KCSA Platform Security Practice Question
A platform engineer needs to secure an Ingress resource using TLS termination, ensuring that sensitive private keys are stored securely within the cluster and referenced safely. Which Kubernetes resource should be created to store the TLS certificate and private key pair?
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
✓
Secret of type kubernetes.io/tls
Kubernetes Secrets of type kubernetes.io/tls are specifically designed to store TLS certificates and private keys securely, allowing them to be referenced directly within the Ingress spec.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Secret of type kubernetes.io/tls
Why this is correct
The kubernetes.io/tls secret type standardizes the storage of tls.crt and tls.key fields for Ingress and other components.
- ✗
PersistentVolumeClaim
Why it's wrong here
PersistentVolumeClaims request block or file storage for workloads, not cryptographic key materials.
- ✗
CertificateSigningRequest
Why it's wrong here
A CertificateSigningRequest (CSR) is an API resource used to request a x509 certificate from a cluster signer, not to store an existing active certificate/key pair.
- ✗
ConfigMap
Why it's wrong here
ConfigMaps are intended for non-confidential configuration data and are stored in plaintext in etcd (unless encryption at rest is enabled), making them unsuitable for private keys.
About these practice questions
One of 320 original KCSA practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official CNCF / Linux Foundation exam blueprint
This KCSA practice question is part of Courseiva's free CNCF / Linux Foundation 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 KCSA exam.