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Security

Network Policies: Securing Pod Communication

In a world where security breaches make headlines daily, protecting your Kubernetes cluster isn't optional—it's mission-critical. Network Policies are your first line of defense, implementing a zero-trust security model within your cluster. For CKA candidates, mastering Network Policies isn't just about passing the exam (though they represent a significant portion of the 20% Services & Networking domain)—it's about understanding how to build production-grade, secure Kubernetes environments.

RBAC: Role-Based Access Control

Master Kubernetes authorization with Roles, ClusterRoles, and the principle of least privilege

Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) is Kubernetes' primary authorization mechanism, controlling who can perform which actions on what resources. For the CKA exam, RBAC is critical—you'll need to create ServiceAccounts, configure Roles and RoleBindings, troubleshoot permission issues, and apply least privilege principles. This comprehensive guide covers everything from basic concepts to advanced aggregation patterns, giving you the skills to secure any Kubernetes cluster.

CKA Exam Relevance: Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration (25% of exam weight)

Security Contexts and Pod Security Standards

Harden workloads with Linux security mechanisms and enforce cluster-wide security policies

Security Contexts define privilege and access control settings for Pods and containers, leveraging Linux kernel security features like capabilities, SELinux, AppArmor, and seccomp. Pod Security Standards (PSS) provide a framework for enforcing security best practices across your cluster. For the CKA exam, you'll need to configure SecurityContext fields, apply Pod Security admission policies, troubleshoot permission issues, and understand how privileged workloads differ from restricted ones. This guide covers everything from basic runAsUser configuration to advanced seccomp profiles and cluster-wide policy enforcement.

CKA Exam Relevance: Cluster Architecture, Installation & Configuration (25% of exam weight)