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 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 explicitly disables anonymous authentication on the kube-apiserver. By default, anonymous requests are allowed (the flag defaults to `true`), which can permit unauthenticated users to access the API server. Setting this flag to `false` ensures that all requests must present valid credentials, aligning with the principle of least privilege and hardening the cluster against unauthorized access.
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.
✗
--tls-cert-file=/etc/kubernetes/pki/apiserver.crt
Why it's wrong here
This specifies the TLS certificate for the API server, not authentication.
✗
--audit-log-path=/var/log/audit.log
Why it's wrong here
This enables audit logging, not anonymous authentication control.
✓
--anonymous-auth=false
Why this is correct
This flag disables anonymous authentication, ensuring all requests are authenticated.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
--authorization-mode=RBAC
Why it's wrong here
This sets the authorization mode to RBAC but does not disable anonymous authentication.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the distinction between authentication and authorization flags, so candidates may mistakenly choose `--authorization-mode=RBAC` (option D) thinking it controls who can access the API, when in fact it only governs what authenticated users are allowed to do, not whether anonymous users are permitted at all.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The kube-apiserver processes authentication before authorization; when `--anonymous-auth=true` (the default), the server assigns the `system:anonymous` user and `system:unauthenticated` group to requests without credentials. Disabling anonymous authentication with `--anonymous-auth=false` causes the server to reject such requests with a 401 Unauthorized HTTP response before any authorization checks occur. This is critical in multi-tenant or compliance-sensitive environments where even read-only access by unauthenticated users must be prevented.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKS question in full detail.
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 explicitly disables anonymous authentication on the kube-apiserver. By default, anonymous requests are allowed (the flag defaults to `true`), which can permit unauthenticated users to access the API server. Setting this flag to `false` ensures that all requests must present valid credentials, aligning with the principle of least privilege and hardening the cluster against unauthorized access.
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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Question Discussion
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