This CKS practice question tests your understanding of system hardening. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An administrator wants to restrict pods from running as root. Which admission controller should be enabled?
NodeRestriction
Why wrong: NodeRestriction limits the kubelet's ability to modify node and pod objects.
AlwaysPullImages
Why wrong: AlwaysPullImages ensures images are always pulled, but does not restrict root users.
ServiceAccount
Why wrong: ServiceAccount manages service account automounting, not user permissions.
PodSecurity
PodSecurity enforces the Pod Security Standards, including 'restricted' profile which prevents running as root.
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 PodSecurity admission controller (D) is the correct choice because it enforces the Pod Security Standards (Privileged, Baseline, Restricted) defined in the Kubernetes documentation. By enabling this controller, the administrator can configure a policy that prevents pods from running as root, typically by setting the 'Restricted' profile which requires 'runAsNonRoot: true' and 'runAsUser: > 10000' in the pod security context.
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.
NodeRestriction
Why it's wrong here
NodeRestriction limits the kubelet's ability to modify node and pod objects.
AlwaysPullImages
Why it's wrong here
AlwaysPullImages ensures images are always pulled, but does not restrict root users.
ServiceAccount
Why it's wrong here
ServiceAccount manages service account automounting, not user permissions.
PodSecurity
Why this is correct
PodSecurity enforces the Pod Security Standards, including 'restricted' profile which prevents running as root.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the misconception that NodeRestriction or ServiceAccount can enforce pod-level security policies, but these controllers serve entirely different purposes—NodeRestriction is for kubelet authorization, and ServiceAccount is for identity management, not for restricting root access.
Detailed technical explanation
The PodSecurity admission controller evaluates pods against the three Pod Security Standard profiles (Privileged, Baseline, Restricted) based on namespace labels like 'pod-security.kubernetes.io/enforce: restricted'. Under the hood, it validates the pod's security context fields (e.g., 'securityContext.runAsNonRoot', 'securityContext.seccompProfile') and rejects pods that violate the policy. In a real-world scenario, an administrator might combine this with OPA/Gatekeeper for more granular controls, but PodSecurity is the native Kubernetes solution for enforcing baseline root restrictions.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
System Hardening — This question tests System Hardening — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: PodSecurity — The PodSecurity admission controller (D) is the correct choice because it enforces the Pod Security Standards (Privileged, Baseline, Restricted) defined in the Kubernetes documentation. By enabling this controller, the administrator can configure a policy that prevents pods from running as root, typically by setting the 'Restricted' profile which requires 'runAsNonRoot: true' and 'runAsUser: > 10000' in the pod security context.
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.
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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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