ITGSS Certified DevOps Engineer Practice Test

What is a significant risk of running different applications on the same Kubernetes cluster?

1. Increased resource allocation

2. Potential for one compromised application to attack a neighboring application

3. Improved deployment speed

4. Enhanced developer collaboration

The correct answer is: Potential for one compromised application to attack a neighboring application

Running different applications on the same Kubernetes cluster does carry certain inherent risks, one of which is that a compromised application could potentially attack a neighboring application. This risk exists because applications within the same cluster typically share the same underlying infrastructure, including network resources and, in some cases, data storage. When security boundaries are not properly defined, an adversary who gains access to one application can exploit shared vulnerabilities to impact or even gain access to others. This can lead to data breaches, unauthorized data manipulation, or service disruptions, affecting not only the compromised application but also its neighbors. To mitigate this risk, it is essential to implement strong security practices, such as resource isolation, role-based access control, network segmentation, and utilizing Kubernetes features like namespaces and network policies. By ensuring that applications are properly isolated from one another, the risk of lateral movement in the event of a breach is minimized. This highlights the importance of security within shared environments like Kubernetes clusters.