Free Practice Questions for Paloalto Networks XDR-Analyst Exam

 The output shows the top 10 hosts with the most malware in the last 30 days, based on the Cortex XDR data. The output is sorted by the number of incidents, with the host with the most incidents at the top. The output also shows the number of alerts, the number of endpoints, and the percentage of endpoints for each host. The output is generated by using the ACC (Application Command Center) feature of Cortex XDR, which provides a graphical representation of the network activity and threat landscape. The ACC allows you to view and analyze various widgets, such as the Top 10 hosts with the most malware, the Top 10 applications by bandwidth, the Top 10 threats by count, and more .

 Live terminal uses Python 3 with standard Python libraries to run Python commands and scripts on the endpoint. Live terminal does not support Python 2 or any custom or external Python libraries. Live terminal uses the Python interpreter embedded in the Cortex XDR agent, which is based on Python 3.7.4. The standard Python libraries are the modules that are included with the Python installation and provide a wide range of functionalities, such as operating system interfaces, network programming, data processing, and more. You can use the Python commands and scripts to perform advanced tasks or automation on the endpoint, such as querying system information, modifying files or registry keys, or running other applications. References:

Run Python Commands and Scripts

Python Standard Library

 If all alerts contained in a Cortex XDR incident have exclusions, the Cortex XDR console will automatically mark the incident as Resolved – False Positive. This means that the incident was not a real threat, but a benign or legitimate activity that triggered an alert. By marking the incident as Resolved – False Positive, the Cortex XDR console removes the incident from the list of unresolved incidents and does not count it towards the incident statistics. This helps the analyst to focus on the true positive incidents that require further investigation and response1.

An exclusion is a rule that hides an alert from the Cortex XDR console, based on certain criteria, such as the alert source, type, severity, or description. An exclusion does not change the security policy or prevent the alert from firing, it only suppresses the alert from the console. An exclusion is useful when the analyst wants to reduce the noise of false positive alerts that are not relevant or important2.

An exception, on the other hand, is a rule that overrides the security policy and allows or blocks a process or file from running on an endpoint, based on certain attributes, such as the file hash, path, name, or signer. An exception is useful when the analyst wants to prevent false negative alerts that are caused by malicious or unwanted files or processes that are not detected by the security policy3.

A BIOC rule is a rule that creates an alert based on a custom XQL query that defines a specific behavior of interest or concern. A BIOC rule is useful when the analyst wants to detect and alert on anomalous or suspicious activities that are not covered by the default Cortex XDR rules4.

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

 Live terminal session is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to remotely access and control endpoints from the Cortex XDR console. With live terminal session, you can execute various actions on the endpoints, such as:

Manage Processes: You can view, start, or kill processes on the endpoint, and monitor their CPU and memory usage.

Manage Files: You can view, create, delete, or move files and folders on the endpoint, and upload or download files to or from the endpoint.

Run Operating System Commands: You can run commands on the endpoint using the native command-line interface of the operating system, such as cmd.exe for Windows, bash for Linux, or zsh for macOS.

Run Python Commands and Scripts: You can run Python commands and scripts on the endpoint using the Python interpreter embedded in the Cortex XDR agent. You can use the Python commands and scripts to perform advanced tasks or automation on the endpoint.

The Broker VM for Cortex XDR is a virtual machine that serves as the central communication hub for all Cortex XDR agents deployed in your organization. It enables agents to communicate with the Cortex XDR cloud service and allows you to manage and monitor the agents’ activities from a centralized location. The system requirements for the Broker VM are as follows:

CPU: 4 cores

RAM: 8 GB

Disk space: 256 GB

Network: Internet access and connectivity to all Cortex XDR agents

The disk space requirement is based on the number of agents and the frequency of content updates. The Broker VM stores the content updates locally and distributes them to the agents. The disk space also depends on the retention period of the content updates, which can be configured in the Broker VM settings. The default retention period is 30 days.

 To view the WildFire report in an incident, you need to go to the incident details page and look for the relevant key artifacts that are related to the WildFire analysis. A key artifact is a piece of evidence that is associated with an alert or an incident, such as a file hash, a registry key, an IP address, a domain name, or a full path. If a key artifact is related to a WildFire analysis, you will see a WildFire icon next to it, indicating that there is a WildFire report available for that artifact. You can click on the WildFire icon to view the report, which will show you the detailed information about the artifact, such as the verdict, the behavior, the severity, the signatures, and the screenshots12.

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

B. under Response --> Action Center: This is not the correct answer. The Action Center is a feature that allows you to create and manage actions that you can perform on your endpoints, such as isolating, scanning, collecting files, or executing scripts. The Action Center does not show you the WildFire reports for the incidents, but it can help you to remediate the incidents by applying the appropriate actions3.

C. under the gear icon --> Agent Audit Logs: This is not the correct answer. The Agent Audit Logs are logs that show you the activities and events that occurred on the Cortex XDR agents, such as installation, upgrade, connection, policy update, or prevention. The Agent Audit Logs do not show you the WildFire reports for the incidents, but they can help you to troubleshoot the agent issues or verify the agent status4.

D. on the HUB page at apps.paloaltonetworks.com: This is not the correct answer. The HUB page is a web portal that allows you to access and manage your Palo Alto Networks applications, such as Cortex XDR, Cortex XSOAR, Prisma Cloud, or AutoFocus. The HUB page does not show you the WildFire reports for the incidents, but it can help you to navigate to the different applications or view the notifications and alerts5.

In conclusion, to view the WildFire report in an incident, you need to go to the incident details page and look for the relevant key artifacts that are related to the WildFire analysis. By viewing the WildFire report, you can gain more insights and context about the incident and the artifact.

Cortex XDR Analytics is a feature of Cortex XDR that leverages machine learning and behavioral analytics to detect and alert on malicious activity across the network and endpoint layers. Cortex XDR Analytics can alert when detecting activity matching the following MITRE ATT&CKTM techniques: Exfiltration, Command and Control, Lateral Movement, Execution, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, Defense Evasion, Credential Access, Discovery, and Collection. However, among the options given in the question, the correct answer is D, Exfiltration, Command and Control, Lateral Movement. These are three of the most critical techniques that indicate an advanced and persistent threat (APT) in the environment. Exfiltration refers to the technique of transferring data or information from the compromised system or network to an external location controlled by the adversary. Command and Control refers to the technique of communicating with the compromised system or network to provide instructions, receive data, or update malware. Lateral Movement refers to the technique of moving from one system or network to another within the same environment, usually to gain access to more resources or data. Cortex XDR Analytics can alert on these techniques by analyzing various data sources, such as network traffic, firewall logs, endpoint events, and threat intelligence, and applying behavioral models, anomaly detection, and correlation rules. Cortex XDR Analytics can also map the alerts to the corresponding MITRE ATT&CKTM techniques and provide additional context and visibility into the attack chain1234

 Unit 42 is the threat intelligence and response team of Palo Alto Networks. The purpose of Unit 42 is to collect and analyze the most up-to-date threat intelligence and apply it to respond to cyberattacks. Unit 42 is composed of world-renowned threat researchers, incident responders and security consultants who help organizations proactively manage cyber risk. Unit 42 is responsible for threat research, malware analysis and threat hunting, among other activities12.

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

A. Unit 42 is not responsible for automation and orchestration of products. Automation and orchestration are capabilities that are provided by Palo Alto Networks products such as Cortex XSOAR, which is a security orchestration, automation and response platform that helps security teams automate tasks, coordinate actions and manage incidents3.

B. Unit 42 is not responsible for the configuration optimization of the Cortex XDR server. The Cortex XDR server is the cloud-based platform that provides detection and response capabilities across network, endpoint and cloud data sources. The configuration optimization of the Cortex XDR server is the responsibility of the Cortex XDR administrators, who can use the Cortex XDR app to manage the settings and policies of the Cortex XDR server4.

C. Unit 42 is not responsible for the rapid deployment of Cortex XDR agents. The Cortex XDR agents are the software components that are installed on endpoints to provide protection and visibility. The rapid deployment of Cortex XDR agents is the responsibility of the Cortex XDR administrators, who can use various methods such as group policy objects, scripts, or third-party tools to deploy the Cortex XDR agents to multiple endpoints5.

In conclusion, Unit 42 is the threat intelligence and response team of Palo Alto Networks that is responsible for threat research, malware analysis and threat hunting. By leveraging the expertise and insights of Unit 42, organizations can enhance their security posture and protect against the latest cyberthreats.

The File Search and Destroy feature is a capability of Cortex XDR that allows you to search for and delete malicious or unwanted files across your endpoints. You can use this feature to quickly respond to incidents, remediate threats, and enforce compliance policies. To use the File Search and Destroy feature, you need to specify the file name and the file hash of the file you want to search for and delete. The file hash is a unique identifier of the file that is generated by a cryptographic hash function. The file hash ensures that you are targeting the exact file you want, and not a file with a similar name or a different version. The File Search and Destroy feature supports the SHA256 hash type, which is a secure hash algorithm that produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value. The SHA256 hash type is widely used for file integrity verification and digital signatures. The File Search and Destroy feature does not support other hash types, such as AES256, MD5, or SHA1, which are either encryption algorithms or less secure hash algorithms. Therefore, the correct answer is A, SHA256 hash of the file1234