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 TWO admission plugins should be enabled to improve cluster security according to CIS benchmarks? (Choose two.)
PodSecurity
Enforces Pod Security Standards.
NodeRestriction
Restricts kubelet permissions.
NamespaceLifecycle
Why wrong: Prevents deletion of system namespaces, but not a key security plugin.
PodSecurityPolicy
Why wrong: Deprecated in favor of PodSecurity.
ServiceAccount
Why wrong: Manages service account automounting.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
PodSecurity
PodSecurity is correct because it replaces the deprecated PodSecurityPolicy (PSP) and enforces the Pod Security Standards (baseline, restricted, privileged) via admission webhooks or built-in admission controllers. This prevents pods from running with excessive privileges, such as privileged containers or hostPath mounts, directly aligning with CIS benchmarks for Kubernetes hardening. NodeRestriction is correct because it limits the Node and Pod objects a kubelet can modify, preventing a compromised node from escalating privileges or modifying other nodes' statuses, which is a key CIS control for node-level security.
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.
PodSecurity
Why this is correct
Enforces Pod Security Standards.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
NodeRestriction
Why this is correct
Restricts kubelet permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
NamespaceLifecycle
Why it's wrong here
Prevents deletion of system namespaces, but not a key security plugin.
PodSecurityPolicy
Why it's wrong here
Deprecated in favor of PodSecurity.
ServiceAccount
Why it's wrong here
Manages service account automounting.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between PodSecurity (current) and PodSecurityPolicy (deprecated/removed), and candidates mistakenly choose PSP because they recall it from older CKA exams, not realizing CIS benchmarks now mandate PodSecurity.
Detailed technical explanation
PodSecurity operates as an admission controller that evaluates pods against the Pod Security Standards (PSS) at the namespace level via labels like 'pod-security.kubernetes.io/enforce'. NodeRestriction works by validating kubelet requests against the Node.Spec.ProviderID and Pod.Spec.NodeName fields, ensuring a kubelet can only modify its own node and pods bound to it. In practice, enabling NodeRestriction requires configuring kubelet TLS bootstrapping with proper RBAC, and misconfiguration can lead to node impersonation attacks.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
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: PodSecurity — PodSecurity is correct because it replaces the deprecated PodSecurityPolicy (PSP) and enforces the Pod Security Standards (baseline, restricted, privileged) via admission webhooks or built-in admission controllers. This prevents pods from running with excessive privileges, such as privileged containers or hostPath mounts, directly aligning with CIS benchmarks for Kubernetes hardening. NodeRestriction is correct because it limits the Node and Pod objects a kubelet can modify, preventing a compromised node from escalating privileges or modifying other nodes' statuses, which is a key CIS control for node-level security.
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 30, 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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