This CAS-004 practice question tests your understanding of security architecture. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
An organization's containerized application is deployed on Kubernetes. The security team wants to enforce that containers run with the least privilege and cannot access the host file system. Which Kubernetes security mechanism should be configured?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "least"
Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Pod Security Policy (PSP) with readOnlyRootFilesystem and runAsNonRoot
Pod Security Policies (now deprecated, but in CASP context is still valid) or Pod Security Standards control security contexts; readOnlyRootFilesystem and runAsNonRoot directly address the requirement. Option A is wrong because network policies control traffic, not file system. Option B is wrong because secrets management does not enforce file system restrictions. Option D is wrong because RBAC controls API access, not container runtime privileges.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Secrets management with Vault
Why it's wrong here
Secrets management handles credentials, not container runtime security.
✗
Role-based access control (RBAC) for service accounts
Why it's wrong here
RBAC governs Kubernetes API permissions, not container behavior.
✗
Network policies to restrict egress traffic
Why it's wrong here
Network policies filter traffic but do not affect container file system access.
✓
Pod Security Policy (PSP) with readOnlyRootFilesystem and runAsNonRoot
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
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
How to think about this question
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.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CAS-004 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Security Architecture — This question tests Security Architecture — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Pod Security Policy (PSP) with readOnlyRootFilesystem and runAsNonRoot — Pod Security Policies (now deprecated, but in CASP context is still valid) or Pod Security Standards control security contexts; readOnlyRootFilesystem and runAsNonRoot directly address the requirement. Option A is wrong because network policies control traffic, not file system. Option B is wrong because secrets management does not enforce file system restrictions. Option D is wrong because RBAC controls API access, not container runtime privileges.
What should I do if I get this CAS-004 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related CAS-004 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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