- A
--anonymous-auth-enabled=false
Why wrong: The correct flag name is --anonymous-auth, not --anonymous-auth-enabled.
- B
--enable-anonymous-auth=false
Why wrong: There is no such flag; the correct flag is --anonymous-auth.
- C
--anonymous-auth=false
This flag disables anonymous authentication as required by CIS benchmarks.
- D
--disable-anonymous
Why wrong: This is not a valid kube-apiserver flag.
Question 825 of 997
Disable Anonymous Authentication on kube-apiserver — Correct Flag
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.
Which flag must be set on the kube-apiserver to disable anonymous authentication?
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
✓
--anonymous-auth=false
Option C is correct because the `--anonymous-auth=false` flag on the kube-apiserver disables anonymous authentication. When this flag is set to false, the API server rejects requests from unauthenticated users, enforcing that all requests must present valid credentials. This is a critical hardening measure to prevent unauthorized access to the cluster control plane.
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.
- ✗
--anonymous-auth-enabled=false
Why it's wrong here
The correct flag name is --anonymous-auth, not --anonymous-auth-enabled.
- ✗
--enable-anonymous-auth=false
Why it's wrong here
There is no such flag; the correct flag is --anonymous-auth.
- ✓
--anonymous-auth=false
Why this is correct
This flag disables anonymous authentication as required by CIS benchmarks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
--disable-anonymous
Why it's wrong here
This is not a valid kube-apiserver flag.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the kube-apiserver flag syntax with similar flags from other Kubernetes components (e.g., kubelet's `--anonymous-auth-enabled`), leading them to pick the incorrect `--anonymous-auth-enabled=false` option.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the kube-apiserver uses the `--anonymous-auth` flag (default: true) to enable or disable the `system:anonymous` user. When disabled, the API server returns HTTP 401 Unauthorized for any request without valid authentication, preventing anonymous bindings from being used. In a real-world scenario, a misconfigured RBAC rule combined with anonymous auth enabled could allow an unauthenticated attacker to access sensitive cluster resources, making this flag a fundamental security control.
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.
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.
- →
Cluster Setup and Hardening — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this CKS question test?
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: --anonymous-auth=false — Option C is correct because the `--anonymous-auth=false` flag on the kube-apiserver disables anonymous authentication. When this flag is set to false, the API server rejects requests from unauthenticated users, enforcing that all requests must present valid credentials. This is a critical hardening measure to prevent unauthorized access to the cluster control plane.
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 →
Same concept, more angles
7 more ways this is tested on CKS
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which flag should be set on the kube-apiserver to disable anonymous authentication?
easy- A.--enable-anonymous=false
- ✓ B.--anonymous-auth=false
- C.--anonymous-enabled=false
- D.--authentication-mode=Anonymous
Why B: Option B is correct because the `--anonymous-auth=false` flag explicitly disables anonymous authentication on the kube-apiserver. By default, anonymous requests are allowed (with a system:anonymous user), so setting this flag to false prevents unauthenticated users from accessing the API server. This is a key hardening measure to ensure only authenticated clients can interact with the cluster.
Variation 2. Which flag should you set on the kube-apiserver to disable anonymous authentication?
easy- A.--disable-anonymous=true
- ✓ B.--anonymous-auth=false
- C.--enable-anonymous-auth=false
- D.--auth-mode=RBAC
Why B: The `--anonymous-auth` flag on the kube-apiserver controls whether anonymous requests are allowed. Setting `--anonymous-auth=false` explicitly disables anonymous authentication, meaning requests without valid credentials will be rejected with a 401 Unauthorized response. This is the correct parameter to harden the API server against unauthenticated access.
Variation 3. Which of the following flags should be set on the kube-apiserver to disable anonymous authentication?
easy- A.--disable-anonymous-auth
- B.--enable-anonymous-auth=false
- ✓ C.--anonymous-auth=false
- D.--anonymous-auth=off
Why C: Option C is correct because the kube-apiserver uses the `--anonymous-auth` flag to control anonymous requests. Setting `--anonymous-auth=false` explicitly disables anonymous authentication, meaning unauthenticated requests (those without a valid bearer token or client certificate) will be rejected with a 401 Unauthorized response. This is a critical hardening step to prevent unauthorized access to the Kubernetes API server.
Variation 4. Which of the following flags should be set to `false` to disable anonymous authentication to the Kubernetes API server?
easy- A.--disable-anonymous=true
- B.--auth-mode=RBAC
- ✓ C.--anonymous-auth=false
- D.--enable-anonymous-auth=false
Why C: Option C is correct because setting `--anonymous-auth=false` on the kube-apiserver disables anonymous requests. By default, anonymous authentication is enabled (set to `true`), allowing unauthenticated users to access the API server. Disabling it is a critical hardening step to prevent unauthorized access.
Variation 5. Which kubectl flag disables anonymous authentication on the API server?
easy- A.--anonymous-enabled=false
- B.--no-anonymous
- ✓ C.--anonymous-auth=false
- D.--disable-anonymous
Why C: Option C is correct because the kube-apiserver uses the `--anonymous-auth` flag to control whether anonymous requests are allowed. Setting `--anonymous-auth=false` disables anonymous authentication, meaning the API server will reject requests that do not present valid credentials. This is a critical hardening step to ensure only authenticated users can access the cluster.
Variation 6. Which flag disables anonymous authentication on the Kubernetes API server?
easy- A.--disable-anonymous-auth
- ✓ B.--anonymous-auth=false
- C.--anonymous-auth=true
- D.--no-anonymous-auth
Why B: Option B is correct because the `--anonymous-auth=false` flag explicitly disables anonymous authentication on the Kubernetes API server. By default, anonymous requests are allowed (equivalent to `--anonymous-auth=true`), so setting this flag to `false` prevents unauthenticated users from accessing the API server, which is a key hardening requirement for the CKS exam.
Variation 7. Which flag disables anonymous authentication on the API server?
easy- A.--enable-admission-plugins=NodeRestriction
- B.--authorization-mode=RBAC
- ✓ C.--anonymous-auth=false
- D.--client-ca-file=<path>
Why C: The `--anonymous-auth=false` flag explicitly disables anonymous authentication on the Kubernetes API server. When set to false, the API server will reject requests from unauthenticated users (those not presenting valid credentials), enforcing that all requests must be authenticated. This is a critical security hardening step to prevent anonymous access to the cluster's control plane.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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