Kubernetes Security Technical Implementation Guide

The Kubernetes Security Technical Implementation Guide (V2 R6) has 92 STIG checks. New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist?, CKL vs CKLB, and STIG vs SCAP benchmark.

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Severity

Version

V2 · R6

CurrentPublished Wed Apr 01 2026

The Kubernetes etcd must have file permissions set to 644 or more restrictive.

Kubernetes Security Technical Implementation Guide

Assessment Title

Rule Text

The Kubernetes etcd must have file permissions set to 644 or more restrictive.

Description

Discussion Text

The Kubernetes etcd key-value store provides a way to store data to the Control Plane. If these files can be changed, data to API object and Control Plane would be compromised.

New to STIG checklists? Read What is a STIG checklist? and CKL vs CKLB.

Objective

V-242459

Rule

SV-242459r961863_rule

Severity

medium

Rule Version

CNTR-K8-003260

Documentable

false

IA Controls

NIST SP 800-53

Rev 5

Assessment Procedure

Check Text

Review the permissions of the Kubernetes etcd by using the command:

ls -AR /var/lib/etcd/*

If any of the files have permissions more permissive than "644", this is a finding.

Implementation Procedure

Fix Text

Change the permissions of the manifest files to "644" by executing the command:

chmod -R 644 /var/lib/etcd/*

STIG check 75 of 92 in the Kubernetes STIG checklist

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