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 recommended settings for the Kubernetes API server according to the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark? (Select TWO)
--authorization-mode=AlwaysAllow
Why wrong: AlwaysAllow disables authorization and is insecure.
--anonymous-auth=false
Disables anonymous requests to the API server.
--authorization-mode=RBAC
Enables RBAC authorization.
--anonymous-auth=true
Why wrong: Enabling anonymous auth is insecure.
--enable-admission-plugins=AlwaysAdmit
Why wrong: AlwaysAdmit allows all pods without validation.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
--anonymous-auth=false
Option B is correct because the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark recommends disabling anonymous authentication by setting `--anonymous-auth=false` on the API server. This ensures that all requests must be authenticated, preventing unauthenticated access to the cluster's control plane.
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.
--authorization-mode=AlwaysAllow
Why it's wrong here
AlwaysAllow disables authorization and is insecure.
--anonymous-auth=false
Why this is correct
Disables anonymous requests to the API server.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
--authorization-mode=RBAC
Why this is correct
Enables RBAC authorization.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
--anonymous-auth=true
Why it's wrong here
Enabling anonymous auth is insecure.
--enable-admission-plugins=AlwaysAdmit
Why it's wrong here
AlwaysAdmit allows all pods without validation.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the distinction between authentication and authorization, so candidates may incorrectly think disabling anonymous auth is unnecessary if RBAC is enabled, but anonymous users can still bypass RBAC if anonymous auth is left on.
Detailed technical explanation
The API server's `--authorization-mode` flag supports multiple modes (e.g., RBAC, Node, ABAC, Webhook) that can be chained; RBAC is the recommended mode as it provides fine-grained, role-based access control. Disabling anonymous auth (`--anonymous-auth=false`) forces every request to present valid credentials, which is critical in multi-tenant environments to prevent privilege escalation via unauthenticated API calls. The CIS Benchmark also recommends enabling specific admission plugins like `NodeRestriction` and `PodSecurity` to enforce security constraints at admission time.
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: --anonymous-auth=false — Option B is correct because the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark recommends disabling anonymous authentication by setting `--anonymous-auth=false` on the API server. This ensures that all requests must be authenticated, preventing unauthenticated access to the cluster's control plane.
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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