CKAD Practice Question: Application Environment, Configuration and Security
This CKAD practice question tests your understanding of application environment, configuration and security. 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 Pod Security Admission policy is set to 'restricted' for a namespace. Which of the following pod specs is ALLOWED?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A pod with securityContext.runAsNonRoot: true and readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
The 'restricted' Pod Security Admission (PSA) policy enforces the most stringent security controls, requiring pods to meet specific baseline security constraints. Option A satisfies these requirements by setting `runAsNonRoot: true` (preventing root execution) and `readOnlyRootFilesystem: true` (preventing writes to the root filesystem), both of which are mandatory for the restricted profile. The other options violate the restricted policy by either enabling privileged access, adding dangerous capabilities, or omitting required security contexts.
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.
✓
A pod with securityContext.runAsNonRoot: true and readOnlyRootFilesystem: true
Why this is correct
Complies with restricted policy: runAsNonRoot and readOnlyRootFilesystem are required.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A pod with securityContext.capabilities.add: ["NET_ADMIN"]
Why it's wrong here
Adding capabilities is not allowed in restricted profile.
Privileged containers are forbidden under restricted.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the misconception that omitting securityContext is acceptable or that adding a single capability like `NET_ADMIN` is harmless, but the restricted profile mandates explicit non-root execution and read-only root filesystem, and prohibits any capability additions beyond the default set.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Pod Security Admission (PSA) is a built-in admission controller that enforces predefined security profiles (privileged, baseline, restricted) at the namespace level via labels like `pod-security.kubernetes.io/enforce: restricted`. The restricted profile aligns with the Pod Security Standards (PSS) defined in the Kubernetes documentation, which require `runAsNonRoot: true`, `readOnlyRootFilesystem: true`, and dropping all capabilities except those essential for operation (e.g., `NET_BIND_SERVICE`). Under the hood, PSA evaluates pod specs against a set of checks, and any violation results in immediate rejection, preventing the pod from being scheduled.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKAD question in full detail.
Application Environment, Configuration and Security — This question tests Application Environment, Configuration and Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A pod with securityContext.runAsNonRoot: true and readOnlyRootFilesystem: true — The 'restricted' Pod Security Admission (PSA) policy enforces the most stringent security controls, requiring pods to meet specific baseline security constraints. Option A satisfies these requirements by setting `runAsNonRoot: true` (preventing root execution) and `readOnlyRootFilesystem: true` (preventing writes to the root filesystem), both of which are mandatory for the restricted profile. The other options violate the restricted policy by either enabling privileged access, adding dangerous capabilities, or omitting required security contexts.
What should I do if I get this CKAD 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.
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Question Discussion
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