CKS Supply Chain Security Practice Question
An administrator runs 'trivy image myapp:1.0' and receives an output with several CRITICAL vulnerabilities. What is the best next step to ensure the image is secure before deployment?
⚠ Common exam trap
CNCF often tests the misconception that deleting or ignoring vulnerable images is acceptable, when the correct action is to remediate by rebuilding with updated base images and patching dependencies.
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
✓
Rebuild the image using updated base images and fix the identified vulnerabilities
The best practice for addressing container image vulnerabilities is to rebuild the image using updated base images and apply patches for the identified CVEs. Trivy reports vulnerabilities in the image layers, and simply deleting or ignoring them does not resolve the security issues; rebuilding with patched dependencies ensures the image is secure before deployment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Delete the image entirely and do not deploy
Why it's wrong here
Deleting the image is an overreaction that fails to address the underlying issues. Trivy alerts on specific CVEs in the OS packages and dependencies, all of which can be fixed by rebuilding with updated base images or applying patches in the Dockerfile. Because the image contains valuable application code, removing it outright is destructive and still leaves you needing a secure replacement if the service must run.
- ✓
Rebuild the image using updated base images and fix the identified vulnerabilities
Why this is correct
Rebuilding the image is the correct remediation because Trivy's findings are tied to the exact package versions present in the image layers. By updating the base image tag (e.g., switching to a newer Alpine or Ubuntu release) and re-installing dependencies with patched versions, you eliminate the vulnerable components. After rebuilding, run Trivy again to confirm the image is clean before deployment.
- ✗
Deploy the image anyway because vulnerabilities are common
Why it's wrong here
Deploying the image despite known vulnerabilities is unacceptable because Trivy often flags critical or high-severity CVEs that may have active exploits, making the workload a ready target. Commonality of CVEs does not lower their risk; it merely indicates widespread exposure, and security policies generally mandate fixing such issues before production deployment. The administrator should treat the report as a blocking defect, not a suggestion.
- ✗
Ignore the output and re-run the scan
Why it's wrong here
Ignoring the output and re-running the scan is pointless because Trivy performs a deterministic static analysis of the image's layers and package databases; the same image produces the same vulnerabilities every time. Re-scanning does not modify the image or update any packages, so it will never clear the report. The only way to change the results is to alter the image content, which requires a rebuild with patched dependencies.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.