KCSA Kubernetes Threat Model Practice Question
An attacker who achieves remote code execution inside a misconfigured container discovers that the service account token mounted at /var/run/secrets/kubernetes.io/serviceaccount/token has cluster-wide administrative permissions. Which Kubernetes security feature should be enabled on the ServiceAccount to mitigate the risk of token theft and misuse?
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
✓
Disabling automatic token mounting (automountServiceAccountToken: false) and utilizing projected volumes with bound audiences
AutomountServiceAccountToken can be set to false at the ServiceAccount or Pod level to prevent unnecessary token mounting, and projected service account tokens with audience restrictions improve token security.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Disabling automatic token mounting (automountServiceAccountToken: false) and utilizing projected volumes with bound audiences
Why this is correct
Correct. Disabling unnecessary token mounts and using audience-bound projected tokens limits token blast radius and lifespan.
- ✗
Configuring a default Deny-All NetworkPolicy for the kube-system namespace
Why it's wrong here
Network policies restrict network traffic, whereas service account tokens are evaluated at the API server layer independently of IP networking.
- ✗
Enabling the NodeRestriction admission plugin
Why it's wrong here
NodeRestriction limits what kubelets can modify regarding node and pod objects, not service account token contents.
- ✗
EnablingAnonymousAuth on the kube-apiserver
Why it's wrong here
Enabling anonymous authentication increases the attack surface by allowing unauthenticated requests.
About these practice questions
This KCSA question is part of Courseiva's 320-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. 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.