Checkpoint 156-215.81 Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81 Exam Practice Test

 Only one user can have read/write access in Gaia Operating System at one time2. This is to prevent conflicts and errors when multiple users try to modify the same configuration settings. References: Check Point Gaia Administration Guide

Accept all encrypted traffic is the option that will match a connection regardless of its association with a VPN community2. This option allows encrypted traffic from any VPN peer, even if it is not defined in a VPN community2. References: Site to Site VPN in R80.x - Tutorial for Beginners

The statement that a Sectional Title can be used to disable multiple rules by disabling only the sectional title is false. A Sectional Title is a visual divider that helps organize and navigate large rule bases. It does not affect the rule enforcement order or the rule functionality. Disabling a Sectional Title does not disable the rules under it. To disable multiple rules, you need to select them individually or use Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click to select them in bulk, and then right-click and choose Disable Rule(s). The other statements are true. Section titles are not sent to the gateway side, they are only displayed in SmartConsole. These sections are simple visual divisions of the Rule Base and do not hinder the order of rule enforcement. Sectional Titles do not need to be created in SmartConsole, they can also be created using SmartConsole CLI or API commands.References: [Sectional Titles], [SmartConsole CLI Guide], [SmartConsole API Reference Guide]

The command that shows the installed licenses is cplic print. This command displays the license information on a Check Point server or Security Gateway. It shows the license type, expiration date, attached blades, etc. The other options are incorrect. print cplic is not a valid command. fwlic print is not a valid command. show licenses is not a valid command. References: [How to check license status on SecurePlatform / Gaia from CLI]

 When you upload a package or license to the appropriate repository in SmartUpdate, the package or license is stored on the Security Management Server. SmartUpdate is a tool that allows you to centrally manage software updates and licenses for all Check Point products on your network.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 16.

The port used for full synchronization between cluster members is TCP port 2654. This port is used by the Firewall Kernel to send and receive synchronization data, such as connection tables, NAT tables, and VPN keys4. UDP port 8116 is used by the Cluster Control Protocol (CCP) for internal communications between cluster members4. References: How does the Cluster Control Protocol function in working and failure scenarios for gateway clusters?

 In Logging and Monitoring, the tracking options are Log, Detailed Log and Extended Log. You can add Accounting and/or Suppression to each of these options1. Accounting enables you to track the amount of data that is sent or received by a specific rule. Suppression enables you to reduce the number of logs that are generated by a specific rule. Therefore, the correct answer is C. Accounting/Suppression. References: Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80 - Check Point Software

The answer is A because an identity server uses a shared secret for user authentication. A shared secret is a passphrase that is known by both the identity server and the user. The identity server sends a challenge to the user, who encrypts it with the shared secret and sends it back. The identity server then verifies the response and authenticates the user12 References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Identity Server

When tunnel test packets no longer invoke a response, SmartView Monitor displays Down for the given VPN tunnel1. This means that the VPN tunnel is not operational and there is no IKE or IPsec traffic passing through it. No Response, Inactive, and Failed are not valid statuses for VPN tunnels in SmartView Monitor. References: Smart View Monitor displays status for all S2S VPN tunnels - Phase1 UP

The BEST object type to represent an LDAP group in a Security Policy is an Access Role. An Access Role object defines a set of users, machines, or networks that can access a resource or service1, p. 27. An Access Role object can include LDAP groups as one of its components2, p. 10. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Identity Awareness Administration Guide R81

Central licensing is the preferred licensing model because it ties the package license to the IP-address of the Security Management Server and has no dependency on the gateway. This allows for easier management and distribution of licenses across multiple gateways1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 14.

SmartConsole, SmartEvent GUI client, and SmartView Web Application allow viewing of billions of consolidated logs and shows them as prioritized security events1. SmartView Web Application is a web-based interface that provides access to SmartEvent reports and dashboards2. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, Check Point R81 SmartEvent Administration Guide

When logging in for the first time to a Security Management Server through SmartConsole, a fingerprint is saved to the SmartConsole cache and is available for future Security Management Server authentications. The fingerprint is a unique identifier of the Security Management Server that is used to verify its identity and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. The SmartConsole cache is a local folder on the client machine that stores temporary files and settings.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 25-26

 A stateful inspection firewall works by registering connection data and compiling this information in state tables. State tables are data structures that store information about the state and context of each connection, such as source, destination, service, protocol, sequence number, flags, etc. State tables enable the firewall to inspect both the header and the payload of each packet and apply security policies accordingly.References: [Stateful Inspection], [State Tables]

By default, the SIC certificates issued by R80 Management Server are based on the SHA-256 algorithm1. SHA-256 is a secure hash algorithm that produces a 256-bit digest. SHA-200, MD5, and SHA-128 are not valid algorithms for SIC certificates. References: SHA-1 and SHA-256 certificates in Check Point Internal CA (ICA)

The Next Generation Threat Emulation software blade package uses CPU-level and OS-level sandboxing in order to detect and block malware1, p. 41. It emulates files in a virtual environment and inspects their behavior for malicious activity3. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Threat Emulation Administration Guide R81

 Packet filtering is a technique that controls the flow of network data by examining the headers of packets and applying a set of rules to accept or reject them. Packet filtering has some advantages, such as efficiency, cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and transparency3. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as low security and no screening above the network layer4. Packet filtering firewalls cannot inspect the payload of packets or the application layer protocols, which makes them vulnerable to attacks that exploit higher-level vulnerabilitie

The purpose of a Stealth Rule is to drop any traffic destined for the firewall that is not otherwise explicitly allowed1, p. 32. A Stealth Rule is usually placed at the top of the rule base, before any other rule that allows traffic to the Security Gateway2, p. 13. A Stealth Rule is not used to hide a server’s IP address, to allow administrators to access SmartDashboard, or to drop any traffic that is not explicitly allowed. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test

The INSPECT Engine is a technology that extracts detailed information from packets and stores that information in state tables. It enables stateful inspection and application layer filtering12 References: INSPECT Engine, Stateful Inspection

The answer is D because in R80 and above, the first administrator to connect to the Management Server using SmartConsole gets a lock on only the objects being modified in his session of the Management Database. Other administrators can connect to make changes using different sessions, but they cannot modify the same objects as the first administrator until he publishes his changes. This is called concurrent administration and it allows multiple administrators to work on the same policy package simultaneously12 References: Check Point R80.10 Concurrent Administration, Check Point R80.40 Security Management Administration Guide

 When an Admin logs into SmartConsole and sees a lock icon on a gateway object and cannot edit that object, it indicates that another Admin has made an edit to that object and has yet to publish the change. SmartConsole supports concurrent administration, which means that multiple Admins can work on the same security policy at the same time. However, when one Admin edits an object, such as a gateway, a rule, or a network, that object is locked for other Admins until the change is published or discarded. The lock icon shows which objects are being edited by other Admins and prevents conflicts or overwrites. The gateway being powered off, incorrect routing to reach the gateway, or logging in to Read-Only mode do not cause the lock icon to appear.References: [Concurrent Administration], [SmartConsole Overview]

This answer is correct because these are the two forms of Check Point licenses that are used to activate the software blades on the Security Gateways and the Security Management Servers1. A central license is a license that is attached to a Security Management Server and can be used to manage multiple Security Gateways1. A local license is a license that is attached to a specific Security Gateway and can only be used by that gateway1.

The other answers are not correct because they are either irrelevant or inaccurate options for Check Point licenses forms. Security Gateway and Security Management are not license forms, but software components that provide firewall, VPN, and other security features2. On-premise and Public Cloud are not license forms, but deployment options for Check Point products3. Access Control and Threat Prevention are not license forms, but software blades that provide different security functions.

• Check Point License Guide
• Check Point Software Blade Quick Licensing Guide
• Check Point CloudGuard Network Security
• [Check Point Software Blades]

When a Security Gateway sends its logs to an IP address other than its own, it means that the deployment option is distributed. In a distributed deployment, the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on separate machines. The Security Management Server collects logs from one or more Security Gateways and manages them centrally. In a standalone deployment, the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on the same machine. The Security Gateway sends logs to its own IP address. In a bridge mode deployment, the Security Gateway acts as a transparent bridge between two network segments and does not have an IP address of its own. In a targeted deployment, the Security Gateway sends logs to a specific log server that is configured in the gateway object properties34 References: Part 4 - Installing Security Gateway, Deployment Options

Stateful Inspection compiles and registers connections in the State Table. The State Table is a database that stores information about active connections and sessions on the Security Gateway. The other options are not valid names for the database that stores connection information.

References: 1: Policy Types 2: CPUSE 3: SIC : [Software Containers] : [Stateful Inspection]

 When LDAP is integrated with Check Point Security Management, it is then referred to as User Directory. User Directory is a feature that allows you to import users and groups from an external LDAP server and use them in your security policies. User Center, User Administration, and UserCheck are different features that are not related to LDAP integration.References: [User Directory], [LDAP Integration]

 The GUI tool that can be used to view and apply Check Point licenses is SmartUpdate. SmartUpdate is a centralized tool that allows you to manage licenses, software packages, and hotfixes for multiple gateways and clusters12. cpconfig, Management Command Line, and SmartConsole are not tools for license management. References: Check Point R81 SmartUpdate Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation | Udemy

 Identity Awareness is the Check Point software blade that provides visibility of users, groups and machines while also providing access control through identity-based policies. Identity Awareness enables administrators to define granular access rules based on user or machine identity, rather than just IP addresses. Identity Awareness also allows administrators to monitor user activity and generate reports based on user or machine identity.

While enabling the Identity Awareness blade, the Identity Awareness wizard does not automatically detect the Windows domain because the SmartConsole machine is not part of the domain. The SmartConsole machine needs to be a member of the Windows domain or have access to a domain controller in order to detect the domain automatically2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, page 10.

 Check Point ClusterXL Active/Active deployment is used when there is Load Sharing solution set up. Load Sharing enables multiple Security Gateways to share traffic and provide high availability12. References: Check Point R81, Check Point R81 ClusterXL Administration Guide

You should generate new licenses when the existing license expires, the license is upgraded, or the IP address associated with the license changes. These situations invalidate the current license and require a new one to be obtained from the Check Point User Center and installed on the Security Management Server or Security Gateway. Installing contract files or upgrading devices do not affect the validity of the license12 References: Check Point R81, Managing and Installing license via SmartUpdate

When dealing with rule base layers, two layer types can be utilized: Ordered Layers and Inline Layers5. Ordered Layers are executed sequentially according to their order in the policy. Inline Layers are embedded in a parent layer and are executed only if the parent rule matches. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide]

When changes are made to a Rule base, it is important to Publish database to enforce changes5. Publishing database saves the changes to the database and makes them available to other administrators. Installing policy applies the changes to the Security Gateways. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, [Check Point R81 SmartConsole R81 Resolved Issues], [Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide]

In order to see real-time and historical graph views of Security Gateway statistics in SmartView Monitor, the Monitoring Blade feature needs to be enabled on the Security Gateway. The Monitoring Blade is a software blade that collects and displays network and security performance data from the Security Gateway, such as traffic, throughput, connections, CPU usage, memory usage, etc. The Monitoring Blade can be enabled or disabled on each Security Gateway from the SmartConsole.References: [Monitoring Blade], [SmartView Monitor]

The VPN Domains configuration element determines which traffic should be encrypted into a VPN tunnel vs. sent in the clear. The VPN Domain is the set of hosts and networks that are allowed to communicate securely with the gateway12. The firewall topologies, NAT rules, and the rule base do not directly affect the VPN encryption decision. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide, CCSA/CCSE Exam Tips & Content - R80.X vs. R81.X - Check Point CheckMates

 It is Best Practice to have an Explicit CleanUp rule at the end of each policy layer. This rule will log and drop any traffic that does not match any of the preceding rules in the layer1, p. 23. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

Multiple administrators can connect to a Security Management Server at the same time, and each administrator has their own username and works in a session that is independent of other administrators1. This allows concurrent administration and prevents conflicts between different administrators. The other options are incorrect. Only one administrator can be connected is false. All administrators can modify a network object at the same time is false, as only one administrator can lock and edit an object at a time. Only one has the right to write is false, as all administrators have write permissions unless they are restricted by roles or permissions. References: Security Management Server - Check Point Software

The Sticky Decision Function (SDF) is required to prevent failovers in an Active-Active cluster. The SDF ensures that the same cluster member handles all connections that belong to a certain session. If the SDF is not enabled, different cluster members may handle different connections of the same session, which may cause a failover or a drop12. References: ClusterXL Administration Guide R81, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The Accounting tracking option is used to monitor the amount of data that passes through a connection. When this option is enabled on a traffic rule, the involved traffic logs are updated every 10 minutes to show how much data has passed on the connection. This information can be used for billing or auditing purposes3. References: Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide

The function that can NOT be performed in the Unified SmartConsole Gateways and Servers tab is Open SSH. SSH is a secure shell protocol that allows remote access to a device via command line interface. The Unified SmartConsole does not provide an option to open SSH from the Gateways and Servers tab, as it is not a graphical user interface. The other functions can be performed in the Unified SmartConsole Gateways and Servers tab, such as upgrading the software version, opening WebUI, or opening service request with Check Point Technical Support.

References: [SSH (Secure Shell)], [QUANTUM SECURITY MANAGEMENT R81]

The default port numbers for an LDAP server are 389 for standard connections and 636 for SSL connections. LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a protocol that allows access to directory services over TCP/IP. Therefore, the correct answer is B. 389, 636. 

References: Certificate-based authentication is considered to be the more secure and preferred VPN authentication method. It uses digital certificates to verify the identity of the VPN client and server, and provides stronger encryption and mutual authentication. Password-based authentication methods are less secure and more vulnerable to brute-force attacks, phishing, and keylogging. MD5 is a hashing algorithm, not an authentication method. Pre-shared secret is a symmetric key that is shared between the VPN peers, but it can be compromised if it is not changed frequently or stored securely12 References: VPN authentication options, Windows VPN technical guide

The difference between SSL VPN and IPSec VPN is that IPSec VPN requires installation of a resident VPN client and SSL VPN requires only an installed browser5 . IPSec VPN uses a pre-shared key or certificates to authenticate the endpoints and encrypts the data at the network layer. SSL VPN uses SSL/TLS protocols to authenticate the endpoints and encrypts the data at the application layer. References: Check Point Remote Access VPN Administration Guide R81, [Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide]

The Sticky Decision Function (SDF) can only be changed for Load Sharing implementations, not for High Availability implementations4. References: Check Point ClusterXL R81 Administration Guide

Logs are not automatically forwarded to a new Log Server. SmartConsole must be used to manually configure each gateway to send its logs to the server. After adding a new Log Server and establishing the SIC trust with the SMS, the administrator must use SmartConsole to assign the Log Server to each gateway in the Logs and Masters section of the gateway properties2. The other options are not correct, as gateways can send logs to both SMS and Log Server, Log Servers are not proprietary log archive servers, and gateways will not detect the new Log Server after the next policy install.

The fwm process is responsible for managing the communication between the SmartConsole and the Security Management Server. It can only be seen on a Management Server12. References: Check Point Processes and Daemons, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

 Check Point technologies that deny or permit network traffic are packet filtering, stateful inspection, and application layer firewall1, p. 15-16. Packet filtering is a basic firewall technique that examines packets based on their source and destination addresses and ports2, p. 13. Stateful inspection is an advanced firewall technique that tracks the state and context of network connections and inspects packets based on their content and sequence2, p. 13. Application layer firewall is a firewall technique that operates at the application layer of the OSI model and inspects packets based on their application protocols and data2, p. 14. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test

The file that is an electronically signed file used by Check Point to translate the features in the license into a code is cp.macro. This file contains a list of macros that define the license features and their values. It is located in the $FWDIR/conf directory on the Security Management Server or Security Gateway.References: [Check Point R81 Licensing Guide], [Check Point R80.40 Licensing Guide]

When a SAM rule is required on Security Gateway to quickly block suspicious connections which are not restricted by the Security Policy, the administrator needs to take the following action: SmartView Monitor should be opened and then the SAM rule/s can be applied immediately. Installing policy is not required. SAM stands for Suspicious Activity Monitoring and is a feature that allows administrators to block or limit connections from specific sources or destinations without modifying the security policy. SAM rules can be created from SmartView Monitor or SmartEvent based on real-time network activity or security events. References: [Check Point R81 SmartView Monitor Administration Guide]

Each cluster, at a minimum, should have at least three interfaces4. These are:

• A sync interface for synchronizing state information between cluster members.
• A cluster interface for sending and receiving cluster control packets.
• A production interface for handling regular traffic that passes through the cluster4. References: Check Point R80.20 – How to configure Cluster firewalls – First Time Setup

The two Check Point Protocols that are used by are FWD and LEA567. FWD is the Firewall Daemon that handles communication between different Check Point components, such as Security Management Server, Security Gateway, SmartConsole, etc. LEA is the Log Export API that allows external applications to retrieve logs from the Security Gateway or Security Management Server. Therefore, the correct answer is B. FWD and LEA. References: Border Gateway Protocol - Check Point Software, Check Point IPS Datasheet, List of valid protocols for services? - Check Point CheckMates

 The answer is A because changing the Security Gateway IP-address requires re-establishing the trust with the Security Management Server by initializing the Secure Internal Communication (SIC). Changing the Security Gateway name in command line or changing the Security Management Server name or IP-address in SmartConsole does not require re-establishing the trust, but it may require updating the topology and pushing the policy.References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide]

The Stealth Rule is used to prevent users from directly connecting to a Security Gateway. It is usually placed at the top of the rule base, before any other rule that allows traffic to the Security Gateway1, p. 32. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The statement that is not true about Delta synchronization is that it uses UDP Multicast or Broadcast on port 8161. The correct port number for Delta synchronization is 811612. The other statements are true about Delta synchronization. References: ClusterXL Administration Guide R81, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

NAT (Network Address Translation) is a technique that modifies the IP addresses or ports of packets that pass through a security gateway. NAT can be configured in two ways: Automatic or Manual. Automatic NAT means that the NAT rules are generated automatically by the security gateway based on the NAT properties of network objects. Manual NAT means that the NAT rules are defined explicitly by the administrator in the NAT policy. Proxy ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is a technique that allows a security gateway to answer ARP requests on behalf of other hosts. Proxy ARP is needed when a host on one network segment tries to communicate with a host on another network segment that has a different IP address than its own. In some scenarios, an administrator will need to manually define Proxy ARP for NAT to work properly. One such scenario is when they configure a Manual Static NAT which translates to an IP address that does not belong to one of the firewall’s interfaces2. References: Check Point R81 Network Address Translation Administration Guide

 The answer is B because AES-CBC-256 is not a supported encryption algorithm for IPsec Security Associations (Phase 2) in R81. The supported encryption algorithms are AES-GCM-128, AES-GCM-256, AES-CBC-128, 3DES, and NULL3 References: Check Point R81 VPN Administration Guide

The command that is used to monitor cluster members is cphaprob state. This command shows the state of each cluster member (Active, Standby, Down, etc.) and the reason for the state (OK, HA Failure, CCP Failure, etc.). It also shows the state synchronization status (Synchronized or Not Synchronized) and the uptime of each cluster member. The other options are incorrect. Option B is a command to show the status of cluster services, not cluster members. Option C is not a valid command by itself, as it requires an argument such as state, status, list, etc. Option D is not a valid command at all. References: [cphaprob]

Anti-Virus is the Check Point software blade that prevents malicious files from entering a network using virus signatures and anomaly-based protections from ThreatCloud. Anti-Virus scans files and email attachments for viruses, worms, trojans, and other types of malware. It also uses ThreatCloud, a collaborative network that delivers real-time dynamic security intelligence, to detect unknown malware based on their behavior. Firewall is a software blade that enforces security policy by inspecting and controlling network traffic. Application Control is a software blade that enables administrators to control access to web applications. Anti-spam and Email Security is a software blade that protects email infrastructure from spam, phishing, and malware attacks.

 The correct answer is A because session unique identifiers are passed to the web api using the X-chkp-sid http header option1. The X-chkp-sid header is used to authenticate and authorize API calls1. The other options are not related to session unique identifiers. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The type of Endpoint Identity Agent that includes packet tagging and computer authentication is Full. The Full Identity Agent is a client-side software that provides full identity awareness features, such as user authentication, computer authentication, packet tagging, identity caching, and identity sharing. The other types of Endpoint Identity Agents are Custom, Complete, and Light, which have different features and capabilities. 

A Distinguished Name (DN) is a unique identifier for an entry in an LDAP directory. A DN consists of a sequence of relative distinguished names (RDNs) separated by commas. Each RDN is composed of an attribute type and an attribute value, such as cn=John Smith or ou=Sales. A DN can have different components depending on the structure and schema of the LDAP directory, but some common components are: Common Name (cn), Country ©, Organizational Unit (ou), Organization (o), State or Province (st), and Locality (l). User container is not a component of a DN3. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

 Stateful Inspection and Proxies are two different technologies for implementing firewall security. Stateful Inspection is a technique that inspects packets at the network layer and maintains a state table that tracks the status of each connection. Proxies are applications that act as intermediaries between clients and servers, and inspect packets at the application layer. The competition between stateful inspection and proxies was based on performance, protocol support, and security. When it comes to performance, stateful inspection was significantly faster than proxies, because it did not have to process the payload of each packet and could handle more concurrent connections1. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide

The steps to configure the HTTPS Inspection Policy are as follows34:

• Go to Manage & Settings > Blades > HTTPS Inspection > Policy.
• Click on New HTTPS Inspection Rule or select an existing rule and click on Edit Rule.
• Define the Source, Destination, and Action for the rule. The action can be either Inspect, Bypass, or Ask.
• Click on OK and then on Install Policy to apply the changes. References: HTTPS Inspection R81 Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

 Captive Portal is a feature of Identity Awareness that allows you to authenticate users through a web browser before they access the Internet or corporate resources. Captive Portal can be used for various authentication methods, such as user name and password, one-time password (OTP), or certificate3. Captive Portal does not manage user permission in SmartConsole, provide remote access to SmartConsole, or authenticate users to the Gaia OS. Those are different functions that are not related to Captive Portal. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

The Status Attention means that at least one Software Blade has a minor issue, but the gateway works1. For example, this could indicate a license expiration warning, a policy installation failure, or a blade activation problem2. References: Check Point R81 SmartConsole Guide, Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

 Snapshot is the backup utility that captures the most information and tends to create the largest archives. Snapshot creates an image of the entire system, including operating system files, configuration files, databases, and logs. It can be used to restore the system in case of a failure or corruption. Backup creates a compressed file that contains configuration files and databases, but not operating system files or logs. It can be used to restore configuration settings and policies. Database Revision creates a backup of only the database files that store policies and objects. It can be used to revert to a previous revision of the database. Migrate export creates a compressed file that contains configuration files, databases, and logs, but not operating system files. It can be used to migrate data from one machine to another with different hardware or software versions.References: [Backup and Restore], [Database Revision Control], [Migrate Tools], [Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center]

ThreatWiki is a tool that provides a list of trusted files to the administrator so they can specify to the Threat Prevention blade that these files do not need to be scanned or analyzed3. ThreatWiki is a web-based service that collects information about files from various sources, such as Check Point customers, partners, and researchers. Administrators can use ThreatWiki to view file reputation, upload files for analysis, and download indicators of compromise3. Whitelist Files, AppWiki, and IPS Protections are not tools that provide a list of trusted files. References: Threat Prevention R80.40 Administration Guide

If a network administrator has identified a malicious host on the network and instructed you to block it, but you cannot make any firewall policy changes at this time, you can use Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM) rules to block this traffic. SAM rules are temporary rules that allow you to block or limit traffic from specific sources or destinations without modifying the security policy. SAM rules are created and managed by SmartView Monitor and are enforced by the security gateway for a specified duration. Anti-Bot protection, Anti-Malware protection, and Policy-based routing are not tools that can be used to block traffic without changing the firewall policy. References: [Check Point R81 SmartView Monitor Administration Guide]

A layer can support different combinations of blades, but the supported blades are Firewall (Network Access Control), Application & URL Filtering, and Content Awareness. These blades provide granular control over network traffic based on applications, users, content, and risk1. Mobile Access is not a supported blade in a layer2.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 101. 2: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 11.

 The pre-defined Roles included in Gaia OS are AdminRole and MonitorRole. AdminRole is the role that has full access to all Gaia features and commands. MonitorRole is the role that has read-only access to Gaia features and commands1. The other options are not valid pre-defined Roles in Gaia OS.

The Security Management Server is the component that changes most often and should be backed up most frequently, because it stores all the security policies and configurations for the Check Point components in your network. The other components are either clients or gateways that do not change as frequently.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 9

Security Zones are a feature of Application Control and Identity Awareness that allow you to define groups of network objects based on their level of trust. Security Zones do not work with Manual NAT rules, because Manual NAT rules are applied before the Application Control and Identity Awareness policy is enforced1. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The way that the objects can be manipulated using the new API integration in R80 Management is JSON. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans and machines to read and write. The R80 Management API uses JSON as the primary data format for requests and responses. Therefore, the correct answer is B. JSON.

The best way to restrict access to a network resource only allowing certain users to access it, and only when they are on a specific network, is to create an Access Role object, with specific users or user groups specified, and specific networks defined. Then, use this access role as the “Source” of an Access Control rule. This allows for granular control over network traffic based on user identity and location3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 13.

The command add rba user roles  is used to add users to or from existing roles. RBA stands for Role-Based Administration, which is a feature that allows administrators to assign different permissions and access levels to users based on their roles2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 20.

The position of an implied rule is manipulated in the Global Properties window. Implied rules are predefined rules that are not displayed in the rule base. They allow or block traffic for essential services such as communication with Check Point servers, logging, and VPN traffic. The position of an implied rule can be changed in the Global Properties > Firewall > Implied Rules section56. References: How to view Implied Rules in R80.x / R81.x SmartConsole, Implied Rules

 URL Filtering employs a technology called UserCheck, which educates users on web usage policy in real time. UserCheck is a feature that allows the firewall to interact with the users and inform them about the web usage policy and its violations. UserCheck can also allow users to request access to blocked websites or report false positives. UserCheck helps users understand and comply with the web usage policy and reduces the workload of the administrators.

The policy type that is used to enforce bandwidth and traffic control rules is QoS. QoS stands for Quality of Service and is a software blade that allows administrators to prioritize network traffic according to various criteria such as source, destination, service, application, user, etc. QoS can also limit the bandwidth consumption of certain traffic types or guarantee a minimum bandwidth for critical applications. References: [Check Point R81 QoS Administration Guide]

The options that are not tracking options are Partial log, Network log, and Full log. Tracking options are settings that determine how the Security Gateway handles traffic that matches a rule in the security policy. The valid tracking options are Log, Detailed Log, Extended Log, Alert, Mail, SNMP trap, User Defined Alert, and None. The other options are incorrect. Log is a tracking option that records basic information about the traffic, such as source, destination, service, action, etc. Detailed Log is a tracking option that records additional information about the traffic, such as NAT details, data amount, etc. Extended Log is a tracking option that records even more information about the traffic, such as matched IPS protections, application details, etc. References: [Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80 - Check Point Software]

 Anti-Virus is the single Security Blade that can be turned on to block both malicious files from being downloaded as well as block websites known to host malware. Anti-Virus scans files and email attachments for viruses, worms, trojans, and other types of malware. It also uses ThreatCloud, a collaborative network that delivers real-time dynamic security intelligence, to detect unknown malware based on their behavior3. Anti-Bot is a Security Blade that detects and blocks botnet communications, but it does not scan files or block websites. URL Filtering is a Security Blade that enables administrators to control access to web applications, but it does not scan files or detect malware.

The types of Software Containers are Security Management, Security Gateway, and Endpoint Security. Software Containers are virtual environments that run on top of Gaia OS and allow multiple instances of Check Point products to coexist on the same physical machine. The other options are not valid types of Software Containers.

An Endpoint identity agent uses a username/password or Kerberos ticket for user authentication3, p. 28. An Endpoint identity agent is a lightweight client installed on endpoint computers that communicates with Identity Awareness gateways and provides reliable identity information. An Endpoint identity agent does not use a shared secret, a token, or a certificate for user authentication. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point Identity Awareness Administration Guide R81]

A main component of the Check Point security management architecture is SmartConsole2. SmartConsole is a unified graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple security functions such as firewall, VPN, IPS, application control, URL filtering, identity awareness, and more. SmartConsole connects to the Security Management Server and interacts with other Check Point components such as Security Gateways and Endpoint Security Servers. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The Hit count feature will work independently from logging and track the hits even if the Track option is set to “None”1, p. 23. When you enable Hit Count, the Security Management Server collects the data from supported Security Gateways and displays the number of connections that each rule matches in SmartConsole3. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81

A central license is automatically attached to a Security Gateway when it is installed. A local license requires an administrator to designate a gateway for attachment1, p. 8. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The answer is A because the graphic shows the properties of a personal .p12 certificate file issued for user John. A .p12 file is a file format that contains a user’s private key and public key certificate. The graphic shows that the certificate file is valid and has an expiration date of 07-Apr-2018. The graphic also shows that the certificate file is issued by an internal CA, which is a Check Point component that manages certificates for users and gateways.References: Check Point R81 Certificate Management, Check Point R81 Internal CA

The default shell of Gaia CLI is clish, which stands for Check Point command line interface shell1. It provides a user-friendly interface to configure and manage Check Point products. References: Check Point Gaia Administration Guide

SmartEvent is a unified security management solution that provides real-time visibility into security events across the network. SmartEvent shows correlated logs and aggregated data to provide an overview of potential threats and attack patterns, as well as generate reports and alerts based on predefined or customized indicators. SmartView Tracker, SmartLog, and SmartView Monitor are other SmartConsole applications that can show logs, search queries, and network statistics respectively, but they do not provide the same level of correlation and analysis as SmartEvent. References: [Check Point R81 SmartEvent Administration Guide]

 The answer is B because querying logs now is very fast because the Indexing Engine indexes logs for faster search results. The Indexing Engine is a component of the Smart-1 appliance that creates indexes for log fields and values, such as source, destination, action, and time. The indexes enable quick and efficient searches of large amounts of log data.References: [Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Indexing Engine]

Endpoint Identity Agent and Browser-Based Authentication are the identity sources that provide the highest level of security for sensitive servers, as they require user authentication and can enforce granular access rules based on user identity. AD Query, Terminal Servers Endpoint Identity Agent, and RADIUS and Account Logon are less secure, as they rely on passive methods of identity acquisition or do not support identity-based access control12.

References: Identity Awareness R81.10 Administration Guide, Identity Awareness AD Query

The default Threat Prevention Profiles in R80 Management are Basic, Optimized, and Strict1. There is no Recommended profile by default. You can create a custom profile and name it Recommended, but it is not included by default. References: Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

According to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center3, the snapshot command uses the command line to create an image of the OS. A snapshot is a point-in-time copy of a disk partition that can be used to restore the system in case of a failure or corruption. References: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center

The Threat Prevention policy is a unified policy that manages three software blades: IPS, Anti-Virus, and Threat Emulation7. The Threat Prevention policy enables you to configure settings and actions for detecting and preventing various types of threats, such as malware, exploits, botnets, etc. Application Control and URL Filtering are not part of the Threat Prevention policy, but they are part of a separate policy that controls access to applications and websites based on categories, users, groups, and machines

 In R80 Management, apart from using SmartConsole, objects or rules can also be modified using a complete CLI and API interface using SSH and custom CPCode integration. This allows you to automate tasks, integrate with third-party tools, and create custom scripts . 3rd Party integration of CLI and API for Gateways or Management prior to R80 is not relevant for R80 Management. A complete CLI and API interface for Management with 3rd Party integration is not a specific option. References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point Learning and Training Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)]

The method to update the trusted log server regarding the policy and configuration changes performed on the Security Management Server is Save Policy. Saving a policy updates the trusted log server with the latest policy and configuration changes3. References: Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide

 Identity Awareness is a software blade that lets an administrator easily configure network access and auditing based on three items: network location, the identity of a user, and the identity of a machine. These items are used to identify and authenticate users and machines, and to enforce identity-based policies. Network location refers to the IP address or subnet of the source or destination of the traffic. The identity of a user can be obtained from various sources, such as Active Directory, LDAP, or Captive Portal. The identity of a machine can be verified by using Secure Domain Logon or Identity Agent. 

Logs & Monitor is the SmartConsole tab that is used to monitor network and security performance. This tab allows you to view and analyze logs and events from various sources, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, and SmartEvent Servers. You can also use this tab to generate reports and troubleshoot issues. References: [Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80.20]

A correlation unit (CU) is a component of SmartEvent that analyzes log entries on log servers and identifies events based on predefined or custom rules1. A CU receives logs from one or more log servers and forwards them to the SmartEvent server, where they are stored in the events database

The destination server for Security Gateway logs depends on a Security Management Server configuration. This is true because the Security Management Server defines the log servers that receive logs from the Security Gateways. The log servers can be either the Security Management Server itself or a dedicated Log Server12. References: Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide

Sub Policies are a new feature in R80.10 Gateway that allow creating and attaching sets of rules to specific rules in the main policy4. Sub Policies are useful for delegating permissions, managing large rule bases, and applying different inspection profiles4. The other options are not new features in R80.10 Gateway. References: Check Point R80.10 Security Management Administration Guide

 Core Protections are installed as part of the Threat Prevention Policy. Core Protections are a set of IPS protections that are essential for securing your network against malicious traffic4. The other policies do not include Core Protections.

References: 1: Check Point CLI Reference Card 2: Anti-Spoofing 3: SmartView Tracker 4: Core Protections

 A session starts when an Administrator logs in through SmartConsole and ends when the Administrator logs out. A session allows multiple administrators to work on the same policy simultaneously, without overwriting each other’s changes3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 17.

 Identity Awareness allows the Security Administrator to configure network access based on network location, identity of a user, and identity of a machine1. These are the three main identity sources that Identity Awareness supports1. References: Identity Awareness R80.40 Administration Guide

SmartLog is a unified log viewer that provides fast and easy access to logs from all Check Point components3. It allows the administrator to query for any log field, such as the IP address of the tablet, and filter the results by time, severity, blade, action, and more4. SmartView Tracker is a legacy tool that displays network activity logs from Security Gateways and other Check Point devices. It does not support remote connection to the wireless controller or querying for specific IP addresses. References: SmartLog, SmartLog Queries, [SmartView Tracker]

A shared policy is a set of rules that can be used in multiple policy packages. It allows the administrator to create a common security policy for different gateways or domains, and avoid duplication and inconsistency. The other options are not advantages of a shared policy. References: [Shared Policies Overview], [Shared Policies Best Practices]

R80 is supported by Gaia only, which is Check Point’s unified security operating system for all Check Point appliances, open servers, and virtualized gateways1, p. 14. Windows and SecurePlatform are not supported by R80. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point Learning and Training Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)]

The Internal Certificate Authority (ICA) is created during the primary Security Management Server installation process. The ICA is a component that issues and manages certificates for Check Point products. The ICA is automatically installed and initialized when installing the Security Management Server.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 26.

This answer is correct because these are the software components that are used by the pre-defined Autonomous Threat Prevention Profiles in R81.20 and higher1. These profiles provide zero-maintenance protection from zero-day threats and continuously and autonomously ensure that your protection is up-to-date with the latest cyber threats and prevention technologies2.

The other answers are not correct because they either include software components that are not part of the Autonomous Threat Prevention Profiles, such as Sandbox, ThreatCloud, Zero Phishing, Sanitization, C&C Protection, JPS, File and URL Reputation, or they omit some of the software components that are part of the Autonomous Threat Prevention Profiles, such as Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, and Macro Extraction.

• Autonomous Threat Prevention Management - Check Point Software
• Check Point Quantum R81.20 (Titan) Release
• Threat Prevention R81.20 Best Practices - Check Point Software
• Check Point R81

The Check Point software blade that monitors Check Point devices and provides a picture of network and security performance is Monitoring. The Monitoring Software Blade presents a complete picture of network and security performance, enabling fast responses to changes in traffic patterns or security events. It centrally monitors Check Point devices and alerts security administrators to changes to gateways, endpoints, tunnels, remote users and security activities234. References: Monitoring Software Blade, Check Point Integrated Security Architecture, Support, Support Requests, Training, Documentation, and Knowledge base for Check Point products and services

Service blades must be attached to a Security Gateway. A Security Gateway is a device that enforces security policies on traffic that passes through it. A service blade is a software module that provides a specific security function, such as firewall, VPN, IPS, etc. A Security Gateway can have one or more service blades attached to it, depending on the license and hardware capabilities. The other options are incorrect. A management container is a virtualized environment that hosts a Security Management Server or a Log Server. A management server is a device that manages security policies and distributes them to Security Gateways. A Security Gateway container is not a valid term in Check Point terminology. References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 CloudGuard Administration Guide]

To increase security, the administrator has modified the Core protection ‘Host Port Scan’ from ‘Medium’ to ‘High’ Predefined Sensitivity. The administrator should install the Threat Prevention Policy after Publishing the changes3. The Threat Prevention Policy defines how the Security Gateway inspects and protects against threats such as port scans, bot attacks, and zero-day exploits4. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

A Check Point Software license consists of two components, the Software Blade and the Software Container. There are three types of Software Containers: Security Management, Security Gateway, and Endpoint Security1. A Software Blade is a specific security function that can be enabled or disabled on a Software Container. A Software Container is a platform that runs one or more Software Blades. Security Management is a container that manages the security policy and configuration of Security Gateways. Security Gateway is a container that enforces the security policy on network traffic. Endpoint Security is a container that protects endpoints from threats and data loss. References: Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User Guide

The back up solution that should be used to ensure your database can be restored on that device is snapshot . A snapshot creates a binary image of the entire root (lv_current) disk partition. This includes Check Point products, configuration, and operating system. A snapshot can be used to restore a Security Gateway or Security Management Server to its previous state at any time . Therefore, the correct answer is D. snapshot. 

The selected option “Accept Domain Name over UDP (Queries)” means that UDP Queries will be accepted by the traffic allowed only through interfaces with external anti-spoofing topology and this will be done before first explicit rule written by Administrator in a Security Policy. This option enables the Security Gateway to accept DNS queries from external hosts and forward them to internal DNS servers. The queries are accepted by an implied rule that is applied before the explicit rules in the Security Policy. The implied rule only allows queries from interfaces that have external anti-spoofing groups defined . References: Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide, Implied Rules

 In Security Gateways R75 and above, SIC uses AES-128 for encryption. SIC stands for Secure Internal Communication, which is a mechanism that establishes trust between Check Point components, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, Log Servers, etc. SIC uses certificates to authenticate and encrypt the communication between the components. AES-128 is an encryption algorithm that uses a 128-bit key to encrypt and decrypt data. The other options are incorrect. AES-256 is an encryption algorithm that uses a 256-bit key, but it is not used by SIC. DES and 3DES are older encryption algorithms that use 56-bit and 168-bit keys respectively, but they are not used by SIC either. References: [Secure Internal Communication (SIC) between Check Point components], AES - Wikipedia, DES - Wikipedia, Triple DES - Wikipedia

 ThreatWiki is a web-based tool that provides statistics on detected threats, such as attack types, sources, destinations, and severity. It also allows the administrator to search for specific threats and view their details and mitigation methods. The other options are not tools for viewing statistics on detected threats. References: [ThreatWiki], [ThreatWiki - Threat Emulation]

Backup and restores can be accomplished through SmartConsole, WebUI, or CLI. SmartUpdate and SmartBackup are not valid options1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 

The command api status shows the API server status, including whether it is enabled or not, the port number, and the API version1. References: Check Point R81 API Reference Guide

Application Control/URL filtering database library is known as AppWiki. AppWiki is an application classification and identification database that enables administrators to control access to thousands of applications and millions of websites. References: [Check Point R81 Application Control Administration Guide], [Check Point AppWiki]

 The answer is A because Identity Awareness commands are used to support identity sharing between Security Gateways. Policy Decision Point (PDP) is the Security Gateway that collects identities from various sources and shares them with other gateways. Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) is the Security Gateway that enforces the policy based on the identities received from the PDP12 References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

Stateful Inspection is a firewall technology that inspects both the header and the payload of each packet and keeps track of the state and context of each connection. Packet Filtering is a firewall technology that inspects only the header of each packet and does not keep track of the state or context of each connection. A benefit that Stateful Inspection offers over Packet Filtering is that only one rule is required for each connection, whereas Packet Filtering requires two rules for each connection (one for each direction). Stateful Inspection also offers other benefits over Packet Filtering, such as enhanced security, performance, and flexibility. Stateful Inspection does not offer unlimited connections because of virtual memory usage, nor does it avoid using memory to record the protocol used by the connection.References: [Stateful Inspection], [Packet Filtering], [Firewall Technologies]