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Every pod carries a credential to our API server. How does service account authentication actually work, and how would you lock it down?

Pods authenticate with JWTs minted per-pod now, not eternal Secrets. The scored answer separates authentication from authorization, explains audience binding, and treats automount as opt-in rather than ambient.

Updated Sep 2026 · Grounded in researched DevOps, SRE and platform engineering interview loops, written to a senior-engineer editorial bar, and never padded to hit a word count.

Pods authenticate with JWTs minted per-pod now, not eternal Secrets. The scored answer separates authentication from authorization, explains audience binding, and treats automount as opt-in rather than ambient.

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