200+ Free CKS Practice Questions

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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CKS Exam

67%

Passing Score

Linux Foundation

2 hrs

Exam Time

Linux Foundation

$445

Exam Fee

Linux Foundation

CKA first

Prerequisite

Linux Foundation

v1.34

Live Exam Version

Linux Foundation

2 years

Certification Validity

Linux Foundation

As of March 9, 2026, the Linux Foundation lists the CKS exam at $445 with 12 months to schedule, two exam attempts, and two Killer.sh simulator attempts. The current live exam environment runs Kubernetes v1.34, requires candidates to have already passed CKA before attempting CKS, and uses the official CNCF v1.34 blueprint: Cluster Setup 15%, Cluster Hardening 15%, System Hardening 10%, Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities 20%, Supply Chain Security 20%, and Monitoring/Logging/Runtime Security 20%. I did not find a separate 2026 blueprint overhaul beyond the current v1.34 environment alignment and active Linux Foundation / PSI exam policies.

About the CKS Exam

The CKS is a hands-on Kubernetes security certification for candidates who already hold CKA. It validates practical skill in securing cluster setup, hardening workloads and nodes, protecting the software supply chain, and detecting or investigating runtime threats in real Kubernetes environments.

Assessment

15-20 performance-based tasks (hands-on; live task count varies by form)

Time Limit

2 hours

Passing Score

67%

Exam Fee

$445 (The Linux Foundation / CNCF / PSI)

CKS Exam Content Outline

15%

Cluster Setup

NetworkPolicies, CIS benchmark review, Ingress TLS, protecting node metadata and endpoints, and verifying platform binaries before deployment.

15%

Cluster Hardening

RBAC design, cautious ServiceAccount use, API access restriction, and Kubernetes upgrade practices that reduce exposure to known vulnerabilities.

10%

System Hardening

Reducing host OS attack surface, least-privilege IAM, minimizing unnecessary external network access, and using kernel hardening controls such as AppArmor and seccomp.

20%

Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities

Pod Security Standards, Kubernetes Secrets handling, workload isolation and sandboxing, and Pod-to-Pod encryption patterns such as Cilium or service-mesh mTLS.

20%

Supply Chain Security

Base-image minimization, SBOM and CI/CD provenance, permitted registries, image signing and verification, and static analysis of images and manifests.

20%

Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security

Behavioral analytics with tools such as Falco, runtime threat detection, attack investigation, immutable-container practices, and API audit logging.

How to Pass the CKS Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: 67%
Assessment: 15-20 performance-based tasks (hands-on; live task count varies by form)
Time limit: 2 hours
Exam fee: $445

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CKS Study Tips from Top Performers

1Treat CKS like a lab exam: practice commands, YAML edits, and troubleshooting flow until they feel routine under time pressure.

2Memorize the six official domain weights and spend most of your time in the three 20% domains before polishing the two 15% areas.

3Be fluent with NetworkPolicy, RBAC, ServiceAccounts, Pod Security settings, and Secret-handling tradeoffs because they connect across multiple domains.

4Practice supply-chain tasks as a workflow, not isolated facts: minimal images, digests, signatures, SBOMs, scanners, and admission checks belong together.

5Use Falco-style behavioral examples and Kubernetes audit logs together so you can reason through both detection and investigation questions.

6Rehearse immutable-container patterns such as readOnlyRootFilesystem plus explicit writable volumes so you can distinguish secure fixes from ad hoc hot-patching.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CKS exam?

CKS is the Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist exam from the Linux Foundation and CNCF. It is a hands-on, performance-based certification for Kubernetes practitioners who can secure cluster setup, workloads, the container supply chain, and runtime operations.

Do I need CKA before taking CKS?

Yes. Linux Foundation certification FAQ pages state that candidates must have already taken and passed the Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) exam before attempting the CKS exam.

How long is the CKS exam and what score do I need to pass?

Linux Foundation candidate documentation lists a 2-hour time limit and a 67% passing score for CKS. The exam is remote-proctored and performance-based rather than a traditional multiple-choice test.

What changed for CKS in 2026?

As of March 9, 2026, I did not find a separate 2026 blueprint redesign. The current live exam environment is Kubernetes v1.34, Linux Foundation pricing remains $445, and the active v1.34 curriculum weights remain 15/15/10/20/20/20 across the six security domains.

How should I prepare for CKS?

Prepare with daily hands-on terminal practice, not just flashcards. Focus first on the largest 20% domains: microservice vulnerabilities, supply-chain security, and runtime security, then close gaps in hardening and cluster-setup workflows. Practice using the official documentation and the included Killer.sh simulator so your speed matches the exam format.