PCDRA Online Practice Questions and Answers

Correct Answer: AD

Explanation: To manually upgrade the Cortex XDR agents, you can use the Asset Management page or the Endpoint Administration page in the Cortex XDR console. On the Asset Management page, you can select one or more endpoints and click Actions > Upgrade Agent. On the Endpoint Administration page, you can select one or more agent versions and click Upgrade. You can also schedule automatic agent upgrades using the Agent Installations page. References: Asset Management Endpoint Administration Agent Installations

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: The kind of malware that uses encryption, data theft, denial of service, and possibly harassment to take advantage of a victim is ransomware. Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts the victim's files or blocks access to

their system, and then demands a ransom for the decryption key or the restoration of access. Ransomware can also threaten to expose or delete the victim's data if the ransom is not paid. Ransomware can cause significant damage and

disruption to individuals, businesses, and organizations, and can be difficult to remove or recover from. Some examples of ransomware are CryptoLocker, WannaCry, Ryuk, and REvil.

References:

12 Types of Malware + Examples That You Should Know - CrowdStrike What is Malware? Malware Definition, Types and Protection 12+ Types of Malware Explained with Examples (Complete List)

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The policy exception that applies to the following description is B, local file threat examination exception. A local file threat examination exception is an exception that allows you to exclude specific files or folders from being scanned by the Cortex XDR agent for malware or threats. You can use this exception to prevent false positives, performance issues, or compatibility problems with legitimate files or applications. You can define the local file threat examination exception by file name, file path, file hash, or digital signer. For example, you can create a local file threat examination exception for specific PHP files by entering their file names or paths in the exception configuration. References: Local File Threat Examination Exceptions Create a Local File Threat Examination Exception

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The correct answer is B, the level of risk is assigned to the script upon import. When you import a script to the Agent Script Library in Cortex XDR, you need to specify the level of risk associated with the script. The level of risk

determines the permissions and restrictions for running the script on endpoints. The levels of risk are:

Low: The script can be run on any endpoint without requiring approval from the Cortex XDR administrator. The script can also be used in remediation suggestions or automation actions.

Medium: The script can be run on any endpoint, but requires approval from the Cortex XDR administrator. The script can also be used in remediation suggestions or automation actions.

High: The script can only be run on isolated endpoints, and requires approval from the Cortex XDR administrator. The script cannot be used in remediation suggestions or automation actions.

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because not any version of Python script can be run in Cortex XDR. The scripts must be written in Python 2.7, and must follow the guidelines and limitations described in the Cortex XDR documentation. For example, the scripts

must not exceed 64 KB in size, must not use external libraries or modules, and must not contain malicious or harmful code.

C is incorrect because not any script can be imported to Cortex XDR, including Visual Basic (VB) scripts. The scripts must be written in Python 2.7, and must follow the guidelines and limitations described in the Cortex XDR documentation.

VB scripts are not supported by Cortex XDR, and will not run on the endpoints. D is incorrect because the script is not run on the machine uploading the script to ensure that it is operational. The script is only validated for syntax errors and

size limitations when it is imported to the Agent Script Library. The script is not executed or tested on the machine uploading the script, and the script may still fail or cause errors when it is run on the endpoints.

References:

Agent Script Library

Import a Script

Run Scripts on an Endpoint

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: The best action to delete the file on the Linux endpoint is to initiate Remediation Suggestions from the Cortex XDR console. Remediation Suggestions are a feature of Cortex XDR that provide you with recommended actions to

undo the effects of malicious activity on your endpoints. You can view the remediation suggestions for each alert or incident in the Cortex XDR console, and decide whether to apply them or not. Remediation Suggestions can help you restore

the endpoint to its original state, remove malicious files or processes, or fix registry or system settings. Remediation Suggestions are based on the forensic data collected by the Cortex XDR agent and the analysis performed by Cortex XDR.

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because manually remediating the problem on the endpoint is not a convenient or efficient way to delete the file. Manually remediating the problem would require you to access the endpoint directly, log in as root, locate the file,

and delete it. This would also require you to have the necessary permissions and credentials to access the endpoint, and to know the exact path and name of the file. Manually remediating the problem would also not provide you with any

audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

B is incorrect because opening X2go from the Cortex XDR console is not a supported or secure way to delete the file. X2go is a third-party remote desktop software that allows you to access Linux endpoints from a graphical user interface.

However, X2go is not integrated with Cortex XDR, and using it would require you to install and configure it on both the Cortex XDR console and the endpoint. Using X2go would also expose the endpoint to potential network attacks or

unauthorized access, and would not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

D is incorrect because opening an NFS connection from the Cortex XDR console is not a feasible or reliable way to delete the file. NFS is a network file system protocol that allows you to access files on remote servers as if they were local.

However, NFS is not integrated with Cortex XDR, and using it would require you to set up and maintain an NFS server and client on both the Cortex XDR console and the endpoint. Using NFS would also depend on the network availability

and performance, and would not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

References:

Remediation Suggestions

Apply Remediation Suggestions

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: The user can use the Malware Protection profile to configure malware protection in the Cortex XDR console. The Malware Protection profile defines the actions that Cortex XDR takes when it detects malware on your endpoints. You can configure different actions for different types of malware, such as ransomware, password theft, or child process. You can also configure the scan frequency and scope for periodic malware scans. The Malware Protection profile is part of the Endpoint Security policy that you assign to your endpoints. References: Malware Protection Profile Endpoint Security Policy

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The purpose of the Cortex Data Lake is to provide a cloud-based storage facility where your firewall logs are stored. Cortex Data Lake is a service that collects, transforms, and integrates your enterprise's security data to enable Palo Alto Networks solutions. It powers AI and machine learning, detection accuracy, and app and service innovation. Cortex Data Lake automatically collects, integrates, and normalizes data across your security infrastructure, including your next-generation firewalls, Prisma Access, and Cortex XDR. With unified data, you can run advanced AI and machine learning to radically simplify security operations with apps built on Cortex. Cortex Data Lake is available in multiple regions and supports data residency and privacy requirements. References: Cortex Data Lake - Palo Alto Networks Cortex Data Lake - Palo Alto Networks Cortex Data Lake, the technology behind Cortex XDR - Palo Alto Networks CORTEX DATA LAKE - Palo Alto Networks Sizing for Cortex Data Lake Storage - Palo Alto Networks

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: The Broker VM is a virtual machine that you can deploy in your network to provide various services and functionalities to the Cortex XDR agents. One of the services that the Broker VM offers is the Local Agent Settings applet,

which allows you to configure the agent proxy, agent installer, and content caching settings for the agents. The Local Agent Settings applet can support a maximum number of 10,000 agents per Broker VM. If you have more than 10,000

agents in your network, you need to deploy additional Broker VMs and distribute the load among them. References:

Broker VM Overview: This document provides an overview of the Broker VM and its features, requirements, and deployment options. Configure the Broker VM: This document explains how to install, set up, and configure the Broker VM in an

ESXi environment.

Manage Broker VM from the Cortex XDR Management Console: This document describes how to activate and manage the Broker VM applets from the Cortex XDR management console.

Correct Answer: A

Explanation: To ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers, you need to create Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) rules to recognize and prevent the activity. BTP is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to create

custom rules that detect and block malicious or suspicious behaviors on your endpoints, such as file execution, process injection, network connection, or registry modification. BTP rules can use various operators, functions, and variables to

define the criteria and the actions for the rules. By creating BTP rules that match the behaviors of the supply chain attack, you can prevent the attack from compromising your servers12.

Let's briefly discuss the other options to provide a comprehensive explanation:

B. Enable DLL Protection on all servers but there might be some false positives: This is not the correct answer. Enabling DLL Protection on all servers will not ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers. DLL Protection is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to block the execution of unsigned or untrusted DLL files on your endpoints. DLL Protection can help to prevent some types of attacks that use malicious DLL files, but it may not be effective against the supply chain attack that used a Trojanized DLL file that was digitally signed by a trusted vendor. DLL Protection may also cause some false positives, as it may block some legitimate DLL files that are unsigned or untrusted3. C. Create IOCs of the malicious files you have found to prevent their execution: This is not the correct answer. Creating IOCs of the malicious files you have found will not ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers. IOCs are indicators of compromise that you can create to detect and respond to known threats on your endpoints, such as file hashes, registry keys, IP addresses, domain names, or full paths. IOCs can help to identify and block the malicious files that you have already discovered, but they may not be effective against the supply chain attack that used different variants of the malicious files with different hashes or names. IOCs may also become outdated, as the attackers may change or update their files to evade detection4.

D. Enable Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) with cytool to prevent the attack from spreading: This is not the correct answer. Enabling BTP with cytool will not ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers. BTP is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to create custom rules that detect and block malicious or suspicious behaviors on your endpoints, such as file execution, process injection, network connection, or registry modification. BTP rules can help to prevent the attack from spreading, but they need to be created and configured in the Cortex XDR app, not with cytool. Cytool is a command-line tool that allows you to perform various operations on the Cortex XDR agent, such as installing, uninstalling, upgrading, or troubleshooting. Cytool does not have an option to enable or configure BTP rules. In conclusion, to ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers, you need to create BTP rules to recognize and prevent the activity. By using BTP rules, you can create custom and flexible prevention rules that match the behaviors of the supply chain attack. References: Behavioral Threat Protection Create a BTP Rule DLL Protection Create an IOC Rule [Cytool]

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Remediation Suggestions is a feature of Cortex XDR that provides you with recommended actions to remediate the root cause and impact of an incident. Remediation Suggestions are based on the analysis of the causality chain,

the behavior of the malicious files or processes, and the best practices for incident response. Remediation Suggestions can help you to quickly and effectively contain and resolve an incident, as well as prevent future recurrence.

To activate Remediation Suggestions, you need to follow these steps:

In the Cortex XDR management console, go to Incidents and select an incident that you want to remediate.

Click Causality View to see the graphical representation of the causality chain of the incident.

Click Actions and select Remediation Suggestions. This will open a new window that shows the suggested actions for each node in the causality chain. Review the suggested actions and select the ones that you want to apply. You can also

edit or delete the suggested actions, or add your own custom actions. Click Apply to execute the selected actions on the affected endpoints. You can also schedule the actions to run at a later time or date.

References:

Remediate Changes from Malicious Activity: This document explains how to use Remediation Suggestions to remediate the root cause and impact of an incident. Causality View: This document describes how to use Causality View to

investigate the causality chain of an incident.

Correct Answer: D

Explanation: The correct statement regarding the Cortex XDR Analytics module is D, it interferes with the pattern as soon as it is observed on the endpoint. The Cortex XDR Analytics module is a feature of Cortex XDR that uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to detect and prevent network-based attacks on endpoints. The Cortex XDR Analytics module analyzes the network traffic and activity on the endpoint, and compares it with the attack patterns defined by Palo Alto Networks threat research team. The Cortex XDR Analytics module interferes with the attack pattern as soon as it is observed on the endpoint, by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. This way, the Cortex XDR Analytics module can stop the attack before it causes any damage or compromise. The other statements are incorrect for the following reasons: A is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does interfere with the attack pattern on the endpoint, by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not rely on the firewall or any other network device to stop the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the interference. B is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does not interfere with the attack pattern as soon as it is observed by the firewall. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not depend on the firewall or any other network device to detect or prevent the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the analysis and interference. The firewall may not be able to observe or block the attack pattern if it is encrypted, obfuscated, or bypassed by the attacker. C is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does need to interfere with the attack pattern to prevent the attack. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not only detect the attack pattern, but also prevents it from succeeding by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not rely on any other response mechanism or human intervention to stop the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the interference. References: Cortex XDR Analytics Module Cortex XDR Analytics Module Detection and Prevention

Correct Answer: CD

Explanation: You can star security events in Cortex XDR in two ways: manually star an alert or an incident, or create an alert-starring or incident-starring configuration. Starring security events helps you prioritize and track the events that are most important to you. You can also filter and sort the events by their star status in the Cortex XDR console. To manually star an alert or an incident, you can use the star icon in the Alerts table or the Incidents table. You can also star an alert from the Causality View or the Query Center Results table. You can star an incident from the Incident View or the Query Center Results table. You can also unstar an event by clicking the star icon again. To create an alert-starring or incident-starring configuration, you can use the Alert Starring Configuration or the Incident Starring Configuration pages in the Cortex XDR console. You can define the criteria for starring alerts or incidents based on their severity, category, source, or other attributes. You can also enable or disable the configurations as needed. References: Star Security Events Create an Alert Starring Configuration Create an Incident Starring Configuration

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: UASLR stands for User Address Space Layout Randomization, which is a feature of Exploit Prevention Module (EPM) that provides better entropy for randomization of memory locations. UASLR adds entropy to the base address of the executable image and the heap, making it harder for attackers to predict the memory layout of a process. UASLR is enabled by default for all processes, but can be disabled or customized for specific applications using the EPM policy settings. References: Exploit Prevention Module (EPM) entropy randomization memory locations Exploit protection reference

Correct Answer: D

Explanation: A global exception is a rule that allows you to exclude specific files, processes, or behaviors from being blocked or detected by Cortex XDR. A global exception applies to all endpoints in your organization that are protected by

Cortex XDR. Creating a global exception for a vitally important piece of software that is known to be benign would prevent Cortex XDR from blocking this software in the future, for all endpoints in your organization.

To create a global exception, you need to follow these steps:

In the Cortex XDR management console, go to Policy Management > Exceptions and click Add Exception.

Select the Global Exception option and click Next. Enter a name and description for the exception and click Next. Select the type of exception you want to create, such as file, process, or behavior, and click Next.

Specify the criteria for the exception, such as file name, hash, path, process name, command line, or behavior name, and click Next.

Review the summary of the exception and click Finish.

References:

Create Global Exceptions: This document explains how to create global exceptions to exclude specific files, processes, or behaviors from being blocked or detected by Cortex XDR.

Exceptions Overview: This document provides an overview of exceptions and how they can be used to fine-tune the Cortex XDR security policy.

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: WildFire is a cloud-based service that accepts and analyses samples from various sources, including Cortex XDR, to provide a verdict of malware, benign, or grayware. WildFire also generates detailed analysis reports that show the behaviour and characteristics of the samples. Cortex XDR uses WildFire verdicts and reports to enhance its detection and prevention capabilities, as well as to provide more visibility and context into the threats. References: WildFire Analysis Concepts WildFire Overview