Skip to content
Back to skills

Cis Ocp V180 2.1

ASecurity

Ensure --cert-file and --key-file set (Manual)

  • 2,182 stars
  • 0 votes
  • 0 copies
  • 1 view
  • Added May 30, 2026
securitygobashnodekubernetesgitapisecurity

Works with

  • cli
  • api

Security analysis

A100/100

Scanned May 30, 2026

npx -y skills add CyberStrikeus/CyberStrike --skill cis-ocp-v180-2.1 --agent claude-code

Installs into .claude/skills of the current project.

Are you the author of Cis Ocp V180 2.1?

Add the live security badge to your README. It updates with every re-scan.

Security grade badge for Cis Ocp V180 2.1
[![Security: A — Skills Directory](https://www.skillsdirectory.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus-cis-ocp-v180-2-1/badge)](https://www.skillsdirectory.com/skills/cyberstrikeus-cis-ocp-v180-2-1)

More formats (shields.io, HTML) on the badges page. Keep it an A: scan every change in CI with Pro.

Download with Pro
SKILL.md
---
name: cis-ocp-v180-2.1
description: "Ensure --cert-file and --key-file set (Manual)"
category: cis-openshift
version: "1.8.0"
author: cyberstrike-official
tags: [cis, openshift, kubernetes, redhat, etcd]
cis_id: "2.1"
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 2.1

## Profile Applicability

- **Level:** 1

## Description

Configure TLS encryption for the `etcd` service.

## Rationale

`etcd` is a highly-available key value store used by Kubernetes deployments for persistent storage of all of its REST API objects. These objects are sensitive in nature and should be encrypted in transit.

## Impact

Client connections only over TLS would be served.

## Audit Procedure

OpenShift uses X.509 certificates to provide secure communication to `etcd`. OpenShift generates these files and sets the arguments appropriately. OpenShift does not use the `etcd-certfile` or `etcd-keyfile` flags.

Keys and certificates for control plane components like `kube-apiserver`, `kube-controller-manager`, `kube-scheduler` and `etcd` are stored with their respective static pod configurations in the directory `/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-resources/*/secrets`.

Run the following command to check the value of the `--cert-file` parameter on all applicable nodes:

```bash
for i in $(oc get pods -oname -n openshift-etcd)
do
    oc exec -n openshift-etcd -c etcd $i -- \
      ps -o command= -C etcd | sed 's/.*\(--cert-file=[^ ]*\).*/\1/'
done
```

Run the following command to check the value of the `--key-file` parameter on all applicable nodes:

```bash
for i in $(oc get pods -oname -n openshift-etcd)
do
    oc exec -n openshift-etcd -c etcd $i -- \
      ps -o command= -C etcd | sed 's/.*\(--key-file=[^ ]*\).*/\1/'
done
```

Verify that cert-file and key-file values are returned for each etcd member.

```
--cert-file=/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-certs/secrets/etcd-all-serving/etcd-serving-${ETCD_DNS_NAME}.crt
--key-file=/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-certs/secrets/etcd-all-serving/etcd-serving-${ETCD_DNS_NAME}.key
```

For example:

```
--cert-file=/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-certs/secrets/etcd-all-serving/etcd-serving-ip-10-0-165-75.us-east-2.compute.internal.crt
--key-file=/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-certs/secrets/etcd-all-serving/etcd-serving-ip-10-0-165-75.us-east-2.compute.internal.key
```

## Remediation

OpenShift does not use the `etcd-certfile` or `etcd-keyfile` flags. Certificates for `etcd` are managed by the `etcd` cluster operator.

## Default Value

By default, `etcd` communication is secured with X.509 certificates.

## References

1. https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/latest/security/certificate_types_descriptions/etcd-certificates.html
2. https://github.com/openshift/cluster-etcd-operator
3. https://github.com/openshift/cluster-etcd-operator/blob/master/bindata/etcd/pod.yaml#L154-L167
4. https://etcd.io/
5. https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/administer-cluster/configure-upgrade-etcd/

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                                           | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 3.11 Encrypt Sensitive Data at Rest               |      | \*   | \*   |
| v7               | 14.4 Encrypt All Sensitive Information in Transit |      | \*   | \*   |

## MITRE ATT&CK Mappings

| Techniques / Sub-techniques | Tactics | Mitigations |
| --------------------------- | ------- | ----------- |
| T1552                       | TA0006  | M1022       |

## Profile

**Level 1** (Manual)

Attribution

Is this your skill, or is something wrong with this listing? Request removal or report an issue. Author removals are honored within 72 hours.

Comments

Loading comments…

Newsletter

Get the weekly list of safe new skills, and the ones we pulled.