This CKS practice question tests your understanding of minimize microservice vulnerabilities. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 microservice container needs to perform DNS lookups using TCP rather than UDP. Which Kubernetes security context setting should be configured to allow this?
Add `DAC_OVERRIDE` capability
Why wrong: This overrides discretionary access control on files, not network.
Add `NET_RAW` capability
TCP DNS may require raw socket access on some configurations.
Add `NET_ADMIN` capability
Why wrong: This provides broad network admin privileges, too permissive for just DNS.
Add `NET_BIND_SERVICE` capability
Why wrong: This capability allows binding to ports below 1024, not DNS TCP lookups.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Add `NET_RAW` capability
Option B is correct because DNS queries typically use UDP, but when a response is truncated or when zone transfers are involved, TCP is required. The `NET_RAW` capability allows a container to create raw sockets, which is necessary for crafting and sending TCP packets for DNS lookups at the transport layer. Without this capability, the container's network stack may be restricted to only UDP-based DNS resolution.
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.
Add `DAC_OVERRIDE` capability
Why it's wrong here
This overrides discretionary access control on files, not network.
Add `NET_RAW` capability
Add `NET_ADMIN` capability
Why it's wrong here
This provides broad network admin privileges, too permissive for just DNS.
Add `NET_BIND_SERVICE` capability
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `NET_RAW` (needed for raw sockets and TCP-level operations) with `NET_ADMIN` (which is for network administration tasks), or incorrectly assume that DNS always uses UDP and that no capability is needed for TCP fallback.
Detailed technical explanation
DNS over TCP is required when the response exceeds 512 bytes (or 4096 bytes with EDNS0) or for zone transfers (AXFR/IXFR). In Kubernetes, containers run with a default seccomp profile that may restrict raw socket creation; adding `NET_RAW` explicitly grants the `CAP_NET_RAW` capability, enabling the container to use `SOCK_RAW` sockets needed for TCP-based DNS. This is distinct from the `NET_ADMIN` capability, which controls routing and firewall changes via `iptables` or `ip` commands.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — This question tests Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Add `NET_RAW` capability — Option B is correct because DNS queries typically use UDP, but when a response is truncated or when zone transfers are involved, TCP is required. The `NET_RAW` capability allows a container to create raw sockets, which is necessary for crafting and sending TCP packets for DNS lookups at the transport layer. Without this capability, the container's network stack may be restricted to only UDP-based DNS resolution.
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 11, 2026
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