Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS) Handbook

This book is for anyone committed to passing the CKS exam. Whether you’re just beginning your preparation or need a final boost, this book is here to guide you every step of the way. 

While there are plenty of resources out there, this book brings something special to the table. It’s designed to give you that extra edge in passing the CKS exam. I understand the challenges of this certification, and the more you sharpen your skills, the greater your chances of success. That’s why I wrote this book, to help you succeed.

This book is by Puru Tuladhar. A Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) and Security Specialist (CKS) with almost a decade of experience working as a Linux System Administrator since 2013, and now as a Cloud-native Solution Architect specializing in Kubernetes and AWS helping businesses with digital transformation. I am also a Certified AWS Solution Architect Associate and Professional.

This is a very concise reference guide book without being overly detailed or exhaustive. I only cover the most important aspect for each CKS exam curriculum domains to get straight to the meat of the needed knowledge for you to nail the CKS exam with flying colors.

Book Sample

Here's a sample from the book. No email address necessary.

What's Inside?

1. 👨‍💻 Exam Environment

2. 📚 Quick References

3. 🔎 Search Quickly

4. 🐢 Shell Hacks

5. 🕹️ Exam Simulation

6. ⚙️ Cluster Setup — 10% 🏋️

7. 🪨 Cluster Hardening — 15% 🏋️

7.1. 📝 Exam Curriculum

7.2. 🔒 Restrict API Access

7.3. 🛡️ RBAC (Role-Based Access Control)

7.4. 🤖 Service Accounts

7.5. ♻️ Upgrade Cluster

8. 🪨 System Hardening — 15% 🏋️

8.1. 📝 Exam Curriculum

8.2. 🗿 Kernel Hardening

8.3. 🛑 Reduce Attack Surface

9. 🐞 Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities — 20% 🏋️

9.1. 📝 Exam Curriculum

9.2. 👮‍♂️ Security Context

9.3. 🪪 Pod Security Standards (PSS)

9.4. 🚪OPA Gatekeeper

9.5. 🔐 Secrets

9.6. 📦 Runtime Sandboxes

9.7. 🔑 Mutual TLS (mTLS)

10. ⛓️‍💥 Supply Chain Security — 20% 🏋️

10.1. 📝 Exam Curriculum

10.2. 🖼️ Minimize Base Image Footprint

10.3. 🔗 Secure Supply Chain

10.4. 🧐 Static Analysis

10.5. 🖨️ Scan Images

11. 🕵️‍♀️ Monitoring, Logging, and Runtime Security — 20% 🏋️

11.1. 📝 Exam Curriculum

11.2. 📊 Behavioral Analytics

11.3. 🧊 Immutable Containers

11.4. 🪵 Audit Logs

12. 🎬 The End

FAQ

Is this book good for someone just preparing for CKS exam?

Absolutely. This book is ideal for those just beginning their CKS exam preparation or those who are gearing up to take the exam.