Planned
CKS · Planned
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist
Harden clusters, secure the supply chain and detect threats at runtime. Requires a passed CKA.
Planned
CKS practice labs
Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist. Not available yet: we finish one certification properly before starting the next.
The exam
CKS at a glance
- Exam formatHands-on, performance-based, in a terminal
- Exam length120 minutes
- PrerequisiteThe CKS requires a passed CKA exam.
- How we'll train itHands-on labs on a heavier cluster image with AppArmor, seccomp, audit logging, runtime detection and an image scanner
Our plan
What we plan to build
- Break-and-harden labs: lock down an insecure cluster and prove it with automatic checks
- Runtime security tasks with real detection rules and audit logs
- Timed two-hour mock exams weighted like the real exam
Exam domains
From the public exam page, checked in November 2026. The official page is the source of truth: CKS on training.linuxfoundation.org.
- Minimize Microservice Vulnerabilities20%
- Supply Chain Security20%
- Monitoring, Logging and Runtime Security20%
- Cluster Setup15%
- Cluster Hardening15%
- System Hardening10%
Start now with a free account
Sign up free and start with the CKA labs today: 5 starter labs on real clusters. The CKS track appears in your account when it opens.