This CKS practice question tests your understanding of system hardening. 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 cluster has PodSecurity admission enabled. A developer creates a pod with the following security context: 'securityContext: { capabilities: { drop: ["ALL"], add: ["NET_ADMIN"] } }'. The namespace is labeled 'pod-security.kubernetes.io/enforce: baseline'. Will the pod be allowed?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Yes, because the baseline policy allows adding NET_ADMIN
Option D is correct because the Pod Security Standards (PSS) baseline policy explicitly allows adding the NET_ADMIN capability. The baseline policy restricts certain capabilities but does not prohibit adding NET_ADMIN; it only restricts capabilities that could lead to host-level privilege escalation. Dropping ALL capabilities first and then adding NET_ADMIN is a valid pattern that satisfies the baseline policy's requirements.
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.
✗
No, because baseline requires dropping ALL first
Why it's wrong here
Baseline does not require dropping ALL; it only restricts adding dangerous capabilities. Adding NET_ADMIN is allowed.
✗
Yes, because the pod drops all capabilities before adding specific ones
Why it's wrong here
While true, the reason is that baseline allows NET_ADMIN.
✗
No, because dropping ALL capabilities is not allowed by baseline
Why it's wrong here
Dropping ALL is allowed (and encouraged) by baseline.
✓
Yes, because the baseline policy allows adding NET_ADMIN
Why this is correct
Baseline allows NET_ADMIN to be added.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume 'baseline' is more restrictive than it actually is, or they confuse the 'restricted' policy's capability restrictions with the 'baseline' policy, leading them to incorrectly think NET_ADMIN is forbidden.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Pod Security Standards (PSS) define three policies: privileged, baseline, and restricted. The baseline policy restricts capabilities that could lead to privilege escalation, such as CAP_SYS_ADMIN, CAP_NET_RAW, and CAP_SYS_PTRACE, but explicitly allows capabilities like CAP_NET_ADMIN, CAP_CHOWN, and CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE. The PodSecurity admission controller evaluates the pod's security context against the namespace's enforce label; if the pod's capabilities are within the allowed set, it is admitted. A real-world scenario where this matters is when a pod needs network administration (e.g., modifying iptables) but must still comply with a baseline security posture.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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: Yes, because the baseline policy allows adding NET_ADMIN — Option D is correct because the Pod Security Standards (PSS) baseline policy explicitly allows adding the NET_ADMIN capability. The baseline policy restricts certain capabilities but does not prohibit adding NET_ADMIN; it only restricts capabilities that could lead to host-level privilege escalation. Dropping ALL capabilities first and then adding NET_ADMIN is a valid pattern that satisfies the baseline policy's requirements.
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.
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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