- A
Configure a Kubernetes admission controller (e.g., Kyverno) to reject pods using images with critical vulnerabilities.
Why wrong: Admission controllers can check image metadata but require the image to be already pushed and scanned; they are a defense-in-depth layer, not the primary prevention mechanism.
- B
Scan the base image before building the application image.
Why wrong: Does not cover vulnerabilities in the application layer.
- C
Integrate an image scanner (e.g., Trivy) into the CI/CD pipeline to block builds with critical vulnerabilities.
Scans the final image and prevents vulnerable images from being pushed to the registry.
- D
Manually review vulnerability reports after the image is deployed.
Why wrong: Manual review is slow and does not prevent deployment of vulnerable images.
CKS Supply Chain Security Practice Question
This CKS practice question tests your understanding of supply chain security. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 development team uses a custom container image for their application, built from a base image that includes multiple CVEs. The security team requires that no container runs with known critical vulnerabilities. Which approach best ensures that only images with no critical vulnerabilities are deployed in production?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
Integrate an image scanner (e.g., Trivy) into the CI/CD pipeline to block builds with critical vulnerabilities.
Option C is correct because integrating an image scanner like Trivy into the CI/CD pipeline ensures that any image with critical vulnerabilities is blocked before it is even built or pushed to a registry. This shift-left approach prevents vulnerable images from ever reaching the production environment, aligning with the security team's requirement to deploy only images with no critical vulnerabilities.
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.
- ✗
Configure a Kubernetes admission controller (e.g., Kyverno) to reject pods using images with critical vulnerabilities.
Why it's wrong here
Admission controllers can check image metadata but require the image to be already pushed and scanned; they are a defense-in-depth layer, not the primary prevention mechanism.
- ✗
Scan the base image before building the application image.
Why it's wrong here
Does not cover vulnerabilities in the application layer.
- ✓
Integrate an image scanner (e.g., Trivy) into the CI/CD pipeline to block builds with critical vulnerabilities.
Why this is correct
Scans the final image and prevents vulnerable images from being pushed to the registry.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Manually review vulnerability reports after the image is deployed.
Why it's wrong here
Manual review is slow and does not prevent deployment of vulnerable images.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the distinction between shift-left security (preventing vulnerabilities at build time) versus runtime enforcement (admission controllers), and the trap here is that candidates choose admission controllers (Option A) because they seem to block vulnerable images, but they fail to realize that the image must already exist in the registry and may have been built with vulnerabilities, whereas CI/CD scanning prevents the image from being created in the first place.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Image scanners like Trivy analyze the contents of container images by parsing package managers (e.g., apt, yum, pip) and comparing installed package versions against known CVE databases (e.g., NVD, Red Hat OVAL). Integrating this into a CI/CD pipeline (e.g., as a stage in Jenkins or GitLab CI) allows the build to fail if the vulnerability threshold is exceeded, effectively enforcing a policy that no image with critical CVEs reaches the registry. This approach is critical in real-world scenarios where base images are frequently updated and application dependencies change, ensuring continuous compliance without manual overhead.
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 practitioner preparing for the CKS exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Supply Chain Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Supply Chain Security practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
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Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist CKS study guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CKS question test?
Supply Chain Security — This question tests Supply Chain Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Integrate an image scanner (e.g., Trivy) into the CI/CD pipeline to block builds with critical vulnerabilities. — Option C is correct because integrating an image scanner like Trivy into the CI/CD pipeline ensures that any image with critical vulnerabilities is blocked before it is even built or pushed to a registry. This shift-left approach prevents vulnerable images from ever reaching the production environment, aligning with the security team's requirement to deploy only images with no critical vulnerabilities.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 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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