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 of the following is a recommended setting from the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark for the kubelet?
--authorization-mode=AlwaysAllow
Why wrong: AlwaysAllow is not recommended; RBAC is preferred.
--anonymous-auth=true
Why wrong: Anonymous access is not recommended.
--anonymous-auth=false
Disabling anonymous authentication is a CIS recommendation.
--read-only-port=10255
Why wrong: The read-only port is insecure and should be disabled.
Answer choices
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
The CIS Kubernetes Benchmark recommends disabling anonymous authentication on the kubelet to ensure that all requests are authenticated. Setting `--anonymous-auth=false` forces the kubelet to reject requests from unauthenticated users, reducing the attack surface and preventing unauthorized access to the kubelet API.
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.
--authorization-mode=AlwaysAllow
Why it's wrong here
AlwaysAllow is not recommended; RBAC is preferred.
--anonymous-auth=true
Why it's wrong here
Anonymous access is not recommended.
--anonymous-auth=false
Why this is correct
Disabling anonymous authentication is a CIS recommendation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
--read-only-port=10255
Why it's wrong here
The read-only port is insecure and should be disabled.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse `--anonymous-auth` with authorization modes, mistakenly thinking that disabling anonymous auth is less important than setting a strict authorization mode, but the CIS Benchmark prioritizes disabling anonymous access as a foundational security control.
Detailed technical explanation
The kubelet's anonymous authentication is controlled by the `--anonymous-auth` flag, which defaults to `true` in some Kubernetes distributions. When enabled, the kubelet accepts requests from users without a valid bearer token or client certificate, subjecting them only to the configured authorization mode. In a hardened cluster, all requests should be authenticated via TLS client certificates or bearer tokens, and anonymous access should be explicitly disabled to prevent unauthenticated enumeration of pods, node status, or other sensitive data via the kubelet API.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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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: --anonymous-auth=false — The CIS Kubernetes Benchmark recommends disabling anonymous authentication on the kubelet to ensure that all requests are authenticated. Setting `--anonymous-auth=false` forces the kubelet to reject requests from unauthenticated users, reducing the attack surface and preventing unauthorized access to the kubelet API.
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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