---
title: Containers with sys admin capabilities
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > Containers with sys admin capabilities
---

# Containers with sys admin capabilities

{% callout %}
# Important note for users on the following Datadog sites: app.ddog-gov.com

{% alert level="danger" %}
This product is not supported for your selected [Datadog site](https://docs.datadoghq.com/getting_started/site). ().
{% /alert %}

{% /callout %}

## Metadata{% #metadata %}

**Id:** `235236ee-ad78-4065-bd29-61b061f28ce0`

**Cloud Provider:** Kubernetes

**Platform:** Kubernetes

**Severity:** High

**Category:** Insecure Configurations

#### Learn More{% #learn-more %}

- [Provider Reference](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/configure-pod-container/security-context/)

### Description{% #description %}

Containers should not include the `CAP_SYS_ADMIN` Linux capability. This rule flags any resource where a `container` or `initContainer` adds `SYS_ADMIN` to `securityContext.capabilities.add`. `CAP_SYS_ADMIN` grants broad privileges and can enable privilege escalation, so it must not be granted to container processes.

## Compliant Code Examples{% #compliant-code-examples %}

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: pod1
spec:
  containers:
  - name: app
    image: images.my-company.example/app:v4
    securityContext:
      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
    resources:
      requests:
        memory: "64Mi"
        cpu: "250m"
      limits:
        memory: "128Mi"
        cpu: "500m"

  - name: log-aggregator
    image: images.my-company.example/log-aggregator:v6
    securityContext:
      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
    resources:
      requests:
        memory: "64Mi"
        cpu: "250m"
      limits:
        memory: "128Mi"
        cpu: "500m"
```

## Non-Compliant Code Examples{% #non-compliant-code-examples %}

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: pod4
spec:
  containers:
  - name: app
    image: images.my-company.example/app:v4
    securityContext:
      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
      capabilities:
           add: ["SYS_ADMIN"]
    resources:
      requests:
        memory: "64Mi"
        cpu: "250m"
      limits:
        memory: "128Mi"
        cpu: "500m"
  - name: log-aggregator
    image: images.my-company.example/log-aggregator:v6
    securityContext:
      allowPrivilegeEscalation: false
    resources:
      requests:
        memory: "64Mi"
        cpu: "250m"
      limits:
        memory: "128Mi"
        cpu: "500m"
```