CKS Monitoring Logging and Runtime Security Practice Question
This CKS practice question tests your understanding of monitoring logging and runtime 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.
Network Topology
A security engineer runs kube-hunter against a production cluster and receives the above output. The cluster uses kubeadm with default settings. Which two actions should the engineer take to remediate the vulnerabilities?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Upgrade the cluster to Kubernetes 1.14 or later to fix CVE-2019-11245
Option A is correct because CVE-2019-11245 affects kubelet container runtime exec probes in Kubernetes versions prior to 1.14, where containers could restart unexpectedly due to a race condition. Upgrading to 1.14 or later patches this vulnerability. Option C is correct because setting --anonymous-auth=false on the kubelet disables unauthenticated access to the kubelet API, which is a common finding from kube-hunter when default kubeadm settings leave anonymous authentication enabled.
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.
✓
Upgrade the cluster to Kubernetes 1.14 or later to fix CVE-2019-11245
Why this is correct
The vulnerability is fixed in kubelet versions 1.13.9+, 1.14.5+, and 1.15.2+.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Set the kubelet flag --authentication-token-webhook=true
Why it's wrong here
This enables token review but does not disable anonymous access.
✓
Configure the kubelet to set --anonymous-auth=false and restart the kubelet service
Why this is correct
This stops the kubelet from allowing unauthenticated requests.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable the NodeRestriction admission controller
Why it's wrong here
NodeRestriction limits node self-updates to the API server, but does not secure the kubelet API.
✗
Modify the kube-apiserver manifest to set --anonymous-auth=false
Why it's wrong here
This affects the API server, not the kubelet's anonymous access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the kubelet's anonymous-auth flag with the API server's anonymous-auth flag, or think that enabling webhook authentication alone (Option B) disables anonymous access, when in fact anonymous auth must be explicitly disabled on the kubelet.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Kube-hunter scans for kubelet anonymous authentication by default because kubeadm clusters often leave the kubelet's --anonymous-auth flag set to true, allowing any unauthenticated user to access the kubelet API on port 10250. CVE-2019-11245 specifically exploits a race condition in the kubelet's exec probe handler that could cause container restarts; upgrading to 1.14+ introduces a fix that serializes exec probe operations. In practice, a kube-hunter finding for anonymous auth is often combined with the ability to run arbitrary commands on nodes, making it a critical security gap.
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.
Monitoring Logging and Runtime Security — This question tests Monitoring Logging and Runtime Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Upgrade the cluster to Kubernetes 1.14 or later to fix CVE-2019-11245 — Option A is correct because CVE-2019-11245 affects kubelet container runtime exec probes in Kubernetes versions prior to 1.14, where containers could restart unexpectedly due to a race condition. Upgrading to 1.14 or later patches this vulnerability. Option C is correct because setting --anonymous-auth=false on the kubelet disables unauthenticated access to the kubelet API, which is a common finding from kube-hunter when default kubeadm settings leave anonymous authentication enabled.
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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