This CKS practice question tests your understanding of system hardening. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 of the following correctly adds the NET_ADMIN capability to a container in a Kubernetes pod?
Option D is correct because in Kubernetes, the correct field to add a specific Linux capability to a container is `capabilities.add`, and the correct YAML key is `add`, not `cap_add`. The `cap_add` key is used in Docker Compose, not in Kubernetes pod or container security contexts. The `NET_ADMIN` capability allows the container to perform network administration tasks such as interface configuration, firewall management, and routing table manipulation.
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.
✗
securityContext:
capabilities:
cap_add:
- ALL
Why it's wrong here
This adds all capabilities, not just NET_ADMIN.
✗
securityContext:
capabilities:
add:
- NET_ADMIN
Why it's wrong here
The correct field name is 'cap_add', not 'add'.
✗
securityContext:
capabilities:
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN
(but placed at pod spec level)
Why it's wrong here
capabilities are defined per container, not at the pod level.
This is the correct syntax to add NET_ADMIN capability to a container.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the distinction between Docker Compose syntax (`cap_add`) and Kubernetes syntax (`add`), and the requirement that `capabilities` must be set at the container level, not the pod level, to catch candidates who confuse container runtime configuration with Kubernetes API fields.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Kubernetes translates the `capabilities.add` field into the `--cap-add` flag for the container runtime (e.g., containerd or CRI-O), which then uses the `CAP_NET_ADMIN` constant (defined in Linux header `linux/capability.h`) to add the capability to the container's bounding set via the `prctl(PR_CAPBSET_DROP)` or `capset()` syscalls. A real-world scenario where `NET_ADMIN` is needed is when a pod runs a network plugin like Calico or Cilium that requires raw socket access or interface manipulation, but adding it unnecessarily can allow a compromised container to modify host network settings if not properly restricted by a seccomp profile or AppArmor.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKS question in full detail.
System Hardening — This question tests System Hardening — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: securityContext:
capabilities:
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN — Option D is correct because in Kubernetes, the correct field to add a specific Linux capability to a container is `capabilities.add`, and the correct YAML key is `add`, not `cap_add`. The `cap_add` key is used in Docker Compose, not in Kubernetes pod or container security contexts. The `NET_ADMIN` capability allows the container to perform network administration tasks such as interface configuration, firewall management, and routing table manipulation.
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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