Cisco 350-701 Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR 350-701) Exam Practice Test

Explanation

Explanation

Cisco Umbrella protects users from accessing malicious domains by proactively analyzing and blocking unsafe destinations – before a connection is ever made. Thus it can protect from phishing attacks by blocking suspicious domains when users click on the given links that an attacker sent.

The Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) posture module provides a service that allows you to check the compliance of endpoints with corporate security policies. This service consists of three main components: client provisioning, posture policy, and authorization policy. Client provisioning ensures that the endpoints receive the appropriate posture agent, such as the AnyConnect ISE Posture Agent or the Network Admission Control (NAC) Agent. Posture policy defines the conditions and requirements that the endpoints must meet to be considered compliant, such as having the latest antivirus updates or patches installed. Authorization policy determines the level of network access granted to the endpoints based on their posture assessment results, such as allowing full access, limited access, or quarantine.

The two actions that the Cisco ISE posture module provides that ensure endpoint security are:

The latest antivirus updates are applied before access is allowed. This action prevents malware infections and protects the network from potential threats. The posture policy can include predefined or custom conditions that check the antivirus status of the endpoints, such as the product name, version, definition date, and scan result. If the endpoint does not meet the antivirus requirement, the posture agent can trigger a remediation action, such as launching the antivirus update or scan, before allowing network access.

Patch management remediation is performed. This action ensures that the endpoints have the latest security patches installed and are not vulnerable to known exploits. The posture policy can include predefined or custom conditions that check the patch status of the endpoints, such as the operating system, service pack, hotfix, or update. If the endpoint does not meet the patch requirement, the posture agent can trigger a remediation action, such as redirecting the endpoint to a patch management server or launching the patch installation, before allowing network access.

References :=

Cisco Identity Services Engine Administrator Guide, Release 2.2 - Configure Client Posture Policies

Configuring posture services with the Cisco Identity Services Engine

Cisco Identity Services Engine Administrator Guide, Release 2.0 - Posture Policy

Explanation

Because MAB uses the MAC address as a username and password, you should make sure that the RADIUS server can differentiate MAB requests from other types of requests for network access. This precaution will prevent other clients from attempting to use a MAC address as a valid credential. Cisco switches uniquely

identify MAB requests by setting Attribute 6 (Service-Type) to 10 (Call-Check) in a MAB Access-Request

message. Therefore, you can use Attribute 6 to filter MAB requests at the RADIUS server.

Explanation

Explanation

Cisco FTD devices, Cisco Firepower devices, and the Cisco ASA FirePOWER modules can be managed by

the Firepower Management Center (FMC), formerly known as the FireSIGHT Management Center -> Answer D

is not correct

WannaCry ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the files on the infected devices and demands a ransom for their decryption. It exploits a vulnerability in the Windows SMB protocol that allows remote code execution. To prevent WannaCry ransomware from spreading to all clients, IT should take the following precautions:

Ensure that noncompliant endpoints are segmented off to contain any potential damage. This means that any device that is not patched, managed, or compliant with the security policies should be isolated from the rest of the network and given limited access to resources. This can be done using Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco TrustSec, which can enforce dynamic segmentation based on the device’s identity, posture, and context. This way, IT can prevent the ransomware from infecting other devices and reduce the impact of the attack12

Perform a posture check to allow only network access to those Windows devices that are already patched. This means that IT should verify that the devices have installed the latest security updates from Microsoft that fix the SMB vulnerability. This can be done using Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client, which offers a VPN Posture/HostScan Module and an ISE Posture Module. Both modules can assess the endpoint’s compliance for things like operating system, patches, antivirus, antispyware, and firewall software. If the device is not patched, it can be denied access to the network or redirected to a remediation portal13

 1: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Administrator Guide, Release 4.0 - Configure Posture 2: Can We Trust Your Device? Checking Security Posture - Cisco 3: Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Administrator Guide, Release 4.10 - Configure Posture

Contextual awareness is the ability to collect and analyze information about the network environment, such as users, devices, applications, threats, and vulnerabilities, and use it to enhance security policies and actions. Cisco Firepower is a network security device that supports contextual awareness by providing real-time visibility into network traffic and activity, security intelligence from Cisco Talos and other sources, and advanced threat protection with Cisco AMP and sandboxing. Cisco Firepower can also leverage Cisco pxGrid to share contextual data with other security solutions, such as SIEM and TD platforms, to enable faster and more accurate threat detection and response123 References := 1: Cisco Firepower NGIPS Data Sheet - Cisco 2: Cisco Identity Services Engine with Integrated Security Information and Event Management and Threat Defense Platforms At-a-Glance - Cisco 3: A Visibility-Driven Approach to Next-Generation Firewalls

DNS tunneling is a technique that exploits the DNS protocol to tunnel malware and other data through a client-server model. DNS tunneling can be used for data exfiltration, command and control, or IP-over-DNS tunneling. DNS tunneling works by encoding the information of other protocols or programs in DNS queries and responses. An attacker registers a domain, such as badsite.com, and sets up a malicious DNS server that can interpret the encoded data. The attacker then infects a client with malware that can send and receive DNS queries to the attacker’s domain. The malware can use DNS queries to request commands from the attacker, or to send sensitive data to the attacker. The DNS queries and responses look like normal DNS traffic, but they contain hidden data that can bypass network defenses123. References := 1: What Is DNS Tunneling? - Palo Alto Networks 2: What is DNS Tunneling? - Check Point Software 3: What Is DNS Tunneling and How to Detect and Prevent Attacks

CoA stands for Change of Authorization, which is a feature that allows a RADIUS server to adjust an active client session after it is authenticated. For example, CoA can be used to reauthenticate a client, terminate a client session, or change the VLAN or group policy of a client. CoA is supported by several RADIUS vendors, including Cisco ISE. CoA is defined in RFC 5176 and uses a pushed model, where the request originates from the RADIUS server and is sent to the network device that acts as a listener. CoA requests can have two possible response codes: CoA-ACK (acknowledgment) or CoA-NAK (non-acknowledgment). References :=

Some possible references are:

RADIUS Change of Authorization

Change of Authorization with RADIUS (CoA) on MR Access Points

Change of Authorization with RADIUS (CoA) on MS Switches

Technical Tip: Radius COA behavior

Explanation

CoA Messages are sent on two different udp ports depending on the platform. Cisco standardizes on UDP port

1700, while the actual RFC calls out using UDP port 3799.

The Cisco ASA and the Cisco IOS router with Zone-Based Policy Firewall (ZFW) have different default behaviors when it comes to traffic filtering. The Cisco ASA follows a default deny-all policy that prohibits traffic between firewall security zones until an explicit policy is applied to allow desirable traffic1. The Cisco IOS router with ZFW, on the other hand, starts out by allowing all traffic, even on untrusted interfaces, until a zone-pair policy is applied to restrict or inspect traffic2. This means that the Cisco ASA provides a higher level of security by default, while the Cisco IOS router with ZFW requires more configuration to harden the router. However, the Cisco IOS router with ZFW also offers more flexibility and granularity in defining firewall policies, as well as more advanced features such as DMVPN, GET VPN, and Policy-Based Routing, which are not supported by the Cisco ASA23. References:

2: IOS Firewall vs. ASA - Cisco Community

1: Understand the Zone-Based Policy Firewall Design - Cisco

4: What is a functional difference between a Cisco ASA and a Cisco IOS router with Zone-based policy firewall?

5: What is a functional difference between a Cisco ASA and Cisco IOS router with Zone-based policy firewall?

3: Cisco Zone-Based Firewall Reporting – Plixer

Mobile device management (MDM) is a solution that allows organizations to monitor and manage mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. MDM provides features such as inventory and device tracking, remote view, live troubleshooting, remote device locking, device wipe, application management, certificate management, and self-service PIN changes. MDM can help organizations secure their devices, control access to corporate data, and enforce security policies on mobile endpoints. Cisco offers MDM solutions such as Cisco Meraki Systems Manager and Cisco Business Mobile app, which are cloud-based and integrated with other Cisco security products. References:

Cisco Meraki Systems Manager

Mobile Device Management in the Meraki Cloud

What Is Endpoint Management?

Device Management using Cisco Business Mobile App

 The strongest security possible for SNMPv3 requires both authentication and encryption, which is achieved by using the priv security level. Authentication ensures that the message is from a valid source, and encryption scrambles the content of the packet to prevent it from being learned by an unauthorized source. The auth sha and priv aes 256 parameters specify the algorithms used for authentication and encryption, respectively. SHA is more secure than MD5, and AES 256 is more secure than DES or 3DES. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, as it uses the priv security level, the SHA algorithm for authentication, and the AES 256 algorithm for encryption. The other options either use a lower security level (noauth or authNoPriv), a weaker encryption algorithm (des or 3des), or no encryption at all. References :=

SNMP Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE Release 3SE (Catalyst 3850 Switches) - SNMP Version 3

Configuration Template for SNMPv3 - Cisco Community

SNMP Version 3 - Cisco

Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud is a cloud-delivered and SaaS-based solution that provides visibility and threat detection across the AWS network. It does not require any software agents to be installed on the AWS instances, and it relies on AWS VPC flow logs to collect network traffic metadata. Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud analyzes the flow logs using machine learning and behavioral modeling to detect anomalies and threats, such as data exfiltration, lateral movement, reconnaissance, and compromised instances. Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud also provides contextual information and actionable alerts to help users respond to incidents and remediate issues.

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-delivered and SaaS-based solution that provides DNS-layer security and web filtering for internet traffic. It does not provide visibility and threat detection for internal AWS network traffic, and it requires software agents to be installed on the endpoints or network devices to enforce policies and redirect DNS requests.

NetFlow collectors are devices or software applications that collect and analyze NetFlow records, which are generated by network devices to capture information about IP traffic flows. NetFlow collectors can provide visibility and threat detection for network traffic, but they are not cloud-delivered or SaaS-based solutions. They also require NetFlow exporters to be configured on the network devices, which may not be supported by AWS.

Cisco Cloudlock is a cloud-delivered and SaaS-based solution that provides cloud security posture management (CSPM) and cloud access security broker (CASB) capabilities for cloud applications and environments. It does not provide visibility and threat detection for AWS network traffic, and it does not rely on AWS VPC flow logs. It focuses on protecting cloud data, users, and configurations from misconfigurations, compliance violations, and malicious activities. References :=

Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud for AWS

Cisco Umbrella

NetFlow

[Cisco Cloudlock]

Explanation

In its essence, FlexVPN is the same as DMVPN. Connections between devices are still point-to-point GRE tunnels, spoke-to-spoke connectivity is still achieved with NHRP redirect message, IOS routers even run the same NHRP code for both DMVPN and FlexVPN, which also means that both are Cisco’s proprietary technologies.

EDR stands for endpoint detection and response, while EPP stands for endpoint protection platform. EDR and EPP are two types of endpoint security solutions that have different capabilities and objectives. EDR provides real-time visibility into endpoint activities, detects malicious behavior and anomalies, and enables security teams to investigate and respond to threats. EPP prevents, detects, and remediates security threats on endpoints, such as known and unknown malware, ransomware, and zero-day vulnerabilities. EPP solutions may also include EDR capabilities, but not all EDR solutions include EPP capabilities.

One of the key features of EDR is retrospective analysis, which means the ability to look back at historical endpoint data and identify the root cause, scope, and impact of a security incident. Retrospective analysis helps security teams understand how the threat entered the network, what actions it performed, and how to prevent it from happening again. EPP solutions, on the other hand, do not provide retrospective analysis, as they are mainly focused on preventing and remediating threats, rather than investigating and responding to them.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. Retrospective analysis is a characteristic of an EDR solution and not of an EPP solution.

 The RADIUS CoA feature supports the IETF attribute 24 State, which is used to identify the session for which the CoA request is intended. The State attribute is sent by the device in the Access-Accept message and must be echoed back by the RADIUS server in the CoA-Request message. The other attributes are not supported for the RADIUS CoA feature.

To understand the concept of RADIUS CoA and the supported attributes, you can refer to the following sections of the source book:

Section 1.1.2: Describe the concepts of network security

Section 1.1.2.6: Describe the concepts of RADIUS CoA

Section 1.1.2.7: Describe the concepts of supported IETF attributes

Explanation

Explanation

Storm control prevents traffic on a LAN from being disrupted by a broadcast, multicast, or unicast storm on one of the physical interfaces. A LAN storm occurs when packets flood the LAN, creating excessive traffic and degrading network performance. Errors in the protocol-stack implementation, mistakes in network configurations, or users issuing a denial-of-service attack can cause a storm.

By using the “storm-control broadcast level [falling-threshold]” we can limit the broadcast traffic on the switch.

Explanation

Explanation

When supporting personal devices on a corporate network, you must protect network services and enterprise

data by authenticating and authorizing users (employees, contractors, and guests) and their devices. Cisco ISE

provides the tools you need to allow employees to securely use personal devices on a corporate network.

Guests can add their personal devices to the network by running the native supplicant provisioning (Network

Setup Assistant), or by adding their devices to the My Devices portal.

Because native supplicant profiles are not available for all devices, users can use the My Devices portal to add

these devices manually; or you can configure Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) rules to register these devices.

Microsegmentation is a technology that limits communication between nodes on the same network segment to individual applications by creating secure zones across cloud and data center environments. Microsegmentation isolates application workloads from one another and secures them individually with granular firewall policies based on a zero-trust security approach1. Microsegmentation can reduce the attack surface, prevent the lateral movement of threats, and strengthen regulatory compliance1.

Serverless infrastructure is a technology that allows developers to run code without provisioning or managing servers2. Serverless infrastructure does not limit communication between nodes on the same network segment to individual applications, but rather abstracts away the underlying infrastructure from the application logic.

SaaS deployment is a technology that delivers software applications over the internet as a service3. SaaS deployment does not limit communication between nodes on the same network segment to individual applications, but rather provides access to software applications from any device and location.

Machine-to-machine firewalling is a technology that controls the communication between machines or devices on a network. Machine-to-machine firewalling does not limit communication between nodes on the same network segment to individual applications, but rather applies rules to the traffic between machines or devices based on their IP addresses, ports, protocols, or other criteria.

References :=

What Is Micro-Segmentation? - Cisco

What is serverless?

What is SaaS?

[Machine-to-Machine Firewalling]

Explanation

Explanation

To configure an NTP enabled router to require authentication when other devices connect to it, use the

following commands:

NTP_Server(config)#ntp authentication-key 2 md5 securitytut

NTP_Server(config)#ntp authenticate

NTP_Server(config)#ntp trusted-key 2

Then you must configure the same authentication-key on the client router:

NTP_Client(config)#ntp authentication-key 2 md5 securitytut

NTP_Client(config)#ntp authenticate

NTP_Client(config)#ntp trusted-key 2

NTP_Client(config)#ntp server 10.10.10.1 key 2

Note: To configure a Cisco device as a NTP client, use the command ntp server . For example:

Router(config)#ntp server 10.10.10.1. This command will instruct the router to query 10.10.10.1 for the time.

The exhibit shows an access rule for URL filtering that has the following conditions:

The action is Block

The URL category is Botnets

The URL reputation is 3

The URL list is empty

This means that the rule will block any URL that matches the category and reputation criteria, regardless of the individual URL. According to the Cisco documentation1, the URL reputation is a score from 1 to 5 that indicates the risk level of a URL, where 1 is the most risky and 5 is the least risky. Therefore, a reputation score of 3 means a moderate risk level. The rule will not block URLs for botnets with reputation scores of 1, 2, 4, or 5, nor will it block any other URL category or list. The rule will also not allow any URL, as the action is Block, not Allow.

References := 1: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 4: Securing the Cloud, Lesson 4.3: Cloud Application Security, Topic 4.3.2: Cisco Umbrella, page 4-58.

The API key is a secret token that is used to authenticate the client to the server. It is functionally equivalent to a username and password, and should be treated as such. The API key is passed as part of the HTTP header in the request, using the Authorization: Basic scheme. The API key is combined with the client ID and encoded in base64 format. For example, if the client ID is d16aff14860af496e848 and the API key is d01ed435-b00d-4a4d-a299-1806ac117e72, the HTTP header would look like this:

Authorization: Basic ZDE2YWZmMTQ4NjBhZjQ5NmU4NDg6ZDAxZWQ0MzUtYjAwZC00YTRkLWEyOTktMTgwNmFjMTE3ZTcy

The server then decodes the header and verifies the credentials. If the credentials are valid, the server grants access to the requested resource. If the credentials are invalid, the server returns an HTTP 401 Unauthorized error.

The API key performs the function of HTTP authentication, which is the process of verifying the identity of the client. HTTP authentication is different from HTTP authorization, which is the process of determining the permissions of the client. HTTP authorization is based on the scope of the API credential, which can be either read-only or read & write. The scope determines what actions the client can perform on the Cisco AMP for Endpoints data.

Importing requests is not a function of the API key, but rather a Python module that allows sending HTTP requests. Playing dent ID is not a meaningful term in this context. Therefore, the correct answer is C. References:

Secure Endpoint API - Cisco DevNet

Overview of the Cisco AMP for Endpoints API - Cisco

Configure AMP for Endpoints Event Stream Feature - Cisco

ZBFW stands for Zone-Based Firewall, which is a feature that allows unidirectional application of IOS firewall policies between groups of interfaces known as zones. Interfaces are assigned to zones, and firewall rules are applied to specific types of traffic moving in one direction between the zones. ZBFW enforces a secure inter-zone policy by default, meaning traffic cannot pass between security zones until an explicit policy allowing that traffic is defined. The zone itself is an abstraction of multiple interfaces with the same or similar security requirements that can be logically grouped together. ZBFW is CBAC’s replacement and offers intuitive policies for multiple-interface routers, increased granularity of firewall policy application, and a default deny-all policy that prohibits traffic between firewall security zones until an explicit policy is applied to allow desirable traffic. ZBFW is supported on IOS devices running 12.4(6)T or later, and ASR devices running 12.2(33) or later. References:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 4: Securing the Cloud, Lesson 4.1: Introducing Cisco Cloud Services Router 1000V Series, Topic 4.1.2: Zone-Based Firewall

Understand the Zone-Based Policy Firewall Design

Managing Zone-based Firewall Rules

Zone Based Firewall Overview

CBAC vs. Zone-based firewall

Microsegmentation is a technique that divides a network into smaller segments or zones, each with its own security policies and controls. This helps to isolate and protect workloads and applications from each other, and limit the lateral movement of threats within the network. Microsegmentation can be applied to different platforms and environments, such as virtual machines, containers, cloud services, and endpoints. Microsegmentation can also improve the visibility and enforcement of network traffic, as well as the performance and scalability of security solutions.

In the context of applications or containers on the same node, microsegmentation can limit the communication between them by enforcing granular policies based on attributes such as identity, context, and behavior. For example, microsegmentation can restrict which ports, protocols, or services are allowed for each application or container, and block any unauthorized or malicious traffic. Microsegmentation can also prevent the exposure of sensitive data or resources to other applications or containers on the same node, or to external attackers who may compromise one of them.

Container orchestration, microservicing, and Software-Defined Access are not directly related to limiting the communication between applications or containers on the same node. Container orchestration is a process of managing the lifecycle, deployment, and scaling of containers across a cluster of nodes. Microservicing is an architectural style of developing applications as a collection of loosely coupled, independent, and modular services. Software-Defined Access is a network architecture that abstracts the network infrastructure from the network policies, and enables consistent and secure access to any application or service across any domain. References:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 5: Securing the Cloud, Lesson 5.1: Describing Cloud Computing and Deployment Models, Topic 5.1.4: Microsegmentation

What Is Micro-Segmentation? - Cisco

Communicating With Docker Containers on the Same Machine - Baeldung on Ops

Explanation

Explanation

Talos Threat Source is a regular intelligence update from Cisco Talos, highlighting the biggest threats each week and other security news.

 SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is the most commonly used protocol for network telemetry. SNMP is a standard protocol that allows network devices to exchange management information1. SNMP agents run on network devices and collect data about their status, performance, configuration, and events. SNMP managers run on network management systems and query the agents for data or receive notifications from them. SNMP can also be used to configure or control network devices remotely2. SNMP is widely supported by various vendors and platforms, and it provides a simple and flexible way to monitor and manage networks3.

 1: What is SNMP? | Cisco 2: SNMP Basics: What is SNMP and How It Works | SolarWinds 3: Network Telemetry Explained: Frameworks, Applications & Standards | Splunk

DNS tunneling is a technique that uses the DNS protocol to exfiltrate data or establish command and control channels between a compromised host and an attacker-controlled server. DNS tunneling can bypass network security controls that allow outbound DNS traffic without inspection or filtering. To stop DNS tunneling, two recommended approaches are:

Enforce security over port 53. This means applying firewall rules, access control lists, or other mechanisms to restrict outbound DNS traffic to only authorized DNS servers and domains. Additionally, DNS traffic should be inspected and analyzed for anomalies, such as unusually large or frequent queries, non-standard encoding, or suspicious domains. This can help detect and block DNS tunneling attempts.

Use Cisco Umbrella. Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-based security service that provides DNS security, web filtering, and threat intelligence. Cisco Umbrella can prevent DNS tunneling by blocking malicious domains, enforcing policies based on content categories, and applying machine learning to identify and stop emerging threats. Cisco Umbrella can also provide visibility and reporting on DNS activity and security events.

References :=

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 5: Securing the Cloud, Lesson 5.2: DNS Security

What Is DNS Tunneling? - Palo Alto Networks

An Introduction to DNS Tunneling Detection & Data Exfiltration via DNS - Vercara

Cisco FTDv in AWS can be deployed in two different deployment models: single-instance and cluster. In both models, the FTDv can be configured in routed mode and managed by either an FMCv installed in AWS or a physical FMC appliance on premises. The FTDv can also use Geneve encapsulation for traffic interfaces to support AWS Gateway Load Balancer (GWLB) integration. The following table summarizes the supported deployment model configurations for FTDv in AWS:

Table

Deployment Model

Management Mode

Traffic Mode

Geneve Encapsulation

Single-instance

FMCv in AWS

Routed

Optional

Single-instance

FMC on premises

Routed

Optional

Cluster

FMCv in AWS

Routed

Required

Cluster

FMC on premises

Routed

Required

References :=

Deploy the Threat Defense Virtual on AWS - Cisco

Deploy a Threat Defense Virtual Cluster on AWS - Cisco

Configure Geneve Interfaces in Secure FTDv - Cisco

Deployment of Cisco Secure FTDv and FMCv instances in AWS - Terraform

Solved: FTD virtual appliance in AWS - Cisco Community

Explanation

The Trusted Automated eXchangeof Indicator Information (TAXII) specifies mechanisms for exchanging

structured cyber threat information between parties over the network.

TAXII exists to provide specific capabilities to those interested in sharing structured cyber threat information.

TAXII Capabilities are the highest level at which TAXII actions can be described. There are three capabilities

that this version of TAXII supports: push messaging, pull messaging, and discovery.

Although there is no “binding” capability in the list but it is the best answer here.

Southbound APIs are used to communicate between the SDN Controller and the switches and routers of the network. They can be open-source or proprietary. They facilitate control over the network and enable the SDN Controller to dynamically make changes according to real-time demands and needs. OpenFlow and OpFlex are two examples of southbound APIs. OpenFlow, which was developed by the Open Networking Foundation (ONF), is the first and probably most well-known southbound interface. OpenFlow defines the way the SDN Controller should interact with the forwarding plane to make adjustments to the network, so it can better adapt to changing business requirements. With OpenFlow, entries can be added and removed to the internal flow-table of switches and routers to make the network more responsive to real-time traffic demands. OpFlex, which was proposed by Cisco, is another southbound interface that uses a declarative model to communicate policies and state between the controller and the network devices. OpFlex allows the network devices to retain some intelligence and autonomy, while still being managed by the controller. OpFlex is designed to be flexible and extensible, and can support different types of network devices and services. Services running over the network, external application APIs, and applications running over the network are not southbound APIs, as they do not directly communicate between the controller and the network devices. Therefore, the correct answer is B and E. References :=

Some possible references are:

What are SDN Southbound APIs? - Where they are used. - SDxCentral

SDN North-bound and South-bound APIs and Interfaces

Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure Fundamentals

An application that does not validate user input is particularly susceptible to SQL injection attacks. In an SQL injection attack, an attacker can insert or "inject" a SQL query via the input data from the client to the application. Due to the lack of validation, the malicious SQL commands are executed by the database server, leading to unauthorized access or manipulation of the database.

Explanation

Answer B is not correct because Cross-site Scripting (XSS) is not a brute force attack.

Answer C is not correct because the statement “Cross-site Scripting is when executives in a corporation are attacked” is not true. XSS is a client-side vulnerability that targets other application users.

Answer D is not correct because the statement “Cross-site Scripting is an attack where code is executed from the server side”. In fact, XSS is a method that exploits website vulnerability by injecting scripts that will run at client’s side.

Therefore only answer A is left. In XSS, an attacker will try to inject his malicious code (usually malicious links) into a database. When other users follow his links, their web browsers are redirected to websites where

attackers can steal data from them. In a SQL Injection, an attacker will try to inject SQL code (via his browser) into forms, cookies, or HTTP headers that do not use data sanitizing or validation methods of GET/POST

parameters.

Note: The main difference between a SQL and XSS injection attack is that SQL injection attacks are used to steal information from databases whereas XSS attacks are used to redirect users to websites where attackers can steal data from them.

 Secret key cryptography, also known as symmetric key cryptography, is a type of encryption where a single secret key is used for both encryption and decryption of a message. The cryptographic key is kept secret between the sender and receiver, making it difficult for anyone else to decipher the message. Some of the functions of secret key cryptography are:

Key selection without integer factorization: Secret key cryptography does not rely on complex mathematical problems such as integer factorization or discrete logarithms to generate keys. Instead, the keys are chosen randomly or derived from a passphrase or a shared secret. This makes the key generation process faster and simpler than in public key cryptography.

Utilization of less memory: Secret key cryptography uses less memory than public key cryptography, as it only requires one key to be stored and managed. Public key cryptography, on the other hand, requires two keys (public and private) for each user, which increases the memory overhead and complexity of key management.

The other options are not functions of secret key cryptography, but rather characteristics of public key cryptography or asymmetric cryptography, which is a different type of encryption where different keys are used for encryption and decryption. Public key cryptography has the following features:

Utilization of different keys for encryption and decryption: Public key cryptography uses a pair of keys, one public and one private, for each user. The public key can be shared with anyone, while the private key must be kept secret. The public key is used to encrypt messages, while the private key is used to decrypt them. This allows users to communicate securely without having to exchange a secret key beforehand.

Utilization of large prime number iterations: Public key cryptography relies on hard mathematical problems such as integer factorization or discrete logarithms to generate keys. These problems involve finding the prime factors of large numbers or finding the discrete logarithms of numbers in a finite field. These problems are easy to solve in one direction, but hard to solve in the reverse direction. For example, it is easy to multiply two large prime numbers, but hard to find the prime factors of the product. This makes the keys hard to break by brute force or other methods.

Provides the capability to only know the key on one side: Public key cryptography enables users to encrypt messages without knowing the recipient’s key, and vice versa. This is possible because the encryption and decryption keys are different and mathematically related. For example, Alice can encrypt a message with Bob’s public key, and only Bob can decrypt it with his private key. Alice does not need to know Bob’s private key, and Bob does not need to know Alice’s key. This also enables public key cryptography to support digital signatures, which are a way of verifying the identity and integrity of a message.

References :=

What Is Secret Key Cryptography? A Complete Guide - Helenix

Definition of Secret-key Cryptography - Gartner

single methods of authentication can be compromised more easily than MFA. MFA, or multi-factor authentication, is a security process that requires users to provide two or more factors to verify their identity and access resources. MFA reduces the risk of unauthorized access by making it harder for attackers to compromise all the factors needed, especially if they are different in nature, such as something you know (password), something you have (token), and something you are (biometric).

To understand the concept of MFA and why it is important for authentication security, you can refer to the following sections of the source book:

Section 1.1.1: Describe the concepts of identity and access management

Section 1.1.1.1: Describe the concepts of identity principles

Section 1.1.1.2: Describe the concepts of authentication

Section 1.1.1.3: Describe the concepts of authorization

Section 1.1.1.4: Describe the concepts of accounting

Section 1.1.1.5: Describe the concepts of identity stores

Section 1.1.1.6: Describe the concepts of MFA

To share data between multiple security products, you must use Cisco Platform Exchange Grid (pxGrid). pxGrid is an open and scalable framework that allows for bi-directional any-to-any partner platform integrations. pxGrid uses REST and WebSocket interfaces to exchange intelligence and obtain contextual information from Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and other security products. pxGrid can also direct ISE to contain threats by setting network policies. pxGrid enables cross-platform network system collaboration across your IT infrastructure and helps you monitor security, detect threats, and manage assets, configuration, identity, and access. References: Introduction to the Cisco Platform Exchange Grid (pxGrid) in ISE, Cisco Identity Services Engine Administrator Guide, Release 3.3

 Cisco Advanced Phishing Protection (AAP) is a solution that adds sophisticated machine learning capabilities to Cisco Email Security to block advanced identity deception attacks for inbound email by assessing its threat posture1. It also uses both global and local telemetry data combined with analytics and modeling to validate the reputation and authenticity of senders2. AAP provides sender authentication and BEC detection capabilities, and uses advanced machine learning techniques, real-time behavior analytics, relationship modeling and telemetry to protect against identity deception–based threats3.

In two ways, the Cisco Advanced Phishing Protection solution protects users:

It prevents use of compromised accounts and social engineering. AAP detects and blocks phishing emails that attempt to impersonate legitimate senders, such as executives, partners, or customers, and trick users into revealing sensitive information or transferring funds. AAP analyzes the sender’s identity, behavior, and relationship with the recipient, and assigns a risk score to the email. If the email is deemed suspicious or malicious, AAP can quarantine it, flag it, or deliver it with a warning4.

It automatically removes malicious emails from users’ inbox. AAP provides retrospective analysis and remediation capabilities, which means that it can identify and remove emails that were initially delivered but later found to be malicious. AAP leverages the Cisco Talos threat intelligence network and the Sensor-based solution to continuously monitor the threat landscape and update the email disposition accordingly. If an email is reclassified as malicious, AAP can automatically delete it from the users’ inbox, or notify the administrator or the user to take action45.

The other options are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the functions of AAP. AAP does not prevent all zero-day attacks coming from the Internet, as it focuses on phishing and identity deception attacks. AAP does not prevent trojan horse malware using sensors, as sensors are used to collect and analyze email data, not to block malware. AAP does not secure all passwords that are shared in video conferences, as it is not related to video conferencing security. Therefore, the correct answer is A and C. References:

Cisco’s Security Innovations to Protect the Endpoint and Email

Cisco Advanced Phishing Protection - Cisco Video Portal

Cisco Advanced Phishing Protection At A Glance - AVANTEC

User Guide for Cisco Advanced Phishing Protection

Cisco Secure Email Threat Defense - Cisco

Integrating the Email Gateway with Cisco Advanced Phishing Protection

Explanation

You can configure discovery rules to tailor the discovery of host and application data to your needs.

The Firepower System can use data from NetFlow exporters to generate connection and discovery events, and to add host and application data to the network map.

A network analysis policy governs how traffic is decoded and preprocessed so it can be further evaluated, especially for anomalous traffic that might signal an intrusion attempt -> Answer D is not correct.

Two-factor authentication is a security feature that requires users to provide two forms of information before gaining access to the Cisco ESA. The two factors are usually something the user knows, such as a password, and something the user has, such as a token or a code. Two-factor authentication can be enabled for specific user roles on the Cisco ESA through a RADIUS server, which is an external authentication server that supports the Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocol. The RADIUS server can generate and validate the second factor for the users, such as a one-time password (OTP) or a time-based one-time password (TOTP). To enable two-factor authentication through a RADIUS server, the network engineer must configure the RADIUS server settings on the Cisco ESA, and assign the user roles that require two-factor authentication to use the RADIUS server as the authentication source. This can be done on the System Administration > Users page in the web interface, or by using the userconfig command in the CLI12.

A cluster is a group of Cisco ESAs that share the same configuration information and can be managed centrally. A cluster can provide increased reliability, flexibility, and scalability for the email security system. To join a cluster, a Cisco ESA must have the same AsyncOS version as the other cluster members, and must use a pre-shared key to authenticate with the cluster leader. The pre-shared key is a secret passphrase that is configured on the cluster leader and must be entered on the joining appliance. To join a cluster by using the Cisco ESA CLI, the network engineer must use the clusterconfig command, which allows the engineer to create a new cluster, join an existing cluster, or leave a cluster. The clusterconfig command also allows the engineer to specify the communication port and the hostname or IP address of the cluster leader. If the Cisco ESA has enabled two-factor authentication, the network engineer must also use the clusterconfig > prepjoin command to configure the pre-shared key before joining the cluster34.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer, and the other options are incorrect. Option B is incorrect because the cluster configuration options must be done via the CLI on the Cisco ESA and cannot be created or joined in the GUI. Option C is incorrect because the Cisco ESA does not support TACACS+ as an external authentication source, only LDAP and RADIUS. Option D is incorrect because it also uses TACACS+, which is not supported by the Cisco ESA. References :=

User Guide for AsyncOS 14.0 for Cisco Secure Email Gateway - GD (General Deployment) - Distributing Administrative Tasks

User Guide for AsyncOS 14.0 for Cisco Secure Email Gateway - GD (General Deployment) - External Authentication

Configure an Email Security Appliance (ESA) Cluster

User Guide for AsyncOS 14.0 for Cisco Secure Email Gateway - GD (General Deployment) - Centralized Management

Simple Custom Detection is a feature of Cisco AMP for Endpoints that allows administrators to block specific files based on their SHA-256 or MD5 hashes. This feature can be used to detect and quarantine files of unknown disposition, such as abc424400664.zip, by adding their hashes to a custom list in the AMP portal. The list can then be applied to a policy that is assigned to the endpoints. Simple Custom Detection works on files of any type, size, or platform, unlike the other options that are either platform-specific (Android Custom Detection), size-limited (Blocked Application), or signature-based (Advanced Custom Detection). References: 1, 2, 3

The Cisco WSA supports two main authentication protocols: LDAP and NTLM. LDAP is a protocol for accessing and managing directory information over a network. NTLM is a Windows proprietary protocol that uses a challenge-response mechanism for authentication. The Cisco WSA can use both LDAP and NTLM to authenticate users and apply policies based on their identity. The Cisco WSA does not support WCCP, TLS, or SSL as authentication protocols, although it can use them for other purposes, such as traffic redirection or encryption. References:

User Guide for AsyncOS 11.0 for Cisco Web Security Appliances, Chapter: Acquire End-User Credentials

Cisco Web Security Appliance Best Practices Guidelines, Section: Active authentication

Cisco WSA Authentication, Blog post by Kareem CCIE

Authentication and Authorization, PDF document by Cisco

Explanation

A trustpoint enrollment mode, which also defines the trustpoint authentication mode, can be performed via 3 main methods:

1. Terminal Enrollment – manual method of performing trustpoint authentication and certificate enrolment using copy-paste in the CLI terminal.

2. SCEP Enrollment – Trustpoint authentication and enrollment using SCEP over HTTP.

3. Enrollment Profile – Here, authentication and enrollment methods are defined separately. Along with terminal and SCEP enrollment methods, enrollment profiles provide an option to specify HTTP/TFTP commands to perform file retrieval from the Server, which is defined using an authentication or enrollment url under the profile.

Explanation

The logging of your identities’ activities is set per-policy when you first create a policy. By default, logging is on and set to log all requests an identity makes to reach destinations. At any time after you create a policy, you can change what level of identity activity Umbrella logs.

From the Policy wizard, log settings are:

Log All Requests—For full logging, whether for content, security or otherwise

Log Only Security Events—For security logging only, which gives your users more privacy—a good setting for people with the roaming client installed on personal devices

Don’t Log Any Requests—Disables all logging. If you select this option, most reporting for identities with this policy will not be helpful as nothing is logged to report on.

To migrate a Cisco WSA virtual appliance from one physical host to another physical host by using VMware vMotion, both hosts must have access to the same defined network. This is because vMotion preserves the network identity and connections of the virtual machine, and requires that the source and destination hosts have compatible CPUs and shared storage1. The hosts do not need to run the same or different versions of Cisco AsyncOS, as long as they meet the minimum requirements for the virtual appliance2. The hosts do not need to use a different datastore than the virtual appliance, as vMotion can migrate virtual machines across datastores as well3. References: 1: VMware vMotion: Live Migration of Virtual Machines and Storage 2: Cisco Secure Web Appliance Virtual - Cisco 3: Migrating to Virtual SMA from Physical - Cisco Community

Explanation

A posture policy is a collection of posture requirements, which are associated with one or more identity groups, and operating systems. We can configure ISE to check for the Windows patch at Work Centers > Posture > Posture Elements > Conditions > File.

In this example, we are going to use the predefined file check to ensure that our Windows 10 clients have the critical security patch installed to prevent the Wanna Cry malware; and we can also configure ISE to update the client with this patch.

A destination list is a list of internet destinations: domains, URLs, and CIDRs. To control identity access to specific destinations, you can add destination lists to Umbrella and then select them when configuring your Web and DNS policies12. When you add or edit a destination list, the changes are applied immediately if the destination list is part of a policy3. This means that any identities that are associated with the policy will be affected by the changes in the destination list. You do not need to save the configuration or remove the destination list from the policy to apply the changes. However, you do need to have the appropriate user role to manage destination lists. The user role of Block Page Bypass or higher is needed to perform these changes4. References :=

Manage Destination Lists - Umbrella User Guide

Manage Destination Lists - Umbrella SIG User Guide

Add a Destination List - Umbrella User Guide

Add a DNS Destination List - Umbrella SIG User Guide

Group Encrypted Transport VPN (GET VPN) is used to implement secure VPN connectivity among company branches over a private IP cloud with any-to-any scalable connectivity. GET VPN provides a way to encrypt traffic between sites without the need for point-to-point tunnels, supporting efficient, scalable, and secure communication across a broad network infrastructure.

Cisco AMP (Advanced Malware Protection) is a product that provides proactive endpoint protection and allows administrators to centrally manage the deployment. AMP uses cloud-based intelligence, sandboxing, and continuous analysis to detect and block advanced threats before they reach the endpoints. AMP also provides retrospective security, which means that it can alert and remediate endpoints if a file that was previously deemed benign is later found to be malicious. AMP can be integrated with other Cisco products, such as Firepower, Meraki, and Email Security Appliance, to provide comprehensive security across the network. AMP is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS devices. References :=

Some possible references are:

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) Definition - Cisco: This page defines what an endpoint protection platform (EPP) is and how it differs from traditional antivirus solutions. It also explains the benefits of using Cisco Secure Endpoint, formerly known as AMP for Endpoints.

Cisco Secure Endpoint (Formerly AMP for Endpoints) - Cisco: This page provides an overview of the features and capabilities of Cisco Secure Endpoint, such as cloud-based intelligence, endpoint isolation, file trajectory, device flow correlation, and more. It also offers resources for getting started, deploying, and managing Cisco Secure Endpoint.

SCOR 350-701 Flashcards | Quizlet: This page contains flashcards for the SCOR 350-701 exam, which covers the topics of implementing and operating Cisco security core technologies. One of the flashcards is the same question as the one asked by the user, and it provides the correct answer and a brief explanation.

To enable malware file scanning for the Secure Internet Gateway (SIG), you need to enable Intelligent Proxy, which is a feature of Cisco Umbrella that provides selective proxying of web requests based on the risk level of the domain1. Intelligent Proxy allows SIG to inspect the content of potentially malicious web requests and block or allow them based on the configured policies2. Intelligent Proxy also enables SSL decryption, which is necessary to scan encrypted web traffic for malware3. Enabling IP Layer enforcement, activating the Advanced Malware Protection license, and activating SSL decryption are not required prerequisites to enable malware file scanning for the SIG, although they may provide additional security benefits45. References: 1: Intelligent Proxy - Cisco Umbrella 2: Cisco Umbrella SIG Advantage - Cisco Umbrella 3: [SSL Decryption - Cisco Umbrella] 4: [IP Layer Enforcement - Cisco Umbrella] 5: [Advanced Malware Protection - Cisco Umbrella]

Cisco Umbrella Investigate is a cloud-based service that provides interactive threat intelligence on domains, IPs, and files. It helps security analysts to uncover the attacker’s infrastructure and predict future threats by analyzing the relationships and evolution of internet domains, IPs, and files. It also integrates with other Cisco security solutions, such as Cisco Secure Network Analytics, Cisco Secure Cloud Analytics, and Cisco pxGrid, to provide a holistic view of the network and cloud security posture. Cisco Umbrella Investigate is based on the data collected by Cisco Umbrella, which processes more than 620 billion DNS requests per day from over 190 countries. Cisco Umbrella Investigate uses statistical and machine learning models to automatically score and classify the data, and provides a risk score for each domain, IP, and file, along with the contributing factors and historical context. Cisco Umbrella Investigate also allows security analysts to query the data using a web-based console or an API, and to visualize the results using graphs, tables, and maps. Cisco Umbrella Investigate is the most complete and interactive threat intelligence solution that helps to prevent cyber attacks before they happen. References :=

Some possible references are:

Cisco Umbrella Investigate

Cyber Attack Prevention - Cisco Umbrella

Cisco Umbrella Investigate - Cisco Umbrella

Explanation

FlexVPN is an IKEv2-based VPN technology that provides several benefits beyond traditional site-to-site VPN implementations. FlexVPN is a standards-based solution that can interoperate with non-Cisco IKEv2

implementations. Therefore FlexVPN can support a multivendor environment. All of the three VPN technologies support traffic between sites (site-to-site or spoke-to-spoke).

Explanation

The ASAv on AWS supports the following features:

+ Support for Amazon EC2 C5 instances, the next generation of the Amazon EC2 Compute Optimized instance

family.

+ Deployment in the Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)

+ Enhanced networking (SR-IOV) where available

+ Deployment from Amazon Marketplace

+ Maximum of four vCPUs per instance

+ User deployment of L3 networks

+ Routed mode (default)

Note: The Cisco Adaptive Security Virtual Appliance (ASAv) runs the same software as physical Cisco ASAs to deliver proven security functionality in a virtual form factor. The ASAv can be deployed in the public AWS cloud.

It can then be configured to protect virtual and physical data center workloads that expand, contract, or shift their location over time. Reference: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/asa/asa96/asav/quick-start-book/asav-96 qsg/asavaws.html

Explanation

You can configure your ASA FirePOWER module using one of the following deployment models:

You can configure your ASA FirePOWER module in either an inline or a monitor-only (inline tap or

passive) deployment.

P2, P3, and P6 only. Dynamic ARP inspection (DAI) is a security feature that validates ARP packets in a network and prevents ARP spoofing attacks. DAI relies on the DHCP snooping database to verify the IP-to-MAC bindings of hosts on the network. DAI operates on untrusted ports, which are ports that connect to hosts or devices that generate ARP traffic. Trusted ports are ports that connect to other switches or routers that do not generate ARP traffic.

In this scenario, the DHCP snooping database resides on router R1, which means that switch SW2 needs to trust the port P3 that connects to R1. This way, SW2 can receive the DHCP snooping information from R1 and populate its own database. The port P4 that connects to switch SW3 also needs to be trusted, because SW3 does not generate ARP traffic. The ports P2 and P6 that connect to hosts P6 and P7 need to be untrusted, because they generate ARP traffic and need to be validated by DAI. The port P1 that connects to host P5 does not need to be configured as untrusted, because DAI is not enabled on switch SW1.

To understand the concept of DAI and how to configure it, you can refer to the following sections of the source book:

Section 1.1.2: Describe the concepts of network security

Section 1.1.2.8: Describe the concepts of DAI

Section 1.1.2.9: Describe the concepts of DHCP snooping

Section 1.1.2.10: Describe the concepts of trusted and untrusted ports

Section 1.1.2.11: Describe the concepts of DAI configuration

Explanation

Explanation

A certificate signing request (CSR) is one of the first steps towards getting your own SSL Certificate. Generated on the same server you plan to install the certificate on, the CSR contains information (e.g. common name, organization, country) that the Certificate Authority (CA) will use to create your certificate. It also contains the public key that will be included in your certificate and is signed with the corresponding private key

Explanation

Cisco Firepower deployments can take advantage of platform settings policies. A platform settings policy is a shared set of features or parameters that define the aspects of a managed device that are likely to be similar to other managed devices in your deployment, such as time settings and external authentication. Examples of these platform settings policies are time and date settings, external authentication, and other common

administrative features.

A shared policy makes it possible to configure multiple managed devices at once, which provides consistency in your deployment and streamlines your management efforts. Any changes to a platform settings policy affects all the managed devices where you applied the policy. Even if you want different settings per device, you must create a shared policy and apply it to the desired device.

For example, your organization’s security policies may require that your appliances have a “No Unauthorized Use” message when a user logs in. With platform settings, you can set the login banner once in a platform settings policy.

ETHOS is one of the many detection engines that AMP uses to continuously protect you from malware. It is only available in the public cloud, as it requires a large amount of data and processing power to operate. ETHOS uses machine learning to analyze the behavior and characteristics of files and determine their maliciousness. It can detect both known and unknown threats, as well as polymorphic and metamorphic malware that can change their appearance or code. ETHOS is part of the AMP cloud’s dynamic analysis capabilities, which also include SPERO and Threat Grid12.

The private cloud instance of AMP does not have ETHOS, as it is meant to be an on-premises, self-contained solution that satisfies stringent privacy requirements. The private cloud instance also does not have SPERO or Threat Grid, unless they are deployed separately as additional appliances. The private cloud instance relies on the TETRA detection engine, which is a signature-based engine that can identify known malware. TETRA is updated regularly with new signatures from the AMP cloud, but it cannot detect unknown or zero-day threats as effectively as ETHOS34.

Therefore, the capability that is exclusive to the AMP public cloud instance as compared to the private cloud instance is the ETHOS detection engine. References: 1: Cisco Advanced Malware Protection Private Cloud Appliance Data Sheet 2: What is AMP Private Cloud 3: Deploy Cisco AMP Private Cloud on Cisco HyperFlex Systems 4: AMP Private Cloud vs Public Cloud Dashboard different

Cisco Defense Orchestrator (CDO) is a cloud-based management solution that allows you to manage security policies and device configurations with ease across multiple Cisco and cloud-native security platforms. CDO centrally manages elements of policy and configuration across Cisco ASA, Cisco Firepower, Cisco Meraki, and AWS1. CDO also provides visibility, automation, and orchestration capabilities to simplify and unify security operations2. The other options are not cloud security software that can centrally manage policies on multiple platforms. Cisco Configuration Professional is a device management tool for Cisco routers and switches. Cisco Secureworks is a security services provider that offers threat intelligence and incident response. Cisco DNAC is a network controller that automates and assures services across campus, branch, and edge networks. References :=

Cisco Defense Orchestrator Data Sheet

Cisco Defense Orchestrator

Explanation

The command “crypto isakmp identity address 172.19.20.24” is not valid. We can only use “crypto isakmp

identity {address | hostname}. The following example uses preshared keys at two peers and sets both their

ISAKMP identities to the IP address.

At the local peer (at 10.0.0.1) the ISAKMP identity is set and the preshared key is specified:

crypto isakmp identity address

crypto isakmp key sharedkeystring address 192.168.1.33

At the remote peer (at 192.168.1.33) the ISAKMP identity is set and the same preshared key is specified:

crypto isakmp identity address

crypto isakmp key sharedkeystring address 10.0.0.1

Explanation

Explanation

The various suspicious patterns for which the Cisco Tetration platform looks in the current release are:

+ Shell code execution: Looks for the patterns used by shell code.

+ Privilege escalation: Watches for privilege changes from a lower privilege to a higher privilege in the process lineage tree.

+ Side channel attacks: Cisco Tetration platform watches for cache-timing attacks and page table fault bursts.

Using these, it can detect Meltdown, Spectre, and other cache-timing attacks.

+ Raw socket creation: Creation of a raw socket by a nonstandard process (for example, ping).

+ User login suspicious behavior: Cisco Tetration platform watches user login failures and user login

methods.

+ Interesting file access: Cisco Tetration platform can be armed to look at sensitive files.

+ File access from a different user: Cisco Tetration platform learns the normal behavior of which file is

accessed by which user.

+ Unseen command: Cisco Tetration platform learns the behavior and set of commands as well as the lineage of each command over time. Any new command or command with a different lineage triggers the interest of the Tetration Analytics platform.

Cisco FTDv is a virtual appliance that combines the features of Cisco ASA and Cisco Firepower NGIPS. It provides stateful firewall, IPS, URL filtering, malware protection, and other advanced security functions. Cisco ASAv is a virtual appliance that only provides stateful firewall and VPN features. It does not support URL filtering or other Firepower functions. Therefore, Cisco FTDv provides more features than ASAv, especially for next-generation firewall capabilities. References :=

Cisco Firewall in AWS - Should i use ASAv or FTDv/FMCv?

Difference between Cisco ASAv, NGIPSv and FTDv…?

Are there any differences in features between Cisco ASA hardware …

A multicontext firewall is a feature that allows a single physical firewall to be divided into multiple virtual firewalls, also known as security contexts. Each context operates as an independent device, with its own security policy, interfaces, and administrators. This feature is useful for service providers, large enterprises, or any network that requires more than one firewall. One of the problems that a multicontext firewall can solve is an overlapping IP addressing plan. This means that different contexts can use the same IP addresses without causing conflicts, as long as they are separated by different interfaces or VLANs. This allows for more efficient use of IP address space and easier management of multiple networks. A multicontext firewall can also support dynamic routing protocols and VPNs within each context, providing more flexibility and functionality12 References := 1: What Are Multi-Context Firewalls? - Franklin Fitch 2: Multiple Context Mode - Cisco

Explanation

Explanation

Cisco Cloudlock: Secure your cloud users, data, and applications with the cloud-native Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) and cloud cybersecurity platform.

Cisco AMP for Endpoints is a cloud-based endpoint security solution that provides advanced malware protection, threat detection and response, and endpoint isolation. It protects endpoint systems through application control and real-time scanning, which are two of its multifaceted prevention techniques. Application control allows administrators to define and enforce policies on which applications can run on the endpoints, while real-time scanning continuously monitors files and processes for malicious activity. These features help stop threats from compromising the endpoints and reduce the attack surface. Cisco Secure Endpoint (Formerly AMP for Endpoints) - CiscoMalware Protection - Cisco AMP Advanced Malware Protection References:

Cisco Secure Endpoint (Formerly AMP for Endpoints) - Cisco

Malware Protection - Cisco AMP Advanced Malware Protection

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.1: Cisco AMP for Endpoints, Topic 3.1.1: Introduction to Cisco AMP for Endpoints

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.1: Cisco AMP for Endpoints, Topic 3.1.2: Cisco AMP for Endpoints Architecture

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.1: Cisco AMP for Endpoints, Topic 3.1.3: Cisco AMP for Endpoints Features

A cloud access security broker (CASB) is a security solution that helps protect cloud-hosted services and applications from cyberattacks and data breaches. A CASB acts as an intermediary between cloud users and cloud providers, and enforces the organization’s security policies and compliance requirements. A CASB integrates with other cloud solutions via APIs and monitors the cloud activity and data across multiple platforms and devices. A CASB can also create incidents based on events from the cloud solution, such as unauthorized access, data leakage, malware infection, or policy violation. A CASB can then alert the administrators, block the malicious actions, or remediate the issues. A CASB provides visibility, control, and protection for the organization’s cloud environment12.

References :=

What Is a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)? | Microsoft

What is a CASB Cloud Access Security Broker? - CrowdStrike

sfr {fail-open | fail-close [monitor-only]} <- There's a couple different options here. The first one is fail-open which means that if the Firepower software module is unavailable, the ASA will continue to forward traffic. fail-close means that if the Firepower module fails, the traffic will stop flowing. While this doesn't seem ideal, there might be a use case for it when securing highly regulated environments. The monitor-only switch can be used with both and basically puts the Firepower services into IDS-mode only. This might be useful for initial testing or setup.

A PAC file, or proxy auto-configuration file, is a script that tells the web browser how to use a proxy server for different URLs. A PAC file can be hosted on a web server or on the WSA itself, and can be deployed to the client web browser manually or automatically. A WSA HTTP proxy configuration with a PAC file is defined as an explicit proxy deployment, because the client web browser is aware of the proxy and sends requests to it directly. This is different from a transparent proxy deployment, where the client web browser is unaware of the proxy and the requests are redirected to it by a network device such as a router or a firewall. A bridge proxy deployment is a type of transparent proxy deployment where the WSA acts as a layer 2 bridge between two network segments and intercepts the traffic passing through it. A PAC file is not used in a bridge proxy deployment. In a dual-NIC configuration, the WSA has two network interfaces, one for the client-side network and one for the server-side network. The PAC file does not direct traffic through the two NICs to the proxy, but rather tells the client web browser to send requests to the proxy’s IP address and port number. The WSA then forwards the requests to the server-side network through the other NIC. Therefore, option B is incorrect. References :=

Some possible references are:

1: What is a Proxy Pac file and are there any examples? - Cisco

2: What is a PAC file and where is it located on WSA? - Cisco

3: [WSA Training Series] How to configure the HTTPS Proxy on the Cisco Web Security Appliance

4: Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) file

5: Use proxy auto-configuration (.pac) files with IEAK 11

Cisco ESA uses a multilayer approach to fight viruses and malware. The first layer of defense consists of outbreak filters, which the appliance downloads from Cisco SenderBase. Outbreak filters use global threat intelligence and behavioral analysis to identify and block emerging threats before they reach the network. The second layer of defense consists of antivirus engines, which scan the message body and attachments for known viruses and malware. Cisco ESA supports multiple antivirus engines, such as Sophos, McAfee, and Cisco AMP. The Sophos engine is one of the default engines that Cisco ESA uses, along with McAfee. The Sophos engine provides fast and accurate detection of viruses and malware, and updates its signatures frequently. The other options are not features that are used to configure Cisco ESA with a multilayer approach to fight viruses and malware. A white list is a list of trusted senders or recipients that are exempt from spam or virus filtering. RAT is the Recipient Access Table, which is used to determine whether the appliance accepts or rejects messages to a recipient address. DLP is Data Loss Prevention, which is used to prevent sensitive or confidential data from leaving the network. References :=

Email Security Using Cisco ESA

Demystifying Cisco ESA HAT, RAT Tables and Deployment Types

Email Security Deployment Guide - Cisco

In a Cisco Secure Workload implementation, telemetry data can be generated from IPFIX (Internet Protocol Flow Information Export) records using NetFlow connectors and Cisco Secure Workload itself. NetFlow provides insights into network traffic flow and volume, while Cisco Secure Workload uses this data for visibility, segmentation, and security analytics within the data center.

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is an authentication method that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource such as an application, online account, or a VPN1. MFA is a core component of a strong identity and access management (IAM) policy. MFA can help prevent an attacker from stealing usernames and passwords of users within an organization by adding an extra layer of security beyond the traditional username and password. For example, a user may need to enter a one-time code sent to their phone or email, scan their fingerprint, or use a hardware token to prove their identity. This way, even if an attacker obtains the user’s credentials, they cannot access the resource without the second factor2.

The other options are not technologies that can help prevent an attacker from stealing usernames and passwords of users within an organization. RADIUS-based REAP is a protocol that allows wireless clients to authenticate with a RADIUS server, but it does not provide MFA3. Fingerprinting is a technique that identifies the operating system or application of a device based on its network characteristics, but it does not provide MFA4. Dynamic ARP Inspection is a security feature that prevents ARP spoofing attacks by validating ARP packets, but it does not provide MFA5.

References := 1: What is Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)? | OneLogin(https://www.onelogin.com/learn/what-is-mfa) 2: What is: Multifactor Authentication - Microsoft Support(https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/what-is-multifactor-authentication-e5e39437-121c-be60-d123-eda06bddf661) 3: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Securing the Network, Lesson 3.3: Secure Wireless Connectivity, Topic 3.3.1: Wireless Security Protocols, page 3-40. 4: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 2: Securing the Cloud, Lesson 2.2: Cloud Security Assessment, Topic 2.2.1: Cloud Security Concepts, page 2-13. 5: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Securing the Network, Lesson 3.2: Secure Network Access, Topic 3.2.2: Layer 2 Security Features, page 3-19.

 Mobile Device Management (MDM) is a solution that allows an organization to manage, monitor, and secure mobile devices such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. MDM provides two main advantages to an organization with regards to device management:

Asset inventory management: MDM helps an organization keep track of all the mobile devices that are connected to its network, including their location, status, configuration, and usage. MDM also enables an organization to remotely wipe or lock devices that are lost, stolen, or compromised, preventing data loss and unauthorized access. Asset inventory management helps an organization optimize its resources, reduce costs, and comply with regulations12.

Allowed application management: MDM allows an organization to control what applications can be installed and run on the mobile devices, as well as how they can access and share data. MDM can also push updates and patches to the devices, ensuring that they are always running the latest and most secure versions of the applications. Allowed application management helps an organization enhance security, productivity, and performance of the mobile devices34.

 1: 7 Advantages and Disadvantages of Mobile Device Management [2024] 2: 5 Benefits of Mobile Device Management - ESET 3: Top 10 Benefits of Mobile Device Management (MDM) - TechFunnel 4: Benefits of Mobile Device Management (MDM) for Businesses

 The dot1x system-auth-control command enables 802.1X globally on a Cisco switch. This command allows the switch to act as an authenticator for 802.1X clients connected to the switch ports. The switch will then communicate with a RADIUS server to authenticate the clients and grant or deny access to the network. The other commands are not related to enabling 802.1X globally. The dot1x pae authenticator command enables 802.1X authentication on a specific interface. The authentication port-control aut command enables automatic port-based authentication on an interface. The aaa new-model command enables the AAA framework for authentication, authorization, and accounting. References :=

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/smb/switches/cisco-small-business-300-series-managed-switches/smb5635-configure-global-802-1x-properties-on-a-switch-through-the-c.html

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/routers/nfvis/switch_command/b-nfvis-switch-command-reference/802_1x_commands.html

Configuring the IEEE 802.1X Flexible Authentication feature to support Layer 3 authentication mechanisms involves adding MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) into the switch configuration. This allows devices that do not support 802.1X to be authenticated using their MAC address. Once MAB identifies the device, it can then be redirected to a Layer 3 device for further authentication, thus providing a mechanism to support devices requiring Layer 3 authentication methods.

Web Cache Communication Protocol (WCCP) is supported on Cisco IOS routers and Cisco ASA firewalls. WCCP allows these devices to redirect traffic to a WCCP-capable device, such as a web cache or a Cisco Secure Web Appliance, for processing. This redirection can be used for tasks like content filtering, web caching, and load balancing.

REST stands for Representational State Transfer, which is an architectural style for designing web services. RESTful web services use HTTP as the application protocol and support the standard HTTP methods, such as GET, PUT, POST, and DELETE, to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on resources. Cisco DNA Center exposes its functionality through a set of RESTful APIs that allow external applications to interact with the network controller and automate various tasks. The RESTful architecture used within Cisco DNA Center has the following characteristics12:

It is simple, extensible, and secure to use. The APIs are based on open standards and use JSON as the data format. The APIs also support HTTPS for secure communication and authentication.

It is stateless, meaning that each request contains all the information necessary to process it, and the server does not store any session or client state. This improves scalability and performance of the web services.

It is resource-oriented, meaning that each API endpoint represents a logical entity or a resource that can be manipulated by the HTTP methods. For example, the /dna/intent/api/v1/network-device endpoint represents the network devices resource, and the GET method can be used to retrieve the list of network devices from Cisco DNA Center.

It is uniform, meaning that the same interface and conventions are used across all the APIs. For example, the APIs use the same authentication mechanism, error handling, pagination, filtering, and sorting parameters. References:

1: Introduction to Cisco DNA Center REST APIs - Cisco DevNet Learning Labs

2: Cisco DNA Center Platform User Guide, Release 2.2.3

A connector is a feature that enables a Cisco ISR to use the default bypass list automatically for web filtering. A connector is a software component that runs on the ISR and communicates with the Cloud Web Security service. The connector intercepts the web traffic from the branch users and redirects it to the Cloud Web Security service for scanning and policy enforcement. The connector also maintains a default bypass list, which contains the domains and URLs that are not redirected to the Cloud Web Security service. The default bypass list is updated automatically by the Cloud Web Security service and can be customized by the administrator. The default bypass list helps to improve the performance and reliability of the web filtering solution by avoiding unnecessary redirections of trusted or sensitive web traffic12. References: 1: Security Configuration Guide: Cloud Web Security, Cisco IOS Release 15M&T - Cisco Integrated Services Routers Generation 2 with Cisco Cloud Web Security Solution [Support] - Cisco 2: Security Configuration Guide: Cloud Web Security, Cisco IOS Release 15M&T - Configuring Cloud Web Security on Integrated Services Routers Generation 2 [Support] - Cisco

A next-generation endpoint security solution is a modern approach of combining user and system behavior analytics with AI and machine learning to provide endpoint security12. These solutions are specifically designed to detect unknown malware and zero-day threats, which other non-next-generation solutions might fail to detect3. Two key deliverables that help justify the implementation of a next-generation endpoint security solution are:

Continuous monitoring of all files that are located on connected endpoints. This feature allows the solution to scan and analyze all files on the endpoints, regardless of their origin or type, and identify any malicious or suspicious behavior. This helps to prevent malware from infecting the endpoints or spreading to other devices on the network4.

Real-time feeds from global threat intelligence centers. This feature enables the solution to leverage the latest information and insights from various sources, such as security researchers, vendors, and customers, to detect and block new and emerging threats. This helps to keep the endpoints updated and protected from the most advanced and sophisticated attacks5.

References := 1: Overview of next-generation protection in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint 2: What Is Next-Generation Endpoint Security? 2024 Ultimate Guide - SelectHub 3: [Next

Wired 802.1X authentication is a port-based network access control that uses the physical characteristics of the switched LAN infrastructure to authenticate devices attached to a LAN port1. Wired 802.1X authentication requires three components: a supplicant, an authenticator, and an authentication server2. The supplicant is the client device that requests access to the network. The authenticator is the switch port that controls the access to the network based on the authentication result. The authentication server is the server that validates the credentials of the supplicant and sends the authentication result to the authenticator3.

In this question, option A is correct because Cisco Identity Service Engine (ISE) is an example of an authentication server that supports wired 802.1X authentication4. Option C is correct because Cisco Catalyst switch is an example of an authenticator that supports wired 802.1X authentication5. Option B is incorrect because Cisco AnyConnect ISE Posture module is not a supplicant, but a software component that checks the compliance status of the supplicant. Option D is incorrect because Cisco ISE is not an authenticator, but an authentication server. Option E is incorrect because Cisco Prime Infrastructure is not an authentication server, but a network management tool.

 1: Wired 802.1X Deployment Guide - Cisco 2: 802.1X Authenticated Wired Access Overview | Microsoft Learn 3: About 802.1X Authentication - Aruba 4: Cisco Identity Services Engine - Products & Services - Cisco 5: Cisco Catalyst 2960-X Series Switches - Products & Services - Cisco : Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client Administrator Guide, Release 4.9 - Configure Posture [Cisco AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client] - Cisco : Cisco Prime Infrastructure - Products & Services - Cisco

Explanation

This command uses RADIUS which combines authentication and authorization in one function (packet).

Explanation

Explanation

ETHOS is the Cisco file grouping engine. It allows us to group families of files together so if we see variants of

a malware, we mark the ETHOS hash as malicious and whole families of malware are instantly detected.

Using a company-managed Amazon S3 bucket for Cisco Umbrella logs allows the administrator to have full control over the access and lifecycle of the log data. This configuration can grant third-party SIEM integrations write access to the S3 bucket, which can enable more advanced analysis and correlation of the log data with other sources. This configuration also provides more flexibility in terms of how long the data can be stored offline, as opposed to the Cisco-managed S3 bucket, which has a fixed retention period of 30 days. References:

Enable Logging to Your Own S3 Bucket

Centralized Umbrella Log Management with Amazon’s S3 service for MSP, MSSP, and Multi-org customers

 Cisco Duo is a cloud-based solution that provides multi-factor authentication (MFA) and device trust for secure access to applications and data. MFA adds an extra layer of security by requiring users to verify their identity with something they know (such as a password) and something they have (such as a phone or a hardware token). Device trust ensures that only trusted devices can access sensitive resources by checking the device health and compliance. Cisco Duo can help prevent social engineering attacks by making it harder for hackers to impersonate legitimate users or compromise their credentials. Cisco Duo can also integrate with other Cisco security products, such as Cisco AnyConnect, Cisco AMP for Endpoints, and Cisco Umbrella, to provide a comprehensive security solution. References :=

Cisco Duo Security

Cisco Duo: Multi-Factor Authentication

Cisco Duo: Device Trust

Cisco Security Core Technologies SCOR

Explanation

The ASA and ASASM implementations of NetFlow Secure Event Logging (NSEL) provide a stateful, IP flow tracking method that exports only those records that indicate significant events in a flow.

The significant events that are tracked include flow-create, flow-teardown, and flow-denied (excluding those flows that are denied by EtherType ACLs).

 Transparent mode is a Cisco ASA deployment model that allows the ASA to act as a bump in the wire, or a stealth firewall. In this mode, the ASA does not have an IP address on the network, and it does not participate in routing. Instead, it filters traffic between hosts in the same IP subnet using higher-level protocols such as TCP, UDP, and ICMP. Transparent mode is useful when you want to apply security policies without readdressing the network or changing the default gateway of the hosts. Some of the benefits of transparent mode are:

It preserves the original source and destination IP addresses of the packets, which can be useful for logging and auditing purposes.

It simplifies the configuration of the ASA, as you do not need to configure routing protocols, NAT, or DHCP.

It allows the ASA to inspect non-IP traffic, such as ARP, STP, and CDP.

It supports multiple contexts, which can provide logical separation of traffic for different tenants or customers.

Some of the limitations of transparent mode are:

It does not support VPN, dynamic routing, multicast routing, or QoS.

It requires the use of EtherType ACLs to filter non-IP traffic, which can be complex and cumbersome.

It requires the use of bridge groups and bridge domains to define the interfaces and VLANs that belong to the same broadcast domain.

It requires the use of MAC address learning and aging to maintain a MAC address table for each bridge group.

References :=

Some possible references are:

Cisco ASA Series Firewall CLI Configuration Guide, 9.10 - Transparent Firewall Mode

Deploying ASA - Cisco

Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Firewalls - Configuration Guides - Cisco

AAA stands for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting. It is a framework that provides security to network resources by controlling who can access them (authentication), what they can do (authorization), and what actions they perform (accounting). AAA can be implemented by using the local database of the device or by using an external server such as Cisco ISE (Identity Services Engine).

The question asks which configuration item makes it possible to have the AAA session on the network. A session is a logical connection between a user and a network device. A session can be initiated by various methods, such as console, telnet, SSH, PPP, etc. Each session can have different AAA policies applied to it, depending on the method list configured for that session.

A method list is a set of rules that define the authentication, authorization, and accounting methods to be used for a particular session. A method list can be named or default. A named method list is applied to a specific session by using the login, authorization, or accounting keyword followed by the name of the method list. A default method list is applied to all sessions that do not have a named method list configured.

The configuration item that makes it possible to have the AAA session on the network is the aaa authorization network default group ise command. This command configures a default method list for network authorization, which is the process of determining the network services and attributes that a user is allowed to access after authentication. The command specifies that the network authorization method is group, which means that the device will use an external server (such as Cisco ISE) to obtain the authorization information for the user. The command also specifies that the name of the server group is ise, which means that the device will use the server group defined by the aaa group server radius ise command.

The other options are incorrect because they do not configure a default method list for network authorization. Option A configures a named method list for login authentication, which is the process of verifying the identity of the user. Option B configures a default method list for enable authentication, which is the process of verifying the identity of the user who wants to enter the privileged EXEC mode. Option D configures a default method list for exec authorization, which is the process of determining the commands and features that a user can access in the EXEC mode. References:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1: Describing Information Security Concepts

Configure Basic AAA on an Access Server, General AAA Configuration, Authentication Configuration, Authorization Configuration

AAA (Authentication, Authorization and Accounting) - GeeksforGeeks, AAA implementation, ACS server

Explanation

The command “snmp-server user user-name group-name [remote ip-address [udp-port port]] {v1 | v2c | v3 [encrypted] [auth {md5 | sha} auth-password]} [access access-list]” adds a new user (in this case “andy”) to an SNMPv3 group (in this case group name “myv3”) and configures a password for the user.

In the “snmp-server host” command, we need to:

+ Specify the SNMP version with key word “version {1 | 2 | 3}”

+ Specify the username (“andy”), not group name (“myv3”).

Note: In “snmp-server host inside …” command, “inside” is the interface name of the ASA interface through which the NMS (located at 10.255.254.1) can be reached.

 MFA stands for multi-factor authentication, which is a security method that requires users to provide two or more pieces of evidence to verify their identity before accessing a system. MFA can prevent unauthorized access to the system if a user’s password is compromised, because the attacker would also need to obtain the other factors, such as a one-time code, a biometric scan, or a physical token. MFA can be implemented using various technologies, such as SMS, email, phone call, mobile app, or hardware device. According to Microsoft, adopting MFA can prevent approximately 99.9% of compromised user accounts, significantly bolstering security measures against unauthorized access12. References:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 6: Secure Network Access and Visibility, Lesson 6.1: Implementing Secure Network Access

350-701 SCOR - Cisco, Exam Topics, 6.1 Implement secure network access

What Is Unauthorized Access? 5 Key Prevention Best Practices - Cynet, Best Practice #3: Implement multi-factor authentication

Unauthorized Access: Top 8 Practices for Detecting and Responding - Ekran System, Best Practice #3: Use multi-factor authentication

Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security measure that requires two or more proofs of identity to grant access to network resources. These proofs can be something the user knows (such as a password or a PIN), something the user has (such as a token or a card), or something the user is (such as a fingerprint or a face scan). The benefit of using MFA is that it adds an extra layer of protection against unauthorized access, especially if the first factor (such as a password) is compromised or stolen. By requiring a second validation of identity, MFA reduces the risk of data breaches and identity theft. MFA can also help comply with regulatory and industry standards that mandate strong authentication for sensitive data and systems. References :=

Some possible references are:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.3: Identity and Access Management

Multi-factor authentication best practices & strategy, NordLayer Blog

How to implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Microsoft Security Blog

Multi-factor authentication, Cyber.gov.au

What is Multi-Factor Authentication?, IBM

Dynamic Multipoint VPN (DMVPN) is a Cisco IOS Software-based security solution for building scalable enterprise VPNs that support distributed applications such as voice and video. DMVPN provides scalability for organizations with many remote sites by using a hub-and-spoke topology with dynamic tunnels between spokes. This reduces the number of static tunnels required and simplifies the configuration and management of the VPN. DMVPN also supports dynamic routing protocols, multicast traffic, and quality of service (QoS) features, making it suitable for various network scenarios and requirements12 References := 1: Cisco Dynamic Multipoint VPN: Simple and Secure Branch-to-Branch Communications 2: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0

Explanation

Compared to RSA, the prevalent public-key cryptography of the Internet today, Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) offers smaller key sizes, faster computation,as well as memory, energy and bandwidth savings and is thus better suited forsmall devices.

The best way to prevent the session during the initial TCP communication is to configure policies to stop and reject communication from the known malicious domain. This will prevent the ESA from accepting any messages from that domain and send a negative SMTP response code back to the sender. This will also save the ESA’s resources and bandwidth, as it will not have to process or store the malicious emails. This can be done by creating a sender group in the Host Access Table (HAT) that matches the malicious domain and setting the mail flow policy to “Reject” or “Throttle”. Alternatively, a message filter can be created that checks the envelope sender against the malicious domain and applies the “stop_connection” or “reject_connection” action12.

The other options are not as effective as stopping and rejecting the communication at the TCP level. Configuring the Cisco ESA to drop the malicious emails (option A) will still allow the ESA to accept the messages and then silently discard them, which will consume the ESA’s resources and bandwidth, and also not notify the sender of the rejection. Configuring policies to quarantine malicious emails (option B) will also require the ESA to accept and store the messages, which will take up disk space and require manual or automated management of the quarantine. Configuring the Cisco ESA to reset the TCP connection (option D) will abruptly terminate the connection without sending a proper SMTP response code, which may cause the sender to retry the delivery and generate more traffic. Resetting the TCP connection is also considered a less polite and less compliant way of rejecting messages than sending a negative SMTP response code34. References: 1: How to Block a Sender Domain on the Email Security Appliance 2: Message Filters on the Cisco Email Security Appliance 3: How to Configure the Cisco Email Security Appliance to Reject or Drop Messages 4: Cisco Email Security Appliance User Guide - Configuring Mail Policies

Explanation

"configure INTRUSION RULES for DNP3" -> Documentation states, that enabling INTRUSION RULES is mandatory for CIP to work + required preprocessors (in Network Access Policy - NAP) will be enabled automatically:

"If you want the CIP preprocessor rules listed in the following table to generate events, you MUST enable them. See Setting Intrusion Rule States for information on enabling rules."

"If the Modbus, DNP3, or CIP preprocessor is disabled, and you enable and deploy an intrusion rule that requires one of these preprocessors, the system automatically uses the required preprocessor, with its current settings, although the preprocessor remains disabled in the web interface for the corresponding network analysis policy."

[1] https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/firepower/630/configuration/guide/fpmc-config-guide-v63/scada_preprocessors.html

 The process that uses STIX and allows uploads and downloads of block lists is sharing. STIX (Structured Threat Information Expression) is a standard language and format for exchanging cyber threat intelligence data. Block lists are collections of observables, such as IP addresses, URLs, or domains, that are associated with malicious activity and can be used to block or monitor network traffic. Cisco Threat Intelligence Director (TID) is a feature that operationalizes threat intelligence data by consuming, normalizing, publishing, and correlating data from various sources, including third-party STIX feeds. TID enables the administrator to upload STIX files from local or remote sources, or download STIX files from the Firepower Management Center (FMC) to share with other systems. TID also allows the administrator to configure actions (such as block or monitor) based on the indicators and observables in the STIX files, and generate incidents and observations when the system detects traffic that matches the threat intelligence data123

References := 1: Firepower Management Center Configuration Guide, Version 6.2.3 - Threat Intelligence Director 2 2: Introduction to STIX - GitHub Pages 4 3: Third-Party Integration of Security Feeds with FMC (Cisco Threat Intelligence Director) - Cisco Community 3

Explanation

TAXII (Trusted Automated Exchange of Indicator Information) is a standard that provides a transport

NetFlow is a baseline form of telemetry that is recommended for network infrastructure devices. NetFlow is a technology that collects and exports information about IP traffic flows on enabled interfaces. NetFlow can provide valuable insight into the network performance, utilization, behavior, and security. NetFlow can help identify anomalies, such as DDoS attacks, malware, or misconfigurations, by comparing the current traffic patterns with the normal or baseline ones. NetFlow can also help with capacity planning, troubleshooting, and forensic analysis. NetFlow is supported on various Cisco platforms, such as routers, switches, firewalls, and IPS sensors. NetFlow can export data to different collectors and analyzers, such as Cisco Security Monitoring, Analysis and Response System (CS-MARS), Cisco Traffic Anomaly Detectors and Cisco Guard DDoS Mitigation Appliances, Cisco Network Analysis Module (NAM), and other third-party tools. References:

Cisco ISE uses probes to collect endpoint attributes that are used in profiling. Probes are software modules that run on the ISE Policy Service Nodes (PSNs) and gather information about the endpoints connected to the network. Probes can use various protocols and methods to collect endpoint attributes, such as RADIUS, DHCP, SNMP, HTTP, DNS, NetFlow, NMAP, Active Directory, and Cisco pxGrid. The collected attributes are then matched to predefined or custom conditions that define the endpoint profiles. Endpoint profiling enables ISE to identify and classify the endpoints and apply the appropriate policies based on their identity, role, and context12. References: 1: Cisco ISE 2.4 Endpoint Profiling - Cisco 2: How To Create an Endpoint Profile - Cisco Community

Transparently identify users with authentication realms – This option is available when one or more authentication realms are configured to support transparent identification using one of the following authentication servers:

Active Directory – Create an NTLM or Kerberos authentication realm and enable transparent user identification. In addition, you must deploy a separate Active Directory agent such as Cisco’s Context Directory Agent. For more information, see Transparent User Identification with Active Directory.

LDAP – Create an LDAP authentication realm configured as an eDirectory, and enable transparent user identification. For more information, see Transparent User Identification with LDAP.

Details:

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/security/wsa/wsa11-0/user_guide/b_WSA_UserGuide/b_WSA_UserGuide_chapter_01001.html#:~:text=Transparently%20identify%20users%20with%20authentication,User%20Identification%20with%20LDAP.

Explanation

Explanation

A bridge group is a group of interfaces that the ASA bridges instead of routes. Bridge groups are only

supported in Transparent Firewall Mode. Like any other firewall interfaces, access control between interfaces is controlled, and all of the usual firewall checks are in place.

Each bridge group includes a Bridge Virtual Interface (BVI). The ASA uses the BVI IP address as the source address for packets originating from the bridge group. The BVI IP address must be on the same subnet as the bridge group member interfaces. The BVI does not support traffic on secondary networks; only traffic on the same network as the BVI IP address is supported.

You can include multiple interfaces per bridge group. If you use more than 2 interfaces per bridge group, you can control communication between multiple segments on the same network, and not just between inside and outside. For example, if you have three inside segments that you do not want to communicate with each other, you can put each segment on a separate interface, and only allow them to communicate with the outside interface. Or you can customize the access rules between interfaces to allow only as much access as desired.

Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) and Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) are both important components of an endpoint security strategy, but they have different goals and capabilities. EPP is designed to act as a preventive security measure, blocking known and unknown malware and malicious activity on endpoint devices using various techniques such as antivirus, data encryption, and data loss prevention. EPP solutions are mainly cloud-managed and assisted by cloud data, and use multiple detection engines such as signature-based, machine learning, and behavioral analysis. EPP solutions prevent breaches by leveraging threat intelligence and sandboxing capabilities to continuously protect endpoints from emerging threats12.

EDR, on the other hand, focuses on detecting and responding to advanced threats that have already evaded the front-line defenses and infiltrated the environment. EDR solutions provide continuous and comprehensive visibility into endpoint activity in real time, allowing security teams to quickly and effectively identify and remediate cyberattacks such as ransomware and fileless malware. EDR solutions offer advanced threat detection, investigation, and response capabilities, including incident data search and investigation, alert triage, suspicious activity validation, threat hunting, and malicious activity detection and containment. EDR solutions serve as a safety net to capture threats that go undetected by traditional antivirus software and uncover incidents that would otherwise remain invisible34.

Therefore, the primary difference between an EPP and an EDR is that EPP focuses on prevention, and EDR focuses on advanced threats that evade perimeter defenses. References: 1: Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP) Definition - Cisco 2: EPP vs. EDR: Why You Need Both - CrowdStrike 3: Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Definition - Cisco 4: EDR vs EPP: Why Should You Have to Choose? - Check Point Software

This is a type of Outbreak Control list that allows the administrator to create a list of files based on their SHA-256 hash values that will be detected, blocked, and quarantined by the AMP for Endpoints connectors. The Simple Custom Detection list can be applied to a policy and synchronized with the devices that have the AMP connectors installed. This way, the administrator can prevent the execution of specific files without having to quarantine them on the devices.

The other options are incorrect because:

Advanced Custom Detection is a type of Outbreak Control list that allows the administrator to create custom rules based on file attributes, such as file name, size, path, or parent process. These rules can be used to detect and block files that match certain criteria, but they cannot be used to quarantine them.

Blocked Application is a type of Outbreak Control list that allows the administrator to create a list of applications based on their SHA-256 hash values that will be blocked from running on the devices that have the AMP connectors installed. However, this list does not detect or quarantine the applications, only prevents them from executing.

Isolation is a feature of AMP for Endpoints that allows the administrator to isolate a device from the network if it is compromised by malware. This prevents the device from communicating with other devices or the internet, but does not affect the files on the device.

Explanation

A posture policy is a collection of posture requirements, which are associated with one or more identity groups, and operating systems. We can configure ISE to check for the Windows patch at Work Centers > Posture > Posture Elements > Conditions > File.

In this example, we are going to use the predefined file check to ensure that our Windows 10 clients have the critical security patch installed to prevent the Wanna Cry malware.

the interface configuration. MAB stands for MAC Authentication Bypass, which is a feature that allows devices that do not support 802.1X, such as printers and video cameras, to bypass the authentication process and gain network access based on their MAC addresses1. By adding mab to the interface configuration, the Cisco ISE administrator can enable MAB as a fallback method after 802.1X fails or times out. This way, the devices that support 802.1X can use their machine certificate credentials, while the devices that do not support 802.1X can use their MAC addresses to authenticate with Cisco ISE2. The other options are not correct because they either compromise the security controls or do not address the problem. Changing the default policy in Cisco ISE to allow all devices not using machine authentication would weaken the security posture and expose the network to unauthorized access. Enabling insecure protocols within Cisco ISE in the allowed protocols configuration would also reduce the security level and increase the risk of attacks. Configuring authentication event fail retry 2 action authorize vlan 41 on the interface would only apply to the devices that fail authentication twice, and would not solve the issue for the devices that do not support 802.1X at all3. References:

1: MAC Authentication Bypass Deployment Guide

2: Configuring MAC Authentication Bypass

3: Cisco Identity Services Engine Administrator Guide, Release 3.1 - Segmentation

 Cisco AMP for Endpoints and Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client are both security solutions that protect mobile users from threats, but they have different functions and features. Cisco AMP for Endpoints is a cloud-managed endpoint security solution that stops and tracks malicious activity on hosts, such as malware execution, file behavior, and command-and-control callbacks. It also provides threat intelligence, sandboxing, and retrospective analysis to detect and respond to advanced threats. Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client is a lightweight DNS client that tracks only URL-based threats, such as phishing, ransomware, and botnets. It prevents connections to malicious domains and IP addresses, and provides visibility and enforcement for off-network devices. It also integrates with Cisco AnyConnect VPN client to provide seamless protection for VPN and non-VPN traffic. Therefore, the functional difference between Cisco AMP for Endpoints and Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client is that AMP for Endpoints stops and tracks malicious activity on hosts, and the Umbrella Roaming Client tracks only URL-based threats. References :=

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.1: Cisco AMP for Endpoints Overview

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.2: Cisco AMP for Endpoints Architecture and Components

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.3: Cisco AMP for Endpoints Installation and Configuration

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.4: Cisco AMP for Endpoints Analysis and Response

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.5: Cisco Umbrella Overview

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.6: Cisco Umbrella Architecture and Components

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.7: Cisco Umbrella Roaming Client

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 3: Endpoint Protection and Detection, Lesson 3.8: Cisco Umbrella Policies and Reporting

Best Mobile Cybersecurity Solution - Cisco Umbrella

Explanation

Cisco ISE can determine the type of device or endpoint connecting to the network by performing “profiling.”

Profiling is done by using DHCP, SNMP, Span, NetFlow, HTTP, RADIUS, DNS, or NMAP scans to collect as

much metadata as possible to learn the device fingerprint.

NMAP (“Network Mapper”) is a popular network scanner which provides a lot of features. One of them is the

OUI (Organizationally Unique Identifier) information. OUI is the first 24 bit or 6 hexadecimal value of the MAC

address.

Note: DHCP probe cannot collect OUIs of endpoints. NMAP scan probe can collect these endpoint attributes:

+ EndPointPolicy

+ LastNmapScanCount

+ NmapScanCount

+ OUI

+ Operating-system

Explanation

Application layer protocols can represent the same data in a variety of ways. The Firepower System provides

application layer protocol decoders that normalize specific types of packet data into formats that the intrusion

rules engine can analyze. Normalizing application-layer protocol encodings allows the rules engine to effectively

apply the same content-related rules to packets whose data is represented differently and obtain meaningful

results.

Explanation

Explanation

Easy Connect simplifies network access control and segmentation by allowing the assignment of Security

Group Tags to endpoints without requiring 802.1X on those endpoints, whether using wired or wireless

connectivity.

A virus is a type of malware that infects a computer system by attaching itself to another program or file. Once executed, the virus can replicate itself and spread to other files or systems. A virus can be used to gain unauthorized access to a computer system by exploiting software vulnerabilities, stealing credentials, or installing backdoors. A virus can also cause damage to the system by deleting, modifying, or encrypting data, or consuming system resources. According to the Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) course, viruses are one of the most common forms of malware and can be classified into different types based on their behavior, such as boot sector viruses, file infectors, macro viruses, or polymorphic viruses1. References: 1: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) course, Module 1: Malware Analysis, Lesson 1: Malware Types and Characteristics, Topic: Virus.

Explanation

Explanation

NetFlow is a network protocol developed by Cisco for the collection and monitoring of network traffic flow data

generated by NetFlow-enabled routers and switches. The flows do not contain actual packet data, but rather the

metadata for communications. It is a standard form of session data that details who, what, when, and where of

network traffic -> Answer A is not correct.

A Trojan malware attack is a type of malicious code or software that disguises itself as a legitimate program or file to trick users into executing it. Once executed, the Trojan can perform various harmful actions on the infected system or network, such as stealing data, deleting files, or installing other malware. There are different types of Trojan malware attacks, depending on their purpose and behavior. Two common types are:

Rootkit: A rootkit is a type of Trojan that hides itself and other malware from detection and removal by antivirus software or system tools. A rootkit can modify the operating system or the firmware of the device to gain persistent and privileged access to the system. A rootkit can also intercept and manipulate system calls, network traffic, or user input to conceal its activities or redirect them to malicious servers.

Backdoor: A backdoor is a type of Trojan that creates a secret or unauthorized access point to the infected system or network. A backdoor can allow an attacker to remotely control the system, execute commands, upload or download files, or monitor the system activity. A backdoor can also be used to install other malware or launch further attacks on other systems or networks.

To add switches into the fabric for private cloud management, administrators can use the following two methods:

PowerOn Auto Provisioning (POAP): This method allows the switches to be automatically discovered and provisioned by DCNM using a POAP configuration file. The switches are assigned an IP address and a startup configuration based on the fabric settings and policies. The switches are then added to the fabric and deployed with the VXLAN EVPN configuration. This method is suitable for greenfield deployments or adding new switches to an existing fabric12.

Seed IP: This method allows the administrators to manually specify the IP address of the switches that they want to add to the fabric. The switches must have a reachable IP address and a username and password that match the fabric settings. The switches are then added to the fabric and deployed with the VXLAN EVPN configuration. This method is suitable for brownfield deployments or transitioning existing switches to DCNM management12. References: Cisco NDFC Fabric Controller Configuration Guide, Release 12.0.x, Cisco DCNM LAN Fabric Configuration Guide, Release 11.5(x).

Flood attacks are a type of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks that aim to saturate the bandwidth or resources of a target by sending a large number of packets or requests. Flood attacks can be classified into different categories based on the protocol or layer they target, such as ICMP, UDP, TCP SYN, HTTP, DNS, etc. Flood attacks can also be distributed (DDoS) if they involve multiple sources of attack traffic, such as compromised devices or servers123. References := 1: Denial of Service - OWASP Cheat Sheet Series 2: What is a denial-of-service (DoS) attack? | Cloudflare 3: Types of DOS attacks - GeeksforGeeks

Trusted Automated eXchange of Intelligence Information (TAXII) is a collection of services and message exchanges that enable the sharing of cyber threat intelligence across product, service, and organizational boundaries. It is designed to support the exchange of CTI represented in STIX, but is not limited to STIX. TAXII defines an API that aligns with common sharing models, such as hub-and-spoke, peer-to-peer, and subscribe/publish. TAXII is not a public collection of threat intelligence feeds, a threat intelligence sharing organization, or a language used to represent security information. Those are possible descriptions of STIX, which is a complementary standard to TAXII. References: STIX and TAXII Approved as OASIS Standards to Enable Automated Exchange of Cyber Threat Intelligence, STIX V2.1 and TAXII V2.1 OASIS Standards are published, What is STIX/TAXII? | Cloudflare, What is STIX / TAXII? Learn about the industry standards for Cyber …, What are STIX/TAXII Standards I Resources I Anomali

The switch port MAC address security setting that must be used is sticky. This option allows the switch to dynamically learn the MAC addresses of the devices connected to the port and add them to the running configuration. If the port is shut down or the switch is restarted, the MAC addresses remain associated with the port and are not aged out. This way, the engineer can limit the number of MAC addresses per port and prevent unauthorized devices from accessing the network. The sticky option also allows the engineer to manually configure some MAC addresses and let the switch learn the rest. References:

Configuring Port Security - Cisco (Section: Allowing Traffic Based on the Host MAC Address)

How to configure port-security on Cisco Switch - NetworkLessons.com (Section: Sticky MAC addresses)

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0 (Module 5.1.1)

The Cloudlock Apps Firewall is a feature of Cisco Cloudlock, which is a cloud-native cloud access security broker (CASB) that helps organizations move to the cloud safely. The Cloudlock Apps Firewall mitigates security concerns from an application perspective by discovering and controlling cloud apps that are connected to a company’s corporate environment, such as Google G Suite or Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AD). These cloud apps are authorized through OAuth to access corporate data and resources via APIs, and may pose risks such as data exfiltration, account compromise, or malicious behavior. The Cloudlock Apps Firewall provides visibility into the app ecosystem, including the app name, category, risk level, access scopes, and number of users. It also allows administrators to ban or allowlist apps based on their risk profile and compliance requirements. Additionally, the Cloudlock Apps Firewall leverages a crowd-sourced Community Trust Rating for each app, which reflects the feedback from other Cloudlock customers on the app’s security and functionality. References :=

Cisco Content Security Products

Cisco Cloudlock - Cisco

Shadow IT Control with Apps Firewall - Cisco

Test scor q151 - q200

Cisco Secure Workload (formerly Tetration) is a solution that provides visibility, segmentation, and security for cloud applications. It can monitor application communications, detect abnormal application behavior, and identify vulnerabilities within the applications. Cisco Secure Workload can also enforce granular policies to control the traffic between applications and prevent unauthorized access. References: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 6: Cloud and Content Security, Lesson 6.2: Cisco Cloud Security Solutions, Topic 6.2.2: Cisco Secure Workload

The result of using this authentication protocol in the configuration is that the authentication and authorization requests are grouped in a single packet. This is because the configuration uses RADIUS as the AAA protocol, which combines both authentication and authorization functions in one process. RADIUS is facilitated through AAA and can be enabled only through AAA commands. The aaa new-model global configuration command enables AAA, and the radius-server host command specifies the IP address and the shared secret key of the RADIUS server. The aaa authentication command defines the method list for RADIUS authentication, and the aaa group server command defines the group name and the members of the group. The line and interface commands enable the defined method list to be used. When a user tries to access the router, the router sends a single Access-Request packet to the RADIUS server, which contains the user credentials and other attributes. The RADIUS server then verifies the credentials and returns either an Access-Accept packet, which grants access and may include authorization information, or an Access-Reject packet, which denies access. Therefore, the correct answer is D. References:

Security Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE Everest 16.6.x (Catalyst …

Configuring Basic AAA on an Access Server - Cisco

AAA Server Priority explained with New Radius Server Command Line

Configuring AAA on Cisco Devices – RADIUS and TACACS+ - Study-CCNA

The purpose of a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack is to disrupt the normal operation of a targeted system, server, or network by overwhelming it with a flood of internet traffic. This is achieved by utilizing multiple compromised computer systems as sources of attack traffic. The overwhelming amount of traffic can cause the targeted system to slow down significantly or even crash and become unavailable to legitimate users, thereby denying service to intended users.

Explanation

FlexVPN supports IKEv2 -> Answer A is not correct.

DMVPN supports both IKEv1 & IKEv2 -> Answer B is not correct.

FlexVPN support multiple SAs -> Answer D is not correct.

 The Python script accomplishes the following tasks:

It imports the required libraries for HTTP, base64, SSL, and sys modules.

It takes the host, user, and password information from the command line arguments and assigns them to variables.

It creates an HTTPS connection object using the host and port 9060, and specifies the SSL protocol as TLSv1_2.

It encodes the user and password information in base64 format for basic HTTP authentication.

It sets the headers for the HTTP request, including the accept, authorization, and cache-control fields.

It sends a GET request to the Cisco ISE server to retrieve information from the “/ers/config/internaluser/” endpoint, which returns the list of internal users configured on Cisco ISE.

It reads the response from the server and prints the status, headers, and body in a human-readable format.

The script authenticates to the Cisco ISE server using the username of ersad and the password of Password1, and retrieves the internal user information from the server.

Explanation

Explanation

The following are the benefits of deploying Cisco Advanced Phishing Protection on the Cisco Email Security

Gateway:

Prevents the following:

+ Attacks that use compromised accounts and social engineering.

+ Phishing, ransomware, zero-day attacks and spoofing.

+ BEC with no malicious payload or URL.

Trusted Automated Exchange of Indicator Information (TAXII) is a standard that defines how to exchange cyber threat intelligence (CTI) over HTTPS. CTI includes indicators of compromise (IOCs), such as malware hashes, IP addresses, URLs, and domains, that can be used to detect and respond to cyberattacks. TAXII enables the sharing of CTI in a secure, automated, and interoperable way among different organizations and tools. Structured Threat Information Expression (STIX) is a standard that defines how to represent and structure CTI in a common language. STIX and TAXII are often used together to facilitate the exchange of CTI. Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) is not a standard, but a term used to describe a sophisticated and stealthy cyberattack that persists over a long period of time, often targeting specific organizations or sectors. Open Command and Control (OpenC2) is a standard that defines how to communicate and execute cyber defense actions across different technologies and domains. OpenC2 enables the orchestration and automation of cyber defense actions, such as blocking, isolating, or redirecting malicious traffic or devices. References :=

Some possible references are:

[Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0], Module 4: Content Security, Lesson 4.3: Cisco Umbrella, Topic 4.3.1: Cisco Umbrella Investigate

350-701 SCOR - Cisco, Exam Topics, 4.0 Content Security, 4.3 Describe the components, capabilities, and benefits of Cisco Umbrella, 4.3.a Investigate

TAXII - OASIS Cyber Threat Intelligence Technical Committee, Overview, Introduction

STIX - OASIS Cyber Threat Intelligence Technical Committee, Overview, Introduction

OpenC2 - OASIS Open Command and Control Technical Committee, Overview, Introduction

What is an Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)? | Fortinet, Definition, What is an APT?

Explanation

Explanation

The Mail Policies menu is where almost all of the controls related to email filtering happens. All the security and content filtering policies are set here, so it’s likely that, as an ESA administrator, the pages on this menu are where you are likely to spend most of your time.

The WCCP-configured router identifies if the Cisco WSA is functional by exchanging periodic messages with the WSA. The WSA sends a Here-I-Am message every 10 seconds to the router, which contains information such as the WSA’s IP address, service group, and hash assignment. The router responds with an I-See-You message, which acknowledges the receipt of the Here-I-Am message and provides information such as the router’s IP address, service group, and view of the WCCP topology. These messages allow the router and the WSA to maintain a bidirectional communication and to detect any changes or failures in the WCCP network12.

Option C is the correct answer, as it describes the correct message exchange between the WCCP-configured router and the Cisco WSA. Option A is incorrect, as the router does not use ICMP ping to check the WSA’s functionality, and the traffic is not transmitted to the router, but redirected by the router. Option B is incorrect, as the router does not use ICMP ping to check the WSA’s functionality, and the traffic is not transmitted to the WSA, but redirected by the WSA. Option D is incorrect, as the router does not send a Here-I-Am message, but an I-See-You message, and the WSA does not acknowledge with an I-See-You message, but a Here-I-Am message. References: WCCP Router Configuration Example - Cisco. Cisco ASA WCCP Traffic Redirection Guide - Cisco.

 The management port on Cisco FMC is used to establish a secure connection with the managed Cisco FTD devices. If the default management port (8305) conflicts with other communications on the network, it must be changed on both the Cisco FMC and the Cisco FTD devices. This cannot be done automatically by the Cisco FMC, as it would lose connectivity with the devices. Therefore, the administrator must manually change the management port on the Cisco FMC and all the managed Cisco FTD devices using the command line interface (CLI). The steps to change the management port are as follows:

Log into the CLI of the Cisco FMC and the Cisco FTD devices using a console connection or SSH.

Enter the configure network {ipv4 | ipv6} manual ip_address netmask data-interfaces command to change the management port on the Cisco FMC. For example, configure network ipv4 manual 10.10.10.10 255.255.255.0 data-interfaces changes the management port to 10.10.10.10/24.

Enter the configure network {ipv4 | ipv6} manual ip_address netmask gateway management-only command to change the management port on the Cisco FTD devices. For example, configure network ipv4 manual 10.10.10.11 255.255.255.0 10.10.10.10 management-only changes the management port to 10.10.10.11/24 and sets the gateway to the Cisco FMC’s management port.

Save the configuration and restart the Cisco FMC and the Cisco FTD devices.

Verify the connectivity between the Cisco FMC and the Cisco FTD devices using the show managers command on the Cisco FTD devices and the show devices command on the Cisco FMC.

References :=

Firepower Management Center Device Configuration Guide, 7.1 - Device Management

Change management port fmc 1600 - Cisco Community

Solved: FMC 2120 FTD Management Only Port - Cisco Community

Change the FMC Access Interface from Management to Data

Explanation

Spero analysis is a feature of Cisco AMP for Networks that examines structural characteristics such as metadata and header information in executable files. After generating a Spero signature based on this information, if the file is an eligible executable file, the device submits it to the Spero heuristic engine in the AMP cloud for analysis1. Spero analysis can detect malware based on the file’s structure and behavior, without requiring a full file upload2. Spero analysis is different from dynamic analysis, sandbox analysis, and malware analysis, which are other features of Cisco AMP for Networks that perform different types of file inspection and analysis3. References: 1: How to configure Firepower AMP to not upload files to … - Cisco Community 2: File Policies - Network Direction 3: Cisco AMP for Networks - Cisco

Cisco FMC is assigned the role of a client in the pxGrid ecosystem. A client is a partner that subscribes to the contextual data published by other partners or by ISE. A client can also publish its own data, but it does not have to. A client can use the contextual data to enforce security policies, perform threat analysis, or provide visibility. Cisco FMC can subscribe to various topics from ISE or other partners, such as user identity, session directory, endpoint profile, SGT mapping, threat events, or vulnerability assessment. Cisco FMC can also publish its own threat events to ISE or other partners. Cisco FMC can use the contextual data to apply access control rules, correlation policies, or network discovery policies based on the attributes of the users, endpoints, or sessions12.

The other options are not correct because they are not the roles assigned for Cisco FMC. A server is a partner that publishes contextual data to other partners or to ISE. A server can also subscribe to data, but it does not have to. A server can provide valuable information about the network, such as device inventory, configuration, or compliance. An example of a server is Cisco Prime Infrastructure3. A controller is the core component of the pxGrid ecosystem that manages the communication, authentication, and authorization between the partners. The controller is always ISE, and it is responsible for creating and maintaining the pxGrid domain, distributing the certificates, and facilitating the data exchange4. A publisher is a partner that publishes contextual data to other partners or to ISE, but does not subscribe to any data. A publisher can provide useful information about the network, such as security events, alerts, or incidents. An example of a publisher is Cisco Stealthwatch. References :=

Integrate FMC with ISE using pxGrid | Blue Network Security

How To: Integrate Firepower Management Center (FMC) 6 … - Cisco Community

Cisco Prime Infrastructure and ISE pxGrid Integration - Cisco

pxGrid Overview - Cisco

[Cisco Stealthwatch and ISE pxGrid Integration - Cisco]

To collect full metadata information about the traffic going through their AWS cloud services, the organization needs to send VPC Flow Logs to Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud and configure Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud to ingest AWS information. VPC Flow Logs is a feature that enables the organization to capture information about the IP traffic going to and from network interfaces in their VPC. Flow log data can be published to Amazon CloudWatch Logs, Amazon S3, or Amazon Kinesis Data Firehose1. Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud is a SaaS-based network and cloud security solution that provides behavioral analytics across the network to help the organization improve threat detection and achieve a stronger security posture2. By sending VPC Flow Logs to Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud, the organization can leverage the rich network flow metadata to perform various types of flow analysis, such as troubleshooting connectivity issues, monitoring the traffic patterns, detecting anomalous or malicious activity, and verifying compliance3. To send VPC Flow Logs to Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud, the organization needs to create a flow log for their VPC, subnet, or network interface, and specify Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud as the destination4. To configure Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud to ingest AWS information, the organization needs to add their AWS account as a data source in the Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud portal, and grant the necessary permissions for Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud to access their VPC Flow Logs5. By doing so, the organization can view and analyze the flow log data in the Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud dashboard, and receive valuable security alerts and insights based on the network behavior6.

References := 1: Logging IP traffic using VPC Flow Logs - Amazon Virtual Private Cloud 2: Cisco Secure Cloud Analytics (Stealthwatch Cloud) - Cisco 3: Cisco Secure Cloud Analytics - AWS VPC Flow Logs: A New Tool for Your … 4: Publish flow logs to Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud - Amazon Virtual Private Cloud 5: AWS Data Source Setup - Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud 6: AWS Workload Protection - Cisco Stealthwatch Cloud

A passphrase is a type of protection that encrypts RSA keys when they are exported and imported. A passphrase is a sequence of characters that the user enters to decrypt the key. The passphrase acts as a symmetric key that is used to encrypt and decrypt the RSA key with a symmetric algorithm, such as AES. This way, the RSA key is protected from unauthorized access or tampering when it is transferred or stored. A passphrase can also provide additional security by adding entropy to the RSA key generation process. A file, NGE, and nonexportable are not types of protection that encrypt RSA keys when they are exported and imported. A file is a container that stores the RSA key, but does not encrypt it. NGE stands for Next Generation Encryption, which is a set of cryptographic standards and algorithms that Cisco recommends, but it is not a specific type of protection. Nonexportable is a property that prevents the RSA key from being exported at all, but it does not encrypt it. References: RSA/Schannel Key BLOBs, Common Encryption Types, Protocols and Algorithms Explained, Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0 (Module 5: Implementing Secure Communications with VPNs, Lesson 5.1: Implementing Site-to-Site VPNs, Topic 5.1.2: Implementing Site-to-Site VPNs with Pre-Shared Keys)

 Suppression is a feature of Cisco Next Generation Intrusion Prevention System (NGIPS) that allows you to reduce false positives and unwanted alerts by filtering out specific traffic from the intrusion detection and prevention process. You can configure suppression based on different criteria, such as port, rule, source, destination, and network. The two valid suppression types for this question are port and rule. Port suppression allows you to exclude traffic based on the source or destination port number, or both. For example, you can suppress alerts for port 80 (HTTP) traffic if you are not interested in web-based attacks. Rule suppression allows you to exclude traffic based on the rule ID (SID) or the rule category. For example, you can suppress alerts for rules that belong to the policy-violations category if you are not concerned about them. You can also suppress alerts for specific rules that are not relevant to your network or generate too many false positives. References

Cisco Umbrella is a cloud-delivered security service that protects users from malicious domains and IPs, regardless of their location or network. When users are off the corporate network, they can use the Cisco Umbrella roaming client, which is embedded in the Cisco AnyConnect client, to enforce Umbrella DNS servers for all DNS queries. This way, Umbrella can block requests to malicious or unwanted domains before a connection is ever made, and provide visibility and protection for users anywhere they go. The Umbrella roaming client does not require any additional agents or end user action, and it can work with or without a VPN connection. References := Cisco Umbrella Roaming, Umbrella Roaming Client – How it Works on Your Company Network

 Cisco Container Platform (CCP) is a solution that simplifies the deployment and management of containerized applications across multiple clouds. It provides the following benefits to customers who utilize cloud service providers12:

Allows developers to create code once and deploy to multiple clouds. CCP is based on open source components, such as Kubernetes and Docker, that are compatible with various cloud platforms. This enables developers to write code once and run it anywhere, without worrying about the underlying infrastructure or vendor lock-in. CCP also supports hybrid and multicloud scenarios, allowing customers to leverage the best features of different cloud providers and optimize their costs and performance.

Manages Kubernetes clusters. CCP automates the installation, configuration, and maintenance of Kubernetes clusters, which are groups of nodes that run containerized applications. CCP provides a simple GUI-driven menu system to deploy clusters, as well as automated monthly updates for bug fixes, feature enhancements, and security patches. CCP also offers a choice of networking solutions, such as Cisco ACI, Calico, or Contiv, to connect and secure the clusters. CCP also integrates with Cisco AppDynamics and Prometheus for visibility and monitoring of the clusters and applications. References:

Cisco Container Platform - Cisco

Cisco Container Platform - At-a-Glance - Cisco

 Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a solution that requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to gain access to a resource, such as an application, online account, or a VPN. MFA is more secure than the traditional use of a username and password because it reduces the risk of identity theft, phishing, and credential compromise. MFA can use different types of factors, such as something the user knows (e.g., password, PIN), something the user has (e.g., smartphone, token, smart card), or something the user is (e.g., fingerprint, facial recognition). MFA can be implemented using various methods, such as security defaults, Conditional Access policies, or third-party solutions123. References:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/what-is-multifactor-authentication-e5e39437-121c-be60-d123-eda06bddf661

https://www.onelogin.com/learn/what-is-mfa

Explanation

Cisco Cognitive Threat Analytics helps you quickly detect and respond to sophisticated, clandestine attacks that are already under way or are attempting to establish a presence within your environment. The solution automatically identifies and investigates suspicious or malicious web-based traffic. It identifies both potential and confirmed threats, allowing you to quickly remediate the infection and reduce the scope and damage of an attack, whether it’s a known threat campaign that has spread across multiple organizations or a unique threat you’ve never seen before.

Detection and analytics features provided in Cognitive Threat Analytics are shown below:

+ Data exfiltration: Cognitive Threat Analytics uses statistical modeling of an organization’s network to identify anomalous web traffic and pinpoint the exfiltration of sensitive data. It recognizes data exfiltration even in HTTPS-encoded traffic, without any need for you to decrypt transferred content

+ Command-and-control (C2) communication: Cognitive Threat Analytics combines a wide range of data, ranging from statistics collected on an Internet-wide level to host-specific local anomaly scores. Combining these indicators inside the statistical detection algorithms allows us to distinguish C2 communication from benign traffic and from other malicious activities. Cognitive Threat Analytics recognizes C2 even in HTTPSencoded or anonymous traffic, including Tor, without any need to decrypt transferred content, detecting a broad

range of threats

…

Mobile device management (MDM) is a solution that allows organizations to manage and secure mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. MDM can provide scalability by supporting BYOD (bring your own device) scenarios without requiring extra appliance or licenses. BYOD allows employees to use their personal devices for work purposes, which can reduce costs and increase productivity. However, BYOD also introduces security and compliance risks, which MDM can mitigate by enforcing policies, monitoring device status, and performing remote actions. MDM can also integrate with other Cisco security solutions such as Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Umbrella to provide additional protection and visibility. According to the Cisco SCOR course, MDM can provide the following benefits for BYOD1:

Simplify device enrollment and configuration

Automate device compliance checks and remediation

Apply granular policies based on device type, user role, location, and network

Enable secure access to corporate resources and applications

Protect data at rest and in transit with encryption and VPN

Detect and respond to device threats and vulnerabilities

Wipe or lock devices in case of loss or theft

 1: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0 - Module 4: Secure Connectivity - Lesson 4.3: Mobile Device Management (MDM)

 File discovery is a feature of Cisco AMP that allows the engineering team to search for files across all endpoints in the network based on their SHA-256 hashes. File discovery can help identify whether a file is installed on a selected few workstations, and also provide information such as file name, path, size, date, and disposition. File discovery can be used to locate malicious files, unauthorized software, or sensitive data on the endpoints. File discovery can be accessed from the Outbreak Control menu in the AMP console1. References: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/security/amp-endpoints/215176-configure-a-simple-custom-detection-list.html

Explanation

Symmetric encryption uses a single key that needs to be shared among the people who need to receive the message while asymmetric encryption uses a pair of public key and a private key to encrypt and decrypt messages when communicating.

Asymmetric encryption takes relatively more time than the symmetric encryption.

Diffie Hellman algorithm is an asymmetric algorithm used to establish a shared secret for a symmetric key

algorithm. Nowadays most of the people uses hybrid crypto system i.e, combination of symmetric and

asymmetric encryption. Asymmetric Encryption is used as a technique in key exchange mechanism to share secret key and after the key is shared between sender and receiver, the communication will take place using symmetric encryption. The shared secret key will be used to encrypt the communication.

Triple DES (3DES), a symmetric-key algorithm for the encryption of electronic data, is the successor of DES (Data Encryption Standard) and provides more secure encryption then DES.

Note: Although “requires secret keys” option in this question is a bit unclear but it can only be assigned to

Symmetric algorithm.

 Cisco ISE supports two types of WebAuth for BYOD: central WebAuth and local WebAuth. Central WebAuth is the default method and it uses the ISE portal to authenticate the users and redirect them to the BYOD portal. Local WebAuth is an alternative method that uses the network access device (NAD) portal to authenticate the users and then redirects them to the ISE BYOD portal. Both methods require the configuration of a guest component on ISE, which is used to create the BYOD portal and the guest user accounts. The guest component also provides the self-service onboarding and registration features for the BYOD users. The dual component is not related to BYOD, but rather to the dual-SSID method, which uses two separate SSIDs for provisioning and access. The null WebAuth component is not a valid option for BYOD. References :=

Some possible references are:

Cisco ISE BYOD Prescriptive Deployment Guide

Configure Single SSID Wireless BYOD on Windows and ISE

Cisco ISE for BYOD and Secure Unified Access, 2nd Edition

Explanation

Obviously, if you allow all traffic to these risky domains, users might access malicious content, resulting in an infection or data leak. But if you block traffic, you can expect false positives, an increase in support inquiries, and thus, more headaches. By only proxying risky domains, the intelligent proxy delivers more granular visibility and control.

The intelligent proxy bridges the gap by allowing access to most known good sites without being proxied and only proxying those that pose a potential risk. The proxy then filters and blocks against specific URLs hosting malware while allowing access to everything else.

 Cisco NBAR2 is a classification engine that recognizes and classifies a wide variety of protocols and applications based on their deep packet inspection (DPI) signatures. NBAR2 enables the platform to identify and output various applications within the network traffic flows, such as web, email, voice, video, and so on. NBAR2 also supports custom protocols and applications, allowing the platform to classify traffic based on user-defined criteria. NBAR2 helps the platform to apply the appropriate quality of service (QoS), security, and policy for each application or protocol. References :=

Some possible references are:

Cisco NBAR2

Classifying Network Traffic Using NBAR

Next Generation NBAR (NBAR2)

To prevent rogue NTP servers from inserting themselves as the authoritative time source, the administrator needs to configure NTP authentication and specify the interface for syncing to the NTP server. NTP authentication allows the ASA to verify the identity and integrity of the NTP packets received from the server, using a shared secret key. Specifying the interface for syncing to the NTP server ensures that the ASA uses the correct source address for sending and receiving NTP packets, and avoids potential routing issues. The other options are not required or relevant for this task. Specifying the NTP version is optional and does not affect security. Configuring the NTP stratum is only applicable for NTP servers, not clients. The ASA can only act as an NTP client, not a server. Setting the NTP DNS hostname is not recommended, as it introduces a dependency on DNS resolution and may cause synchronization problems if the DNS server changes the IP address of the NTP server. References :=

Some possible references are:

Configure NTP Authentication on Secure Network Analytics

CLI Book 1: Cisco ASA Series General Operations CLI Configuration Guide, 9.6 - Basic Settings

Cisco ASA NTP and Clock Configuration with Examples

 Cisco Firepower is a unified security solution that combines firewall, intrusion prevention system (IPS), advanced malware protection (AMP), and threat intelligence features. Cisco ASA is a traditional firewall that focuses on network traffic control based on packet filtering and stateful inspection. One of the key differences between Cisco Firepower and Cisco ASA is that Cisco Firepower natively provides intrusion prevention capabilities while Cisco ASA does not. Intrusion prevention is the process of detecting and blocking malicious network traffic before it reaches the intended target. Cisco Firepower uses a combination of signature-based and behavior-based detection methods to identify and stop known and unknown attacks. Cisco ASA, on the other hand, does not have built-in intrusion prevention capabilities. It can only perform basic packet inspection and filtering based on predefined rules. To enable intrusion prevention on Cisco ASA, an additional module called FirePOWER Services is required. This module integrates Cisco Firepower features into Cisco ASA, but it is not the same as Cisco Firepower itself. Cisco Firepower offers more advanced and integrated security features than Cisco ASA with FirePOWER Services123. References: 1: Cisco ASA vs Cisco Firepower | What are the differences? - StackShare 2: Cisco FTD vs ASA: Difference and Comparison 3: CISCO FIREPOWER VS. ASA - Critical Design

Explanation

Explanation

Security Intelligence Sources

…

Custom Block lists or feeds (or objects or groups)

Block specific IP addresses, URLs, or domain names using a manually-created list or feed (for IP addresses,

you can also use network objects or groups.)

For example, if you become aware of malicious sites or addresses that are not yet blocked by a feed, add these

sites to a custom Security Intelligence list and add this custom list to the Block list in the Security Intelligence

tab of your access control policy.

The Cisco ASA must support TLS proxy for encrypted Cisco Unified Communications traffic. This means that the ASA acts as a proxy between the Cisco IP Phone and the Cisco Unified Communications Manager (UCM), decrypting, inspecting, and re-encrypting the voice signaling traffic. To do this, the ASA needs to have the certificates of the devices that the phone trusts, such as the UCM servers and the TFTP servers. These certificates are stored in a Certificate Trust List (CTL) file that the phone downloads from the UCM before registration. Therefore, the ASA must be added to the CTL file on the UCM platform, so that the phone can verify the identity of the ASA as a proxy. The other options are not relevant for this scenario. The Endpoint Trust List is a list of certificates that the UCM trusts for encrypted endpoints. The Enterprise Proxy Service is a feature that allows the UCM to route calls to and from the public switched telephone network (PSTN) through a SIP proxy server. The Secured Collaboration Proxy is a feature that allows the UCM to encrypt the media streams between endpoints using Secure Real-Time Transport Protocol (SRTP). References :=

Cisco Secure Firewall ASA Unified Communications Guide - TLS Proxy for Encrypted Voice Inspection

TLS Proxy for Encrypted Voice Inspection - Cisco

Where must the ASA be added on the Cisco UC Manager platform?

Explanation

To understand DHCP snooping we need to learn about DHCP spoofing attack first.

DHCP spoofing is a type of attack in that the attacker listens for DHCP Requests from clients and answers them with fake DHCP Response before the authorized DHCP Response comes to the clients. The fake DHCP Response often gives its IP address as the client default gateway -> all the traffic sent from the client will go through the attacker computer, the attacker becomes a “man-in-the-middle”.

The attacker can have some ways to make sure its fake DHCP Response arrives first. In fact, if the attacker is “closer” than the DHCP Server then he doesn’t need to do anything. Or he can DoS the DHCP Server so that it can’t send the DHCP Response.

DHCP snooping can prevent DHCP spoofing attacks. DHCP snooping is a Cisco Catalyst feature that

determines which switch ports can respond to DHCP requests. Ports are identified as trusted and untrusted.

Only ports that connect to an authorized DHCP server are trusted, and allowed to send all types of DHCP

messages. All other ports on the switch are untrusted and can send only DHCP requests. If a DHCP response

is seen on an untrusted port, the port is shut down.

The function of Cisco Cloudlock for data security is data loss prevention (DLP). Cisco Cloudlock is a cloud-native cloud access security broker (CASB) that helps you move to the cloud safely. It protects your cloud users, data, and apps. Cloudlock’s simple, open, and automated approach uses APIs to manage the risks in your cloud app ecosystem1. One of the key features of Cloudlock is its DLP technology, which continuously monitors cloud environments to detect and secure sensitive information. It provides countless out-of-the-box policies as well as highly tunable custom policies. You can use Cloudlock’s DLP to prevent data breaches, comply with regulations, and enforce data governance across SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS platforms2. References: 1: Cisco Cloudlock - Cisco2: Cloudlock: Cloud User Security - Cisco Umbrella.

 ICMP is a protocol that is used to send diagnostic messages between hosts on a network. It is not designed to carry any data, but it can be abused by attackers to exfiltrate data from a compromised host. By encrypting the payload in an ICMP packet, the attacker can hide the data from network monitoring tools and firewalls that may not inspect ICMP traffic. The attacker can then use another tool to decrypt the data from the ICMP packets on a remote host. This technique is known as ICMP tunneling and it is a form of protocol tunneling (MITRE T1572: Protocol Tunneling1). References:

1: https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1572/

2: https://www.cynet.com/attack-techniques-hands-on/how-hackers-use-icmp-tunneling-to-own-your-network/

3: https://digital-security.quodagis.fr/ressources/ressource/exfiltration-de-donnees-les-techniques-icmp-et-dns-tunneling-855

The dot1x pae authenticator command enables 802.1x authentication on the port and configures the port as an authenticator. This command is required for the port to initiate the authentication process with the connected client. Without this command, the port will not send EAPOL packets to the client and will not receive the client credentials. Therefore, the client will not be authenticated and will remain in the unauthorized state. The other options are not mandatory for 802.1x authentication, although they can be used to modify the default behavior of the port. For example, authentication open allows the port to grant access to the client before authentication, dot1x reauthentication enables periodic reauthentication of the client, and cisp enable enables Cisco Identity Services Protocol (CISP) on the port. References: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 5: Secure Network Access, Lesson 5.1: Implementing 802.1X Authentication, Topic 5.1.2: Configuring 802.1X Authentication, Page 5-9.

 A CI/CD pipeline is a process of automating the development, testing, and deployment of software applications. A CI/CD pipeline typically involves multiple tools and stages, such as source code management, build automation, testing, security scanning, and deployment. To secure a CI/CD pipeline, one of the best practices is to avoid hardcoding secrets in config files and CI/CD build tools, and instead use a secure access solution that can authenticate and authorize the access to the pipeline resources.

Duo Network Gateway is a cloud-based solution that provides secure access to internal web applications without requiring a VPN or modifying firewall rules. Duo Network Gateway integrates with Duo’s two-factor authentication (2FA) service to verify the identity of users and devices before granting access to the web applications. Duo Network Gateway also supports single sign-on (SSO) and identity federation with various identity providers, such as Active Directory, Azure AD, Google, and Okta.

By using Duo Network Gateway, you can leverage a CI/CD pipeline without exposing your internal web applications to the internet or compromising security. Duo Network Gateway can protect access to your source code repositories, build servers, testing tools, and deployment platforms. You can also enforce granular access policies based on user roles, device health, location, and time. Duo Network Gateway can help you achieve compliance with industry standards and regulations, such as PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR.

The other options are not as suitable for securing access to a CI/CD pipeline as Duo Network Gateway. A remote access client is a software that allows users to connect to a remote network or server, such as a VPN client. However, a VPN client may not provide sufficient security for a CI/CD pipeline, as it may expose the entire network to potential attacks, or require complex firewall configurations and network segmentation. A VPN client may also introduce performance and reliability issues, as it depends on the quality and availability of the network connection.

SSL WebVPN is a feature of Cisco Adaptive Security Appliance (ASA) that allows users to access web-based resources securely over SSL/TLS. SSL WebVPN can provide secure access to web applications, email, file shares, and other network services. However, SSL WebVPN may not be able to support all the tools and stages of a CI/CD pipeline, as some of them may require non-web protocols, such as SSH, RDP, or VNC. SSL WebVPN may also require additional licenses and hardware resources to support a large number of concurrent users and connections.

Cisco FTD network gateway is a unified platform that combines the features of Cisco ASA and Cisco Firepower. Cisco FTD network gateway can provide firewall, intrusion prevention, malware protection, and VPN services. Cisco FTD network gateway can also integrate with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) to provide identity-based access control and visibility. However, Cisco FTD network gateway may not be the best solution for securing access to a CI/CD pipeline, as it may require complex network design and deployment, and may not support all the CI/CD tools and protocols. Cisco FTD network gateway may also incur additional costs and maintenance efforts.

References := : Secure CI/CD Pipelines: Best Practices for Managing CI/CD Secrets : Duo Network Gateway | Duo Security : VPN vs. Duo Network Gateway | Duo Security : SSL VPN Deployment Guide for Cisco ASA - Cisco : Cisco Firepower Threat Defense Configuration Guide for Firepower Device Manager, Version 6.7 - VPN Overview [Cisco Firepower NGFW]

Explanation

An example of configuring a NetFlow exporter is shown below:

flow exporter Exporter

destination 192.168.100.22

transport udp 2055

The login block-for command sets a limit on the maximum number of failed login attempts allowed within a defined period of time. If this limit is exceeded, no further logins are allowed for the specified period of time. This feature is designed to protect the router from denial-of-service and dictionary attacks. The syntax of the command is as follows:

login block-for attempts within

The  parameter specifies the duration of the quiet period in seconds. The  parameter specifies the number of failed attempts that trigger the quiet period. The  parameter specifies the time window in seconds for counting the failed attempts.

In this question, the command login block-for 100 attempts 4 within 60 means that if four failures occur in 60 seconds, the router goes to quiet mode for 100 seconds. During the quiet period, no login attempts are accepted, and the router responds with the message “Login disabled for seconds due to too many failed login attempts.” After the quiet period expires, the router resumes normal login operations.

The other options are incorrect because they do not match the command syntax or the expected behavior of the login block-for feature.

References :=

Some possible references for this question are:

User Security Configuration Guide - Cisco IOS Login Enhancements-Login Block

Configuring Login Block

Restrict login attempts : login block-for command

When applied to a router, which command would help mitigate brute-force password attacks against the router?

MAB is a fallback mechanism for IEEE 802.1X that allows network access based on the MAC address of the endpoint. However, MAB does not prevent MAC address spoofing, which is a technique used by attackers to impersonate authorized devices and bypass authentication. To mitigate this risk, two catalyst switch security features can be used in conjunction with MAB: 802.1AE MacSec and port security.

802.1AE MacSec is a standard that provides encryption and integrity protection for data frames between two MACsec-capable devices. MacSec also uses a secure key exchange protocol called MKA (MACsec Key Agreement) to establish and maintain cryptographic keys between the peers. By enabling MacSec on the switch ports, the switch can verify the identity and authenticity of the endpoints and prevent unauthorized access or tampering with the data frames.

Port security is a feature that allows the switch to limit the number and type of MAC addresses that can access a port. Port security can be configured to allow only a specific MAC address or a maximum number of MAC addresses per port. Port security can also be configured to take an action when a violation occurs, such as shutting down the port, sending a trap, or dropping packets. By enabling port security on the switch ports, the switch can prevent multiple devices from accessing the same port or deny access to devices with spoofed MAC addresses.

 The open standard that creates a framework for sharing threat intelligence in a machine-digestible format is STIX (Structured Threat Information Expression). STIX is a language and serialization format that enables the exchange of cyber threat information across organizations, tools, and platforms. STIX defines a common vocabulary and data model for representing various types of threat intelligence, such as indicators, observables, incidents, campaigns, threat actors, courses of action, and more. STIX also supports the expression of context, relationships, confidence, and handling of the threat information. STIX aims to improve the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of threat detection, analysis, and response.

STIX is often used in conjunction with TAXII (Trusted Automated Exchange of Indicator Information), which is a protocol and transport mechanism that enables the secure and automated communication of STIX data. TAXII defines how to request, send, receive, and store STIX data using standard methods and formats, such as HTTPS, JSON, and XML. TAXII supports various exchange models, such as hub-and-spoke, peer-to-peer, or subscription-based. TAXII enables the interoperability and scalability of threat intelligence sharing among different systems and organizations.

 Cisco Duo is a multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution that verifies the identity of all users with Duo’s easy, one-tap-approval MFA app. It also provides device visibility and adaptive policies to ensure that only trusted devices can access corporate applications and networks. Some of the benefits of using Cisco Duo as an MFA solution are:

It provides a simple and streamlined login experience for multiple applications and users. Users can access all their applications from a single dashboard, and authenticate with a simple push notification or other convenient methods. Duo also supports single sign-on (SSO) for integrated applications, reducing the need for multiple passwords and logins12.

It offers native integration that helps secure applications across multiple cloud platforms or on-premises environments. Duo can be easily integrated with most major apps and custom applications, enabling a secure access solution that can be implemented with minimal IT involvement. Duo also supports various protocols and standards, such as SAML, RADIUS, LDAP, and WebAuthn, to enable seamless integration with different environments13.

 1: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) | Duo Security 2: Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) | Duo Security - Cisco 3: What Is Duo? Two-Factor Authentication From Cisco - Cisco

Explanation

Explanation

We should scan emails using AntiVirus signatures to make sure there are no viruses attached in emails.

Note: A virus signature is the fingerprint of a virus. It is a set of unique data, or bits of code, that allow it to be identified. Antivirus software uses a virus signature to find a virus in a computer file system, allowing to detect, quarantine, and remove the virus.

SenderBase is an email reputation service designed to help email administrators research senders, identify legitimate sources of email, and block spammers. When the Cisco ESA receives messages from known or highly reputable senders, it delivers them directly to the end user without any content scanning. However, when the Cisco ESA receives email messages from unknown or less reputable senders, it performs antispam and antivirus scanning.

CoA-ACK is the CoA response code that is sent if an authorization state is changed successfully on a Cisco IOS device. CoA-ACK stands for CoA acknowledgment, which indicates that the device has received and processed the CoA request from the server and applied the new authorization settings to the session. The attributes returned within a CoA-ACK can vary based on the CoA request, such as session reauthentication, session termination, or session modification. The other options are not correct because they are not valid CoA response codes. CoA-NCL, CoA-NAK, and CoA-MAV are not defined in RFC 5176, which specifies the CoA protocol. CoA-NAK is the closest option, but it stands for CoA non-acknowledgment, which indicates that the device has rejected the CoA request from the server due to some error or inconsistency. References :=

Some possible references are:

RADIUS Change of Authorization - Cisco

Security and VPN Configuration Guide, Cisco IOS XE 17.x

RFC 5176 - Dynamic Authorization Extensions to Remote Authentication Dial In User Service (RADIUS)

 The Cisco Umbrella package that supports selective proxy for inspection of traffic from risky domains is SIG Advantage. SIG stands for Secure Internet Gateway, and it is a cloud-based service that provides comprehensive web security and threat intelligence. SIG Advantage includes all the features of DNS Security Advantage, such as DNS-layer protection, intelligent proxy, and cloud-delivered firewall, plus additional features such as full proxy, SSL decryption, advanced malware protection, and data loss prevention. Selective proxy is a feature that allows Umbrella to route risky domain requests to a proxy for deeper URL and file inspection, without impacting the performance or latency of legitimate traffic. Selective proxy is based on the reputation of the domains, which are classified into three categories: good, bad, and grey. Good domains are allowed without proxying, bad domains are blocked at the DNS layer, and grey domains are proxied for further inspection. Selective proxy is available in both DNS Security Advantage and SIG Advantage packages, but only SIG Advantage offers full proxy for all web traffic, which provides more granular control and visibility over web transactions and file types. References:

Cisco Umbrella Packages

Why Umbrella DNS Security?

Manage the Intelligent Proxy

Cisco Umbrella - Selected Proxy versus Full Proxy

Explanation

Explanation

Cryptographic algorithms defined for use with IPsec include:

+ HMAC-SHA1/SHA2 for integrity protection and authenticity.

+ TripleDES-CBC for confidentiality

+ AES-CBC and AES-CTR for confidentiality.

+ AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305 providing confidentiality and authentication together efficiently.

Explanation

Explanation

In this question, the engineer was trying to secure the connection so maybe he was trying to allow SSH to the device. But maybe something went wrong so the connection was failing (the connection used to be good). So maybe he was missing the “crypto key generate rsa” command.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/ios-xml/ios/security/s1/sec-s1-xe-3se-3850-cr-book/sec-s1-xe-3se-3850-cr-book_chapter_01.html#wp3404908137

Displaying the Summary of All Auth Manager Sessions on the Switch

Enter the following:

Switch# show authentication sessions

Interface MAC Address Method Domain Status Session ID

Gi1/48 0015.63b0.f676 dot1x DATA Authz Success 0A3462B1000000102983C05C

Gi1/5 000f.23c4.a401 mab DATA Authz Success 0A3462B10000000D24F80B58

Gi1/5 0014.bf5d.d26d dot1x DATA Authz Success 0A3462B10000000E29811B94

Endpoint security is the process of protecting devices like workstations, servers, and other devices from malicious threats and cyberattacks. Endpoint security enables businesses to secure endpoints that employees use for work purposes or servers that are either on a network or in the cloud. Endpoint security is important because every device that connects to the corporate network is a potential vulnerability, providing a possible entry point for cyber criminals. Therefore, every device an employee uses to connect to any business system or resource carries the risk of becoming the chosen route for hacking into an organization. These devices can be exploited by malware that could leak or steal sensitive data from the business12.

One of the benefits of endpoint security is that it allows the organization to detect and mitigate threats that the perimeter security devices do not detect. Perimeter security devices, such as firewalls and intrusion prevention systems, are designed to protect the network from external attacks. However, they may not be able to prevent or detect attacks that originate from within the network, such as insider threats, compromised devices, or lateral movement. Endpoint security solutions can provide visibility and control over the devices that connect to the network, and can monitor, analyze, and respond to suspicious or malicious activities on the endpoints. Endpoint security solutions can also leverage threat intelligence and advanced analytics to identify and block known and unknown threats, such as ransomware, zero-day exploits, and targeted attacks13. References := 1: What is Endpoint Security? How Does It Work? | Fortinet 2: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint | Microsoft Security 3: Endpoint Security - Check Point Software

ISE posture assessment allows you to inspect the security “health” of your PC and MAC clients. This includes checking for the installation, running state, and last update for security software, such as anti-virus, anti-malware, personal firewall, and so on1. Windows service and Windows firewall are examples of such security software that can be checked by ISE posture assessment. Computer identity and user identity are not conditions that can be checked by ISE posture assessment, as they are related to authentication and authorization, not security posture. Default browser is also not a condition that can be checked by ISE posture assessment, as it is not a security software or a security risk. References: 1: Chapter 15. Device Posture Assessment - Cisco ISE for BYOD and Secure Unified Access, 3

The correct command to log all events to a destination collector is flow-export event-type all destination 209.165.201.10. This command configures a flow-export action that sends all NSEL events to the specified IP address. NSEL events include flow-create, flow-teardown, flow-denied, and flow-update events. The command must be entered in the policy-map class configuration mode, after defining a policy-map and a class-map that match the traffic and event type. The other commands are incorrect because they either specify the wrong event type (flow-update instead of all) or the wrong destination IP address (209.165.201 instead of 209.165.201.10). References :=

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 5: Securing the Cloud, Lesson 5.2: DNS Security

Cisco Secure Firewall ASA NetFlow Implementation Guide

Configuring Cisco ASA for NetFlow Export via CLI – Plixer

 In a PaaS model, the cloud provider is responsible for managing and maintaining the underlying infrastructure, such as the hypervisor, the virtual machine, and the network. The tenant only needs to focus on developing and deploying the application, which runs on the cloud platform. The tenant is responsible for ensuring the security and availability of the application, as well as applying any patches or updates to the application code or configuration12. References :=

Shared responsibility in the cloud

Best practices for secure PaaS deployments

The cloud security shared responsibility model is a way of describing how the security tasks and obligations are divided between the cloud service provider (CSP) and the customer, depending on the type of cloud service model used. The cloud service models are:

Software as a Service (SaaS): The CSP provides and manages the entire software stack, including the applications, data, runtime, middleware, operating system, virtualization, servers, storage, and networking. The customer only needs to access the software through a web browser or an application. The customer is responsible for managing their own data and identities, as well as configuring the security settings of the software. The CSP is responsible for everything else, including patching the operating system and the applications12

Platform as a Service (PaaS): The CSP provides and manages the platform layer, including the runtime, middleware, operating system, virtualization, servers, storage, and networking. The customer can deploy and run their own applications and data on the platform, using the tools and languages supported by the CSP. The customer is responsible for managing their own applications and data, as well as configuring the security settings of the platform. The CSP is responsible for patching the operating system and the middleware12

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The CSP provides and manages the infrastructure layer, including the virtualization, servers, storage, and networking. The customer can provision and use virtual machines, containers, or bare metal servers, and install their own operating system, middleware, applications, and data. The customer is responsible for managing and patching their own operating system, middleware, applications, and data, as well as configuring the security settings of the infrastructure. The CSP is responsible for the physical security and availability of the infrastructure12

References := 1: Shared responsibility in the cloud - Microsoft Azure 2: Cloud security shared responsibility model - NCSC

Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI) is a security feature that validates ARP packets on untrusted interfaces by comparing the MAC address to IP address bindings in the DHCP snooping database or an ARP access-list. If the ARP packet contains invalid or spoofed information, it is dropped and logged. DAI also inspects ARP packets on trusted interfaces, but it does not drop them if they are invalid. Instead, it forwards them to the destination without validation. This allows the switch to support devices that use static IP addresses or have legitimate reasons to send ARP packets with different MAC address to IP address bindings. However, this also means that if a spoofed ARP packet is received on a trusted interface, it will bypass the DAI validation and be forwarded to the destination. This could allow an attacker to poison the ARP cache of other devices and perform a man-in-the-middle attack. Therefore, the correct answer is option B. The switch drops the packet after validation by using the IP & MAC Binding Table. References:

Understanding and Configuring Dynamic ARP Inspection

DAI (Dynamic ARP Inspection)

Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI) Explanation & Configuration

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0

 Cisco AMP for Endpoints provides next-generation protection by leveraging an endpoint protection platform (EPP) and endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities. EPP is a set of multifaceted prevention techniques that stop threats from compromising endpoints, such as behavioral analytics, machine learning, and signature-based methods. EDR is a set of powerful features that reduce the attack surface and remediate faster, such as advanced threat hunting, endpoint isolation, and dynamic malware analysis. Cisco AMP for Endpoints also integrates with SecureX, a built-in platform that offers extended detection and response (XDR) capabilities across multiple control points, such as network, cloud, email, and web. By combining EPP, EDR, and XDR, Cisco AMP for Endpoints delivers a comprehensive and resilient endpoint security solution that can detect, respond, and recover from sophisticated attacks. References:

Cisco Secure Endpoint (Formerly AMP for Endpoints) - Cisco

Cisco Secure Endpoint (Formerly AMP for Endpoints) - Cisco

Cisco Secure Endpoint (Formerly AMP for Endpoints) - Cisco

The service password-encryption command is used to encrypt all passwords in the router configuration file, such as the enable password, the console password, the vty password, and the username password. This command prevents credentials from being seen if the router configuration was compromised, for example, by an attacker who gained access to the router or the backup files. The encryption used by this command is a weak algorithm that can be easily reversed, but it provides some level of protection against casual observers1.

The other commands are not used to encrypt passwords in the router configuration file. The username privilege 15 password and the username password commands are used to create local user accounts with or without administrative privileges, respectively. These commands store the passwords in clear text unless the service password-encryption command is enabled2. The service password-recovery command is used to enable or disable the password recovery mechanism on the router. This command does not affect the encryption of passwords in the configuration file3.

References := 1: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.2: Securing Network Devices, Topic 1.2.1: Device Hardening, page 1-14. 2: Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.2: Securing Network Devices, Topic 1.2.2: Management Plane Security, page 1-17. 3: Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command Reference, Release 12.2, Chapter: service password-recovery, page 1.

Proxy caching is a method that enables a proxy server to save recent and frequent website/webpage requests and data requested by one or more client machines. It reduces latency, eases bandwidth consumption, and ensures content is served more swiftly to the end-user12. WSA (Web Security Appliance) is a Cisco product that provides proxy caching functionality, along with other web security features such as malware protection, URL filtering, and data loss prevention3. Firepower, FireSIGHT, and ASA are other Cisco products that do not provide proxy caching, but rather focus on different aspects of network security, such as threat detection, management, and firewall . References:

What is Proxy Caching? | StackPath

What Is Proxy Caching? | Definition & Overview | NinjaOne

Cisco Web Security Appliance Data Sheet

[Cisco Firepower NGFW Data Sheet]

[Cisco FireSIGHT Management Center Data Sheet]

[Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Firewalls Data Sheet]

Cisco Stealthwatch - rapidly collects and analyzes netflow and telementy data to deliver in-depth visibility and understanding of network traffic

Cisco ISE – obtains contextual identity and profiles for all users and device

Cisco TrustSec – software defined segmentation that uses SGTs

Cisco Umbrella – secure internet gateway ion the cloud that provides a security solution

In a remote access VPN configuration, dynamic split tunneling allows traffic to certain trusted domains to bypass the VPN tunnel and exit through the client's local internet gateway. This feature selectively directs only the necessary traffic over the VPN, while allowing direct internet access for specific domains or traffic deemed safe or trusted, optimizing bandwidth and performance for remote users.

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en_us/about/doing_business/legal/service_descriptions/docs/Cisco_Secure_Managed_Endpoint.pdf

DevSecOps is a development practice that integrates security into all phases of the software development lifecycle, from initial design through integration, testing, deployment, and software delivery. DevSecOps focuses on application development, as it aims to deliver secure and robust applications that meet the customers’ needs and expectations. DevSecOps also makes security a shared responsibility of development, security, and operations teams, rather than a separate silo. DevSecOps enables faster and safer software delivery by automating security processes and tools, and addressing security issues as they emerge, rather than at the end of the cycle.

References :=

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 6: Securing the Data Center, Lesson 6.2: DevSecOps

What Is DevSecOps? Definition and Best Practices | Microsoft Security

What is DevSecOps? | IBM

What is DevSecOps? | DevSecOps vs. DevOps | VMware