This CKS practice question tests your understanding of cluster setup and 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 wants to ensure that pods cannot modify node objects. Which admission plugin should be enabled?
PodSecurityPolicy
Why wrong: PSP is deprecated and does not restrict node object modifications.
NodeAffinity
Why wrong: Not an admission plugin.
PodNodeSelector
Why wrong: Not an admission plugin that restricts node modifications.
NodeRestriction
This plugin restricts node modifications.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
NodeRestriction
The NodeRestriction admission plugin limits the kubelet's ability to modify node and pod objects to only those nodes it is authorized to manage. This prevents a compromised or misconfigured kubelet from modifying arbitrary node objects, enforcing the principle of least privilege. Option D is correct because it directly addresses the requirement to restrict node object modifications.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
PodSecurityPolicy
Why it's wrong here
PSP is deprecated and does not restrict node object modifications.
NodeAffinity
Why it's wrong here
Not an admission plugin.
PodNodeSelector
Why it's wrong here
Not an admission plugin that restricts node modifications.
NodeRestriction
Why this is correct
This plugin restricts node modifications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse admission plugins that affect pod scheduling (like NodeAffinity or PodNodeSelector) with those that enforce node-level security restrictions, leading them to overlook NodeRestriction as the correct answer.
Detailed technical explanation
The NodeRestriction plugin works by intercepting API requests from kubelets and verifying that the kubelet can only modify its own Node object and pods bound to that node. It enforces that kubelets cannot add or remove labels with the 'node-restriction.kubernetes.io/' prefix, preventing privilege escalation via label manipulation. In a real-world scenario, if a kubelet is compromised, NodeRestriction limits the blast radius by preventing the attacker from altering other nodes' configurations or labels.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Cluster Setup and Hardening — This question tests Cluster Setup and Hardening — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: NodeRestriction — The NodeRestriction admission plugin limits the kubelet's ability to modify node and pod objects to only those nodes it is authorized to manage. This prevents a compromised or misconfigured kubelet from modifying arbitrary node objects, enforcing the principle of least privilege. Option D is correct because it directly addresses the requirement to restrict node object modifications.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This CKS 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 CKS exam.
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