diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go b/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go
index cbeb6ee282..ce78418be3 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmds/root.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func sysctl(s string) (int, error) {
 	if len(v) < 2 || v[len(v)-1] != '\n' {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("invalid contents: %s", s)
 	}
-	return strconv.Atoi(string(v[0]))
+	return strconv.Atoi(strings.Replace(string(v), "\n", "", -1))
 }
 
 // cisErrors holds errors reported during
diff --git a/pkg/podexecutor/staticpod.go b/pkg/podexecutor/staticpod.go
index d0ed23ea7b..a4fb830333 100644
--- a/pkg/podexecutor/staticpod.go
+++ b/pkg/podexecutor/staticpod.go
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"os"
 	"os/exec"
+	"os/user"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -36,6 +38,7 @@ type StaticPod struct {
 	Manifests  string
 	PullImages string
 	Images     images.Images
+	CISMode    bool
 }
 
 func (s *StaticPod) Kubelet(args []string) error {
@@ -176,7 +179,7 @@ func (s *StaticPod) ETCD(args executor.ETCDConfig) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return staticpod.Run(s.Manifests, staticpod.Args{
+	spa := staticpod.Args{
 		Annotations: map[string]string{
 			"etcd.k3s.io/initial": string(initial),
 		},
@@ -197,5 +200,43 @@ func (s *StaticPod) ETCD(args executor.ETCDConfig) error {
 		HealthPort:  2381,
 		HealthPath:  "/health",
 		HealthProto: "HTTP",
+	}
+
+	if s.CISMode {
+		etcdUser, err := user.Lookup("etcd")
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		uid, err := strconv.ParseInt(etcdUser.Uid, 10, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		gid, err := strconv.ParseInt(etcdUser.Gid, 10, 64)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		spa.SecurityContext = &staticpod.SecurityContext{
+			UID: uid,
+			GID: gid,
+		}
+
+		for _, p := range []string{args.DataDir, filepath.Dir(args.ServerTrust.CertFile)} {
+			if err := chownr(p, int(uid), int(gid)); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	return staticpod.Run(s.Manifests, spa)
+}
+
+// chownr recursively changes the ownership of the given
+// path to the given user ID and group ID.
+func chownr(path string, uid, gid int) error {
+	return filepath.Walk(path, func(name string, info os.FileInfo, err error) error {
+		if err == nil {
+			err = os.Chown(name, uid, gid)
+		}
+		return err
 	})
 }
diff --git a/pkg/rke2/server.go b/pkg/rke2/server.go
index fac900d403..fc6c9729f8 100644
--- a/pkg/rke2/server.go
+++ b/pkg/rke2/server.go
@@ -71,11 +71,24 @@ func setup(ctx *cli.Context, cfg Config) error {
 
 	managed.RegisterDriver(&etcd.ETCD{})
 
-	executor.Set(&podexecutor.StaticPod{
+	sp := podexecutor.StaticPod{
 		Images:     images,
 		PullImages: pullImages,
 		Manifests:  manifests,
-	})
+		CISMode:    false,
+	}
+
+	for _, f := range ctx.App.Flags {
+		switch t := f.(type) {
+		case cli.StringFlag:
+			if t.Name == "profile" {
+				sp.CISMode = true
+			}
+		default:
+			// nothing to do. Keep moving.
+		}
+	}
+	executor.Set(&sp)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/staticpod/staticpod.go b/pkg/staticpod/staticpod.go
index 797422aa3c..d8871e8f60 100644
--- a/pkg/staticpod/staticpod.go
+++ b/pkg/staticpod/staticpod.go
@@ -20,17 +20,25 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/client-go/tools/clientcmd"
 )
 
+// SecurityContext contains the relevant data
+// to setup a pod's security context for execution.
+type SecurityContext struct {
+	UID int64
+	GID int64
+}
+
 type Args struct {
-	Command     string
-	Args        []string
-	Image       string
-	Dirs        []string
-	Files       []string
-	HealthPort  int32
-	HealthProto string
-	HealthPath  string
-	CPUMillis   int64
-	Annotations map[string]string
+	Command         string
+	Args            []string
+	Image           string
+	Dirs            []string
+	Files           []string
+	HealthPort      int32
+	HealthProto     string
+	HealthPath      string
+	CPUMillis       int64
+	SecurityContext *SecurityContext
+	Annotations     map[string]string
 }
 
 func Run(dir string, args Args) error {
@@ -176,6 +184,13 @@ func pod(args Args) (*v1.Pod, error) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if args.SecurityContext != nil {
+		p.Spec.SecurityContext = &v1.PodSecurityContext{
+			RunAsUser:  &args.SecurityContext.UID,
+			RunAsGroup: &args.SecurityContext.GID,
+		}
+	}
+
 	addVolumes(p, args.Dirs, true)
 	addVolumes(p, args.Files, false)