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 kubectl command can be used to determine if anonymous authentication is enabled on the API server?
kubectl get --raw /api/v1
Why wrong: This does not show API server flags.
kubectl describe node | grep anonymous
Why wrong: Nodes do not have anonymous auth information.
kubectl cluster-info dump | grep -i anonymous
Why wrong: This may work but is less direct and may require filtering.
kubectl get pods -n kube-system kube-apiserver-<node> -o yaml | grep anonymous-auth
This shows the API server flags, including --anonymous-auth.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
kubectl get pods -n kube-system kube-apiserver-<node> -o yaml | grep anonymous-auth
Option D is correct because the kube-apiserver manifest file (typically located in /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml) contains the `--anonymous-auth` flag. By inspecting the pod definition via `kubectl get pods -n kube-system kube-apiserver-<node> -o yaml`, you can see the exact command-line arguments passed to the API server, including whether `--anonymous-auth=false` is set (disabled) or absent (enabled by default). This is the most direct and reliable method to check anonymous authentication status.
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.
kubectl get --raw /api/v1
Why it's wrong here
This does not show API server flags.
kubectl describe node | grep anonymous
Why it's wrong here
Nodes do not have anonymous auth information.
kubectl cluster-info dump | grep -i anonymous
Why it's wrong here
This may work but is less direct and may require filtering.
kubectl get pods -n kube-system kube-apiserver-<node> -o yaml | grep anonymous-auth
Why this is correct
This shows the API server flags, including --anonymous-auth.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates might think `kubectl cluster-info dump` or `kubectl get --raw` can reveal server flags, but these commands do not expose the API server's startup arguments; only inspecting the pod manifest or directly reading the static pod YAML file shows the actual `--anonymous-auth` setting.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
This does not show API server flags.
Detailed technical explanation
The `--anonymous-auth` flag defaults to `true` in Kubernetes API server, meaning requests without authentication are treated as anonymous users with the `system:anonymous` user and `system:unauthenticated` group. Disabling it (`--anonymous-auth=false`) rejects all unauthenticated requests with a 401 HTTP status. In a hardened cluster, this flag is often set to `false` to prevent anonymous access, and verifying it via the pod manifest is critical because it reflects the actual runtime configuration, not a default assumption.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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
Cluster Setup and Hardening — This question tests Cluster Setup and Hardening — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: kubectl get pods -n kube-system kube-apiserver-<node> -o yaml | grep anonymous-auth — Option D is correct because the kube-apiserver manifest file (typically located in /etc/kubernetes/manifests/kube-apiserver.yaml) contains the `--anonymous-auth` flag. By inspecting the pod definition via `kubectl get pods -n kube-system kube-apiserver-<node> -o yaml`, you can see the exact command-line arguments passed to the API server, including whether `--anonymous-auth=false` is set (disabled) or absent (enabled by default). This is the most direct and reliable method to check anonymous authentication status.
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 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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