This CKS practice question tests your understanding of system 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 THREE of the following are restrictions enforced by the 'baseline' Pod Security Standard? (Select three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Capabilities must be limited to a minimal set (drop: ["ALL"] is not required but must not add dangerous capabilities)
The baseline standard restricts: (A) privilege escalation (allowPrivilegeEscalation must be false), (B) running as root (must set runAsNonRoot: true), and (C) adds some capability restrictions. (D) is not a baseline restriction; hostNetwork is allowed in baseline. (E) is not a restriction; seccomp is not required in baseline.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Host network access (hostNetwork) is not allowed
Why it's wrong here
Baseline allows hostNetwork.
✓
Capabilities must be limited to a minimal set (drop: ["ALL"] is not required but must not add dangerous capabilities)
Why this is correct
Baseline restricts capabilities but does not require dropping all.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Seccomp profile must be set to RuntimeDefault or Localhost
Why it's wrong here
Seccomp is not required in baseline.
✓
Privilege escalation must be disabled (AllowPrivilegeEscalation: false)
Why this is correct
Baseline requires allowPrivilegeEscalation to be false.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✓
Containers must run as non-root (runAsNonRoot: true)
Why this is correct
Baseline requires runAsNonRoot to be true.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this CKS question in full detail.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CKS questions on access control and AAA configuration.
System Hardening — This question tests System Hardening — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Capabilities must be limited to a minimal set (drop: ["ALL"] is not required but must not add dangerous capabilities) — The baseline standard restricts: (A) privilege escalation (allowPrivilegeEscalation must be false), (B) running as root (must set runAsNonRoot: true), and (C) adds some capability restrictions. (D) is not a baseline restriction; hostNetwork is allowed in baseline. (E) is not a restriction; seccomp is not required in baseline.
What should I do if I get this CKS question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CKS questions on access control and AAA configuration.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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