diff --git a/linodecli/plugins/get-kubeconfig.py b/linodecli/plugins/get-kubeconfig.py
index a839416eb..c0204ba71 100644
--- a/linodecli/plugins/get-kubeconfig.py
+++ b/linodecli/plugins/get-kubeconfig.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 import argparse
 import base64
+import os
 import sys
 from pathlib import Path
 
@@ -19,6 +20,11 @@
 
 PLUGIN_BASE = "linode-cli get-kubeconfig"
 
+# Kubeconfigs contain credentials, so they should only be
+# accessible by the user that created them.
+KUBECONFIG_FILE_MODE = 0o600
+KUBECONFIG_DIR_MODE = 0o700
+
 
 def call(args, context):
     """
@@ -147,8 +153,27 @@ def _load_config(filepath):
 
 # Dumps data to a yaml file
 def _dump_config(filepath, data):
-    Path.mkdir(filepath.parent, exist_ok=True)
-    with open(filepath, "w", encoding="utf-8") as file_descriptor:
+    filepath.parent.mkdir(mode=KUBECONFIG_DIR_MODE, parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+    # Create the file with restrictive permissions rather than chmod-ing it
+    # afterwards, so its contents are never briefly readable by other users.
+    # NOTE: The mode is only applied when the file is created.
+    def opener(path, flags):
+        return os.open(path, flags, mode=KUBECONFIG_FILE_MODE)
+
+    with open(
+        filepath, "w", encoding="utf-8", opener=opener
+    ) as file_descriptor:
+        # Tighten the permissions of pre-existing files that are readable or
+        # writable by users other than the owner.
+        # NOTE: os.fchmod is not available on Windows, where POSIX file modes
+        # are not meaningful anyway.
+        if (
+            hasattr(os, "fchmod")
+            and os.fstat(file_descriptor.fileno()).st_mode & 0o077
+        ):
+            os.fchmod(file_descriptor.fileno(), KUBECONFIG_FILE_MODE)
+
         yaml.dump(data, file_descriptor)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_plugin_kubeconfig.py b/tests/unit/test_plugin_kubeconfig.py
index ff192f57b..7fdc0b8da 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_plugin_kubeconfig.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_plugin_kubeconfig.py
@@ -204,6 +204,64 @@ def test_merge(mock_cli, fake_kubeconfig_file):
     assert result["dictionary"] == yaml_a["dictionary"]
 
 
+# Ensure newly created kubeconfig files are not world/group-readable
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    os.name == "nt", reason="POSIX file modes are not supported on Windows"
+)
+def test_written_config_permissions(mock_cli):
+    mock_cli.call_operation = mock_call_operation
+
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        file_path = os.path.join(temp_dir, "new_dir", "nested", "config")
+
+        try:
+            plugin.call(
+                [
+                    "--label",
+                    "nonempty_data",
+                    "--kubeconfig",
+                    file_path,
+                ],
+                PluginContext("REALTOKEN", mock_cli),
+            )
+        except SystemExit as err:
+            assert err.code == 0
+
+        assert os.path.exists(file_path)
+        assert os.stat(file_path).st_mode & 0o777 == 0o600
+        assert os.stat(os.path.dirname(file_path)).st_mode & 0o777 == 0o700
+
+
+# Ensure pre-existing world-readable kubeconfig files get tightened
+@pytest.mark.skipif(
+    os.name == "nt", reason="POSIX file modes are not supported on Windows"
+)
+def test_existing_config_permissions_tightened(mock_cli):
+    mock_cli.call_operation = mock_call_operation
+
+    with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as temp_dir:
+        file_path = os.path.join(temp_dir, "config")
+
+        with open(file_path, "w", encoding="utf-8") as file:
+            file.write(TEST_YAML_CONTENT_A)
+        os.chmod(file_path, 0o644)
+
+        try:
+            plugin.call(
+                [
+                    "--label",
+                    "nonempty_data",
+                    "--kubeconfig",
+                    file_path,
+                ],
+                PluginContext("REALTOKEN", mock_cli),
+            )
+        except SystemExit as err:
+            assert err.code == 0
+
+        assert os.stat(file_path).st_mode & 0o777 == 0o600
+
+
 def test_merge_to_empty_config(mock_cli, fake_kubeconfig_file_without_entries):
     stdout_buf = io.StringIO()
     mock_cli.call_operation = mock_call_operation