This CKS practice question tests your understanding of cluster setup and 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 security auditor runs kube-bench on your cluster and reports that the apiserver is using default service account tokens. Which admission plugin should be enabled to address this?
DefaultStorageClass
Why wrong: This plugin is for storage classes, not security.
PodSecurity
PodSecurity (or legacy PodSecurityPolicy) can enforce policies that require automountServiceAccountToken: false.
NodeRestriction
Why wrong: NodeRestriction limits node self-modification, not service account tokens.
ServiceAccount
Why wrong: ServiceAccount is built-in and manages service account creation, not token mounting.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
PodSecurity
The correct answer is B (PodSecurity) because the PodSecurity admission plugin (replacing the deprecated PodSecurityPolicy) enforces a restricted security context on pods, preventing them from automatically mounting the default service account token. By default, Kubernetes mounts a service account token into every pod, which can be exploited if an attacker gains access to a pod. Enabling PodSecurity with a policy that restricts automounting of service account tokens addresses the kube-bench finding.
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.
DefaultStorageClass
Why it's wrong here
This plugin is for storage classes, not security.
PodSecurity
Why this is correct
PodSecurity (or legacy PodSecurityPolicy) can enforce policies that require automountServiceAccountToken: false.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
NodeRestriction
Why it's wrong here
NodeRestriction limits node self-modification, not service account tokens.
ServiceAccount
Why it's wrong here
ServiceAccount is built-in and manages service account creation, not token mounting.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the ServiceAccount admission plugin (which handles token creation) with the PodSecurity plugin (which enforces restrictions on token mounting), leading them to select D instead of B.
Detailed technical explanation
The PodSecurity admission plugin (available in Kubernetes v1.23+) replaces PodSecurityPolicy and uses predefined security levels (privileged, baseline, restricted). The 'restricted' level enforces that pods do not automount service account tokens unless explicitly allowed via automountServiceAccountToken: true. Under the hood, this plugin mutates or rejects pods based on the security context, and it can be configured per namespace using labels like pod-security.kubernetes.io/enforce. In a real-world scenario, a compromised pod with a mounted default token could access the Kubernetes API server with the service account's permissions, potentially leading to cluster-wide escalation.
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
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Cluster Setup and Hardening — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
Cluster Setup and Hardening practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
All CKS questions
997 questions across all exam domains
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist CKS study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
CKS practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Practise CKS questions linked to Monitoring Logging and Runtime Security.
Practise CKS questions linked to Cluster Setup and Hardening.
Practise CKS questions linked to System Hardening.
Practise CKS questions linked to Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities.
Practise CKS questions linked to Supply Chain Security.
Practise CKS questions linked to Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security.
Practise CKS questions linked to Cluster Setup.
Practise CKS questions linked to Cluster Hardening.
Practise CKS questions linked to CKS fundamentals.
Practise CKS questions linked to CKS scenario.
Practise CKS questions linked to CKS troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: PodSecurity — The correct answer is B (PodSecurity) because the PodSecurity admission plugin (replacing the deprecated PodSecurityPolicy) enforces a restricted security context on pods, preventing them from automatically mounting the default service account token. By default, Kubernetes mounts a service account token into every pod, which can be exploited if an attacker gains access to a pod. Enabling PodSecurity with a policy that restricts automounting of service account tokens addresses the kube-bench finding.
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.
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 →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.