Cisco 300-710 Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower (300-710 SNCF) Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 12 Q166-180
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Question 166
Which Cisco Firepower deployment mode allows traffic to be inspected and blocked directly in the data path?
A) Passive mode
B) Inline mode
C) Tap mode
D) Passive with ERSPAN
Answer: B) Inline mode
Explanation:
Inline mode is the deployment method that allows Cisco Firepower devices to process traffic actively as it passes through the network. When deployed inline, the system can not only detect threats but also block malicious traffic immediately, providing real-time prevention and control. Inline mode places the Firepower appliance physically in the traffic path between network segments so that all packets traverse the inspection engine before reaching their destination. This inspection enables enforcement of security policies like intrusion prevention, malware blocking, URL filtering, and access control actions, including deny, allow, trust, and interactive authentication. Inline mode is vital for environments requiring strong prevention measures rather than just monitoring. Its ability to stop attacks mid-stream offers protection for critical systems, making it widely used in high-security networks.
Passive mode, on the other hand, only monitors traffic by receiving a copy of packets from a SPAN or network tap. Because passive mode is not part of the forward path, it cannot block malicious packets actively. When a threat is detected, alerts are generated in logging systems, but the traffic continues to flow. This deployment is often used for environments where the primary requirement is visibility, such as initial threat assessments or forensic monitoring. While passive monitoring still benefits from Firepower’s detection engine, prevention capabilities remain unavailable.
Tap mode is similar to passive but sourced from a network tap device that duplicates packets from a link. Like passive mode, traffic does not pass through the Firepower device. The appliance only analyzes mirrored traffic and cannot influence the traffic it observes. Tap mode is valued for being minimally intrusive and for removing the risk of packet drops or network outages caused by inspection failure. Yet, its inability to enforce policy limits its usefulness in high-security enforcement environments.
Passive with ERSPAN leverages encapsulated remote SPAN traffic sent over IP networks. This technique enables centralized inspection even when monitored sources are geographically distant. Despite this convenience, ERSPAN deployments remain strictly detection only. The Firepower device still does not become a gatekeeper blocking harmful traffic in real time. This architecture is intended for widespread monitoring roles rather than prevention operations.
Inline mode stands apart from these other options due to its dual capability of detection and prevention. It ensures that packets identified as threats never reach their intended targets. Inline deployments may utilize fail-close for strict security, or fail-open to preserve uptime if the device becomes unavailable. Inline mode also supports additional features such as Security Intelligence blocking and SSL decryption, which require active inline enforcement. These functions enhance network defense by identifying threats hidden within encrypted tunnels and blocking known malicious sources prior to deeper inspection activities. Inline deployments provide administrators the highest level of control over traffic, ensuring that operational security policies are applied directly on the network path.
When inline mode is implemented, Firepower appliances must be sized properly to handle throughput requirements. Because every packet undergoes inspection, capacity planning, rule tuning, and performance optimization are essential. As networks scale or encrypted traffic levels increase, maintaining low latency while providing strong protection becomes a priority. Streamlined access policies and intrusion rule tuning help balance security and performance. Inline pairs are often configured with high-availability failover links to ensure uninterrupted protection during hardware or software failures.
By contrast, passive monitoring modes can support broader observation with fewer performance concerns, but lack enforcement. Inline mode ensures that anything the device detects can be immediately stopped, which is fundamental for intrusion prevention. Therefore, the inline deployment mode is the correct and most appropriate answer.
Question 167
In the Firepower Management Center, what is the purpose of the “Health Policy”?
A) To distribute signature updates to managed devices
B) To define the operational status thresholds and alerting conditions for system components
C) To manage backup schedules
D) To configure VPN settings
Answer: B) To define the operational status thresholds and alerting conditions for system components
Explanation:
A health policy in the Firepower Management Center defines the operational parameters and threshold conditions that must be monitored to ensure the health of managed devices and services. Devices like Firepower Threat Defense appliances depend on system resources such as CPU, memory, disk, inspection engines, connectivity services, and licensing to operate effectively. Health policies specify acceptable ranges for those operational metrics and trigger alerts when conditions fall outside expected values. This enables proactive visibility into system stability before interruptions or failures occur. Health monitoring includes sensors, FMC software, process statuses, interface conditions, and signature update states. By detecting issues early, administrators can intervene to prevent outages and maintain inspection reliability. Metrics for pending updates, device registration, policy deployment status, and event streams provide additional insight into system readiness. Alerts can be delivered through dashboards, logs, or SNMP integration to external monitoring platforms.
Signature update distribution falls under intrusion and vulnerability policy management, not health policy. While maintaining current signatures supports security detection accuracy, distributing updates is a separate process independent of component health monitoring. Health status focuses on system operational functionality rather than content delivery.
Backup schedule management pertains to system configuration preservation rather than monitoring. Health policies do not include backup configurations or tasks. Although system backup is essential for recovery, health policies remain targeted on real-time condition monitoring rather than long-term data integrity strategies.
VPN settings allow secure connectivity but are unrelated to operational health monitoring. Configuring VPN tunnels is part of access control, network security, and connectivity operations—not component health status.
The purpose of the health policy is to maintain operational awareness by ensuring components remain within normal functional thresholds. It offers insight into early warnings such as system overload, hardware concerns, connectivity problems, update failures, or data processing lags. Without adequate health policies, critical services could degrade silently, leading to security failures like uninspected traffic, event logging loss, or inability to deploy policies. Prioritizing reliability through health monitoring ensures continuous enforcement of security rules. This makes B correct.
Question 168
Which Firepower feature allows traffic filtering based on applications regardless of port or protocol?
A) VLAN tagging
B) Network Address Translation
C) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
D) Port-based access rules
Answer: C) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
Explanation:
Application Visibility and Control in Cisco Firepower enables the inspection and classification of network traffic based on applications rather than traditional port or protocol matching. Modern applications frequently use dynamic ports, encryption, and tunneling techniques that bypass traditional port-based security measures. AVC identifies applications in traffic flows by using deep packet inspection, behavioral analysis, and contextual recognition techniques. FMC provides administrators with visibility into application usage statistics such as bandwidth consumption, user mapping, device profiling, and risk rating. AVC can then enforce application-based access control rules, allowing organizations to restrict unwanted software, enforce productivity controls, and reduce shadow IT exposure. It ensures that applications like social media, file sharing, streaming, and remote access tools are regulated according to security and business requirements, even when they masquerade as normal encrypted traffic. AVC supports granular enforcement, enabling restrictions against specific functions inside applications rather than blocking the entire service.
VLAN tagging provides segmentation on Layer 2 networks, not visibility into applications themselves. Tagging helps separate broadcast domains but does not classify applications or enforce usage policies. Application-aware features operate at higher network layers and cannot be substituted by VLAN techniques.
Network Address Translation performs address or port translation between network boundaries to preserve IP space or hide internal addressing structures. NAT has no visibility into application identity beyond protocol characteristics and cannot enforce application-level restrictions. Firepower NAT operates independently of application classification features like AVC.
Port-based rules enforce access based solely on TCP/UDP numbers or IP protocol types. They assume that applications function predictably on designated ports, but application developers increasingly abandon strict port usage patterns to evade control or improve reliability. Without AVC, many applications could bypass port-based rules entirely. Consequently, port filtering alone cannot deliver proper application governance.
AVC is essential for next-generation security enforcement. It supports application fingerprinting, traffic categorization, dashboards for usage patterns, user identity integration via identity policies, and QoS priorities aligned with business needs. In many networks, application-layer insights reveal hidden risks such as unauthorized cloud storage or encrypted file-sharing applications. Administrators can then respond with security measures like blocking, quota enforcement, or conditional allowances based on user identity and threat levels. AVC’s ability to align network usage with business objectives makes it the correct answer.
Question 169
Which feature of Cisco Firepower helps detect and prevent attacks that exploit vulnerabilities within network protocols and applications?
A) Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
B) QoS Rate Limiting
C) DHCP Snooping
D) STP Loop Guard
Answer: A) Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
Explanation:
The Intrusion Prevention System in Cisco Firepower is designed to actively analyze network traffic to detect threats and prevent attacks that target vulnerabilities within applications, services, and network protocols. IPS plays a defensive role by inspecting packet payloads, looking for known malicious signatures, behavioral anomalies, exploit patterns, malware, and any suspicious activities that attempt to infiltrate allowed communication channels. By deploying IPS within Firepower’s deep inspection pipeline, organizations ensure that even permitted network traffic undergoes continuous evaluation for embedded threats hidden in typical communication streams. IPS policies contain thousands of detection signatures regularly updated by Cisco Talos to adapt to the constantly changing threat landscape. When IPS detects malicious behavior, it can discard packets, reset connections, generate events, or take immediate preventive action to stop exploitation attempts before they succeed. This builds a necessary security layer beyond basic access control filtering.
QoS rate limiting does not prevent attacks. It manages bandwidth usage, ensuring fairness in traffic distribution and prioritizing critical applications. Even if QoS blocks excessive traffic, it is not designed for threat recognition or attack identification. It focuses only on performance and not malicious intent.
DHCP snooping protects against rogue DHCP servers and IP assignment threats, but it does not inspect application vulnerabilities. It is a Layer 2 network protection feature, not a deep packet inspection tool. It prevents attackers from misconfiguring endpoints but cannot detect protocol exploitation in established connections.
STP loop guard protects network stability by preventing Spanning Tree loops and broadcast storms. This helps preserve network availability but has no capability to recognize or block protocol exploits or malware activity within packet payloads.
IPS remains the correct selection because it extends security visibility into the deepest traffic layers. It supports inline prevention, allowing real-time blocking of exploit attempts seeking to compromise systems. IPS enforces threat defense as a critical component of next-generation firewall architecture.
Question 170
What is the function of the File Policy in Cisco Firepower?
A) To apply NAT rules to encrypted tunnels
B) To detect and handle files for malware analysis and blocking
C) To manage routing decisions within the Firepower device
D) To assign user roles for access control
Answer: B) To detect and handle files for malware analysis and blocking
Explanation:
The File Policy in Cisco Firepower enables the security system to inspect files passing through the network for malicious behaviors such as malware, ransomware, or exploit-triggering content. File policies apply to protocols capable of transferring file objects, including HTTP, SMTP, SMB, and FTP. This type of inspection extracts file metadata or the file itself for deeper evaluation using advanced malware analysis tools such as Cisco Malware Cloud Lookup or the Threat Grid sandbox. If a file exhibits characteristics of malicious intent—such as known malware fingerprints or suspicious behavior patterns—the Firepower device can block the file transfer, prevent execution, or alert administrators. File handling actions may include allowing with logging, blocking, quarantining, or analyzing further before delivery.
File policy improves upon traditional security by examining not just the network communication patterns but also the objects transported within the communication. This capability is vital for detecting dangerous downloads, suspicious email attachments, and harmful files shared internally. File trajectory and retrospection further strengthen security by tracking the spread and usage of files even after delivery. If later identified as malicious, administrators can see exactly which hosts were exposed.
NAT rules configure address and port translation between different network segments, but are unrelated to file inspection. Even if NAT affects how flows traverse the network, it does not correlate with detecting file-based threats.
Routing decisions concern forwarding packets according to network topology, not malicious file prevention. Firepower often participates in routing, but routing policies do not inspect content.
User roles define permissions within the management environment, not threat responses to malicious files. Access control for administrators does not influence malware detection.
By revealing the risks hidden in file transfers and controlling which files may enter or exit the network, File Policies strengthen network protection layers and are the correct response.
Question 171
Which component of Cisco Firepower provides advanced sandbox-based dynamic analysis of suspicious files?
A) Cisco AnyConnect
B) Cisco Threat Grid
C) Cisco CleanAir
D) Cisco Umbrella Roaming Module
Answer: B) Cisco Threat Grid
Explanation:
Cisco Threat Grid is the Firepower ecosystem component that offers dynamic sandbox analysis for suspicious files detected by File Policies or AMP for Networks within Cisco security architectures. When a file appears unknown or exhibits potential risk characteristics beyond basic signature recognition, Threat Grid executes the file within an isolated virtual environment to observe how it behaves at runtime. The objective is to identify embedded malware traits such as unauthorized system modifications, command-and-control callbacks, data encryption attempts, privilege escalation, or exploit chaining. By analyzing behavior rather than just static composition, Threat Grid detects zero-day threats and new malware variants that traditional antivirus engines cannot easily identify. After evaluation, Threat Grid assigns threat scores and generates behavioral indicators that enhance prevention policies. It also contributes results to global threat intelligence databases so that future encounters with similar file attributes can generate quicker block actions.
Cisco AnyConnect is an endpoint VPN and network access client, not a file inspection tool. Although it supports secure connectivity and posture validation, it does not perform sandboxing operations or analyze files for malware.
Cisco CleanAir is a wireless interference detection and mitigation technology used in Cisco wireless networks. It enhances RF performance by detecting non-Wi-Fi interference but has no role in network file analysis.
Cisco Umbrella Roaming Module extends DNS-layer protection to mobile devices when they operate outside the corporate network perimeter. It blocks connections to malicious domains but does not perform sandboxing of files.
Threat Grid delivers rich threat intelligence, reports behavioral analytics, and improves future detection performance through retrospective analytics. File behavior artifacts contribute to identifying campaigns and malware families, enabling defenders to recognize adversary trends. This advanced analysis capability, integrated deeply with Firepower workflows, makes Cisco Threat Grid the correct answer.
Question 172
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows monitoring and controlling encrypted traffic, such as SSL or TLS sessions?
A) Application Visibility and Control (AVC)
B) SSL Decryption
C) VLAN Trunking
D) DHCP Relay
Answer: B) SSL Decryption
Explanation:
SSL Decryption in Cisco Firepower allows the inspection of encrypted traffic, which is critical because a large portion of network traffic today uses SSL/TLS for confidentiality. While encryption protects legitimate communications, it also provides an opportunity for attackers to hide malware, command-and-control traffic, or exfiltration. SSL decryption enables the firewall or Firepower Threat Defense appliance to intercept encrypted traffic, decrypt it, inspect it for threats, and then re-encrypt it before forwarding it to the intended destination. This inspection allows intrusion prevention systems, advanced malware protection, URL filtering, and other security layers to function even on encrypted sessions. Administrators can configure policies to selectively decrypt traffic based on source, destination, certificate, or content type to maintain compliance and minimize privacy concerns. SSL decryption also produces logs and alerts for previously invisible malicious activity, ensuring security controls remain effective in encrypted environments.
Application Visibility and Control identifies and enforces rules based on applications regardless of port or protocol, but does not inspect encrypted traffic by itself. Without SSL decryption, AVC may only see encrypted payloads as opaque data, limiting its effectiveness for security inspection of secure communications.
VLAN Trunking manages multiple VLANs across network links, allowing traffic segregation and maintaining Layer 2 separation. Trunking does not inspect content or enforce threat prevention and is purely a network segmentation function, unrelated to decrypting or analyzing SSL traffic.
DHCP Relay facilitates IP address assignment across multiple network segments but does not inspect traffic or apply security policies. While it is important for network operation, it provides no insight into encrypted application flows or threat detection.
SSL decryption works closely with other Firepower features to ensure threats hidden within encrypted tunnels are detected. It can intercept SSL sessions for inspection while maintaining client trust relationships through certificates. By decrypting and analyzing traffic in-line, Firepower appliances can block malware, phishing content, or unauthorized access attempts that would otherwise bypass security measures. It also allows reporting on encrypted traffic patterns, which is essential for both threat hunting and compliance audits. Administrators must carefully balance security with privacy considerations when implementing SSL decryption policies, ensuring that sensitive traffic, such as financial or medical data, is appropriately exempted from inspection if required. The ability to enforce security in encrypted communications makes SSL decryption a key feature of Cisco Firepower.
Question 173
What is the primary purpose of Security Intelligence Reputation in Cisco Firepower?
A) To accelerate traffic using QoS
B) To filter traffic based on known malicious IPs, domains, or URLs
C) To configure VLAN assignments for segmentation
D) To allocate CPU resources to inspection engines
Answer: B) To filter traffic based on known malicious IPs, domains, or URLs
Explanation:
Security Intelligence Reputation in Cisco Firepower provides a reputation-based layer of defense by maintaining lists of IP addresses, domains, and URLs that are known to be malicious. These lists come from global intelligence sources such as Cisco Talos, as well as custom entries defined by administrators. The main purpose is to proactively prevent traffic from communicating with or originating from suspicious entities, reducing exposure to botnets, command-and-control servers, ransomware distribution points, phishing campaigns, and other malicious sources. Security Intelligence can be applied in-line to block traffic, or in monitoring mode to log interactions without immediate blocking. By filtering known malicious destinations before packets are deeply inspected, the system preserves processing resources for traffic that requires more complex evaluation. Reputation-based filtering is dynamic and regularly updated to ensure emerging threats are captured quickly. It complements other security layers such as intrusion prevention, file analysis, and URL filtering to provide a comprehensive security posture.
QoS acceleration focuses on traffic performance and prioritization, not threat prevention. While QoS ensures bandwidth allocation, it cannot identify or block malicious destinations.
VLAN assignment organizes network segments for traffic separation but does not filter based on threat reputation. VLANs help enforce policy boundaries and isolate critical systems, but are not designed to proactively block known malicious entities.
Allocating CPU resources optimizes the performance of inspection engines but does not directly enforce threat prevention. Proper CPU allocation ensures that security features function effectively, but it is not a control mechanism for malicious traffic.
Security Intelligence reputation allows administrators to respond quickly to global threat trends. It works by classifying hosts and domains based on threat intelligence feeds, blocking access, or alerting for suspicious connections. This proactive defense reduces the risk of compromise, especially for endpoints communicating over the internet. Administrators can define different actions based on risk level, type of user, or zone, providing flexible control. Logs from Security Intelligence also contribute to forensic investigations, revealing attempted contacts with malicious destinations, which helps in threat correlation and incident response. The ability to enforce preemptive traffic filtering based on reputation makes this feature a key part of Firepower’s layered security strategy, making it the correct answer.
Question 174
In Cisco Firepower, what is the main benefit of using URL Filtering?
A) To block access to harmful or non-compliant websites based on categories
B) To prioritize VoIP traffic
C) To configure routing paths between Firepower appliances
D) To monitor CPU usage of Firepower devices
Answer: A) To block access to harmful or non-compliant websites based on categories
Explanation:
URL Filtering in Cisco Firepower enables administrators to control access to websites by categorizing web content and enforcing rules for user access. It blocks users from visiting malicious sites, phishing pages, inappropriate content, or domains associated with malware distribution. URL categories can be predefined by Cisco’s intelligence database and updated regularly or customized by administrators to meet organizational policies. By integrating URL filtering with access control policies, traffic can be allowed, blocked, or monitored based on user identity, network zone, or time-of-day policies. URL filtering also provides logging for compliance reporting and analysis, allowing administrators to review web access trends and security incidents. This approach reduces the risk of infection, enforces acceptable use policies, and mitigates threats originating from harmful websites.
Prioritizing VoIP traffic is a function of QoS, which ensures real-time communications maintain quality. QoS does not restrict access based on URL content or security risk.
Routing paths define the network paths packets take through the environment and are unrelated to content inspection or blocking. Routing ensures connectivity, not threat prevention.
Monitoring CPU usage helps administrators maintain system performance, but it cannot control user access to websites or enforce URL-based security policies. While important for operational health, CPU monitoring is not a security enforcement feature.
URL filtering protects users and networks from web-based risks by enforcing consistent rules that categorize and control website access. It can also work in conjunction with SSL decryption to inspect encrypted traffic and ensure enforcement even for HTTPS connections. This enables organizations to maintain compliance with regulatory requirements and reduce exposure to online threats. The categorical approach simplifies management for large networks, allowing administrators to block whole classes of risky or inappropriate content rather than individually managing sites. This makes URL filtering a critical tool for content security, and the correct answer is to block access to harmful or non-compliant websites based on categories.
Question 175
What is the primary purpose of Access Control Policies in Cisco Firepower?
A) To assign IP addresses to devices
B) To define how traffic is allowed, blocked, or inspected
C) To optimize wireless network performance
D) To manage software updates
Answer: B) To define how traffic is allowed, blocked, or inspected
Explanation:
Access Control Policies in Cisco Firepower serve as the central mechanism for enforcing network security rules. They allow administrators to define the specific actions taken on network traffic, such as permitting, denying, monitoring, or subjecting it to deeper inspections like intrusion prevention, malware scanning, URL filtering, and SSL decryption. These policies are critical in implementing layered security because they integrate multiple security functions into a single rule set that can be applied to network zones, interfaces, or specific hosts. Access Control Policies support both static and dynamic conditions, including user identity, application type, protocol, port, or threat reputation, ensuring flexible and granular enforcement. By evaluating traffic against these policies, Firepower appliances can prevent unauthorized access, stop malware propagation, and enforce compliance with organizational standards. Proper configuration of access control rules is essential to balance security, usability, and performance.
Assigning IP addresses is performed through DHCP or static configuration, not access control policies. While IP addressing is important for device connectivity, it does not determine traffic permissions or inspection behavior.
Optimizing wireless network performance relates to technologies like QoS or CleanAir for RF management. These functions do not evaluate security risks or define traffic actions. Access Control Policies operate at the security enforcement layer, not in wireless performance optimization.
Managing software updates ensures devices receive the latest features or threat signatures. While important for overall security, update management does not provide real-time traffic enforcement or control.
Access Control Policies unify enforcement across multiple Firepower features. They define the decision path for each packet, integrating intrusion prevention signatures, malware detection, reputation-based filtering, application controls, and user context. By prioritizing these rules and evaluating them in order, administrators ensure that critical security decisions are applied consistently across the network. Access control also allows logging for audit and compliance purposes, showing which traffic was allowed, denied, or inspected, providing insight into security events. It is the foundational feature that enables Firepower to act as a next-generation firewall.
Question 176
Which Firepower feature allows tracking and analyzing threats after initial detection, even if they were previously classified as benign?
A) Retrospective Security
B) VLAN Segmentation
C) DHCP Snooping
D) NAT Translation
Answer: A) Retrospective Security
Explanation:
Retrospective Security is a Cisco Firepower feature that enables continuous monitoring and re-evaluation of files and network events even after they have passed initial inspection. Threats that were initially classified as benign or unknown can later be reclassified as malicious based on new intelligence or observed behavior. This approach ensures that malware or attack campaigns that evade traditional signature-based detection are still identified and mitigated. Retrospective Security operates by continuously correlating historical data with updated threat intelligence, generating alerts, and triggering remediation actions when necessary. It can identify infections, lateral movement, or malicious activity that occurs after the initial network entry, allowing administrators to respond proactively. This feature is critical for addressing advanced persistent threats, zero-day malware, and evolving attack patterns, as it provides a second layer of detection and insight without requiring traffic to pass through the perimeter again. Retrospective Security improves threat visibility, informs incident response, and enhances forensic analysis capabilities.
VLAN Segmentation separates network traffic into different broadcast domains for organization and security, but it does not monitor files or threats after detection. While segmentation can reduce attack impact, it cannot reclassify or analyze files retrospectively.
DHCP Snooping prevents unauthorized devices from assigning IP addresses or providing malicious DHCP information. It protects network stability but does not monitor threat evolution or revisit previously analyzed data.
NAT Translation modifies IP addresses and port mappings to enable connectivity between networks. It ensures proper routing and IP conservation but offers no retrospective analysis or threat detection functionality.
Retrospective Security integrates with File Policies, AMP for Networks, and Threat Intelligence to track file behavior over time. If a file previously allowed into the network is later identified as malicious, administrators receive notifications about impacted hosts and potential spread. This enables timely remediation, such as quarantining affected endpoints, revoking access, or applying updated policies. Retrospective insights also improve future detection by feeding new intelligence into signature and behavior databases. By combining initial detection with ongoing monitoring, Retrospective Security enhances the organization’s ability to defend against sophisticated, stealthy threats that evade real-time inspection. This continuous evaluation makes Retrospective Security the correct answer.
Question 177
What is the purpose of a Network Analysis Policy in Cisco Firepower?
A) To determine how traffic is decoded and preprocessed before IPS inspection
B) To assign VLAN tags to incoming traffic
C) To control QoS bandwidth allocations
D) To configure VPN tunnels for remote users
Answer: A) To determine how traffic is decoded and preprocessed before IPS inspection
Explanation:
Network Analysis Policies (NAP) in Cisco Firepower determine how traffic is normalized, decoded, and preprocessed before being evaluated by the Intrusion Prevention System. Preprocessing is critical because attackers often use evasion techniques such as protocol anomalies, fragmentation, encoding, or session manipulation to bypass detection. The NAP ensures that traffic is reconstructed and interpreted consistently, enabling the IPS to accurately detect threats. It includes protocol normalization, defragmentation, and handling of specific attack vectors, creating a reliable foundation for signature evaluation and behavior-based detection. The NAP allows administrators to configure which protocols to inspect, set thresholds for anomalies, and define performance parameters to balance security and efficiency. By standardizing traffic for analysis, the NAP ensures that IPS rules trigger correctly, reducing false negatives and improving overall security posture.
Assigning VLAN tags organizes traffic for segmentation, not for threat analysis or preprocessing. VLAN configuration is unrelated to IPS inspection accuracy.
QoS controls prioritize bandwidth and manage traffic flow performance, but do not decode or normalize network packets for security evaluation. While important for operational efficiency, QoS has no impact on threat detection.
Configuring VPN tunnels establishes secure communication paths but does not influence protocol decoding, preprocessing, or IPS inspection. VPN policies focus on encryption, authentication, and access rather than threat analysis.
Network Analysis Policies enable Firepower to accurately interpret network traffic for inspection. By addressing evasion techniques, they ensure malicious activity cannot bypass IPS. Preprocessing also improves efficiency, as normalized traffic is easier for IPS to evaluate and reduces the likelihood of misinterpretation. Administrators can fine-tune policies for protocols like HTTP, FTP, SMB, and DNS to ensure precise handling. This preprocessing ensures that subsequent IPS signatures and behavioral analysis apply correctly, allowing reliable detection of exploits and attacks. NAPs also support protocol-specific options such as handling packet fragmentation, inspecting nested protocols, and identifying anomalies that might indicate sophisticated attacks. This determines decoding and preprocessing rules for the correct answer for Network Analysis Policies.
Question 178
Which feature in Cisco Firepower allows administrators to enforce security policies based on the identity of users rather than just IP addresses?
A) Security Zones
B) Identity-Based Access Control
C) NAT Policies
D) VLAN Trunking
Answer: B) Identity-Based Access Control
Explanation:
Identity-Based Access Control (IBAC) in Cisco Firepower allows administrators to apply security policies to users or groups instead of relying solely on IP addresses. In modern networks, IP addresses are often dynamic due to DHCP, mobile devices, or remote access scenarios, making traditional IP-based controls less effective. By integrating with identity sources such as Active Directory or LDAP, IBAC maps users to network activity, enabling precise policy enforcement. For example, a policy can allow a specific group of employees access to sensitive resources while denying the same resources to guest users, regardless of their IP address. This approach also allows differentiated access for contractors, temporary staff, or privileged accounts. IBAC enhances visibility, accountability, and compliance by correlating user identity with traffic and security events. It can work alongside other Firepower features, including access control, URL filtering, and application visibility, to enforce context-aware security policies that are tailored to organizational roles and responsibilities.
Security Zones segment networks into different trust levels or functional areas, but do not associate traffic with specific users. Zones help organize policy application, but cannot apply rules based on individual identity.
NAT Policies modify IP addresses and ports to enable connectivity across networks, but cannot correlate traffic with user identities. NAT ensures address translation but does not enforce access based on who the user is.
VLAN Trunking allows multiple VLANs to share a single network link, providing Layer 2 segmentation. While important for traffic isolation, it does not identify users or apply policy based on identity.
Identity-Based Access Control improves security and operational management by providing granular visibility into user activity. It allows organizations to implement policies based on user role, location, device type, or authentication state. Integration with Firepower’s logging and reporting features ensures that administrators can track user behavior and respond to potential security violations. By enforcing identity-based rules, IBAC reduces risk exposure, prevents unauthorized access, and aligns security enforcement with organizational policies. This makes it the correct answer.
Question 179
What is the main purpose of the File Trajectory feature in Cisco Firepower?
A) To monitor CPU and memory usage on Firepower appliances
B) To track the path of files across the network for analysis and incident response
C) To assign VLAN tags to traffic flows
D) To provide SSL certificate management
Answer: B) To track the path of files across the network for analysis and incident response
Explanation:
File Trajectory in Cisco Firepower provides visibility into the journey of a file as it moves through the network, including which hosts it touched, when it was delivered, and how it was handled. This feature is particularly useful when investigating malware or other suspicious files detected by AMP for Networks or File Policies. By tracking the path of a file, administrators can identify affected systems, assess potential damage, and take targeted remediation actions, such as quarantining endpoints, revoking access, or isolating network segments. File Trajectory also supports retrospective security, as files initially classified as benign can later be re-evaluated, and their trajectory helps understand exposure. Analysts can visualize the spread of malware, trace exfiltration attempts, and correlate file activity with other network events. This detailed visibility improves incident response effectiveness, supports forensic investigations, and enhances overall threat intelligence.
Monitoring CPU and memory usage is part of health policies, but it does not track file movement or behavior. While critical for performance, it is unrelated to understanding a file’s propagation or impact.
Assigning VLAN tags is related to network segmentation and traffic isolation, but does not provide visibility into the movement or history of specific files. VLANs organize networks but do not inform security decisions regarding file exposure.
SSL certificate management ensures secure communications via encryption, but does not track files or their path across the network. Certificate management focuses on trust establishment and encryption, not forensic visibility.
File Trajectory provides actionable intelligence by mapping a file’s path through the network, revealing which systems may be at risk and informing corrective measures. It integrates with logging and reporting systems to provide historical data for security audits. By understanding how a file travels and interacts with endpoints, organizations can quickly mitigate threats, limit lateral movement, and strengthen defense-in-depth strategies. This capability is essential for security operations and makes File Trajectory the correct answer.
Question 180
Which Cisco Firepower feature provides automated, real-time threat intelligence from global sources to block known malicious hosts and domains?
A) Security Intelligence Feeds
B) Network Analysis Policy
C) VLAN Segmentation
D) DHCP Relay
Answer: A) Security Intelligence Feeds
Explanation:
Security Intelligence Feeds in Cisco Firepower provide automated access to continuously updated global threat intelligence. These feeds identify known malicious IP addresses, domains, and URLs, enabling the firewall to block traffic to or from compromised sources in real time. By integrating this threat intelligence into Access Control Policies, Firepower appliances can proactively prevent attacks without relying solely on signature-based intrusion detection or malware analysis. This proactive approach is especially important for defending against botnets, phishing campaigns, command-and-control communications, and other emerging threats. Administrators can also create custom feeds tailored to organizational requirements, such as blocking connections from high-risk geographies or untrusted partners. Security Intelligence Feeds reduce exposure to known threats, minimize the load on inspection engines, and enhance overall network protection. Alerts and logs generated from blocked traffic provide valuable data for incident investigation and reporting, improving both security operations and compliance adherence.
Network Analysis Policy determines how traffic is preprocessed for IPS inspection, but does not automatically provide threat intelligence from global sources. It prepares traffic for analysis rather than proactively blocking known threats.
VLAN segmentation is a network design technique that divides a physical network into multiple logical segments, each identified by a unique VLAN ID. This approach allows organizations to isolate traffic between different departments, applications, or user groups, reducing broadcast domains and improving network efficiency. By separating traffic, VLANs can limit the spread of certain types of network issues, such as broadcast storms or misconfigured devices, and make it easier to manage and troubleshoot network performance. However, while VLANs improve traffic isolation, they do not inherently provide security against malicious hosts, compromised devices, or unsafe domains. They do not inspect, monitor, or block malicious activity; their function is purely logical segmentation. VLANs do not provide global threat intelligence, real-time threat detection, or active prevention mechanisms that can stop attacks before they impact the network. For comprehensive security, VLAN segmentation must be combined with additional controls such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, or security gateways that can monitor traffic, enforce policies, and respond to threats. VLANs enhance network organization and limit unnecessary communication between segments, but they are not a substitute for proactive network security measures and cannot independently protect against malware, intrusions, or unsafe external connections.
DHCP Relay facilitates IP address allocation across networks and has no function in threat intelligence or proactive threat blocking. Its purpose is network connectivity, not security enforcement.
Security Intelligence Feeds allow administrators to leverage constantly updated intelligence to block malicious traffic instantly, creating a preventive security layer that complements IPS, malware protection, and file analysis. By automatically consuming and applying this intelligence, organizations maintain a higher security posture and reduce the risk of compromise from known threat sources. This makes Security Intelligence Feeds the correct answer.