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Hands-on Lab·Certified Kubernetes Administrator

Creating a User with a CertificateSigningRequest

Kubernetes has no User object. You make one with openssl, a CertificateSigningRequest and an approval - and the first thing the new kubeconfig does is fail with Forbidden, because a certificate authenticates and never authorises.

Cluster Architecture and Configuration Guide 16 of 103 Intermediate

A single node. Creating a user touches the control plane only.
Server NameIP AddressOSRolesCPURAMHDD
CKA4001192.168.0.191Ubuntu 26.04 LTSSingle Node (control plane, untainted)2 Core4 GB50 GB

Before you start

  1. A key and a request, made by the user

  2. The cluster does not know that name yet

  3. Ask the cluster to sign it

  4. Build a kubeconfig, and watch it get refused

  5. Now grant it something

Official sources