# Cis Ocp V180 1.3.3

> Ensure --service-account-private-key-file set (Manual)

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-ocp-v180-1-3-3` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-ocp-v180-1-3-3`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ocp-v180-1-3-3/raw
- Safety review: PASS (external: skill-scanner PASS, skillspector PASS)
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: DevOps & Infra
- Author: cyberstrikeus (https://skillmd.com/u/cyberstrikeus)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ocp-v180-1-3-3

---


# CIS Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform Benchmark v1.8.0 - Control 1.3.3

## Profile Applicability

- **Level:** 1

## Description

Explicitly set a service account private key file for service accounts on the controller manager.

## Rationale

To ensure that keys for service account tokens can be rotated as needed, a separate public/private key pair should be used for signing service account tokens. The private key should be specified to the controller manager with `--service-account-private-key-file` as appropriate.

## Impact

You would need to securely maintain the key file and rotate the keys based on your organization's key rotation policy.

## Audit Procedure

OpenShift starts the Kubernetes Controller Manager with service-account-private-key-file set to `/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-resources/secrets/service-account-private-key/service-account.key`.

The bootstrap configuration and overrides are available here:

- [kube-controller-manager-pod](https://github.com/openshift/cluster-kube-controller-manager-operator/blob/release-4.5/bindata/bootkube/bootstrap-manifests/kube-controller-manager-pod.yaml)
- [bootstrap-config-overrides](https://github.com/openshift/cluster-kube-controller-manager-operator/blob/release-4.5/bindata/bootkube/config/bootstrap-config-overrides.yaml)

Run the following command:

```bash
oc get configmaps config -n openshift-kube-controller-manager -ojson | \
  jq -r '.data["config.yaml"]' | \
  jq -r '.extendedArguments["service-account-private-key-file"][]'
```

Verify that the following is returned:
`/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-resources/secrets/service-account-private-key/service-account.key`

## Remediation

None.

## Default Value

By default, OpenShift starts the controller manager with `service-account-private-key-file` set to `/etc/kubernetes/static-pod-resources/secrets/service-account-private-key/service-account.key`. OpenShift manages the service account credentials for the scheduler automatically.

## References

1. https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/latest/operators/operator-reference.html
2. https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/4.13/security/certificate_types_descriptions/control-plane-certificates.html
3. https://github.com/openshift/cluster-kube-controller-manager-operator/blob/release-4.5/bindata/bootkube/bootstrap-manifests/kube-controller-manager-pod.yaml
4. https://github.com/openshift/cluster-kube-controller-manager-operator/blob/release-4.5/bindata/bootkube/config/bootstrap-config-overrides.yaml
5. https://github.com/openshift/cluster-kube-controller-manager-operator/blob/release-4.5/bindata/v4.1.0/kube-controller-manager/kubeconfig-cm.yaml
6. https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/command-line-tools-reference/kube-controller-manager/

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                  | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ------------------------ | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 5.2 Use Unique Passwords | \*   | \*   | \*   |
| v7               | 4.4 Use Unique Passwords |      | \*   | \*   |

## MITRE ATT&CK Mappings

| Techniques / Sub-techniques | Tactics | Mitigations |
| --------------------------- | ------- | ----------- |
| T1078, T1548                | TA0001  | M1018       |

## Profile

**Level 1** (Manual)