Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) ® 2026
Free CKS practice questions and study guide. Start with 3 free question sets covering cluster hardening, runtime security, supply chain & Falco. Unlock premium for 350+ questions.
⚡ Quick Facts
Quick Answer: The CKS (Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist) costs $445, requires an active CKA, has 15-20 hands-on tasks, 2-hour duration, pass score 67%. Covers cluster hardening, system hardening, microservice security, supply chain, and runtime security. ExamCert has 350+ CKS practice questions.
Trusted by Kubernetes security engineers at leading companies
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) Study Materials
CKS validates expert-level knowledge of Kubernetes security: cluster hardening, system hardening, microservice security, supply chain security, and runtime defense with tools like Falco, Trivy, OPA, and gVisor.
350+ Security Questions
Hands-on scenarios covering RBAC, NetworkPolicies, Pod Security Standards, admission controllers, Falco rules, and Trivy scanning
kubectl Command Drills
Each answer includes the exact kubectl commands, YAML manifests, and CIS benchmark remediation steps
Weekly Updates
New questions added weekly to track K8s 1.30+ curriculum changes, new CVEs, and Falco/Trivy version updates
How to Prepare for the CKS Exam
Follow our proven study strategy used by thousands of successful CKS candidates
What's Included
- ✓350+ exam-style performance questions
- ✓7 complete practice sets aligned to v1.32++
- ✓Free comprehensive CKS study guide
- ✓Detailed explanations with kubectl commands
- ✓Weekly question updates
- ✓Progress tracking & weak area analysis
Study Tips from CKS Holders
- 1.Pass CKA first — CKS builds on CKA knowledge and requires an active CKA to register
- 2.Set up a kind/minikube cluster and run Falco, Trivy, kube-bench, and OPA Gatekeeper hands-on
- 3.Master vim/nano — every task is YAML editing under a 2-hour timer
- 4.Bookmark kubernetes.io/docs in your exam browser — official docs are allowed
- 5.Practice flagging hard tasks and returning — time management decides the result
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) Exam Domains
15-20 performance-based hands-on tasks in 2 hours. Passing score: 67%. Exam fee: $445 USD (includes 1 free retake). Active CKA certification required.
Cluster Setup
Network policies, CIS benchmarks (kube-bench), securing GUI access (dashboard), verifying platform binaries before deploying
Cluster Hardening
RBAC (Roles, RoleBindings), ServiceAccounts, restrict API access (anonymous auth, NodeRestriction), upgrade Kubernetes regularly
System Hardening
Minimize host OS footprint, IAM roles, kernel hardening with AppArmor/seccomp profiles, restrict syscalls
Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities
SecurityContexts, OPA/OPA Gatekeeper policies, secrets management, sandboxed runtimes (gVisor, Kata), mTLS between services
Supply Chain Security
Minimize base images (distroless), image scanning with Trivy, sign images (Cosign/Notary), admission control to enforce policies
Monitoring, Logging & Runtime Security
Behavioural analytics, threat detection with Falco, container immutability, Kubernetes audit logs
Free vs Premium CKS Practice Questions
Free Download
- ✓ 3 full question sets (100+ questions)
- ✓ Complete CKS study guide
- ✓ RBAC & NetworkPolicy primer
- ✓ Progress tracking
Unlock Everything
- ✓ All 350+ practice questions
- ✓ Exam Guide (format, price, pass score, domains)
- ✓ Weekly question updates
- ✓ 100% refund if you fail first attempt
Who Is the CKS Exam For?
Target Audience
The CKS validates expert-level Kubernetes security skills. For DevSecOps engineers, platform security leads, SREs, and cloud security architects responsible for securing production Kubernetes clusters.
Recommended Prerequisites
- •Active CKA certification required — you cannot register for CKS without an unexpired CKA
- •6+ months of hands-on Kubernetes security work
- •Solid Linux fundamentals (syscalls, capabilities, namespaces, cgroups)
- •Working knowledge of Falco, Trivy, OPA, kube-bench, AppArmor, and seccomp
Official Exam Details
Format: Performance-based hands-on with a live cluster · Validity: 2 years · Includes 1 free retake within 12 months
People Also Ask About CKS
Quick answers to the most common questions
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What Our Users Say About CKS
"RBAC and NetworkPolicy questions were exactly what I faced on the real exam."
"Falco and runtime security questions matched the actual CKS perfectly."
"Image scanning and admission controller questions were spot-on."
"The supply chain security drills helped me pass on first attempt."
"Cluster hardening tasks were realistic and well explained."
"Best CKS prep — covered Pod Security Standards and OPA Gatekeeper well."
Start Practicing CKS Today
Web-based simulator · No signup required
CKS Prep 2026
- ✓3 Free Question Sets
- ✓Free CKS Study Guide
- ✓kubectl Command Reference
- ✓Progress Tracking
100% refund if you fail first attempt
CKS Exam FAQ
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