- A
allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
This setting explicitly disallows privilege escalation.
- B
Both B and C
Why wrong: Only allowPrivilegeEscalation: false directly prevents escalation.
- C
runAsNonRoot: true
Why wrong: This prevents running as root but does not block privilege escalation.
- D
capabilities: drop: [ALL]
Why wrong: Dropping capabilities limits what the container can do, but does not directly prevent privilege escalation.
Question 327 of 997
Prevent Privilege Escalation with allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
This CKS practice question tests your understanding of minimize microservice vulnerabilities. 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.
An admin runs 'kubectl get pod web -o yaml' and sees the following security context. Which setting prevents privilege escalation?
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
✓
allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
Option A is correct because `allowPrivilegeEscalation: false` directly prevents a process from gaining more privileges than its parent process, such as through setuid binaries or gaining root capabilities. This setting is enforced by the kernel via the `no_new_privs` flag, which blocks privilege escalation attempts regardless of other security context settings.
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.
- ✓
allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
Why this is correct
This setting explicitly disallows privilege escalation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Both B and C
Why it's wrong here
Only allowPrivilegeEscalation: false directly prevents escalation.
- ✗
runAsNonRoot: true
Why it's wrong here
This prevents running as root but does not block privilege escalation.
- ✗
capabilities: drop: [ALL]
Why it's wrong here
Dropping capabilities limits what the container can do, but does not directly prevent privilege escalation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common misconception is that dropping all capabilities or running as non-root alone prevents privilege escalation, but the kernel's `no_new_privs` flag (set by `allowPrivilegeEscalation: false`) is the only direct control against setuid-based escalation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, `allowPrivilegeEscalation` controls the `no_new_privs` Linux kernel attribute, which when set prevents the process from gaining new privileges via `execve` of setuid binaries or file capabilities. In a real-world scenario, even with `runAsNonRoot: true` and all capabilities dropped, a container could still exploit a setuid binary (if present in the image) to escalate to root unless `allowPrivilegeEscalation: false` is explicitly set, making this a critical defense-in-depth 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 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.
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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: allowPrivilegeEscalation: false — Option A is correct because `allowPrivilegeEscalation: false` directly prevents a process from gaining more privileges than its parent process, such as through setuid binaries or gaining root capabilities. This setting is enforced by the kernel via the `no_new_privs` flag, which blocks privilege escalation attempts regardless of other security context settings.
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: Jul 4, 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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