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 TWO of the following are CIS Benchmark recommendations for securing the API server?
Enable the insecure port (--insecure-port)
Why wrong: Insecure port should be disabled.
Disable anonymous authentication
Anonymous auth should be disabled.
Enable audit logging
Audit logging should be enabled.
Use ABAC mode for authorization
Why wrong: RBAC is recommended over ABAC.
Disable TLS
Why wrong: TLS should be enabled.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Disable anonymous authentication
Option B is correct because the CIS Benchmark for Kubernetes recommends disabling anonymous authentication to ensure that all requests to the API server are authenticated. By setting the `--anonymous-auth=false` flag on the kube-apiserver, unauthenticated requests are rejected, which prevents anonymous users from accessing the cluster. This is a fundamental security hardening step to enforce identity verification for every API call.
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.
Enable the insecure port (--insecure-port)
Why it's wrong here
Insecure port should be disabled.
Disable anonymous authentication
Why this is correct
Anonymous auth should be disabled.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Enable audit logging
Why this is correct
Audit logging should be enabled.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Use ABAC mode for authorization
Why it's wrong here
RBAC is recommended over ABAC.
Disable TLS
Why it's wrong here
TLS should be enabled.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between deprecated/insecure features (like the insecure port or disabling TLS) and the actual CIS-recommended secure defaults, tempting candidates to select options that sound like hardening but are actually anti-patterns.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the API server's authentication chain processes requests in order: anonymous authentication (if enabled), then client certificate, bearer token, and others. When `--anonymous-auth=false` is set, the anonymous user is not added to the chain, so any request without valid credentials receives a 401 Unauthorized response. In a real-world scenario, a misconfigured cluster might leave anonymous auth enabled for debugging, allowing an attacker to enumerate API endpoints without any authentication, which is a common vector for initial access.
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: Disable anonymous authentication — Option B is correct because the CIS Benchmark for Kubernetes recommends disabling anonymous authentication to ensure that all requests to the API server are authenticated. By setting the `--anonymous-auth=false` flag on the kube-apiserver, unauthenticated requests are rejected, which prevents anonymous users from accessing the cluster. This is a fundamental security hardening step to enforce identity verification for every API call.
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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