Question 659 of 997

Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities →easyMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

CKS Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities Practice Question

This CKS practice question tests your understanding of minimize microservice vulnerabilities. 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.

You are asked to secure a set of microservices running in a Kubernetes cluster. Which TWO of the following practices help minimize vulnerabilities in microservices?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

Question 1easymulti select

Full question →

A
Manually inject sidecar proxies into every pod to enforce mTLS.
Why wrong: Manual sidecar injection is error-prone; it should be automated via mutating webhooks or service mesh.
B
Run containers in privileged mode to allow them to perform necessary system calls.
Why wrong: Privileged containers have all capabilities and can access host resources, which is highly risky.
C
Ensure containers run with a non-root user.
Running as non-root limits the permissions available to an attacker if the container is compromised.
D
Use a read-only root filesystem for containers.
Read-only root filesystem prevents attackers from writing malicious files or modifying binaries.
E
Store secrets directly in container images for easy access.
Why wrong: Secrets in images are baked into layers and can be extracted by anyone with access to the image.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.

Correct answer & explanation

✓

Ensure containers run with a non-root user.

Option C is correct because running containers with a non-root user (via the `securityContext.runAsNonRoot: true` field or a specific `runAsUser` directive) prevents privilege escalation and limits the blast radius of a container compromise. This aligns with the principle of least privilege, a core mitigation against container breakout attacks in Kubernetes.

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.

✗
Manually inject sidecar proxies into every pod to enforce mTLS.
Why it's wrong here
Manual sidecar injection is error-prone; it should be automated via mutating webhooks or service mesh.
✗
Run containers in privileged mode to allow them to perform necessary system calls.
Why it's wrong here
Privileged containers have all capabilities and can access host resources, which is highly risky.
✓
Ensure containers run with a non-root user.
Why this is correct
Running as non-root limits the permissions available to an attacker if the container is compromised.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Use a read-only root filesystem for containers.
Why this is correct
Read-only root filesystem prevents attackers from writing malicious files or modifying binaries.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Store secrets directly in container images for easy access.
Why it's wrong here
Secrets in images are baked into layers and can be extracted by anyone with access to the image.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CNCF often tests the misconception that sidecar proxies must be manually injected to enforce mTLS, but the correct approach is to use automated injection via admission controllers to avoid misconfiguration and ensure consistent policy enforcement.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Using a read-only root filesystem (option D) enforces that containers cannot write to their own filesystem, preventing malware from persisting or modifying binaries; this is achieved by setting `readOnlyRootFilesystem: true` in the container's securityContext, which forces all writes to ephemeral volumes or tmpfs mounts. Under the hood, this leverages Linux mount namespaces and the `MS_RDONLY` flag, making it impossible for a compromised process to alter system files even if it gains root within 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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this CKS question test?

Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — This question tests Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Ensure containers run with a non-root user. — Option C is correct because running containers with a non-root user (via the `securityContext.runAsNonRoot: true` field or a specific `runAsUser` directive) prevents privilege escalation and limits the blast radius of a container compromise. This aligns with the principle of least privilege, a core mitigation against container breakout attacks in Kubernetes.

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.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026

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