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The Kubernetes Controller Manager must create unique service accounts for each work payload.

Overview

Finding IDVersionRule IDIA ControlsSeverity
V-242381CNTR-K8-000220SV-242381r1043176_ruleCCI-000015high
Description
The Kubernetes Controller Manager is a background process that embeds core control loops regulating cluster system state through the API Server. Every process executed in a pod has an associated service account. By default, service accounts use the same credentials for authentication. Implementing the default settings poses a High risk to the Kubernetes Controller Manager. Setting the "--use-service-account-credential" value lowers the attack surface by generating unique service accounts settings for each controller instance.
STIGDate
Kubernetes Security Technical Implementation Guide2026-02-12

Related Frameworks

1 mapping across 3 frameworks
SCF0 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 3 hops (1) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

IAC-15.1Automated System Account Management (Directory Services)
0.50
NIST 800-530 mappings

No source states a mapping between these directly.

Also reachable in 2 hops (72) derived by us, not asserted by any source

Each of these is a route we composed by chaining published mappings. No publisher states a relationship between the two endpoints.

AC-10Concurrent Session Control
1.00
AC-12Session Termination
1.00
AC-17(1)Monitoring and Control
1.00
AC-17(10)Authenticate Remote Commands
1.00
AC-17(9)Disconnect or Disable Access
1.00
AC-2(1)Automated System Account Management
1.00
AC-2(10)Shared and Group Account Credential Change
1.00
AC-2(11)Usage Conditions
1.00
AC-2(2)Automated Temporary and Emergency Account Management
1.00
AC-2(3)Disable Accounts
1.00

+62 more (top 10 by confidence shown)

CCI1 mapping
CCI-000015
1.00

Details

Check Text (C-242381r1043176_chk)

Change to the /etc/kubernetes/manifests directory on the Kubernetes Control Plane. Run the command: grep -i use-service-account-credentials * If the setting "--use-service-account-credentials" is not configured in the Kubernetes Controller Manager manifest file or it is set to "false", this is a finding.

Fix Text (F-45614r927076_fix)

Edit the Kubernetes Controller Manager manifest file in the /etc/kubernetes/manifests directory on the Kubernetes Control Plane. Set the value of "--use-service-account-credentials" to "true".