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 practices for securing the Kubernetes Dashboard? (Select TWO)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Restrict Dashboard access using RBAC with minimal privileges
Option C is correct because the Kubernetes Dashboard should be secured using Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with minimal privileges. This follows the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users or service accounts accessing the Dashboard have only the permissions necessary for their tasks, reducing the attack surface and potential blast radius in case of compromise.
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.
Disabling authentication would allow unauthenticated access.
✓
Restrict Dashboard access using RBAC with minimal privileges
Why this is correct
RBAC ensures users have only necessary permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use the default cluster-admin ServiceAccount for Dashboard access
Why it's wrong here
Using cluster-admin grants excessive privileges.
✓
Avoid exposing the Dashboard on a public IP address
Why this is correct
Public exposure increases attack surface.
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 disabling authentication or using HTTP simplifies setup, but the trap here is that these practices completely bypass security controls, while candidates may overlook that RBAC with minimal privileges is the correct hardening step.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Kubernetes Dashboard runs as a pod in the kube-system namespace and, by default, uses a ClusterRoleBinding to the kubernetes-dashboard ServiceAccount with minimal permissions. However, many deployments mistakenly bind it to the cluster-admin role, which grants full control over all resources. In a real-world scenario, an attacker who gains access to the Dashboard via a compromised token or misconfigured network could delete namespaces, steal secrets, or deploy malicious workloads if RBAC is not scoped down. The Dashboard also supports token-based authentication and kubeconfig-based login, both of which should be combined with RBAC restrictions and network policies to limit exposure.
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: Restrict Dashboard access using RBAC with minimal privileges — Option C is correct because the Kubernetes Dashboard should be secured using Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) with minimal privileges. This follows the principle of least privilege, ensuring that users or service accounts accessing the Dashboard have only the permissions necessary for their tasks, reducing the attack surface and potential blast radius in case of compromise.
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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