CKAD Practice Question: Application Environment, Configuration and Security
A developer creates a ServiceAccount 'my-sa' in namespace 'default'. They want to prevent pods from automatically mounting the ServiceAccount token. Which field should be set to false in the pod spec?
⚠ Common exam trap
CNCF often tests the distinction between pod-level and container-level fields, and the trap here is that candidates may incorrectly assume `automountServiceAccountToken` can be set under `containers` (option D) or that specifying `serviceAccountName` alone (option A) is sufficient to control token mounting.
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
✓
automountServiceAccountToken: false
Setting `automountServiceAccountToken: false` in the pod spec explicitly prevents the automatic mounting of the ServiceAccount token into the pod. This is the standard Kubernetes field for controlling token mounting at the pod level, overriding the default behavior where the token is mounted automatically.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
serviceAccountName: my-sa
Why it's wrong here
Setting serviceAccountName merely selects which ServiceAccount the pod uses; it does not control token mounting. The field that disables automatic token projection is automountServiceAccountToken, set at pod spec or ServiceAccount level. Naming the account is required whenever a pod must run as a specific identity rather than default.
- ✓
automountServiceAccountToken: false
Why this is correct
Setting `automountServiceAccountToken: false` in the pod spec stops the kubelet projecting the ServiceAccount token into the container's filesystem, satisfying the requirement to prevent automatic mounting. This field overrides the ServiceAccount's own setting, giving per-pod control without altering the `my-sa` object itself.
- ✗
serviceAccountName: my-sa automountServiceAccountToken: false
Why it's wrong here
While both fields can be specified at the pod spec level, the question asks which field should be set to false. Option C includes both, but setting serviceAccountName is not required to prevent token mounting. The correct field is automountServiceAccountToken alone.
- ✗
containers: - automountServiceAccountToken: false
Why it's wrong here
automountServiceAccountToken belongs at the pod spec level, not nested inside a container entry; Kubernetes rejects that placement. The temptation is understandable because volume mounts and securityContext are container-scoped, but token automounting is configured on the pod (or ServiceAccount), applying to all containers.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CKAD 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 CKAD exam.