---
title: Kubelet not managing IP tables
description: Datadog, the leading service for cloud-scale monitoring.
breadcrumbs: >-
  Docs > Datadog Security > Code Security > Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
  Security > IaC Security Rules > Kubelet not managing IP tables
---

# Kubelet not managing IP tables

{% 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:** `5f89001f-6dd9-49ff-9b15-d8cd71b617f4`

**Cloud Provider:** Kubernetes

**Platform:** Kubernetes

**Severity:** Medium

**Category:** Networking and Firewall

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

- [Provider Reference](https://kubernetes.io/docs/tasks/inject-data-application/define-command-argument-container/)

### Description{% #description %}

The kubelet argument `--make-iptables-util-chains` should be set to `true`. This policy identifies kubelet invocations that explicitly include `--make-iptables-util-chains=false` (for example in `initContainers` or `containers` command arrays) or `KubeletConfiguration` resources where `makeIPTablesUtilChains` is set to `false`. Disabling this option prevents the kubelet from creating required iptables utility chains, which can disrupt network routing and kube-proxy behavior.

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

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: command-demo
  labels:
    purpose: demonstrate-command
spec:
  containers:
    - name: command-demo-container
      image: foo/bar
      command: ["kubelet"]
      args: ["--make-iptables-util-chains=true"]
  restartPolicy: OnFailure
```

```json
{
    "port": 20250,
    "evictionHard": {
        "memory.available": "200Mi"
    },
    "kind": "KubeletConfiguration",
    "makeIPTablesUtilChains": true,
    "serializeImagePulls": false,
    "address": "192.168.0.8",
    "apiVersion": "kubelet.config.k8s.io/v1beta1"
}
```

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: command-demo
  labels:
    purpose: demonstrate-command
spec:
  containers:
    - name: command-demo-container
      image: foo/bar
      command: ["kubelet"]
      args: [""]
  restartPolicy: OnFailure
```

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

```yaml
apiVersion: kubelet.config.k8s.io/v1beta1
kind: KubeletConfiguration
address: "192.168.0.8"
port: 20250
serializeImagePulls: false
evictionHard:
    memory.available:  "200Mi"
makeIPTablesUtilChains: false
```

```json
{
    "apiVersion": "kubelet.config.k8s.io/v1beta1",
    "evictionHard": {
        "memory.available": "200Mi"
    },
    "kind": "KubeletConfiguration",
    "makeIPTablesUtilChains": false,
    "port": 20250,
    "serializeImagePulls": false,
    "address": "192.168.0.8"
}
```

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Pod
metadata:
  name: command-demo
  labels:
    purpose: demonstrate-command
spec:
  containers:
    - name: command-demo-container
      image: foo/bar
      command: ["kubelet"]
      args: ["--make-iptables-util-chains=false"]
  restartPolicy: OnFailure
```