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 recommendations from the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark?
Enable audit logging
CIS recommends enabling audit logging.
Use TokenReview API for authentication
Why wrong: Not a CIS recommendation.
Disable anonymous authentication
CIS recommends --anonymous-auth=false.
Set --protect-kernel-defaults=false on kubelet
Why wrong: CIS recommends setting it to true.
Enable the insecure port for kubelet
Why wrong: Insecure port should be disabled.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Enable audit logging
The CIS Kubernetes Benchmark recommends enabling audit logging to record all API server requests, which is essential for security monitoring and forensic analysis. It also recommends disabling anonymous authentication to ensure that all requests are authenticated, preventing unauthenticated access to the cluster.
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 audit logging
Why this is correct
CIS recommends enabling audit logging.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Use TokenReview API for authentication
Why it's wrong here
Not a CIS recommendation.
Disable anonymous authentication
Why this is correct
CIS recommends --anonymous-auth=false.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Set --protect-kernel-defaults=false on kubelet
Why it's wrong here
CIS recommends setting it to true.
Enable the insecure port for kubelet
Why it's wrong here
Insecure port should be disabled.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the exact wording of CIS Benchmark recommendations, so candidates may confuse 'disable anonymous authentication' with 'disable authentication entirely' or mistakenly think the TokenReview API is a benchmark recommendation when it is just a standard API object.
Detailed technical explanation
Audit logging in Kubernetes uses a policy file to define which events (e.g., RequestResponse, Metadata) are logged at various stages (RequestReceived, ResponseComplete). Disabling anonymous authentication is enforced by setting --anonymous-auth=false on the API server, which rejects requests without a valid identity; this is critical because anonymous users can otherwise access resources if RBAC allows it. The CIS Benchmark also recommends using NodeRestriction admission controller and ensuring kubelet uses TLS bootstrap to prevent unauthorized node registration.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A practitioner preparing for the CKS exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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: Enable audit logging — The CIS Kubernetes Benchmark recommends enabling audit logging to record all API server requests, which is essential for security monitoring and forensic analysis. It also recommends disabling anonymous authentication to ensure that all requests are authenticated, preventing unauthenticated access to the cluster.
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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