# Cis Ocp V190 4.1.8

> Ensure that the client certificate authorities file ownership is set to root:root (Automated)

- Skill: `cyberstrikeus/cis-ocp-v190-4-1-8` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add cyberstrikeus/cis-ocp-v190-4-1-8`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/cyberstrikeus/cis-ocp-v190-4-1-8/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-v190-4-1-8

---


# CIS Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform Benchmark v1.9.0 - Control 4.1.8

## Profile Applicability

- **Level:** 1

## Description

Ensure that the certificate authorities file ownership is set to `root:root`.

## Rationale

The certificate authorities file controls the authorities used to validate API requests. You should set its file ownership to maintain the integrity of the file. The file should be owned by `root:root`.

## Impact

None.

## Audit Procedure

The Client CA location for the `kubelet` is defined in `/etc/kubernetes/kubelet.conf` and is `/etc/kubernetes/kubelet-ca.crt` by default.

Run the following command to view the user and group ownership:

```bash
for node in $(oc get nodes -o jsonpath='{.items[*].metadata.name}')
do
oc debug node/${node} -- chroot /host stat -c %U:%G /etc/kubernetes/kubelet-ca.crt
done
```

OR

```bash
for node in $(oc get nodes -o jsonpath='{.items[*].metadata.name}')
do
oc debug node/${node} -- chroot /host stat -c %U:%G /host/etc/kubernetes/kubelet-ca.crt
done
```

Verify that the ownership is set to `root:root`.

## Remediation

None.

## Default Value

By default, in OpenShift 4, the `--client-ca-file` is set to `/etc/kubernetes/kubelet-ca.crt` with ownership `root:root`.

## References

1. https://docs.openshift.com/container-platform/latest/architecture/control-plane.html#understanding-machine-config-operator_control-plane
2. https://kubernetes.io/docs/reference/access-authn-authz/authentication/#x509-client-certs

## CIS Controls

| Controls Version | Control                                                                   | IG 1 | IG 2 | IG 3 |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| v8               | 5.4 Restrict Administrator Privileges to Dedicated Administrator Accounts | \*   | \*   | \*   |
| v7               | 4.3 Ensure the Use of Dedicated Administrative Accounts                   | \*   | \*   | \*   |

## MITRE ATT&CK Mappings

| Techniques / Sub-techniques | Tactics        | Mitigations |
| --------------------------- | -------------- | ----------- |
| T1083, T1222                | TA0005, TA0007 | M1026       |

## Profile

**Level 1** (Automated)