, topped by a system load and uptime summary. Its primary aim is real-time activity monitoring, not a clean roster, so it is considered the wrong tool when the task is simply to display a list of all logged-in users. The extra workload, JCPU, and PCPU columns are unnecessary for a plain user inventory, making `who` the more appropriate choice.
- ✗
last
Why it's wrong here
The `last` utility searches /var/log/wtmp to replay a chronological history of login and logout events, showing users who logged in previously, including those who have since logged out or whose sessions were terminated. It does not reflect the current state of the system, so it cannot be used to display the set of users currently logged in. Even with the latest entries, the output is a past record, not a live roster.
- ✗
users
Why it's wrong here
The `users` command produces a single, space-separated list of only the usernames of current login sessions, stripping away terminal names, login times, and host information. While it does confirm who is logged in, it falls short of a proper 'list' that shows each session's details, which the `who` command provides. For an administrator needing to see all currently logged-in users with contextual session data, the minimal output of `users` is insufficient.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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