Why is iptables command throwing errors?

Question

I typed the following on my Debian system:

iptables --list

And got the following:

libkmod: ERROR ../libkmod/libkmod-index.c:816 index_mm_open: magic check fail: b007fa57 instead of b007f457
iptables v1.4.13: can't initialize iptables table `filter': Table does not exist (do you need to insmod?)
Perhaps iptables or your kernel needs to be upgraded.

Any tips on how to fix it?

Solution 1

@poige is right, your loading the wrong kernel module version. I added as a seperate answer since there wasnt really enough room in comments.

In libkmod/libkmod-index.h

/* Integers are stored as 32 bit unsigned in "network" order, i.e. MSB first.
   All files start with a magic number.

   Magic spells "BOOTFAST". Second one used on newer versioned binary files.
 */
/* #define INDEX_MAGIC_OLD 0xB007FA57 */
#define INDEX_MAGIC 0xB007F457

Solution 2

You are running it as a regular user, run the command as root.

Solution 3

Have you tried rebooting? Seems like module version is newer than running kernel expects.

Comments

[poige]

iptables v1.4.12.2: can't initialize iptables table `filter': Permission denied (you must be root)

[Lucas Kauffman]

yea so run it as root...

[Joel E Salas]

It's called "being an experienced sysadmin."

[Lucas Kauffman]

I didn't, I ran the command as a regular user on one of my own machines and got the same output.

[Magellan]

Sounds like a guess to me. Some troubleshooting suggestions to verify whether or not this is the case would be more beneficial to future readers of this question.

[poige]

What a coincidence — I also did. In my case it clearly stated it needed root privileges.

[poige]

@Joel, Your adulation is counted

[poige]

@Adrian, what guess — blind or not? I'm just curios.

[Magellan]

Rebooting is not a solution. It may (or may not) address a particular symptom of an underlying problem, but it certainly does nothing to prevent future occurrences by the OP or anyone else who happens across this post on a search engine.

[Magellan]

This is a far better example of how answers should be posted. Meaningful information provided so that future readers can compare their installation to the reported problem and suggested resolution.

[poige]

@Adrian, let the OP decide. Have better ideas — fill it into the form below.