This CKS practice question tests your understanding of cluster setup and hardening. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 tasked with enabling audit logging for the Kubernetes API server. Which API server flag must be used to specify the audit log file path?
--audit-log-path
This flag sets the path for the audit log file.
--audit-log-dir
Why wrong: There is no --audit-log-dir flag; the path is specified with --audit-log-path.
--audit-policy-file
Why wrong: This flag specifies the audit policy file, not the log file path.
--audit-log-file
Why wrong: There is no --audit-log-file flag. The correct flag is --audit-log-path.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
--audit-log-path
The `--audit-log-path` flag is the correct API server flag to specify the file path where audit logs are written. This flag defines the absolute or relative path to the audit log file, and the kube-apiserver will create or append to that file. Without this flag, no audit log file is generated, even if an audit policy is configured.
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.
--audit-log-path
Why this is correct
This flag sets the path for the audit log file.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
--audit-log-dir
Why it's wrong here
There is no --audit-log-dir flag; the path is specified with --audit-log-path.
--audit-policy-file
Why it's wrong here
This flag specifies the audit policy file, not the log file path.
--audit-log-file
Why it's wrong here
There is no --audit-log-file flag. The correct flag is --audit-log-path.
Common exam traps
CNCF often tests the exact flag name `--audit-log-path` versus the plausible but incorrect `--audit-log-file`, exploiting the common assumption that the flag would be named after the file rather than the path.
Detailed technical explanation
When `--audit-log-path` is set, the kube-apiserver writes audit events in JSON lines format to the specified file, rotating logs based on `--audit-log-maxsize`, `--audit-log-maxbackup`, and `--audit-log-maxage` flags. In a real-world scenario, if you set `--audit-log-path=/var/log/kubernetes/audit.log` but forget to configure the audit policy, no events will be logged because the policy defaults to a 'none' stage, which logs nothing.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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: --audit-log-path — The `--audit-log-path` flag is the correct API server flag to specify the file path where audit logs are written. This flag defines the absolute or relative path to the audit log file, and the kube-apiserver will create or append to that file. Without this flag, no audit log file is generated, even if an audit policy is configured.
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
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