Cisco 300-710 Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower (300-710 SNCF) Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 5 Q61-75
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Question 61
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to enforce different policies for traffic based on user roles, time of day, or network location?
A) Access Control Policy with Identity and Time-Based Rules
B) URL Filtering
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Access Control Policy with Identity and Time-Based Rules
Explanation:
Access Control Policy with Identity and Time-Based Rules in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to enforce security policies dynamically based on user roles, time schedules, and network location. This capability provides a more granular approach to traffic enforcement beyond simple IP- or port-based rules. By integrating with Identity Policy, Access Control can apply rules to specific users or groups regardless of their IP addresses, ensuring that policies are consistently enforced even in mobile or remote environments. Time-based rules allow organizations to define different policies for work hours, maintenance windows, or off-hours, providing flexibility for operational requirements. For example, administrators may allow full access to specific applications during business hours while restricting access during nights or weekends to reduce potential attack surfaces. Location-based rules use interface zones or VLANs to enforce policies depending on the network segment, allowing additional control for internal, guest, or remote networks. These combined features enable a dynamic, context-aware approach to traffic enforcement that improves security posture and operational efficiency. Logging and reporting provide visibility into policy enforcement, helping administrators track user activity, evaluate compliance, and detect policy violations.
URL Filtering restricts web access based on categories, domains, or reputation. While it can be integrated with identity-based policies to limit web usage for specific users, it does not provide comprehensive enforcement based on user role, time of day, or network location across all traffic types. URL Filtering primarily addresses web traffic rather than general access control.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware or suspicious behavior. While critical for endpoint protection, it does not control traffic based on user roles, schedules, or network segments. File Policy is content-focused rather than enforcing contextual access controls.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on the reputation of IP addresses, domains, or URLs. Although effective for preventing known malicious communication, it does not provide granular, context-aware enforcement based on user identity, time, or network location. Security Intelligence focuses on external threat mitigation rather than dynamic access control.
Access Control Policy with Identity and Time-Based Rules is the correct answer because it provides a flexible and context-aware approach to network security. Administrators can apply rules that combine user identity, schedules, and location to enforce policies consistently and reduce exposure to unauthorized access. Integration with Identity Policy allows accurate mapping of traffic to specific users or groups, while time-based rules ensure that access aligns with organizational operational hours. Location-based rules allow differentiation between internal, guest, and remote networks, enabling more precise security enforcement. By dynamically applying rules based on multiple contextual factors, Access Control Policy reduces risk, enhances compliance, and supports operational continuity. Combined with logging and reporting, administrators gain detailed insights into user activity, policy violations, and traffic patterns, facilitating proactive security management. This context-aware enforcement complements other Firepower features, such as Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, and Security Intelligence, creating a multi-layered security strategy that addresses modern enterprise network challenges. The ability to enforce granular policies based on identity, time, and location ensures that access is both secure and aligned with business requirements, making it a critical component of Cisco Firepower deployments.
Question 62
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows the creation of custom rules to detect specific network threats or traffic behaviors unique to an organization?
A) Snort Custom Rules
B) File Policy
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Snort Custom Rules
Explanation:
Snort Custom Rules in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allow administrators to create tailored detection rules to identify specific network threats or behaviors unique to their environment. While default Snort rules provided by Cisco Talos cover a wide range of known exploits and attack patterns, custom rules enable organizations to address unique threats, internal application behaviors, or policy requirements not included in the standard rule set. These rules can inspect network traffic at the packet level, including payload content, header information, protocol anomalies, and behavior patterns. Administrators can configure custom rules to generate alerts, drop traffic, or perform other enforcement actions based on specific conditions. For example, custom rules can detect unusual SSH activity, proprietary application protocol misuse, or attempts to bypass security controls within a private network. Snort Custom Rules support inline deployment for prevention and detection-only deployment for monitoring, providing flexibility in enforcement. Integration with Firepower Management Center enables centralized management of custom rules, monitoring of triggered alerts, and correlation with other security events across multiple devices. Logging and reporting provide insights into network activity, policy effectiveness, and potential vulnerabilities, helping administrators refine their security posture.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, and advanced threats. While File Policy protects endpoints from malicious files, it does not allow the creation of custom rules for network traffic behavior. Its focus is on file content analysis rather than packet-level detection of specific network events.
URL Filtering enforces access control for web content based on categories, URLs, or reputation. Although URL Filtering can be tailored using allowed or blocked domains, it does not provide the capability to detect custom network traffic patterns or exploits unique to an organization. URL Filtering is limited to web traffic content control.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While useful for preventing communication with known malicious sources, Security Intelligence does not allow administrators to define specific network behaviors for detection. Its function is threat prevention using reputation data rather than custom detection of network anomalies or organization-specific threats.
Snort Custom Rules is the correct answer because it allows organizations to extend the default detection capabilities of Cisco Firepower to address unique threats, compliance requirements, and internal application behaviors. Administrators can define precise criteria for packet inspection, including payload content, protocol anomalies, and behavioral patterns. Custom rules can trigger alerts, block traffic, or integrate with other inspection engines for coordinated defense. Integration with Firepower Management Center ensures centralized deployment, monitoring, and event correlation, making it feasible to manage custom rules across multiple devices in an enterprise environment. By tailoring detection to the organization’s specific network characteristics and threat landscape, Snort Custom Rules enhance security, reduce false positives, and provide a proactive approach to threat mitigation. The combination of customizable detection, inline prevention, and centralized monitoring makes Snort Custom Rules essential for enterprises requiring precise and context-aware network security enforcement.
Question 63
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to monitor, log, and enforce policies on application usage and bandwidth consumption in real time?
A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
B) URL Filtering
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
Explanation:
Application Visibility and Control (AVC) in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense provides administrators with the ability to monitor, log, and enforce policies on application usage and bandwidth consumption in real time. AVC identifies applications based on their behavior, signatures, and traffic patterns rather than relying solely on port or protocol information, which allows visibility into modern applications using dynamic ports, tunneling, or encryption. By classifying applications, AVC enables administrators to prioritize critical business applications, restrict non-essential or high-risk applications, and allocate bandwidth according to organizational requirements. Real-time monitoring allows network teams to respond quickly to unauthorized or unexpected application usage, preventing congestion and reducing operational risk. Logging and reporting provide insights into application trends, usage patterns, and potential threats, supporting auditing, compliance, and capacity planning. Policies can be enforced dynamically to block, allow, or throttle applications, providing granular control over network resources and ensuring optimal performance for business-critical services. Integration with Access Control Policies allows AVC to apply enforcement rules consistently across multiple devices, maintaining a centralized and coordinated security posture.
URL Filtering restricts web access based on categories, domains, or reputation. Although URL Filtering can influence web-based application usage, it does not provide comprehensive monitoring, logging, or enforcement for non-web applications. URL Filtering focuses primarily on web traffic content rather than application-level behavior or bandwidth management.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, and advanced threats across multiple protocols. While File Policy protects endpoints from malicious content, it does not monitor application usage or enforce bandwidth policies. Its focus is file-level security rather than network-level application control.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While effective for preventing malicious communication, Security Intelligence does not provide real-time monitoring or enforcement of application usage or bandwidth consumption. It is threat-focused rather than resource- or performance-focused.
Application Visibility and Control (AVC) is the correct answer because it provides a comprehensive, real-time view of network application usage, allowing administrators to enforce policies that optimize bandwidth, prioritize critical applications, and restrict unauthorized or high-risk applications. Its deep inspection capabilities enable identification of applications regardless of dynamic ports, encryption, or tunneling, providing accurate policy enforcement and network visibility. Integration with Access Control Policies ensures centralized and consistent enforcement across multiple devices, while logging and reporting capabilities provide insights into application behavior, usage trends, and policy effectiveness. AVC enhances operational efficiency, reduces network congestion, and improves security by controlling application traffic according to organizational priorities. Its ability to enforce real-time policies, monitor bandwidth consumption, and provide detailed visibility into application behavior makes it essential for modern enterprise networks that require both performance optimization and security enforcement.
Question 64
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows detection and prevention of threats hidden within encrypted HTTPS traffic by decrypting and inspecting it?
A) SSL Decryption Policy
B) File Policy
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) SSL Decryption Policy
Explanation:
SSL Decryption Policy in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense provides the ability to decrypt SSL/TLS traffic to inspect encrypted content for threats, policy violations, and application usage. In modern enterprise networks, a significant portion of traffic is encrypted, which presents a blind spot for security inspection if decryption is not applied. Attackers often leverage SSL/TLS encryption to hide malware, phishing, or command-and-control communication from traditional inspection engines. By deploying SSL Decryption Policy, Firepower can decrypt traffic temporarily, allowing other security engines—such as Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, and Application Visibility and Control (AVC)—to analyze the decrypted content. After inspection, the traffic is re-encrypted before reaching its destination, ensuring secure communication continuity while maintaining visibility and enforcement.
Administrators can configure SSL Decryption selectively based on IP addresses, domains, user groups, or network zones, avoiding decryption of sensitive traffic such as banking, healthcare, or privacy-regulated communications. This selective approach ensures that inspection does not disrupt business operations or violate compliance requirements. Decrypted traffic enables URL Filtering to enforce web access policies, File Policy to inspect files for malware and ransomware, Snort to detect exploits, and AVC to manage bandwidth and application usage. By integrating SSL Decryption Policy with Firepower Management Center, administrators can centralize configuration, monitoring, and logging of decrypted traffic, ensuring consistent enforcement across multiple devices and providing insights into traffic patterns, threat activity, and policy violations.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over multiple protocols for malware or advanced threats. While File Policy is essential for detecting malicious files, it cannot analyze the content of encrypted HTTPS traffic without decryption. Without an SSL Decryption Policy, File Policy is limited to unencrypted protocols or metadata, leaving encrypted threats undetected.
URL Filtering enforces web access restrictions based on categories, domains, or reputation. It benefits from SSL decryption for accurate content inspection but does not itself decrypt traffic. Without an SSL Decryption Policy, URL Filtering cannot inspect encrypted web traffic, reducing its effectiveness in blocking malicious or inappropriate sites.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While effective at preventing communication with known malicious sources, Security Intelligence does not decrypt traffic, limiting its ability to detect threats hidden within encrypted sessions. It operates primarily on metadata and reputation rather than payload content.
SSL Decryption Policy is the correct answer because it provides visibility into encrypted communications, enabling inspection engines to detect hidden threats, enforce security policies, and monitor application usage. It closes blind spots created by widespread encryption, ensuring that threats are not able to bypass security controls. By combining selective decryption with centralized management, logging, and integration with other Firepower engines, SSL Decryption Policy maintains operational continuity while enforcing enterprise security. Administrators can configure granular rules to prioritize business-critical applications, maintain privacy compliance, and mitigate risk associated with encrypted traffic. Its ability to enable proactive threat detection and comprehensive policy enforcement across encrypted channels makes SSL Decryption Policy a crucial layer of modern enterprise network security.
Question 65
Which Cisco Firepower feature provides proactive blocking of network traffic based on known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs?
A) Security Intelligence
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) URL Filtering
Answer: A) Security Intelligence
Explanation:
Security Intelligence in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to proactively block network traffic from IP addresses, domains, or URLs that have been identified as malicious by threat intelligence sources, such as Cisco Talos. By leveraging dynamic threat intelligence feeds, Security Intelligence provides real-time protection against communication with command-and-control servers, malware distribution points, phishing domains, and other known malicious endpoints. Traffic matching security intelligence indicators can be blocked, allowed, or trusted, depending on organizational policies, creating a flexible and automated threat prevention mechanism. Centralized deployment through Firepower Management Center ensures consistent enforcement across multiple Firepower devices, simplifying administration and reducing the risk of configuration errors. Logging and reporting capabilities provide detailed visibility into blocked traffic, threat activity, and policy enforcement outcomes, helping administrators evaluate the effectiveness of threat mitigation strategies and maintain compliance with security standards.
Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention engine that detects network attacks using signatures and protocol anomalies. While it can block malicious traffic inline, it does not dynamically leverage threat intelligence feeds to block traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. Snort focuses on detecting exploit patterns or anomalies rather than proactively preventing traffic from known malicious sources.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware, ransomware, or advanced persistent threats. While it is effective in protecting endpoints from malicious files, it does not prevent traffic based on reputation data from known malicious sources. File Policy focuses on file-level inspection rather than proactive network-level threat mitigation.
URL Filtering restricts web access based on content categories, domains, or URLs. Although URL Filtering can block access to malicious websites, its scope is limited to web-based traffic and does not encompass all network protocols or endpoints. It also does not dynamically integrate global threat intelligence feeds for proactive blocking across the network.
Security Intelligence is the correct answer because it provides automated, real-time blocking of traffic from known malicious sources, enhancing network security without requiring manual updates to firewall rules. By integrating with Access Control Policies, Security Intelligence allows consistent enforcement across multiple devices, ensuring that threats are blocked before they can compromise endpoints or internal systems. Centralized reporting and event correlation through Firepower Management Center provides administrators with visibility into threat patterns, blocked traffic, and overall network security posture. Security Intelligence complements other Firepower engines such as Snort, File Policy, and URL Filtering, forming a multi-layered defense strategy. Its ability to automatically update threat feeds, proactively enforce policies, and reduce exposure to malware, phishing, and botnet activity makes Security Intelligence an essential feature for enterprise-grade network security. By leveraging dynamic intelligence, administrators can reduce operational overhead, improve detection and prevention capabilities, and maintain a robust security posture against constantly evolving threats.
Question 66
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows detailed inspection and enforcement of policies for files, including malware, ransomware, and unknown threats, across multiple protocols?
A) File Policy with Malware Detection
B) Snort
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) File Policy with Malware Detection
Explanation:
File Policy with Malware Detection in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense provides detailed inspection and enforcement capabilities for files transmitted over HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB, targeting malware, ransomware, and unknown threats. This feature combines signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and integration with Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) to identify both known and unknown threats in real time. Behavioral analysis enables detection of suspicious file activity, such as attempts to propagate laterally within the network, execute unknown binaries, or evade detection mechanisms. Administrators can configure policies to allow, block, or quarantine files based on type, source, protocol, or risk score, ensuring granular control over file security and operational continuity. Logging, alerting, and reporting provide visibility into detected threats, policy enforcement actions, and user interactions, supporting auditing, compliance, and network risk assessment.
Snort detects network-based exploits and protocol anomalies using signature and behavioral analysis. While Snort is effective for inline threat prevention, it does not inspect the contents of files for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. Its focus is network traffic-level detection rather than file-level inspection.
URL Filtering enforces web content access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. Although URL Filtering can block access to malicious websites, it does not analyze files themselves for malware or unknown threats. Its functionality is primarily limited to web content rather than comprehensive file-level threat detection.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic from known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs. While useful for preventing access to malicious sources, it does not inspect file content for malware or unknown threats. Security Intelligence operates at the network level rather than at the file content level.
File Policy with Malware Detection is the correct answer because it provides comprehensive protection for files traversing the network. By inspecting files across multiple protocols, it prevents malware propagation, protects endpoints, and mitigates the risk of ransomware and advanced persistent threats. Integration with AMP ensures continuous updates, retrospective scanning, and real-time detection of emerging threats. Administrators can enforce detailed policies to balance operational continuity with security, allowing critical business files while blocking high-risk or suspicious content. Logging and reporting support auditing, trend analysis, and compliance verification, enhancing overall security governance. File Policy is essential for maintaining a secure network environment, as it provides deep inspection, proactive threat prevention, and integration with other Firepower engines to create a multi-layered defense strategy. Its ability to detect, block, and report on threats ensures that file-based attacks are mitigated before they compromise endpoints or spread within the network, maintaining operational integrity and enterprise security.
Question 67
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to enforce traffic inspection and blocking based on the reputation of IP addresses, domains, or URLs?
A) Security Intelligence
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) URL Filtering
Answer: A) Security Intelligence
Explanation:
Security Intelligence in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to enforce proactive blocking or monitoring of traffic based on the reputation of IP addresses, domains, or URLs. It provides a dynamic mechanism to prevent communication with known malicious entities, including command-and-control servers, phishing sites, and malware distribution points. Security Intelligence uses continuously updated threat intelligence feeds, such as Cisco Talos, to ensure that security policies adapt to emerging threats. Administrators can integrate Security Intelligence with Access Control Policies to automatically allow, block, or trust traffic according to reputation. Logging and reporting capabilities allow organizations to track blocked traffic, evaluate policy effectiveness, and maintain compliance with internal or regulatory security requirements. Security Intelligence operates across multiple Firepower devices, enabling centralized deployment and consistent enforcement through the Firepower Management Center.
Snort is the intrusion detection and prevention engine that detects network-based attacks using signatures and protocol anomalies. While Snort can block or alert on detected exploits, it does not leverage dynamic threat intelligence to block traffic proactively based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. Snort is primarily used for the detection of specific attack patterns rather than broad reputation-based enforcement.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware, ransomware, or advanced threats. While File Policy protects endpoints from malicious files, it does not evaluate traffic against IP or domain reputation to block network communications proactively. Its focus is on file content rather than network reputation.
URL Filtering restricts web access based on categories, domains, or URLs. Although it can prevent access to malicious websites, URL Filtering is limited to web-based traffic and cannot enforce reputation-based blocking across all protocols or devices. URL Filtering does not utilize global threat intelligence feeds to dynamically adapt blocking rules.
Security Intelligence is the correct answer because it provides real-time protection by proactively blocking traffic from known malicious sources. It complements other Firepower engines such as Snort, File Policy, and URL Filtering, forming a multi-layered defense. By leveraging dynamic threat intelligence, Security Intelligence reduces the administrative burden of manually updating rules and enhances the network’s security posture. It can be applied selectively to internal or external traffic, allowing fine-grained control over which communications are trusted or blocked. Centralized management through Firepower Management Center ensures consistent deployment and reporting across multiple devices. Security Intelligence also provides visibility into blocked traffic, threat trends, and network activity, enabling administrators to analyze the efficacy of their policies and respond proactively to emerging threats. By integrating reputation-based blocking with access control policies, organizations can prevent exposure to malicious sites, reduce the risk of malware propagation, and maintain compliance with security standards. Security Intelligence’s combination of real-time threat feeds, centralized management, and automated enforcement makes it a critical tool for securing enterprise networks against known and emerging threats.
Question 68
Which Cisco Firepower feature provides the ability to inspect network traffic for application type, function, and usage to enforce granular policies?
A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) URL Filtering
Answer: A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
Explanation:
Application Visibility and Control (AVC) in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to inspect network traffic to identify the application type, function, and usage regardless of port or protocol. Modern enterprise applications often use dynamic ports, tunneling, or encryption, making traditional port-based inspection insufficient. AVC uses deep packet inspection, behavioral analysis, and signature-based identification to classify applications and provide granular visibility into traffic. Administrators can enforce policies to prioritize business-critical applications, throttle non-essential applications, or block unauthorized high-risk applications, optimizing network performance and reducing security risks. Real-time logging and reporting provide insights into application usage patterns, bandwidth consumption, and potential policy violations, supporting compliance and capacity planning. AVC integration with Access Control Policies allows enforcement of application-specific rules across multiple devices from a centralized management interface, ensuring consistency and simplified administration.
Snort detects network-based exploits and protocol anomalies using signatures and behavior analysis. While it is essential for detecting threats, it does not provide identification or granular control of applications. Snort focuses on security rather than performance optimization or application-specific enforcement.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, and advanced threats across protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB. While it protects endpoints, it does not provide insight into application type or enforce policies based on application usage. File Policy is content-centric rather than application-centric.
URL Filtering enforces access control based on web content categories, domains, or reputation. It can limit access to certain web-based applications, but does not provide visibility into non-web applications, encrypted applications, or tunneled traffic. URL Filtering cannot enforce detailed bandwidth or usage-based policies for a broad range of enterprise applications.
AVC is the correct answer because it provides comprehensive visibility and control over applications traversing the network. By classifying applications based on type, function, and behavior rather than port or protocol alone, AVC enables administrators to enforce granular policies, optimize bandwidth, and mitigate risks from unauthorized or high-risk applications. Centralized logging and reporting support operational insight and policy auditing, while integration with Access Control Policies ensures consistent enforcement across multiple Firepower devices. AVC also supports selective prioritization and throttling of traffic, enhancing both security and performance. It provides essential insights into application usage trends, helping network teams make informed decisions about policy adjustments and network resource allocation. Its ability to identify and control modern enterprise applications across dynamic environments ensures operational continuity, performance optimization, and a proactive approach to security enforcement. AVC complements other Firepower engines such as Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, and Security Intelligence, creating a multi-layered, application-aware security posture for enterprise networks.
Question 69
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows the creation and enforcement of custom rules to detect network threats based on unique organizational requirements?
A) Snort Custom Rules
B) File Policy
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Snort Custom Rules
Explanation:
Snort Custom Rules in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allow administrators to create tailored rules for detecting network threats based on unique organizational requirements. While default Snort rules cover a wide range of known exploits and attack patterns, custom rules enable organizations to address internal applications, proprietary protocols, or policy-specific threat scenarios not included in standard signatures. Custom rules can inspect packets at multiple layers, analyzing payload content, headers, protocol behaviors, and traffic anomalies. These rules can generate alerts, block traffic, or integrate with other inspection engines for coordinated defense. For instance, administrators may define custom rules to monitor unauthorized use of internal applications, detect unusual SSH activity, or flag attempts to bypass network controls. Snort Custom Rules can operate in detection-only mode to monitor potential threats or in inline mode to prevent attacks in real time. Integration with Firepower Management Center allows centralized management, rule deployment, and event correlation across multiple devices. Logging and reporting provide visibility into triggered rules, network traffic patterns, and potential policy violations, helping administrators refine detection strategies.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. While it protects endpoints, it does not allow the creation of custom detection rules for unique network behaviors. Its function is content-focused rather than network-level threat customization.
URL Filtering enforces web content access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. Although administrators can block specific domains, URL Filtering does not provide granular control for custom detection of network threats unique to an organization. It is web-centric and cannot inspect general traffic or proprietary protocols.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic from known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs. While it provides proactive threat prevention, it cannot detect or enforce rules for unique internal traffic behaviors or organizational-specific threat patterns. Security Intelligence relies on external reputation data rather than custom-defined network conditions.
Snort Custom Rules is the correct answer because it allows organizations to extend the default detection capabilities of Cisco Firepower to address unique internal threats, proprietary protocols, or policy-specific scenarios. By enabling custom packet inspection, administrators can define precise conditions for alerts or traffic blocking, ensuring targeted enforcement aligned with organizational needs. Integration with Firepower Management Center ensures centralized deployment, monitoring, and event correlation, making it possible to manage custom rules across multiple devices efficiently. Snort Custom Rules enhance overall network security by enabling proactive detection of threats specific to the organization’s network environment, complementing other Firepower engines such as File Policy, URL Filtering, Security Intelligence, and AVC. By providing tailored detection capabilities, Snort Custom Rules reduce false positives, improve threat mitigation, and ensure that security policies are effective against both known and emerging threats.
Question 70
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows inspection and control of traffic based on the file type, protocol, and malware content to prevent endpoint compromise?
A) File Policy with Malware Detection
B) Snort
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) File Policy with Malware Detection
Explanation:
File Policy with Malware Detection in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense enables administrators to inspect traffic for files transmitted over multiple protocols, such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB. The feature provides robust protection against malware, ransomware, and advanced persistent threats by analyzing files for known and unknown malicious content. File Policy utilizes signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and integration with Cisco Advanced Malware Protection (AMP) to identify threats in real time. Behavioral analysis allows detection of anomalies such as unusual file execution, attempts to propagate within the network, or exploitation of vulnerabilities within file content. Administrators can enforce policies to allow, block, or quarantine files based on protocol, type, risk score, or source, providing granular control over network traffic and maintaining operational continuity. Logging, alerting, and reporting provide visibility into threat activity, user interactions, and policy enforcement, supporting auditing, compliance, and risk assessment.
Snort is the intrusion detection and prevention engine that detects network-based attacks using signatures and anomaly detection. While it is essential for detecting exploit attempts and protocol anomalies, Snort does not analyze file content for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. Its focus is on network traffic rather than file-level inspection.
URL Filtering enforces web content access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. Although it can block malicious websites, URL Filtering cannot inspect the actual content of files for malware or threats across multiple protocols. Its primary purpose is web traffic control, not comprehensive file security.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While it provides proactive threat prevention, it does not inspect files for malware or unknown threats. Security Intelligence operates on reputation and threat feeds rather than analyzing file content directly.
File Policy with Malware Detection is the correct answer because it provides comprehensive protection for files traversing the network. By inspecting content across multiple protocols, it prevents malware propagation, protects endpoints, and mitigates the risk of ransomware or advanced persistent threats. Integration with AMP ensures continuous updates, retrospective scanning, and real-time detection of emerging threats. Administrators can create granular policies to allow legitimate files while blocking suspicious or high-risk files. Logging and reporting provide visibility into threats, enforcement actions, and trends, supporting compliance and auditing. File Policy complements other Firepower engines such as Snort, Security Intelligence, URL Filtering, and SSL Decryption, creating a multi-layered defense strategy. Its ability to proactively detect, block, and report on threats ensures that file-based attacks do not compromise endpoints or spread within the network, maintaining operational integrity and enterprise security. By combining signature-based detection, behavioral analysis, and integration with AMP, File Policy with Malware Detection is essential for modern network security and threat prevention.
Question 71
Which Cisco Firepower feature provides visibility and control over application traffic to enforce bandwidth management, prioritization, and security policies?
A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
Explanation:
Application Visibility and Control (AVC) in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense provides administrators with real-time visibility and control over application traffic, enabling enforcement of bandwidth management, prioritization, and security policies. AVC identifies applications based on behavior, protocol signatures, and traffic patterns rather than relying solely on ports or IP addresses, allowing detection of applications using dynamic ports, tunneling, or encryption. This enables administrators to prioritize critical business applications, throttle non-essential applications, or block unauthorized high-risk applications, optimizing network performance and reducing security risks. Real-time logging and reporting provide detailed insights into application usage, bandwidth consumption, and potential policy violations, which support operational planning, compliance auditing, and capacity management. Integration with Access Control Policies allows centralized enforcement across multiple Firepower devices, ensuring consistent policy application and simplified administration.
Snort detects network-based exploits and protocol anomalies. While critical for detecting attacks, Snort does not provide granular visibility or enforcement for application traffic, nor does it manage bandwidth or prioritize traffic. Its primary role is security detection rather than application performance management.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats across protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB. While File Policy protects endpoints, it does not classify or control applications, monitor bandwidth consumption, or enforce application-specific traffic policies. Its focus is content-level security rather than traffic visibility or management.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While effective at preventing malicious communication, Security Intelligence does not identify or control application-specific traffic, prioritize bandwidth, or enforce usage policies for network resources. Its function is threat prevention rather than traffic management.
AVC is the correct answer because it provides comprehensive application visibility, enabling administrators to enforce granular policies based on application type, function, and usage. By classifying applications using behavior and signature analysis, AVC allows prioritization of critical applications while restricting or controlling non-essential or unauthorized applications. Real-time logging and reporting give administrators insight into traffic trends, usage patterns, and policy effectiveness, supporting compliance and operational planning. Integration with Access Control Policies ensures consistent enforcement across multiple devices, reducing administrative complexity. AVC enhances network performance and security by providing control over applications, optimizing bandwidth allocation, and mitigating risks from unauthorized or high-risk applications. Its ability to monitor, manage, and enforce policies at the application level makes AVC an essential feature for modern enterprise networks that rely on diverse and dynamic application traffic.
Question 72
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to create custom detection rules for network threats tailored to the organization’s unique environment?
A) Snort Custom Rules
B) File Policy
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Snort Custom Rules
Explanation:
Snort Custom Rules in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allow administrators to create tailored detection rules for network threats based on the organization’s unique environment. Default Snort rules provided by Cisco Talos cover known exploits and attack patterns, but custom rules enable organizations to detect threats specific to internal applications, proprietary protocols, or operational scenarios not included in standard signatures. These rules analyze network traffic at multiple layers, inspecting payloads, headers, protocol behavior, and anomalies to identify suspicious activity. Custom rules can trigger alerts, block traffic, or integrate with other inspection engines for coordinated threat mitigation. Snort Custom Rules can operate in-line for prevention or in detection-only mode for monitoring, providing flexibility for operational requirements. Integration with Firepower Management Center ensures centralized deployment, monitoring, and event correlation across multiple devices, enhancing security management efficiency. Logging and reporting allow administrators to track triggered rules, evaluate traffic patterns, and refine policies to improve threat detection accuracy.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, and unknown threats. While critical for endpoint protection, it does not allow the creation of custom network detection rules for internal or proprietary traffic patterns. Its focus is content-level inspection rather than network-level threat customization.
URL Filtering enforces access control based on web content categories, domains, or URLs. Although administrators can block specific sites, URL Filtering cannot detect or enforce custom network traffic behaviors or internal organizational threats. Its scope is limited to web traffic content control.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While it provides proactive protection against known malicious sources, it cannot detect unique network behaviors or threats specific to an organization’s environment. Security Intelligence relies on global threat feeds rather than custom-defined traffic patterns.
Snort Custom Rules is the correct answer because it allows organizations to extend default detection capabilities to meet unique operational requirements. Administrators can define precise conditions for detection and enforcement, including payload inspection, protocol analysis, and traffic anomaly monitoring. Integration with Firepower Management Center ensures centralized management, consistent rule deployment, and event correlation across multiple devices. Snort Custom Rules enhance network security by providing proactive, organization-specific threat detection, reducing false positives, and ensuring that internal and proprietary network activities are accurately monitored and protected. By complementing other Firepower engines such as File Policy, URL Filtering, Security Intelligence, and AVC, Snort Custom Rules contribute to a multi-layered, context-aware security strategy, safeguarding the enterprise network from both known and emerging threats.
Question 73
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to enforce different security policies for traffic based on user identity, regardless of IP address?
A) Identity-Based Access Control
B) URL Filtering
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Identity-Based Access Control
Explanation:
Identity-Based Access Control in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to enforce security policies based on user identity rather than relying solely on IP addresses. This is crucial in modern enterprise networks where users often connect from multiple locations, use dynamic IP addresses, or access resources remotely. By integrating with Active Directory, LDAP, or other identity sources, Firepower can map users to policies that define what resources they can access, the level of inspection applied, and any restrictions based on their roles or group memberships. Administrators can create rules that apply to specific users, groups, or roles, allowing granular control over traffic and access privileges. Time-based or location-based conditions can also be added to enforce policies depending on when and where users connect, providing additional flexibility and security. Logging and reporting provide visibility into user activity, policy enforcement, and potential violations, supporting auditing, compliance, and operational analysis.
URL Filtering enforces web access control based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. While it can be integrated with identity information to restrict web access for specific users, URL Filtering alone does not enforce comprehensive security policies for all types of network traffic based on user identity. It is web-centric rather than a complete identity-aware solution.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over multiple protocols for malware, ransomware, and unknown threats. While File Policy protects endpoints, it does not enforce rules based on user identity. Its focus is content-level security rather than user-specific access control.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on the reputation of IP addresses, domains, or URLs. Although it prevents communication with malicious sources, it does not enforce policies based on user identity. Security Intelligence operates at the network or threat level rather than the user level.
Identity-Based Access Control is the correct answer because it enables organizations to apply security policies consistently for users regardless of their network location or IP address. By integrating with identity sources, administrators can ensure that traffic is inspected and enforced according to the roles and permissions of users, enhancing security and reducing the risk of unauthorized access. This feature is particularly important in environments with mobile users, remote access, or BYOD policies, where IP-based policies are insufficient. Combined with logging and reporting, Identity-Based Access Control provides visibility into user activity, supports compliance, and facilitates auditing. Integration with other Firepower engines, including Snort, File Policy, AVC, SSL Decryption, and Security Intelligence, ensures that user-specific policies are enforced across multiple layers of network security. By allowing administrators to control access based on identity, this feature enables granular enforcement of enterprise security policies, enhances operational efficiency, and ensures that critical resources are protected according to organizational roles and requirements. The ability to enforce user-specific policies in real time, combined with contextual awareness of roles, locations, and time, makes Identity-Based Access Control essential for modern enterprise networks that demand both security and operational flexibility.
Question 74
Which Cisco Firepower feature enables inspection of network traffic for protocol anomalies, exploits, and suspicious behavior using signatures and behavioral analysis?
A) Snort
B) File Policy
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Snort
Explanation:
Snort in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense provides inspection of network traffic for protocol anomalies, exploits, and suspicious behavior using a combination of signature-based and behavioral analysis. Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention engine that monitors network traffic in real time to detect known attack patterns as well as deviations from normal protocol behavior. Its signature-based detection identifies specific threats such as buffer overflows, SQL injection, cross-site scripting, malware communications, and other common attack techniques. Behavioral analysis detects deviations from expected traffic patterns, protocol misuse, or unusual sequences that could indicate zero-day attacks or attempts to bypass security controls. Administrators can deploy Snort in inline mode to block malicious traffic or in detection-only mode to generate alerts for investigation.
Snort supports both predefined rules from Cisco Talos and custom rules created by administrators. Custom rules allow detection of threats specific to the organization’s internal network, proprietary protocols, or operational requirements. Integration with Firepower Management Center provides centralized management of Snort rules, deployment across multiple devices, and event correlation for enhanced visibility. Logging and reporting features provide detailed insights into detected threats, blocked traffic, and protocol anomalies, allowing administrators to assess network security posture and adjust policies proactively.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. While important for endpoint protection, File Policy does not analyze network traffic for protocol anomalies or exploits. It focuses on content-level inspection rather than network-level threat detection.
URL Filtering restricts web access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. Although URL Filtering can prevent access to malicious websites, it does not detect network-based exploits or protocol anomalies. Its functionality is limited to web traffic content control.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While it prevents communication with known malicious sources, it does not inspect network traffic for anomalies or exploits. Security Intelligence operates at the network reputation level rather than the behavioral or signature level.
Snort is the correct answer because it provides a comprehensive engine for detecting network-based attacks using both signatures and behavioral analysis. Its ability to detect known and unknown threats, monitor protocol anomalies, and integrate with other Firepower engines ensures multi-layered protection. By using Snort, organizations can proactively mitigate threats, enforce security policies, and gain visibility into suspicious traffic patterns. Centralized management through Firepower Management Center enhances scalability and efficiency, allowing multiple devices to maintain consistent enforcement and reporting. Snort’s combination of signature-based detection, anomaly analysis, and custom rules allows organizations to tailor security to their specific network environment. It detects zero-day exploits, prevents lateral movement, and supports overall enterprise threat mitigation strategies. The integration with logging and reporting provides insights into threat trends, security policy effectiveness, and network behavior, enabling continuous improvement of security posture. Snort is a foundational security engine within Cisco Firepower, essential for protecting modern networks from evolving cyber threats and maintaining operational resilience.
Question 75
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows inspection and control of web traffic to block malicious, inappropriate, or unauthorized websites based on categories, URLs, or reputation?
A) URL Filtering
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) URL Filtering
Explanation:
URL Filtering in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense enables administrators to inspect and control web traffic to block access to malicious, inappropriate, or unauthorized websites. URL Filtering categorizes websites based on content, domain, or reputation and enforces policies to allow, block, or log access to specific categories or URLs. This feature is essential for protecting users from phishing sites, malware distribution points, and non-compliant content, ensuring both security and regulatory compliance. URL Filtering can also enforce acceptable use policies, restricting access to recreational or high-risk websites while allowing access to business-critical resources. Integration with identity sources allows URL Filtering policies to be applied based on user or group, providing more granular control over web access.
Snort is the intrusion detection and prevention engine used for network traffic inspection, protocol anomaly detection, and exploit prevention. While Snort can identify malicious network behavior, it does not provide content-based filtering for web traffic or enforce policies on website access. Its scope is network-level attack detection rather than web content control.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. While critical for file security, File Policy does not categorize web content or control user access to websites. Its focus is content-level inspection rather than URL-based enforcement.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. Although it can prevent communication with known malicious sites, Security Intelligence does not categorize web content or enforce acceptable use policies. Its function is primarily threat prevention rather than comprehensive web access control.
URL Filtering is the correct answer because it provides visibility and control over web traffic, categorizing websites to enforce organizational policies, block access to malicious sites, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. It supports identity-based enforcement, allowing administrators to tailor policies based on users, groups, or roles. URL Filtering integrates with other Firepower engines, such as SSL Decryption, to inspect encrypted HTTPS traffic and provide accurate categorization and enforcement. Logging and reporting features give detailed insights into user web activity, policy enforcement outcomes, and potential security incidents. By combining content categorization, reputation-based blocking, and user-specific policies, URL Filtering protects enterprise networks from threats, inappropriate content, and compliance violations. Its ability to enforce web access policies in real time, monitor traffic, and generate actionable reports makes it a critical component of modern enterprise network security, complementing Snort, File Policy, Security Intelligence, and AVC for a comprehensive, multi-layered defense strategy.