- A
securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["ALL"] add: ["ALL"]
Why wrong: Adding ALL after dropping ALL is pointless; it grants all capabilities again.
- B
securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["ALL"] add: ["NET_BIND_SERVICE"]
Correctly drops all capabilities then adds only the needed one, following the principle of least privilege.
- C
securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["CHOWN","DAC_OVERRIDE"]
Why wrong: This only drops two specific capabilities, not all. The policy requires dropping all capabilities first.
- D
securityContext: capabilities: add: ["NET_BIND_SERVICE"] drop: ["ALL"]
Why wrong: The order in the YAML does not matter; however, it is conventional to drop first then add. But functionally this is correct if drop ALL is included. However, option D is more explicit and common.
CKS System Hardening Practice Question
This CKS practice question tests your understanding of system 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 policy requires that containers should drop all capabilities and only add back the specific capabilities needed. Which YAML snippet correctly implements this for a container?
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
securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["ALL"] add: ["NET_BIND_SERVICE"]
Option B is correct because it first drops all capabilities with `drop: ["ALL"]` and then adds back only the specific capability needed (`NET_BIND_SERVICE`), which satisfies the security policy of least privilege. The order of `drop` and `add` in the YAML does not matter; Kubernetes processes both directives to produce the final capability set.
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.
- ✗
securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["ALL"] add: ["ALL"]
Why it's wrong here
Adding ALL after dropping ALL is pointless; it grants all capabilities again.
- ✓
securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["ALL"] add: ["NET_BIND_SERVICE"]
Why this is correct
Correctly drops all capabilities then adds only the needed one, following the principle of least privilege.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["CHOWN","DAC_OVERRIDE"]
Why it's wrong here
This only drops two specific capabilities, not all. The policy requires dropping all capabilities first.
- ✗
securityContext: capabilities: add: ["NET_BIND_SERVICE"] drop: ["ALL"]
Why it's wrong here
The order in the YAML does not matter; however, it is conventional to drop first then add. But functionally this is correct if drop ALL is included. However, option D is more explicit and common.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the misconception that the order of `add` and `drop` in the YAML matters, or that dropping only a few capabilities is sufficient, when the policy explicitly requires dropping all capabilities first and then adding back only what is needed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Linux capabilities are implemented as bitmaps in the kernel's task struct; dropping `ALL` clears the effective, permitted, and inheritable capability sets, and adding specific capabilities sets the corresponding bits. In Kubernetes, the `securityContext.capabilities` field modifies the container's capability bounding set via the `capabilities(7)` system calls, and the order of `drop` and `add` in the YAML is irrelevant because the kubelet merges them into a single operation. A real-world scenario is a web server that needs to bind to a privileged port (<1024) but should not have any other elevated privileges, making `NET_BIND_SERVICE` the only capability required.
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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
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.
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System Hardening — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CKS question test?
System Hardening — This question tests System Hardening — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: securityContext: capabilities: drop: ["ALL"] add: ["NET_BIND_SERVICE"] — Option B is correct because it first drops all capabilities with `drop: ["ALL"]` and then adds back only the specific capability needed (`NET_BIND_SERVICE`), which satisfies the security policy of least privilege. The order of `drop` and `add` in the YAML does not matter; Kubernetes processes both directives to produce the final capability set.
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.
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 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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