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 of the following are best practices for hardening Kubernetes Dashboard?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Grant minimal RBAC permissions to Dashboard service account
Option A is correct because the Kubernetes Dashboard should run with the least privilege necessary. Granting minimal RBAC permissions to the Dashboard's service account follows the principle of least privilege, reducing the attack surface if the Dashboard is compromised. The default installation often creates a service account with excessive permissions, which should be scoped down to only what the Dashboard needs to function.
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.
✓
Grant minimal RBAC permissions to Dashboard service account
Why this is correct
Follow least privilege principle.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Do not expose Dashboard via a public LoadBalancer Service
Why this is correct
Should be accessed via kubectl proxy or internal network.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Use the default service account with cluster-admin binding
Why it's wrong here
That would grant excessive privileges.
✗
Enable anonymous access for simplicity
Why it's wrong here
Anonymous access is insecure.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the misconception that 'more permissions make the Dashboard work better' or that 'HTTP is simpler and acceptable for internal use,' but the correct approach is to always enforce TLS and minimal RBAC, as the exam expects you to prioritize security over convenience.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the Kubernetes Dashboard uses a service account token mounted into its pod to authenticate against the Kubernetes API server. By default, the Dashboard's service account may be bound to a ClusterRole with broad permissions; hardening involves creating a custom ClusterRole with only the necessary verbs (e.g., get, list, watch) on specific resources (e.g., pods, services) and binding it to the Dashboard's service account. In a real-world scenario, an attacker who gains access to a Dashboard with cluster-admin privileges can execute arbitrary commands on any node, steal secrets, or deploy malicious workloads—this is why the CKS exam emphasizes scoping permissions tightly.
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 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.
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: Grant minimal RBAC permissions to Dashboard service account — Option A is correct because the Kubernetes Dashboard should run with the least privilege necessary. Granting minimal RBAC permissions to the Dashboard's service account follows the principle of least privilege, reducing the attack surface if the Dashboard is compromised. The default installation often creates a service account with excessive permissions, which should be scoped down to only what the Dashboard needs to function.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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