- A
The database pods can accept traffic on any port from pods with label 'app: api'.
Why wrong: The rule only allows traffic on port 5432.
- B
Pods in other namespaces with label 'app: api' cannot reach the database pods.
Why wrong: NetworkPolicy by default only applies within the same namespace; cross-namespace traffic is blocked unless explicitly allowed.
- C
The database pods can initiate outbound connections to any destination.
Since only Ingress is specified, egress is allowed by default.
- D
Pods from the same namespace but without matching labels can still access the database pods.
Why wrong: The policy is namespace-scoped; pods without matching labels are not allowed unless explicitly allowed.
- E
Pods with label 'app: api' can connect to the database pods on TCP port 5432.
The ingress rule explicitly allows pods with label app:api on port 5432.
CKA Services & Networking Practice Question
This CKA practice question tests your understanding of services & networking. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 Kubernetes cluster uses a NetworkPolicy to restrict traffic to a set of pods labeled 'app: db'. Which TWO statements about the following NetworkPolicy are correct?
apiVersion: networking.k8s.io/v1 kind: NetworkPolicy metadata: name: db-policy spec: podSelector: matchLabels: app: db policyTypes: - Ingress ingress: - from: - podSelector: matchLabels: app: api ports: - port: 5432
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
The database pods can initiate outbound connections to any destination.
Option C is correct because NetworkPolicy only restricts inbound (Ingress) traffic when `policyTypes` includes only `Ingress`. By default, if no Egress rules are defined and `policyTypes` does not include `Egress`, outbound traffic is unrestricted. Thus, the database pods can initiate connections to any destination.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The database pods can accept traffic on any port from pods with label 'app: api'.
Why it's wrong here
The rule only allows traffic on port 5432.
- ✗
Pods in other namespaces with label 'app: api' cannot reach the database pods.
Why it's wrong here
NetworkPolicy by default only applies within the same namespace; cross-namespace traffic is blocked unless explicitly allowed.
- ✓
The database pods can initiate outbound connections to any destination.
Why this is correct
Since only Ingress is specified, egress is allowed by default.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Pods from the same namespace but without matching labels can still access the database pods.
Why it's wrong here
The policy is namespace-scoped; pods without matching labels are not allowed unless explicitly allowed.
- ✓
Pods with label 'app: api' can connect to the database pods on TCP port 5432.
Why this is correct
The ingress rule explicitly allows pods with label app:api on port 5432.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often forget that a NetworkPolicy with an ingress rule implicitly denies all other ingress traffic, and that `podSelector` without `namespaceSelector` restricts the rule to the same namespace, allowing cross-namespace traffic to bypass the policy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Kubernetes NetworkPolicy uses iptables or eBPF (depending on the CNI plugin, e.g., Calico, Cilium) to enforce rules. When `policyTypes` includes `Ingress` and at least one ingress rule is defined, a default deny-all ingress rule is implicitly applied to the selected pods, meaning only traffic matching the explicit `from` and `ports` conditions is allowed. This is a common source of confusion: the absence of an explicit deny rule does not mean allow-all; the policy itself creates a whitelist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CKA question test?
Services & Networking — This question tests Services & Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The database pods can initiate outbound connections to any destination. — Option C is correct because NetworkPolicy only restricts inbound (Ingress) traffic when `policyTypes` includes only `Ingress`. By default, if no Egress rules are defined and `policyTypes` does not include `Egress`, outbound traffic is unrestricted. Thus, the database pods can initiate connections to any destination.
What should I do if I get this CKA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This CKA practice question is part of Courseiva's free CNCF 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 CKA exam.
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