This CKS practice question tests your understanding of cluster setup and hardening. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 valid methods to restrict access to etcd? (Choose three.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable RBAC authorization on etcd
Option A is correct because etcd supports Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) natively since version 3.0. By enabling RBAC on etcd, you can define roles and permissions to restrict which users or processes can read or write to specific keys or prefixes. This is a direct method to secure the etcd datastore 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.
✓
Enable RBAC authorization on etcd
Why this is correct
etcd supports RBAC to control which users can perform operations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable the etcd API and use only the embedded etcd in control plane
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the API is not a valid method; the API is needed for communication with the API server.
✓
Use firewall rules to limit access to etcd port 2379
Why this is correct
Network-level restrictions can limit which hosts can connect to etcd.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Use TLS client certificates to authenticate clients
Why this is correct
etcd supports TLS client authentication to restrict access to clients with valid certificates.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Encrypt etcd data at rest using EncryptionConfiguration
Why it's wrong here
Encryption protects data confidentiality but does not restrict access to the etcd API.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the distinction between access control (who can connect to etcd) and data protection (encryption at rest), leading candidates to incorrectly select encryption as a method to restrict access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
etcd listens on port 2379 for client traffic (from kube-apiserver) and port 2380 for peer-to-peer traffic. TLS client certificates enforce mutual TLS (mTLS) authentication, where the server verifies the client's certificate against a trusted CA, ensuring only authenticated clients can connect. Firewall rules (e.g., iptables, cloud security groups) can restrict network access to port 2379 to only the kube-apiserver nodes, providing a network-layer isolation that complements TLS and RBAC.
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: Enable RBAC authorization on etcd — Option A is correct because etcd supports Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) natively since version 3.0. By enabling RBAC on etcd, you can define roles and permissions to restrict which users or processes can read or write to specific keys or prefixes. This is a direct method to secure the etcd datastore 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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