This CKS practice question tests your understanding of cluster setup and hardening. 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 security engineer is configuring a Kubernetes cluster to meet CIS benchmark recommendations. The cluster uses kubeadm for bootstrapping. Which action should be taken to ensure the kube-apiserver is hardened against unauthorized access?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Set --anonymous-auth=false on the kube-apiserver
Option D is correct because setting `--anonymous-auth=false` on the kube-apiserver disables anonymous requests, ensuring that all API requests must be authenticated. This directly addresses CIS benchmark recommendations for hardening the API server against unauthorized access by preventing unauthenticated users from reaching the API.
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.
✗
Set --insecure-port=8080 on the kube-apiserver
Why it's wrong here
Enabling insecure port exposes the API server without authentication.
✗
Disable the NodeRestriction admission plugin
Why it's wrong here
Disabling NodeRestriction reduces node security.
✗
Enable encryption at rest for secrets in etcd
Why it's wrong here
Encryption at rest protects data at rest, not API access.
✓
Set --anonymous-auth=false on the kube-apiserver
Why this is correct
Disables anonymous requests, requiring authentication for all API access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the distinction between authentication hardening (anonymous-auth) and authorization or encryption controls, leading candidates to confuse enabling encryption at rest (Option C) with preventing unauthorized API access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `--anonymous-auth` flag controls whether requests without authentication credentials are accepted as the `system:anonymous` user. When set to `false`, the API server returns HTTP 401 Unauthorized for unauthenticated requests, effectively blocking all anonymous access. In a kubeadm-bootstrapped cluster, the default value is `true`, so explicitly setting it to `false` is a common CIS hardening step (CIS 1.1.1). Note that even with anonymous auth disabled, the API server still allows health probes and other endpoints if RBAC is misconfigured, so this flag must be combined with proper RBAC rules.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKS question in full detail.
Cluster Setup and Hardening — This question tests Cluster Setup and Hardening — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Set --anonymous-auth=false on the kube-apiserver — Option D is correct because setting `--anonymous-auth=false` on the kube-apiserver disables anonymous requests, ensuring that all API requests must be authenticated. This directly addresses CIS benchmark recommendations for hardening the API server against unauthorized access by preventing unauthenticated users from reaching the API.
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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