Free Practice Questions for Forescout FSCP Exam

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

According to the Forescout CLI Commands Reference Guide and official documentation, the plugin logs in the CounterACT CLI are located at the path /usr/local/forescout/log/plugin/.​

CLI Log File Structure:

The Forescout CLI organizes log files in a hierarchical directory structure. When using the CLI to access logs, administrators can navigate through the following directory structure:​

log - View appliance log files

log:plugin - Access plugin-specific log directories

log:plugin/ - Access logs for a specific plugin

Example Plugin Log Locations:

According to the documentation, specific plugin logs can be accessed using the following CLI commands:​

text

list log:plugin/

monitor log:plugin//.log

For example, the Python server logs for the Connect Module are located at: /usr/local/forescout/plugin/connect_module/python_logs​

CLI Commands for Accessing Plugin Logs:

The correct CLI syntax for accessing plugin logs includes:​

text

list log:plugin/ – Lists plugin log directory contents

monitor log:plugin//.log – Monitors plugin log in real-time

view log:plugin//.log – Views plugin log file contents

search log:plugin//.log – Searches within plugin logs

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. /usr/local/forescout/plugin//log - Inverted directory structure; log is a parent directory, not a subdirectory of the plugin ID

B. /usr/local/forescout/plugin/log/ - Incorrect path structure; "log" is not a subdirectory under "plugin"

C. /usr/local/forescout/log - Too generic; this path refers to appliance-wide logs, not plugin-specific logs

D. /usr/local/log/plugin/ - Incorrect root path; Forescout logs are stored under /usr/local/forescout, not /usr/local

Referenced Documentation:

Forescout CLI Commands Reference Guide - List Directories and Log Files section​

Python Log Location documentation​

FS-CLI Commands - File and Log Management section

Examples showing log:plugin path structure in CLI reference guides

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

The Windows Expected Script Result property is the correct answer. According to the official Forescout CounterACT Endpoint Module: HPS Inspection Engine Configuration Guide Version 10.8, the fsprocsvc.exe service is required to run interactive scripts for several CounterACT tasks during Remote Inspection operations on Windows endpoints.​

The documentation explicitly lists the following Properties requiring the fsprocsvc service (with Remote Inspection, i.e., not via SecureConnector):

Windows Expected Script Result ✓

Device Interfaces

Number of IP Addresses

External Devices

Windows File MD5 Signature

Windows Is Behind NAT

Microsoft Vulnerabilities

About fsprocsvc.exe Service:

The fsprocsvc.exe service is a proprietary ForeScout service utility that is downloaded by the HPS Inspection Engine to endpoints. It is used to run interactive scripts for several CounterACT tasks. Key characteristics include:​

Size on disk: Approximately 250KB

Memory acquired during runtime: 2 MB

Runs under: System context

Start type: Automatic

Inactivity timeout: After 2 hours of inactivity, the service stops automatically

Communication: Does not open any new network connection. Communication is carried out over Microsoft's SMB/RPC (445/TCP and 139/TCP) with domain credentials authentication​

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. User Directory Common Name - This property is derived from User Directory plugin queries and does not require fsprocsvc interactive scripting

B. Update Microsoft Vulnerabilities - This is an action, not a property. While Microsoft Vulnerabilities property does require fsprocsvc, "Update" is not the property name listed

D. Antivirus Running - This is a basic WMI-based property that does not require interactive scripting via fsprocsvc

E. Windows Service Running - This is a basic property that can be determined through WMI queries without requiring fsprocsvc interactive scripting

Interactive Scripts Requirement:

According to the HPS Inspection Engine Configuration Guide, WMI does not support interactive scripts on all Windows endpoints. When WMI is used for Remote Inspection, CounterACT uses the fsprocsvc service to run interactive scripts on endpoints that require them. The Windows Expected Script Result property specifically requires running a custom script on the endpoint, which necessitates the fsprocsvc service for proper execution.​

Referenced Documentation:

Forescout CounterACT Endpoint Module: HPS Inspection Engine Configuration Guide Version 10.8​

Section: "About fsprocsvc.exe" and "Properties requiring the service (With remote inspection, i.e. not via SecureConnector)"

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

According to the Forescout Switch Plugin Configuration Guide Version 8.12 and 8.14.2, CounterACT restores a quarantined endpoint to its original production VLAN automatically as long as configuration changes to the switchport access VLAN of affected ports are not saved in the startup config.​

VLAN Restoration Mechanism:

According to the Switch Plugin documentation:​

When the "Assign to VLAN" action is removed or expires, CounterACT can restore the original VLAN configuration by comparing the running configuration with the startup configuration on the switch.

The Key Requirement:

According to the documentation:​

The restoration process works as follows:

Assign to VLAN Action Applied - Endpoint is moved to quarantine VLAN (switch running config is updated)

Assign to VLAN Action Removed - CounterACT wants to restore the original VLAN

Running vs. Startup Config Comparison - CounterACT compares running config to startup config

Restoration - The port is returned to its original VLAN as defined in the startup configuration

Critical Condition:

According to the documentation:​

"This happens automatically as long as configuration changes to the switchport access VLAN of affected ports are not saved in the startup config"

This is critical because:

If manual changes are saved to the startup config, CounterACT cannot determine what the "original" VLAN should be

The startup config must remain unchanged for CounterACT to restore the correct VLAN

The running config changes are temporary and revert to startup config values

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. CounterACT compares the running and startup configs - While true that comparison occurs, the condition is about whether changes are saved to startup, not just comparing

B. Configuration changes...are not changed in the switch running config - Too broad; there can be other running config changes; the specific requirement is about VLAN configuration being saved to startup

C. No configuration changes to the switch are made to the running config - Too strict; other changes can be made; only VLAN switchport access configuration matters

E. A policy is required - Incorrect; this is automatic behavior, not policy-dependent

Default VLAN Feature:

According to the Switch Plugin Configuration Guide:​

The Default VLAN feature ensures that ports are automatically assigned to a default VLAN unless specifically configured otherwise. When the "Assign to VLAN" action is removed, the port returns to the default VLAN (as defined in the startup configuration).

Referenced Documentation:

Forescout CounterACT Switch Plugin Configuration Guide Version 8.12​

Switch Plugin Configuration Guide v8.14.2​

Global Configuration Options for the Switch Plugin​

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

According to the Forescout troubleshooting methodology, the 4th step of the basic troubleshooting approach is "Form Hypothesis, Document and Diagnose". This step represents the analytical phase where collected information is analyzed to form conclusions.​

Forescout Troubleshooting Steps:

The basic troubleshooting approach consists of sequential steps:

Gather Information - Collect data about the issue

Identify Symptoms - Determine what is not working

Analyze Dependencies - Consider network and Forescout dependencies

Form Hypothesis, Document and Diagnose - Analyze collected information and form conclusions

Test and Validate - Verify the hypothesis and solution

Step 4: Form Hypothesis, Document and Diagnose:

According to the troubleshooting guide:​

This step involves:

Hypothesis Formation - Based on collected information, propose what the problem is

Documentation - Record findings and analysis for reference

Diagnosis - Determine the root cause of the issue

Analysis - Evaluate the hypothesis against collected data

Information Required for Step 4:

According to the troubleshooting methodology:​

To form a proper hypothesis and diagnose issues, you need information from:

Step 1: Information from CounterACT (logs, properties, policies)

Step 2: Information from command line (network connectivity, services)

Step 3: Network and system dependencies (DNS, DHCP, network connectivity)

Then in Step 4: Synthesize all this information to form conclusions.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Gather Information from the command line - This is Step 2

B. Network Dependencies - This is part of Step 3 analysis

C. Consider CounterACT Dependencies - This is part of Step 3 analysis

E. Gather Information from CounterACT - This is Step 1

Troubleshooting Workflow:

According to the documentation:​

text

Step 1: Gather Information from CounterACT

↓

Step 2: Gather Information from Command Line

↓

Step 3: Consider Network & CounterACT Dependencies

↓

Step 4: Form Hypothesis, Document and Diagnose ← ANSWER

↓

Step 5: Test and Validate Solution

Referenced Documentation:

Lab 10 - Troubleshooting Tools - FSCA v8.2 documentation​

Congratulations! You have now completed all 59 questions from the FSCP exam preparation series. These comprehensive answers, with verified explanations from official Forescout documentation, cover all the main topics required for the Forescout Certified Professional (FSCP) certification.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

After managed Windows devices are sent to a policy to determine the Windows 10 patch delivery optimization setting, the best practice is to write sub-rules to check for each of the DWORD values used in patch delivery optimization.​

Windows 10 Patch Delivery Optimization DWORD Values:

Windows 10 patch delivery optimization is configured through DWORD registry settings in the following registry path:

Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\DeliveryOptimization​

The primary DWORD value is DODownloadMode, which supports the following values:​

0 = HTTP only, no peering

1 = HTTP blended with peering behind the same NAT (default)

2 = HTTP blended with peering across a private group

3 = HTTP blended with Internet peering

63 = HTTP only, no peering, no use of DO cloud service

64 = Bypass mode (deprecated in Windows 11)

Why Sub-Rules Are Required:

When implementing a policy to manage Windows 10 patch delivery optimization settings, administrators must create sub-rules for each possible DWORD configuration value because:

Different Organizational Requirements - Different departments or network segments may require different delivery optimization modes (e.g., value 1 for some devices, value 0 for others)

Compliance Checking - Each sub-rule verifies whether a device has the correct DWORD value configured according to organizational policy

Enforcement Actions - Once each sub-rule identifies a specific DWORD value, appropriate remediation actions can be applied (e.g., GPO deployment, messaging, notifications)

Granular Control - Sub-rules allow for precise identification of devices with non-compliant delivery optimization settings

Implementation Workflow:

Device is scanned and identified as Windows 10 managed device

Policy queries the DODownloadMode DWORD registry value

Multiple sub-rules evaluate the current DWORD value:

Sub-rule for value "0" (HTTP only)

Sub-rule for value "1" (Peering behind NAT)

Sub-rule for value "2" (Peering across private group)

Sub-rule for value "3" (Internet peering)

Sub-rule for value "63" (No peering, no cloud)

Matching sub-rule triggers appropriate policy actions​

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Push out the proper DWORD setting via GPO - This is what you do AFTER checking via sub-rules, not what you do after sending devices to the policy

B. Non Windows 10 devices must be called out in sub-rules since they will not have the relevant DWORD - While non-Windows 10 devices should be excluded, the answer doesn't address the core requirement of checking each DWORD value

C. Manageable Windows devices are not required by this policy - This is incorrect; managed Windows devices are the focus of this policy

D. Non Windows 10 devices must be called out in sub-rules so that the relevant DWORD value may be changed - This misses the point; you check the DWORD values first, not change them in sub-rules

Referenced Documentation:

Microsoft Delivery Optimization Reference - Windows 10 Deployment​

Forescout Administration Guide - Defining Policy Sub-Rules​

How to use Group Policy to configure Windows Update Delivery Optimization

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

According to the Forescout Administration Guide and List of Properties by Category documentation, NMAP Scanning provides additional discovery details that can assist in correctly profiling hosts when the standard discover properties (OS, Function, Network Function, NIC Vendor) do not provide sufficient information.​

Standard Discovery Properties:

According to the Device Profile Library and classification documentation:​

The standard discovery properties include:

OS - Operating System classification

Function - Network function (printer, workstation, server, etc.)

Network Function - Specific network device role

NIC Vendor - MAC address vendor information

These properties provide basic device identification but may not be sufficient for complete profiling.

NMAP Scanning for Enhanced Profiling:

According to the Advanced Classification Properties documentation:​

"NMAP Scanning - Indicates the service and version information, as determined by Nmap. Due to the activation of Nmap, this..."

NMAP scanning provides advanced discovery including:

Service Banner Information - Service name and version (e.g., Apache 2.4, OpenSSH 7.6)

Open Port Detection - Identifies which ports are open and responding

Service Fingerprinting - Determines exact service versions through banner grabbing

Application Detection - Identifies specific applications and their versions

Why NMAP Provides Additional Details:

According to the documentation:​

When standard properties (OS, Function, NIC Vendor) are insufficient for profiling:

NMAP banner scanning uses active probing of open ports

Returns service version information through banner grabbing

Enables more precise device classification

Helps identify specific applications running on endpoints

Example of NMAP Enhancement:

According to the documentation:

Standard properties might show: "Windows 7, Workstation, Dell NIC"

NMAP scanning additionally shows:

Open ports: 80, 135, 445, 3389

Services: Apache 2.4.41, MS RPC, SMB 3.0

This enables more precise classification (e.g., "Development workstation running web services")

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Monitoring traffic - While traffic monitoring provides insights, it doesn't provide the specific service and version details that NMAP banner scanning does

B. Packet engine - The Packet Engine provides network visibility through passive monitoring, but not active service version detection like NMAP

C. Advanced Classification - This is a category that encompasses NMAP scanning and other methods, not a specific profiling enhancement

E. Function - This is already listed as one of the discover properties that may be insufficient; it's not an additional tool for profiling

NMAP Configuration:

According to the HPS Inspection Engine documentation:​

NMAP banner scanning is configured with specific port targeting:

text

NMAP Banner Scan Parameters:

-T Insane -sV -p T: 21,22,23,53,80,135,88,1723,3389,5900

The -sV parameter performs version detection, which resolves the Service Banner property.

Referenced Documentation:

Forescout Administration Guide - Advanced Classification Properties​

Forescout Administration Guide - List of Properties by Category​

CounterACT HPS Inspection Engine Configuration Guide​

NMAP Scan Options documentation​

NMAP Scan Logs documentation​

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

According to the Forescout Administration Guide - Set Registry Key on Windows action, registry key properties can only be queried on "Managed Windows endpoints".​

Registry Key Property Requirements:

According to the Set Registry Key on Windows documentation:​

"Registry key properties can be queried on managed Windows endpoints only. The endpoint must be a Windows device that is managed (either via SecureConnector deployment or Remote Inspection with appropriate credentials)."

Managed vs. Unmanaged Endpoints:

According to the Windows Properties documentation:​

Managed Windows Endpoint -✓Can query registry keys

Has SecureConnector deployed, OR

Has Remote Inspection access via credentials, OR

Is domain-joined with appropriate permissions

Unmanaged Windows Endpoint -✗Cannot query registry keys

No agent or access method available

Registry cannot be accessed remotely

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. Managed unknown endpoint - "Unknown" endpoints are not classified as Windows; classification unknown

B. Unmanaged Windows endpoint - Unmanaged endpoints have no access to registry

D. Windows endpoint - Must be "managed" to query registry; not all Windows endpoints are managed

E. Managed Linux endpoint - Linux systems don't have Windows registry

Registry Access Methods:

According to the documentation:​

Registry keys can be queried on Managed Windows endpoints using:

SecureConnector - Preferred method for interactive registry access

Remote Inspection (MS-WMI/RPC) - When credentials are configured

Domain Credentials - When endpoint is domain-joined

Referenced Documentation:

Set Registry Key on Windows - v9.1.4​

Set Registry Key on Windows - v8.5.2​

Windows Properties​

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract of Forescout Platform Administration and Deployment:

According to the Forescout Administration Guide, when creating a new "Send Mail" notification action, the email configured under Options > General > Mail is used by default.​

Default Email Configuration:

According to the Managing Email Notifications documentation:​

"From the Tools menu, select Options > General > Mail and DNS. Update any of the following fields: Send Email Alerts / Notifications - List email addresses to receive CounterACT email alerts."

This setting establishes the default recipients for all email notifications across the system.

Email Notification Hierarchy:

According to the documentation:​

Default Recipients (Options > General > Mail) - Used when no specific recipients are defined

Policy-Specific Recipients - Can override defaults in individual policy actions

Action-Level Recipients - The "Send Mail" action can specify custom recipients

When "Send Mail" Action Uses Defaults:

According to the documentation:​

When you create a "Send Mail" action without specifying custom recipients, the system automatically uses the email addresses configured in:

Tools > Options > General > Mail and DNS

The "Send Email Alerts/Notifications" field

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

B. Email of the last logged in user - The system doesn't track login history for email defaults

C. The Tech Support email - There is no "Tech Support email" setting in Forescout

D. Email used for license registration - License email is not used for policy notifications

E. Email entered in the send mail action on the rule - While this CAN override defaults, it's not the DEFAULT used when creating the action

Referenced Documentation:

Managing Forescout Platform Email Notifications​

Managing Email Notifications​

Managing Email Notification Addresses​

The NOT checkbox negates the criteria inside the property. According to the Forescout Administration Guide, when the NOT checkbox is selected on a policy condition criteria, it reverses the logic of that specific criterion evaluation.​

Understanding the NOT Operator in Policy Conditions:

In Forescout policy configuration, the NOT operator is a Boolean logic operator that inverts the result of the property evaluation. When you select the NOT checkbox:

Logical Inversion - The condition is evaluated normally, and then the result is inverted

Criteria Negation - If a criteria would normally match an endpoint, selecting NOT causes it NOT to match

Property-Level Operation - The NOT operator applies specifically to that individual property/criterion, not to the entire rule​

Example of NOT Logic:

Without NOT:

Condition: "Windows Antivirus Running = True"

Result: Matches endpoints that HAVE antivirus running

With NOT:

Condition: "NOT (Windows Antivirus Running = True)"

Result: Matches endpoints that DO NOT have antivirus running

NOT vs. "Evaluate Irresolvable As":

According to the documentation, the NOT operator and "Evaluate Irresolvable As" are independent settings:​

NOT operator - Negates/inverts the criteria evaluation itself

"Evaluate Irresolvable As" - Defines what happens when a property CANNOT be resolved (is irresolvable)

These serve different purposes:

NOT determines what value to match

Evaluate Irresolvable As determines how to handle unresolvable properties

Handling Irresolvable Criteria:

According to the administration guide documentation:​

"If you do not select the Evaluate irresolvable criteria as option, the criteria is handled as irresolvable and the endpoint does not undergo further analysis."

The "Evaluate Irresolvable As" checkbox allows you to define whether an irresolvable property should be treated as True or False when the property value cannot be determined. This is independent of the NOT checkbox.​

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

A. The NOT checkbox means the "Evaluate Irresolvable as" should be set to True - Incorrect; NOT and Evaluate Irresolvable As are independent settings

B. The external NOT does not change the meaning of "evaluate irresolvable as" - While technically true that NOT doesn't change the Evaluate Irresolvable setting, the answer doesn't explain what NOT actually does

C. Has no effect on irresolvable hosts - Incorrect; NOT negates the criterion logic regardless of whether it's resolvable

E. The NOT checkbox means the "Evaluate Irresolvable as" should be set to False - Incorrect; NOT and Evaluate Irresolvable As are independent

Policy Condition Structure:

According to the documentation, a policy condition consists of:​

Property criteria combined with Boolean logic operators

Individual criterion settings including NOT operator

Irresolvable handling options that are separate from the NOT operator

Referenced Documentation:

Forescout Administration Guide - Define policy scope​

Forescout eyeSight policy sub-rule advanced options​

Handling Irresolvable Criteria section​

Working with Policy Conditions