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.
You need to ensure that the kubelet only serves authenticated and authorized requests. Which flag(s) should be set on the kubelet?
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 and --authorization-mode=Webhook
Option D is correct because setting `--anonymous-auth=false` disallows unauthenticated requests to the kubelet, and `--authorization-mode=Webhook` delegates authorization decisions to an external service (e.g., the API server's SubjectAccessReview), ensuring that only authenticated and authorized requests are served. This combination enforces both authentication and authorization, which is required for hardening the kubelet.
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.
✗
--anonymous-auth=false and --authorization-mode=AlwaysAllow
Why it's wrong here
AlwaysAllow would bypass authorization, not enforce it.
✗
--anonymous-auth=true and --authorization-mode=Webhook
Why it's wrong here
Anonymous auth must be disabled to require authentication.
✗
--authenticated=true and --authorization=RBAC
Why it's wrong here
The correct flags are --anonymous-auth and --authorization-mode.
✓
--anonymous-auth=false and --authorization-mode=Webhook
Why this is correct
These flags disable anonymous access and use webhook authorization via the API server.
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 `--authorization-mode=RBAC` is a valid kubelet flag, but the kubelet only supports `AlwaysAllow`, `Webhook`, and `AlwaysDeny` for authorization, and RBAC is configured on the API server, not directly on the kubelet.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The kubelet's `--authorization-mode=Webhook` uses the SubjectAccessReview API to query the API server for authorization decisions, which allows integration with RBAC or other authorization plugins. Under the hood, the kubelet sends a `SubjectAccessReview` request to the API server's `authorization.k8s.io/v1` endpoint, and the API server evaluates the request against configured RBAC rules. A real-world scenario is when a node is compromised; without Webhook authorization, an attacker could use the kubelet's API to execute arbitrary commands on pods, but with Webhook, the attacker's requests would be denied unless explicitly authorized by RBAC.
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 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.
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: --anonymous-auth=false and --authorization-mode=Webhook — Option D is correct because setting `--anonymous-auth=false` disallows unauthenticated requests to the kubelet, and `--authorization-mode=Webhook` delegates authorization decisions to an external service (e.g., the API server's SubjectAccessReview), ensuring that only authenticated and authorized requests are served. This combination enforces both authentication and authorization, which is required for hardening the kubelet.
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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