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 need to enforce that no pod runs with privileged containers or runs as root. Which tool can define policies that block such pods at admission time?
Kubernetes Secret
Why wrong: Secrets store sensitive data, not security policies.
PodDisruptionBudget
Why wrong: PodDisruptionBudget controls voluntary disruptions, not security.
OPA Gatekeeper
OPA Gatekeeper is an admission webhook that enforces policies, including security policies.
NetworkPolicy
Why wrong: NetworkPolicy controls network traffic, not pod security.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
OPA Gatekeeper
OPA Gatekeeper allows enforcing custom policies via ConstraintTemplates and Constraints. It can deny pods that violate the policies.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Kubernetes Secret
Why it's wrong here
Secrets store sensitive data, not security policies.
PodDisruptionBudget
Why it's wrong here
PodDisruptionBudget controls voluntary disruptions, not security.
OPA Gatekeeper
Why this is correct
OPA Gatekeeper is an admission webhook that enforces policies, including security policies.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
NetworkPolicy
Why it's wrong here
NetworkPolicy controls network traffic, not pod security.
Common exam traps
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
A security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
What to study next
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CKS questions on access control and AAA configuration.
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FAQ
Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — This question tests Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — Authentication checks who the user is..
The correct answer is: OPA Gatekeeper — OPA Gatekeeper allows enforcing custom policies via ConstraintTemplates and Constraints. It can deny pods that violate the policies.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CKS questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Authentication checks who the user is.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 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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