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 recommended actions to harden service account security in a Kubernetes cluster? (Select TWO)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Avoid granting cluster-admin ClusterRole to service accounts
Option C is correct because granting the cluster-admin ClusterRole to a service account provides unrestricted superuser access across the entire cluster, violating the principle of least privilege. The CKS exam emphasizes that service accounts should be bound only to the minimal RBAC permissions required for their function, and cluster-admin should never be used for routine workloads.
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.
✗
Delete all service accounts except the default one
Why it's wrong here
Deleting service accounts may break workloads that depend on them.
✗
Use a single service account for all workloads
Why it's wrong here
This reduces accountability and increases risk.
✓
Avoid granting cluster-admin ClusterRole to service accounts
Why this is correct
Cluster-admin should be reserved for break-glass scenarios.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Grant cluster-admin to all service accounts for simplicity
Why it's wrong here
This violates least-privilege.
✓
Disable automountServiceAccountToken for pods that do not require API access
Why this is correct
Reduces the risk of token misuse.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CNCF often tests the misconception that deleting all non-default service accounts or using a single shared service account simplifies management, when in fact these actions break security boundaries and are explicitly discouraged in Kubernetes hardening guides.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The automountServiceAccountToken field (option E) controls whether the projected service account token is automatically mounted into a pod's filesystem at /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount. Disabling this for pods that do not need API access reduces the attack surface by preventing token theft or misuse; this is especially important in multi-tenant clusters where a compromised pod could otherwise use its token to escalate privileges. Under the hood, the token is a JWT signed by the API server, and if mounted, it is available to any process inside the container.
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: Avoid granting cluster-admin ClusterRole to service accounts — Option C is correct because granting the cluster-admin ClusterRole to a service account provides unrestricted superuser access across the entire cluster, violating the principle of least privilege. The CKS exam emphasizes that service accounts should be bound only to the minimal RBAC permissions required for their function, and cluster-admin should never be used for routine workloads.
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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