CKS — Exam Tips & Mock Exam
Chapter Overview
This is the final chapter of the CKS tutorial series. You have covered every domain — from cluster setup and hardening to runtime security and supply chain protection. Now it is time to put it all together.
The CKS exam is a performance-based, hands-on exam. Knowing the concepts is not enough — you must execute under time pressure, in a live terminal, with only the Kubernetes documentation and a handful of allowed sites for reference.
This chapter covers:
- Exam format and strategy — how the exam works, how to allocate time, and which questions to tackle first
- Environment setup and speed tips — aliases, vim configuration, bookmarks, and shortcuts that save critical minutes
- Common mistakes — the top 15 errors that fail CKS candidates and how to avoid every one of them
- Mock Exam Part 1 — 8 realistic exam-style questions covering Cluster Setup, Cluster Hardening, and System Hardening
- Mock Exam Part 2 — 8 realistic exam-style questions covering Microservice Vulnerabilities, Supply Chain Security, and Monitoring/Runtime Security
- Final checklist — everything you need to verify before exam day
How to Use This Chapter
- Read the strategy and speed tips first — internalize the approach before practicing
- Review common mistakes — learn from the failures of thousands of candidates before you
- Take Mock Exam Part 1 under timed conditions — 60 minutes, no peeking at answers
- Take Mock Exam Part 2 under timed conditions — 60 minutes, no peeking at answers
- Score yourself honestly — identify weak areas and revisit the relevant chapters
- Run through the final checklist — make sure nothing is left to chance on exam day
CKS Exam at a Glance
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Format | Performance-based (hands-on terminal) |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Questions | 15–20 tasks |
| Passing score | 67% |
| Kubernetes version | Check CNCF site for current version |
| Allowed resources | kubernetes.io/docs, kubernetes.io/blog, github.com/kubernetes, Falco docs, AppArmor docs, Trivy docs |
| Retake policy | 1 free retake included |
| Certification validity | 2 years |
Topics
| # | Topic | Link |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exam Format & Strategy | Exam Format & Strategy |
| 2 | Exam Setup & Speed Tips | Exam Setup & Speed Tips |
| 3 | Common Mistakes | Common Mistakes |
| 4 | Mock Exam — Part 1 | Mock Exam — Part 1 |
| 5 | Mock Exam — Part 2 | Mock Exam — Part 2 |
| 6 | Final Checklist | Final Checklist |
