---
name: "tcpdchk"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/tcpdchk"
---

# tcpdchk(8)

tcp wrapper configuration checker

## NAME

tcpdchk - tcp wrapper configuration checker

## SYNOPSYS

tcpdchk \[-a\] \[-d\] \[-i inet\_conf\] \[-v\]

## DESCRIPTION

*tcpdchk* examines your tcp wrapper configuration and reports all potential and real problems it can find. The program examines the *tcpd* access control files (by default, these are */etc/hosts.allow* and */etc/hosts.deny*), and compares the entries in these files against entries in the *inetd* or *tlid* network configuration files.

*tcpdchk* reports problems such as non-existent pathnames; services that appear in *tcpd* access control rules, but are not controlled by *tcpd*; services that should not be wrapped; non-existent host names or non-internet address forms; occurrences of host aliases instead of official host names; hosts with a name/address conflict; inappropriate use of wildcard patterns; inappropriate use of NIS netgroups or references to non-existent NIS netgroups; references to non-existent options; invalid arguments to options; and so on.

Where possible, *tcpdchk* provides a helpful suggestion to fix the problem.

## OPTIONS

- \-a

  Report access control rules that permit access without an explicit ALLOW keyword. This applies only when the extended access control language is enabled (build with -DPROCESS\_OPTIONS).

- \-d

  Examine *hosts.allow* and *hosts.deny* files in the current directory instead of the default ones.

- \-i inet\_conf

  Specify this option when *tcpdchk* is unable to find your *inetd.conf* or *tlid.conf* network configuration file, or when you suspect that the program uses the wrong one.

- \-v

  Display the contents of each access control rule.  Daemon lists, client lists, shell commands and options are shown in a pretty-printed format; this makes it easier for you to spot any discrepancies between what you want and what the program understands.

## FILES

The default locations of the *tcpd* access control tables are:

/etc/hosts.allow\
 /etc/hosts.deny

## SEE ALSO

```
tcpdmatch(8), explain what tcpd would do in specific cases.
hosts_access(5), format of the tcpd access control tables.
hosts_options(5), format of the language extensions.
inetd.conf(5), format of the inetd control file.
tlid.conf(5), format of the tlid control file.
```

## AUTHORS

```
Wietse Venema (wietse@wzv.win.tue.nl),
Department of Mathematics and Computing Science,
Eindhoven University of Technology
Den Dolech 2, P.O. Box 513,
5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands
```