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Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

CKS Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities Practice Question

This CKS practice question tests your understanding of minimize microservice vulnerabilities. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.

Exhibit

apiVersion: policy/v1beta1
kind: PodSecurityPolicy
metadata:
  name: restricted
spec:
  privileged: false
  allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
  requiredDropCapabilities:
  - ALL
  runAsUser:
    rule: MustRunAsNonRoot
  seLinux:
    rule: RunAsAny
  fsGroup:
    rule: MustRunAs
    ranges:
    - min: 1
      max: 65535
  volumes:
  - configMap
  - emptyDir
  - projected
  - secret
  - downwardAPI
  - persistentVolumeClaim

Given the following PodSecurityPolicy (PSP) snippet, which statement about the allowed containers is correct?

Question 1easymultiple choice
Full question →

Exhibit

apiVersion: policy/v1beta1
kind: PodSecurityPolicy
metadata:
  name: restricted
spec:
  privileged: false
  allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
  requiredDropCapabilities:
  - ALL
  runAsUser:
    rule: MustRunAsNonRoot
  seLinux:
    rule: RunAsAny
  fsGroup:
    rule: MustRunAs
    ranges:
    - min: 1
      max: 65535
  volumes:
  - configMap
  - emptyDir
  - projected
  - secret
  - downwardAPI
  - persistentVolumeClaim

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

✓

Containers cannot add any Linux capabilities

Option D is correct because the PodSecurityPolicy snippet does not include `allowedCapabilities` or sets it to an empty list, and the `defaultAddCapabilities` is not specified, meaning no Linux capabilities are added by default. Additionally, the `requiredDropCapabilities` field is not present, but the absence of any allowed capabilities effectively prevents containers from adding any Linux capabilities beyond the default set, which is restricted by the PSP's `allowedCapabilities: []` or lack thereof. This enforces a strict security posture where containers cannot gain extra privileges via capabilities.

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.

  • ✗

    Containers can run in privileged mode

    Why it's wrong here

    Privileged is explicitly set to false.

  • ✗

    Containers cannot use ConfigMap volumes

    Why it's wrong here

    ConfigMaps are listed in the allowed volumes.

  • ✗

    Containers must run as the root user

    Why it's wrong here

    The policy enforces MustRunAsNonRoot.

  • ✓

    Containers cannot add any Linux capabilities

    Why this is correct

    The PSP requires dropping ALL capabilities, so adding any is disallowed.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often assume the absence of `allowedCapabilities` means all capabilities are allowed, but in PSP, an empty or missing `allowedCapabilities` list actually denies all non-default capabilities, which is a subtle but critical distinction tested in the CKS exam.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Under the hood, PodSecurityPolicy uses `allowedCapabilities` to explicitly list which Linux capabilities (e.g., `NET_ADMIN`, `SYS_TIME`) can be added to containers; if this field is omitted or set to an empty list, no capabilities beyond the default set (which includes `CAP_CHOWN`, `CAP_DAC_OVERRIDE`, etc.) are permitted. In Kubernetes, capabilities are managed via the `securityContext.capabilities` field in the pod spec, and PSP validation occurs at admission time via the PodSecurityPolicy admission controller. A real-world scenario is a multi-tenant cluster where strict capability restrictions prevent container breakout attacks, such as using `CAP_SYS_ADMIN` to mount host filesystems.

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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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this CKS question test?

Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — This question tests Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Containers cannot add any Linux capabilities — Option D is correct because the PodSecurityPolicy snippet does not include `allowedCapabilities` or sets it to an empty list, and the `defaultAddCapabilities` is not specified, meaning no Linux capabilities are added by default. Additionally, the `requiredDropCapabilities` field is not present, but the absence of any allowed capabilities effectively prevents containers from adding any Linux capabilities beyond the default set, which is restricted by the PSP's `allowedCapabilities: []` or lack thereof. This enforces a strict security posture where containers cannot gain extra privileges via capabilities.

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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026

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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.