This CKS practice question tests your understanding of system hardening. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 cluster administrator has applied a PodSecurityPolicy (PSP) to restrict privileged containers. After upgrading to Kubernetes 1.25, they notice that PSPs are no longer working. What is the MOST likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
PSP support was removed from Kubernetes in 1.25
PodSecurityPolicy (PSP) was deprecated in Kubernetes 1.21 and completely removed in Kubernetes 1.25, meaning the PSP admission controller and API resource no longer exist in that version. The cluster administrator's PSPs stopped working because the feature was removed entirely, not due to a configuration or versioning issue. The replacement is Pod Security Admission (PSA), which uses built-in admission controllers and Pod Security Standards.
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 PSP API version needs to be updated to v1
Why it's wrong here
PSP was removed entirely, not just deprecated. No API version is available.
✗
PSPs were replaced by NetworkPolicies in 1.25
Why it's wrong here
PSPs were replaced by Pod Security Standards (PodSecurity admission), not NetworkPolicies.
✓
PSP support was removed from Kubernetes in 1.25
Why this is correct
Correct. PodSecurityPolicy was removed in Kubernetes 1.25.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The PSP was not applied to the correct namespace
Why it's wrong here
PSP is a cluster-level resource, not namespace-scoped. But even if it was applied correctly, it would not work in 1.25.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think PSPs are merely deprecated or need a version update, but the CKS exam tests the specific knowledge that PSP was removed entirely in 1.25, and that NetworkPolicies serve a completely different purpose.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
PSP was implemented as an admission controller that evaluated pod specs against a set of security policies before creation, using the `PodSecurityPolicy` resource in the `policy/v1beta1` API group. In Kubernetes 1.25, the `PodSecurity` admission controller (with modes: privileged, baseline, restricted) replaced PSP, enforcing Pod Security Standards at the namespace level via labels like `pod-security.kubernetes.io/enforce`. A real-world scenario is a cluster upgrade where existing PSPs silently stop working, requiring migration to PSA labels or a third-party admission webhook like OPA/Gatekeeper.
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 CKS question in full detail.
System Hardening — This question tests System Hardening — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: PSP support was removed from Kubernetes in 1.25 — PodSecurityPolicy (PSP) was deprecated in Kubernetes 1.21 and completely removed in Kubernetes 1.25, meaning the PSP admission controller and API resource no longer exist in that version. The cluster administrator's PSPs stopped working because the feature was removed entirely, not due to a configuration or versioning issue. The replacement is Pod Security Admission (PSA), which uses built-in admission controllers and Pod Security Standards.
What should I do if I get this CKS question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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