This CKA practice question tests your understanding of services and 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 NetworkPolicy named 'deny-all' is applied to a namespace with podSelector: {}. The policy has no ingress rules. What is the effect?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
All ingress traffic to pods in the namespace is denied, but egress traffic is allowed.
A NetworkPolicy with podSelector: {} selects all pods in the namespace. With no ingress rules, it denies all ingress traffic. Since there is no egress section, egress traffic is not affected (default allow).
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
All traffic to and from pods in the namespace is denied.
Why it's wrong here
Egress traffic is not denied because the policy only has ingress rules (none) and no egress rules.
✗
Only traffic from pods in the same namespace is allowed.
Why it's wrong here
There are no ingress rules, so nothing is allowed.
✓
All ingress traffic to pods in the namespace is denied, but egress traffic is allowed.
Why this is correct
The policy selects all pods and has no ingress rules, so ingress is denied. Egress is not restricted.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
✗
All traffic is allowed because podSelector: {} matches nothing.
Why it's wrong here
podSelector: {} matches all pods, not nothing.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKA question in full detail.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related CKA ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Services and Networking — This question tests Services and Networking — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: All ingress traffic to pods in the namespace is denied, but egress traffic is allowed. — A NetworkPolicy with podSelector: {} selects all pods in the namespace. With no ingress rules, it denies all ingress traffic. Since there is no egress section, egress traffic is not affected (default allow).
What should I do if I get this CKA question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related CKA ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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