CS0-003 Vulnerability Management Practice Question
A security analyst is reviewing a containerized application for vulnerabilities. The analyst uses a container image scanner and identifies several issues. Which THREE of the following are common container and Kubernetes misconfigurations that the analyst should prioritize? (Choose three.)
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
✓
Overly permissive RBAC configurations
Option A (Overly permissive RBAC configurations) is correct because Kubernetes RBAC roles bound with wildcards or cluster-admin privileges grant excessive permissions, enabling privilege escalation and lateral movement across the cluster. Option C (Running containers with the 'privileged' flag) is correct because a privileged container disables most namespace isolation and gains near-full access to host devices and kernel capabilities, effectively breaking container boundaries. Option E (Using hostPath mounts) is correct because hostPath volumes expose node filesystem paths to pods, allowing access to sensitive host files such as /var/run/docker.sock or /etc, which can lead to node compromise. Option B is not a misconfiguration but a security best practice, since updating images remediates known CVEs rather than introducing risk. Option D is also a recommended hardening control, as network policies restrict pod-to-pod traffic and reduce lateral movement, so it is not a misconfiguration to prioritize.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Overly permissive RBAC configurations
Why this is correct
Overly permissive RBAC bindings grant cluster-wide or wildcard permissions, letting a compromised workload escalate privileges or reach other namespaces. Auditing roles, ClusterRoleBindings and service accounts for excessive verbs and resources is a priority Kubernetes hardening check.
- ✗
Keeping container images up to date
Why it's wrong here
Keeping images current is a remediation control, not a misconfiguration to prioritise; the scanner flags stale base images and unpatched packages as findings. It is tempting because patch hygiene genuinely reduces container risk, and in a hardening checklist it would be the right answer.
- ✓
Running containers with the 'privileged' flag
Why this is correct
Running with the privileged flag disables container isolation, granting full access to host devices and kernel capabilities. This directly satisfies the stem's request for common Kubernetes misconfigurations worth prioritising, since a compromised privileged container effectively yields host-level control, escalating impact far beyond the application's intended scope.
- ✗
Implementing network policies to restrict pod communication
Why it's wrong here
Network policies restricting pod communication are a security control, not a misconfiguration to remediate; their absence is the finding. It is tempting because Kubernetes network policy is a hardening topic, but the question asks for weaknesses to prioritise, and implementing policies fixes rather than describes one.
- ✓
Using hostPath mounts
Why this is correct
hostPath mounts expose node filesystem directories inside the container, allowing reads or writes to host files such as credentials or the container runtime socket. This breaks isolation and enables node compromise, so it ranks as a priority misconfiguration.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Baseline and Anomaly Detection
Key term
Risk
Risk is the possibility that an event or action will negatively affect an organization's ability to achieve its goals, often measured in terms of likelihood and impact.
Key term
RBAC
RBAC is a method of restricting network access based on the roles of individual users within an organization, where permissions are assigned to roles rather than to individuals directly.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CS0-004 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 CS0-004 exam.