Ensure that the OpenShift PKI certificate file permissions are set to 600 or more restrictive (Manual)
Scanned 5/30/2026
Install via CLI
openskills install CyberStrikeus/CyberStrike---
name: cis-ocp-v180-1.1.20
description: "Ensure that the OpenShift PKI certificate file permissions are set to 600 or more restrictive (Manual)"
category: cis-openshift
version: "1.8.0"
author: cyberstrike-official
tags: [cis, openshift, kubernetes, redhat, control-plane, master-node, config-files]
cis_id: "1.1.20"
cis_benchmark: "CIS Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform Benchmark v1.8.0"
tech_stack: [kubernetes, openshift, redhat]
cwe_ids: []
chains_with: []
prerequisites: []
severity_boost: {}
---
# CIS Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform Benchmark v1.8.0 - Control 1.1.20
## Profile Applicability
- **Level:** 1
## Description
Ensure that OpenShift PKI certificate files have permissions of `644` or more restrictive.
## Rationale
OpenShift makes use of a number of certificate files as part of the operation of its components. The permissions on these files should be set to 644 or more restrictive to protect their integrity.
## Impact
None
## Audit Procedure
Certificates for control plane components like `kube-apiserver`, `kube-controller-manager`, and `kube-scheduler` are stored in the directory `/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-certs/secrets`. Certificate files all have permissions `600`.
Run the following command.
```bash
# Should 600 or more restrictive
for i in $(oc -n openshift-kube-apiserver get pod -l app=openshift-kube-apiserver -o jsonpath='{.items[*].metadata.name}')
do
echo $i static-pod-certs
oc exec -n openshift-kube-apiserver $i -c kube-apiserver -- \
find /etc/kubernetes/static-pod-certs -type f -wholename '*/secrets/*.crt' -exec stat -c %a {} \;
done
```
Verify that the permissions are `600`.
## Remediation
No remediation required; file permissions are managed by the operator.
## Default Value
By default, the certificates used by OpenShift are set to have permissions of `600`.
## References
1. https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/command-line-tools-reference/kube-apiserver/
## CIS Controls
| Controls Version | Control | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8 | 3.3 Configure Data Access Control Lists | \* | \* | \* |
| v7 | 14.6 Protect Information through Access Control Lists | \* | \* | \* |
## MITRE ATT&CK Mappings
| Techniques / Sub-techniques | Tactics | Mitigations |
| --------------------------- | -------------- | ----------- |
| T1083, T1222 | TA0005, TA0007 | M1022 |
## Profile
**Level 1** (Manual)
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