CPENT Cloud And Hybrid Infrastructure Security Practice Question
A penetration tester is evaluating cloud container security and hybrid orchestration platforms. Which THREE of the following techniques or conditions facilitate container escapes or host compromise? (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
✓
Running a container with the --privileged flag, which disables nearly all kernel namespace and capability isolation.
Privileged mode, host PID/IPC namespaces, and write access to kernel release_agent files enable container escapes.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Running a container with the --privileged flag, which disables nearly all kernel namespace and capability isolation.
Why this is correct
Privileged containers share host devices and namespaces, allowing direct escape.
- ✗
Enabling read-only root filesystems (readOnlyRootFilesystem: true) on container deployment manifests.
Why it's wrong here
Read-only root filesystems enhance security and prevent tampering.
- ✗
Using distroless container images that omit package managers and shells.
Why it's wrong here
Distroless images reduce the attack surface significantly.
- ✗
Implementing container image vulnerability scanning in the CI/CD pipeline.
Why it's wrong here
Image scanning helps catch vulnerabilities before deployment.
- ✓
Running containers with the host PID namespace enabled (hostPID: true), allowing visibility and interaction with host processes.
Why this is correct
Host PID namespace sharing allows inspecting and interacting with host system processes.
- ✓
Having CAP_SYS_ADMIN capabilities combined with write access to the cgroup release_agent file.
Why this is correct
CAP_SYS_ADMIN and cgroups release_agent manipulation allow host command execution.
Visual reference
About these practice questions
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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 EC-Council exam blueprint
This CPENT practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CPENT exam.