Cisco 300-710 Securing Networks with Cisco Firepower (300-710 SNCF) Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 6 Q76-90
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Question 76
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to configure policies that apply different inspection rules based on the type of network traffic and applications?
A) Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection
B) URL Filtering
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection
Explanation:
Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense enables administrators to apply multiple inspection rules based on the type of network traffic and the applications involved. This feature allows for differentiated handling of various protocols, application types, and traffic flows, creating a more granular approach to security. For example, web traffic can be inspected for URL categories, malware, or protocol anomalies, while email traffic can be checked for phishing, ransomware, and malicious attachments. By layering inspection policies, administrators can prioritize enforcement of critical security checks without affecting performance for low-risk traffic. This layered approach also integrates with other security engines such as Snort for intrusion detection and prevention, File Policy for malware detection, SSL Decryption for inspecting encrypted traffic, and Application Visibility and Control (AVC) for monitoring and controlling application usage.
URL Filtering inspects web traffic and enforces policies based on categories, domains, or reputation. Although URL Filtering can complement layered inspection, it only addresses web traffic and does not provide a comprehensive, multi-layered inspection strategy across multiple protocols or applications.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over protocols like HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware or ransomware. While essential for detecting threats, File Policy focuses on file content and does not apply multiple inspection layers based on traffic type or application behavior.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. Although useful for threat prevention, Security Intelligence does not differentiate between traffic types or applications, and it cannot apply layered inspection policies based on multiple contextual factors.
Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection is the correct answer because it enables organizations to implement a multi-faceted approach to network security. Administrators can define rules that apply different inspection criteria for each traffic type, protocol, or application, ensuring comprehensive coverage without degrading performance. The layered approach allows traffic to undergo relevant inspections in sequence, such as first checking reputation with Security Intelligence, then scanning for malware with File Policy, followed by application-specific monitoring with AVC, and finally applying Snort rules for exploit detection. This integration ensures that each type of traffic is analyzed using appropriate security engines, enhancing detection accuracy and threat mitigation. Logging and reporting capabilities provide insights into policy enforcement, application usage, and threat trends, allowing administrators to adjust rules proactively. By applying inspection layers based on traffic type and application, organizations can balance security, performance, and compliance, protecting sensitive data while maintaining operational efficiency. Layered inspection also supports selective enforcement, enabling organizations to bypass trusted traffic while focusing security resources on high-risk flows. This approach creates a flexible, context-aware security posture, ensuring that all critical aspects of network traffic are properly monitored, analyzed, and enforced. Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection integrates seamlessly with other Firepower engines, providing a centralized, scalable, and effective security framework for modern enterprise networks.
Question 77
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to identify and control applications regardless of port or protocol used for communication?
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 identify and control applications regardless of the ports or protocols they use. This capability is critical because modern enterprise applications often use dynamic ports, tunneling, or encryption, which can bypass traditional port-based controls. AVC uses deep packet inspection, behavioral analysis, and signature-based identification to classify applications accurately, even when they use unconventional communication methods. Once identified, administrators can enforce policies such as allowing, blocking, throttling, or prioritizing specific applications to optimize bandwidth and security. Real-time logging and reporting provide visibility into application usage, trends, and potential policy violations. Integration with Access Control Policies ensures centralized enforcement across multiple devices, enabling consistent policy application and simplified administration.
Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention engine that monitors network traffic for exploits and protocol anomalies. While essential for threat detection, Snort does not classify or control applications independent of port or protocol. Its primary focus is security detection rather than application-specific enforcement.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware or ransomware. File Policy is content-focused and does not provide visibility or control for the application itself or traffic behavior across dynamic ports.
URL Filtering enforces access control for web content based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. While URL Filtering can block web-based applications, it does not classify or manage applications that use non-web protocols, encrypted traffic, or tunneled connections. Its scope is limited to web content control.
AVC is the correct answer because it provides comprehensive visibility and control over application traffic regardless of port or protocol. Administrators can enforce policies to ensure that critical business applications receive priority while limiting or blocking non-essential or high-risk applications. AVC helps manage bandwidth, prevent misuse, and mitigate security risks from unauthorized applications. Logging and reporting provide insights into application usage patterns, potential policy violations, and enforcement actions, supporting auditing, compliance, and operational planning. Integration with Access Control Policies enables centralized management, ensuring consistent enforcement across multiple Firepower devices. By identifying applications based on behavior and signature rather than ports, AVC overcomes limitations of traditional traffic controls and enhances network visibility, performance, and security. It complements other Firepower engines such as Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, SSL Decryption, and Security Intelligence to provide a layered and robust enterprise security posture. AVC’s application-aware enforcement ensures that modern network traffic is monitored, controlled, and optimized effectively.
Question 78
Which Cisco Firepower feature provides real-time blocking of malicious or suspicious traffic based on continuously updated threat intelligence feeds?
A) Security Intelligence
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) URL Filtering
Answer: A) Security Intelligence
Explanation:
Security Intelligence in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense provides real-time blocking of malicious or suspicious traffic based on continuously updated threat intelligence feeds. These feeds, such as Cisco Talos, supply information about IP addresses, domains, or URLs that are known to be malicious, including command-and-control servers, malware distribution sites, phishing domains, and botnet endpoints. Security Intelligence automatically updates Firepower devices with the latest threat indicators, allowing administrators to enforce policies that block communication with malicious sources. This proactive approach reduces the risk of compromise by preventing contact with known threats before traffic reaches endpoints or internal resources. Integration with Access Control Policies allows administrators to define rules that dynamically enforce blocking, allowing traffic from trusted sources, while automatically denying traffic from malicious sources. Logging and reporting provide visibility into blocked traffic, threat trends, and enforcement outcomes, supporting operational planning, auditing, and compliance. Centralized management through Firepower Management Center ensures consistent deployment and monitoring across multiple devices.
Snort is the intrusion detection and prevention engine that detects network-based attacks using signatures and protocol anomalies. While Snort can block traffic inline based on detections, it does not use continuously updated threat intelligence feeds for proactive blocking of known malicious sources. Snort focuses on detection of patterns and exploits rather than proactive intelligence-based prevention.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over multiple protocols for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. While essential for endpoint protection, File Policy does not block traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation feeds. Its function is file content inspection rather than network-level threat intelligence enforcement.
URL Filtering enforces web access control based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. Although URL Filtering can prevent access to known malicious websites, it is limited to web-based traffic and does not provide comprehensive enforcement based on continuously updated threat intelligence across all network protocols.
Security Intelligence is the correct answer because it proactively blocks traffic from known malicious sources using continuously updated threat intelligence feeds. By integrating these feeds with Access Control Policies, administrators can enforce consistent and automated blocking across multiple devices, reducing exposure to malware, phishing, and command-and-control communications. Logging and reporting provide insights into blocked connections, security events, and threat trends, supporting compliance and operational decision-making. Security Intelligence complements other Firepower engines, such as Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, and AVC, to provide a multi-layered, proactive security posture. Its ability to adapt automatically to emerging threats, enforce rules in real time, and provide centralized visibility makes Security Intelligence essential for modern enterprise networks facing dynamic and evolving threat landscapes. By reducing the risk of compromise and maintaining operational efficiency, Security Intelligence strengthens the overall security posture and ensures resilience against known malicious sources.
Question 79
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to inspect HTTPS traffic for threats by decrypting the traffic, analyzing it, and then re-encrypting it before sending it to its destination?
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 allows administrators to inspect encrypted HTTPS traffic by decrypting it, analyzing its content, and then re-encrypting it before delivering it to the intended destination. This capability is critical because a significant portion of enterprise traffic is encrypted, which can hide malware, phishing attempts, and command-and-control communications from standard inspection engines. SSL Decryption Policy temporarily decrypts the traffic to enable engines like Snort for intrusion detection and prevention, File Policy for malware scanning, URL Filtering for content control, and Application Visibility and Control (AVC) for application monitoring. Once inspection is complete, the traffic is re-encrypted to maintain privacy and security, ensuring business continuity while improving threat detection.
Administrators can configure SSL Decryption Policy selectively, choosing which traffic to decrypt based on criteria such as source, destination, user identity, or application type. Sensitive traffic, such as financial or health-related communications, can be exempted to comply with privacy regulations. SSL Decryption Policy works in conjunction with other Firepower engines to provide a comprehensive, multi-layered security posture. Logging and reporting capabilities allow administrators to monitor decrypted traffic, assess potential threats, and evaluate policy effectiveness, supporting compliance and security audits.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over multiple protocols for malware, ransomware, and unknown threats. While File Policy benefits from decrypted traffic to analyze HTTPS-based files, it cannot decrypt traffic itself. Without an SSL Decryption Policy, File Policy may miss threats hidden within encrypted traffic, reducing overall protection.
URL Filtering controls web traffic based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. URL Filtering requires decrypted traffic to accurately categorize and inspect HTTPS content. Without SSL decryption, URL Filtering cannot see the content of encrypted websites, limiting its effectiveness.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic from known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs based on reputation. It does not decrypt traffic for content inspection and cannot analyze payloads hidden within encrypted sessions. Security Intelligence focuses on blocking known threats rather than inspecting traffic content.
SSL Decryption Policy is the correct answer because it provides visibility into encrypted traffic that would otherwise bypass security controls. By decrypting HTTPS traffic temporarily, it enables comprehensive inspection by Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, and AVC, ensuring that threats are detected and policies are enforced consistently. The selective deployment of SSL decryption allows sensitive traffic to remain encrypted while still inspecting high-risk traffic, balancing privacy, compliance, and security. Centralized management through Firepower Management Center ensures consistent enforcement, logging, and reporting across multiple devices, providing insights into decrypted traffic patterns, threat activity, and policy effectiveness. SSL Decryption Policy enhances enterprise security by closing blind spots created by encryption, enabling detection of hidden malware, command-and-control activity, and policy violations. Its integration with multiple Firepower engines and support for selective decryption ensures a flexible, effective, and proactive security posture in modern encrypted network environments.
Question 80
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to detect and prevent network attacks using predefined or custom 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 a powerful mechanism for detecting and preventing network attacks using a combination of predefined or custom signatures and behavioral analysis. Snort operates as an intrusion detection and prevention system (IDPS) capable of monitoring network traffic in real time to identify malicious activity, exploit attempts, and protocol anomalies. Predefined signatures supplied by Cisco Talos cover a wide range of known attacks such as buffer overflows, SQL injections, malware command-and-control communications, and cross-site scripting. Administrators can also create custom Snort rules to detect organization-specific threats, proprietary protocols, or unusual traffic patterns unique to the network environment.
Behavioral analysis within Snort identifies deviations from expected traffic patterns, protocol misuse, or anomalies that could indicate zero-day attacks or attempts to bypass security controls. This combination of signature-based and behavioral detection enables the identification of both known and emerging threats. Snort can be deployed in inline mode to block malicious traffic automatically or in detection-only mode to generate alerts for security analysts. Integration with Firepower Management Center allows centralized rule management, deployment, event correlation, and reporting across multiple devices, enhancing visibility and operational efficiency. Logging provides detailed information about detected attacks, policy enforcement, and network activity patterns, which supports compliance, auditing, and proactive threat mitigation.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. File Policy focuses on content-level inspection and does not detect exploits or protocol anomalies. It complements Snort by providing endpoint protection but does not replace network-based intrusion detection capabilities.
URL Filtering controls web access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. Although useful for preventing access to malicious sites, URL Filtering does not inspect network traffic for exploits or anomalies beyond web content. Its scope is limited to web-based traffic.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While effective for preventing communication with known malicious sources, Security Intelligence does not inspect traffic for protocol anomalies or apply behavioral analysis to detect attacks. It is primarily a proactive threat feed-based system rather than an inline detection engine.
Snort is the correct answer because it provides comprehensive network-based threat detection and prevention. Its combination of predefined and custom signatures, along with behavioral analysis, ensures coverage of both known and emerging threats. Snort can operate inline to block attacks or in detection-only mode for monitoring, giving administrators flexibility based on operational requirements. Centralized management through Firepower Management Center allows for consistent rule enforcement, event correlation, and logging across multiple devices. Snort integrates with other Firepower engines, including File Policy, URL Filtering, AVC, SSL Decryption, and Security Intelligence, forming a multi-layered defense system. Its ability to detect exploits, monitor protocol anomalies, and enforce custom detection rules makes it an essential component for protecting enterprise networks from evolving cyber threats while supporting compliance, auditing, and proactive security operations.
Question 81
Which Cisco Firepower feature enables enforcement of user- and group-specific policies for network access, including time- and location-based conditions?
A) Identity-Based Access Control
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) URL Filtering
Answer: A) Identity-Based Access Control
Explanation:
Identity-Based Access Control in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense enables administrators to enforce network access policies based on users or groups, including the ability to incorporate time- and location-based conditions. This feature is critical in modern enterprise networks, where users may connect from multiple devices, remote locations, or dynamic IP addresses. By integrating with identity sources such as Active Directory or LDAP, Firepower can map user identities to security policies that define permitted access, inspection levels, and restrictions. Time-based conditions allow administrators to enforce policies during specific hours, such as workdays, maintenance windows, or off-hours, ensuring that access is aligned with organizational requirements. Location-based conditions allow policies to differ depending on the network segment, VLAN, or interface, providing additional security for internal, guest, or remote networks.
Logging and reporting provide detailed visibility into user activity, policy enforcement, and potential violations, supporting auditing, compliance, and operational monitoring. Integration with other Firepower engines such as Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, SSL Decryption, and AVC ensures that user-specific policies are enforced consistently across multiple layers of security. For example, access rules can determine which applications or websites a user can access, what types of files they can transfer, or which security inspections are applied to their traffic.
Snort detects network-based exploits and protocol anomalies but does not enforce policies based on user identity, time, or location. Its focus is security detection rather than identity-aware access control.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. While essential for endpoint protection, it does not enforce access or traffic policies based on user or group identity. Its focus is content-level inspection rather than user-specific network enforcement.
URL Filtering controls web access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. Although it can integrate with identity sources to enforce web access restrictions, it does not provide a full identity-aware network access control solution for multiple traffic types, protocols, or enforcement layers.
Identity-Based Access Control is the correct answer because it enables context-aware enforcement of security policies at the user or group level. By incorporating time- and location-based conditions, administrators can create granular, flexible, and adaptive security policies that match organizational operational requirements while maintaining robust security. Centralized management ensures consistent policy deployment across multiple devices and network segments. Integration with logging, reporting, and other Firepower engines allows administrators to monitor, audit, and enforce comprehensive security policies for users. This feature enhances operational efficiency, reduces risk, and ensures that access to critical resources is secure, controlled, and compliant with organizational policies. Identity-Based Access Control is therefore essential for modern enterprise networks that require adaptive, user-centric security enforcement and visibility across all traffic types and network conditions.
Question 82
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to enforce different policies on internal and external networks by inspecting traffic at different security layers?
A) Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection
B) URL Filtering
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection
Explanation:
Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to enforce differentiated security policies for traffic traversing internal and external networks by applying inspection rules at multiple layers. This feature provides the flexibility to apply specific security engines and inspection criteria based on network context, application type, and traffic behavior. For example, traffic entering from the Internet may undergo a strict inspection sequence including Security Intelligence for threat reputation checks, SSL Decryption to inspect encrypted traffic, Snort for protocol anomalies, File Policy for malware detection, and Application Visibility and Control (AVC) for application monitoring. In contrast, internal network traffic can be inspected with tailored policies that prioritize performance while still maintaining security.
URL Filtering inspects web traffic and enforces policies based on categories, domains, or reputation. While it can be applied selectively to internal or external traffic, URL Filtering alone does not provide a multi-layered inspection framework across all traffic types and security engines. Its scope is limited to web content enforcement rather than a comprehensive layered approach.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware or ransomware. Although essential for file security, it cannot differentiate traffic policies based on network context (internal vs. external) or enforce layered inspections using multiple security engines. Its focus is file-level content inspection.
Security Intelligence provides real-time blocking of malicious traffic based on threat reputation. While effective at preventing communication with known malicious sources, Security Intelligence does not apply differentiated policies based on internal or external networks and cannot orchestrate layered inspection across multiple security engines.
Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection is the correct answer because it enables organizations to implement context-aware, differentiated inspection policies that optimize security and performance. By layering multiple security engines, administrators can enforce stricter inspections on high-risk external traffic while applying more permissive policies internally, ensuring business continuity and efficiency. Logging and reporting provide visibility into inspection results, threat trends, and policy effectiveness for both internal and external traffic. Centralized management via Firepower Management Center ensures consistent deployment and enforcement across multiple devices. Layered inspection also allows selective bypass of trusted traffic while focusing security resources on high-risk flows. This approach enhances threat detection by applying multiple engines such as Snort, File Policy, Security Intelligence, AVC, and SSL Decryption sequentially to each traffic type, ensuring comprehensive coverage. Organizations benefit from fine-grained control, operational flexibility, and the ability to mitigate complex attack vectors that exploit both internal and external traffic channels. By differentiating inspection policies based on network context, administrators can maintain security without degrading network performance, supporting compliance, auditing, and proactive threat management. Access Control Policy with Layered Inspection thus ensures a multi-layered, context-aware security posture that adapts to organizational network architecture and threat landscapes while protecting critical resources and optimizing traffic flow.
Question 83
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to block access to high-risk websites while permitting business-critical web applications, integrating with identity and reputation sources?
A) URL Filtering
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) URL Filtering
Explanation:
URL Filtering in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to block access to high-risk or non-compliant websites while permitting business-critical web applications. This feature categorizes websites based on content, domain, and reputation, allowing granular control over web access. Integration with identity sources, such as Active Directory or LDAP, enables administrators to enforce user- and group-specific web policies. By combining category-based blocking, reputation data, and identity awareness, URL Filtering provides an adaptive and flexible mechanism for managing web traffic, preventing access to phishing sites, malware distribution points, or inappropriate content while ensuring that critical business applications remain accessible. Logging and reporting provide detailed insights into user web activity, policy enforcement, and security incidents, supporting auditing, compliance, and operational decision-making.
Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention engine that inspects network traffic for exploits and protocol anomalies. Although Snort is essential for network-level security, it does not provide content-based categorization of web traffic or enforce identity-aware web access policies. Its focus is on detecting known and unknown attacks rather than managing website access.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats. While it can complement web access control by analyzing downloadable files, File Policy does not categorize or control website access. Its primary role is content-level inspection rather than web traffic policy enforcement.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While effective at preventing communication with known malicious sites, Security Intelligence does not provide category-based enforcement or integration with user identity to selectively permit or block business-critical applications. Its scope is more limited to threat prevention rather than comprehensive web access management.
URL Filtering is the correct answer because it allows organizations to enforce granular, adaptive web access policies that protect users and endpoints from high-risk websites while ensuring productivity. Integration with identity sources enables user- or group-specific enforcement, while reputation data ensures that newly discovered or high-risk domains are dynamically blocked. URL Filtering supports policy customization, time-based controls, and enforcement across multiple Firepower devices through Firepower Management Center. Logging and reporting provide visibility into policy effectiveness, user activity, and potential security threats. URL Filtering complements other Firepower engines, such as SSL Decryption for inspecting HTTPS traffic, File Policy for malware scanning, Snort for exploit detection, and Security Intelligence for threat reputation enforcement. By combining category-based control, reputation integration, and identity awareness, URL Filtering enhances security posture, prevents phishing and malware infections, ensures compliance, and maintains access to critical business applications. This feature is particularly important in environments with diverse user groups, remote access, and dynamic application usage, providing adaptive web security while minimizing operational disruption and enhancing overall enterprise network resilience.
Question 84
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to inspect files for malware, ransomware, and advanced threats across multiple protocols, with support for retrospective analysis?
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 allows administrators to inspect files transmitted over protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB for malware, ransomware, and advanced threats. The feature uses 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 detects anomalies such as attempts to propagate laterally within the network, execute unknown binaries, or evade standard security controls. File Policy enables administrators to allow, block, or quarantine files based on type, source, risk score, or protocol, providing granular control over file handling and reducing the risk of endpoint compromise.
Retrospective analysis is a key capability of File Policy with Malware Detection. AMP continuously analyzes previously inspected files for newly discovered threats, ensuring that files deemed safe at the time of inspection can be re-evaluated if later identified as malicious. Administrators receive alerts and reports for files that were retroactively flagged, allowing rapid response to potential compromises. Centralized management through Firepower Management Center enables consistent deployment, logging, and monitoring across multiple devices, providing operational efficiency and comprehensive visibility.
Snort detects network-based exploits and protocol anomalies. While essential for intrusion detection and prevention, Snort does not perform file-level inspection or retrospective malware analysis. Its focus is network traffic behavior rather than content-level security.
URL Filtering enforces web access policies based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. URL Filtering does not analyze files for malware or advanced threats and is focused primarily on web traffic content control rather than file inspection across multiple protocols.
Security Intelligence blocks or allows traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. While effective for threat prevention, Security Intelligence does not inspect file content for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats and does not provide retrospective analysis.
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 mitigates the risk of malware propagation, ransomware attacks, and advanced persistent threats. Integration with AMP ensures real-time detection, continuous updates, and retrospective analysis of previously inspected files. Administrators can enforce detailed policies, balancing security with operational continuity by allowing legitimate files while blocking high-risk or suspicious content. Logging, reporting, and centralized management support auditing, compliance, and trend analysis, providing visibility into detected threats, policy enforcement actions, and user interactions. File Policy complements other Firepower engines, including Snort, URL Filtering, Security Intelligence, AVC, and SSL Decryption, forming a multi-layered defense strategy. Its ability to detect, block, and retrospectively analyze threats ensures that file-based attacks are mitigated proactively and continuously, maintaining enterprise security and operational integrity. The combination of real-time inspection, behavioral analysis, AMP integration, and retrospective scanning makes File Policy with Malware Detection a crucial component of modern network security, safeguarding endpoints and network resources against evolving threats while supporting centralized administration and reporting.
Question 85
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to detect unusual network behavior by analyzing traffic patterns and deviations from expected norms?
A) Snort Behavioral Analysis
B) File Policy
C) URL Filtering
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) Snort Behavioral Analysis
Explanation:
Snort Behavioral Analysis in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to detect unusual network behavior by monitoring traffic patterns and identifying deviations from established norms. This feature complements signature-based detection, which identifies known attack patterns, by analyzing anomalies in protocols, communication sequences, packet sizes, and flow patterns. Behavioral analysis is particularly effective for detecting zero-day attacks, stealthy intrusions, lateral movement, and advanced persistent threats that may not match known signatures.
By analyzing baseline network behavior, Snort can detect unusual activity such as unexpected protocol usage, sudden spikes in traffic, irregular packet sequences, or abnormal application behavior. Administrators can deploy Snort inline to block suspicious traffic in real time or in detection-only mode to generate alerts for further investigation. Custom rules can be created to tailor behavioral detection to unique organizational requirements, ensuring that proprietary protocols, internal applications, or specific network segments are accurately monitored.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, and unknown threats transmitted over multiple protocols. While File Policy is critical for content-level security, it does not monitor network traffic behavior, detect anomalies in communication patterns, or analyze deviations from expected norms. Its primary function is scanning file content rather than assessing traffic for abnormal activity.
URL Filtering enforces web access policies based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. URL Filtering controls web traffic and blocks malicious or inappropriate sites but does not analyze network behavior or identify anomalies outside of web traffic patterns. Its scope is limited to web-based traffic management.
Security Intelligence provides real-time blocking of traffic from known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs based on reputation. Although Security Intelligence prevents communication with known threats, it does not detect novel behaviors, deviations, or anomalous patterns in network traffic. It relies on externally sourced threat feeds rather than internal traffic analysis.
Snort Behavioral Analysis is the correct answer because it provides organizations with the capability to detect threats that evade signature-based systems. By continuously monitoring network traffic and comparing it against established baselines, Snort can identify suspicious or abnormal activity, enabling early detection of advanced attacks. Integration with Firepower Management Center allows centralized monitoring, rule deployment, and event correlation, providing administrators with comprehensive visibility across multiple devices. Logging and reporting capabilities provide insight into triggered alerts, anomalous behaviors, and network trends, supporting compliance, auditing, and proactive threat mitigation. Behavioral analysis enhances the overall security posture by identifying previously unknown threats, detecting unusual application or protocol behavior, and enabling adaptive security responses. When combined with other Firepower engines such as File Policy, URL Filtering, Security Intelligence, AVC, and SSL Decryption, Snort Behavioral Analysis forms a multi-layered detection strategy. Its ability to detect zero-day threats, monitor traffic anomalies, and support custom rules ensures that enterprise networks remain resilient against evolving attack techniques. Behavioral analysis is essential for organizations seeking proactive threat detection and a context-aware understanding of network activity, providing security teams with actionable insights to respond swiftly and accurately to potential intrusions.
Question 86
Which Cisco Firepower feature enables administrators to create policies that restrict network access 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 create policies that restrict network access based on the reputation of IP addresses, domains, or URLs. This feature leverages continuously updated threat intelligence feeds, such as those provided by Cisco Talos, to proactively block communication with known malicious sources, including command-and-control servers, malware distribution points, and phishing domains. By using Security Intelligence, organizations can enforce automated policies that allow traffic from trusted sources, block traffic from known malicious entities, or log suspicious activity for monitoring and analysis.
Administrators can apply Security Intelligence to both inbound and outbound traffic, across multiple protocols and network interfaces. Policies can be integrated into Access Control Policies, enabling centralized management and consistent enforcement across multiple Firepower devices. Logging and reporting provide detailed visibility into blocked traffic, threat trends, and policy effectiveness, supporting compliance, auditing, and proactive security planning. The dynamic nature of Security Intelligence ensures that the network is continuously protected against emerging threats without requiring manual updates to blocklists.
Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention engine that monitors network traffic for exploits and anomalies. While Snort can block or alert on detected attacks, it does not proactively restrict traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation feeds. Snort focuses on detection of known and unknown exploit patterns rather than enforcing reputation-based policies.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, or unknown threats across protocols such as HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB. File Policy provides content-level security but does not enforce access restrictions based on the reputation of sources or destinations. Its function is file inspection rather than network reputation enforcement.
URL Filtering enforces web access control based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. While URL Filtering can restrict access to malicious websites, it primarily addresses web-based traffic and does not provide comprehensive enforcement for all protocols or IP addresses. Security Intelligence offers broader coverage, including non-web traffic, and operates dynamically with continuously updated threat intelligence feeds.
Security Intelligence is the correct answer because it provides proactive, automated enforcement of network access policies based on threat reputation. By integrating real-time intelligence feeds with Access Control Policies, organizations can block communication with known malicious sources before traffic reaches internal networks or endpoints. Security Intelligence complements other Firepower engines, including Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, AVC, and SSL Decryption, forming a multi-layered security architecture. Logging and reporting enable administrators to assess blocked traffic, evaluate threat trends, and refine policies for improved protection. Its ability to automatically adapt to emerging threats, enforce rules in real time, and provide centralized management makes Security Intelligence a critical component for modern enterprise networks. Organizations benefit from reduced exposure to malware, phishing, and other cyber threats, ensuring operational resilience and compliance with security policies. By combining reputation-based blocking with other inspection mechanisms, Security Intelligence strengthens the overall network defense strategy, providing proactive, dynamic, and scalable protection against known and evolving threats.
Question 87
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to analyze traffic, identify applications, and enforce granular policies for prioritization, blocking, or monitoring?
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 enables administrators to analyze traffic, identify applications, and enforce granular policies for prioritization, blocking, or monitoring. AVC provides visibility into application usage regardless of the ports or protocols used, allowing administrators to identify business-critical applications, restrict non-essential or unauthorized applications, and manage bandwidth efficiently. The feature uses deep packet inspection, behavioral analysis, and application signatures to classify applications accurately, even when applications use dynamic ports, tunneling, or encryption.
Administrators can enforce AVC policies to prioritize traffic for mission-critical applications, throttle bandwidth for non-essential applications, block unauthorized software, or monitor high-risk applications for security compliance. Real-time logging and reporting provide insight into application usage patterns, enforcement actions, and potential policy violations, supporting operational decision-making, auditing, and capacity planning. Integration with Access Control Policies ensures consistent enforcement across multiple devices and network segments, enabling centralized management.
Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention engine that focuses on identifying exploits and anomalies in network traffic. While it can detect malicious behavior within application traffic, Snort does not provide granular control or enforcement based on application type or business priority. Its function is network-level threat detection rather than application management.
File Policy inspects files for malware, ransomware, and unknown threats across multiple protocols. Although File Policy protects endpoints, it does not classify or control applications or enforce bandwidth or usage policies. Its scope is limited to content-level inspection.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic from known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs based on reputation. While effective at threat prevention, it does not analyze or enforce policies based on application behavior, usage patterns, or business priorities.
AVC is the correct answer because it enables organizations to monitor and manage application usage, enforce policies tailored to business requirements, and optimize network performance. By identifying applications based on behavior and signatures, administrators can block risky applications, prioritize critical workloads, and enforce security policies at the application level. Integration with other Firepower engines such as Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, SSL Decryption, and Security Intelligence provides a multi-layered security approach. Logging and reporting capabilities enhance visibility, support compliance, and allow administrators to make data-driven decisions regarding application traffic and network utilization. AVC ensures that both security and operational efficiency are maintained by allowing granular control over applications while monitoring user activity, bandwidth consumption, and potential threats. This application-aware enforcement strengthens enterprise security posture, ensures business continuity, and optimizes network resource utilization by prioritizing critical applications while mitigating risks from unauthorized or high-risk software.
Question 88
Which Cisco Firepower feature enables administrators to inspect encrypted traffic, apply multiple security engines, and maintain privacy through re-encryption?
A) SSL Decryption Policy
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) Security Intelligence
Answer: A) SSL Decryption Policy
Explanation:
SSL Decryption Policy in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to inspect encrypted traffic, such as HTTPS, to detect threats that may be hidden inside secure communications. This capability is essential because a significant portion of modern enterprise traffic is encrypted, creating blind spots for security engines if decryption is not applied. The SSL Decryption Policy temporarily decrypts traffic to allow other security engines—such as Snort for intrusion detection, File Policy for malware inspection, URL Filtering for web content control, and Application Visibility and Control (AVC) for application management—to perform comprehensive inspections. After inspection, traffic is re-encrypted to maintain privacy and compliance with security and regulatory requirements.
Administrators can configure SSL Decryption Policy selectively, specifying which traffic should be decrypted and inspected, and which should bypass decryption. For example, sensitive communications such as financial transactions or healthcare data can be excluded to comply with regulatory and privacy mandates. Selective decryption allows organizations to balance security with operational requirements, ensuring that high-risk traffic is scrutinized while trusted traffic flows without performance degradation.
Snort provides intrusion detection and prevention but cannot decrypt encrypted traffic on its own. While it can analyze the content of unencrypted traffic, encrypted streams would bypass its detection capabilities without SSL Decryption Policy, leaving networks vulnerable to hidden threats.
File Policy inspects files transmitted over multiple protocols, including HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTP, and SMB, for malware, ransomware, and unknown threats. File Policy relies on decrypted traffic to analyze content effectively. Without SSL Decryption, files transmitted over HTTPS or other encrypted channels may remain hidden from analysis, limiting protection.
Security Intelligence blocks traffic from known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs based on threat reputation. It does not provide visibility into encrypted traffic payloads, and therefore cannot detect threats that are embedded in encrypted content. Security Intelligence functions at the network reputation level rather than payload inspection.
SSL Decryption Policy is the correct answer because it provides critical visibility into encrypted traffic while preserving privacy. By enabling inspection through multiple security engines, organizations can detect malware, phishing, exploits, and policy violations that would otherwise be hidden. Centralized management via Firepower Management Center allows administrators to configure, monitor, and report on SSL Decryption policies consistently across multiple devices. Logging provides insights into decrypted traffic, inspection results, and policy enforcement actions, supporting compliance, auditing, and operational decision-making. The integration of SSL Decryption with Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, AVC, and Security Intelligence forms a multi-layered security approach, ensuring that encrypted traffic does not bypass detection or inspection. By selectively decrypting traffic and applying layered security measures, SSL Decryption Policy balances risk mitigation, operational efficiency, and privacy compliance, addressing the modern enterprise requirement to secure encrypted communication channels effectively while maintaining performance and regulatory adherence. This feature is essential in environments where encrypted traffic constitutes the majority of network activity and where hidden threats could compromise endpoints, networks, and sensitive data.
Question 89
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to enforce user-specific network access policies, including time-based restrictions and group-based permissions?
A) Identity-Based Access Control
B) Snort
C) File Policy
D) URL Filtering
Answer: A) Identity-Based Access Control
Explanation:
Identity-Based Access Control (IBAC) in Cisco Firepower Threat Defense allows administrators to enforce network access policies that are specific to users or groups. This feature is critical in environments where users connect from various devices, remote locations, or dynamic IP addresses. IBAC integrates with identity sources such as Active Directory, LDAP, or RADIUS to map users and groups to policies that define permitted access, inspection levels, and restrictions based on role or group membership. Time-based restrictions allow administrators to enforce policies during specific hours, such as business hours or maintenance windows, while group-based permissions allow differentiated access depending on organizational roles.
By implementing IBAC, organizations gain the ability to enforce fine-grained security policies tailored to user identity, rather than relying solely on IP-based policies. For example, administrators can permit marketing staff to access specific cloud applications while restricting their access to sensitive financial resources. Similarly, remote employees may have different inspection levels than on-site staff. IBAC also integrates with other Firepower engines, including Snort for intrusion detection, File Policy for malware inspection, URL Filtering for web control, SSL Decryption for inspecting encrypted traffic, and AVC for application management. This integration ensures that user-specific policies are enforced consistently across all traffic types and security layers.
Snort detects network-based exploits and protocol anomalies but does not provide user-specific access control. It focuses on intrusion detection and prevention rather than enforcing policies based on identity, group, or time.
File Policy inspects files for malware and ransomware across multiple protocols. While it protects endpoints, it does not enforce network access policies based on user identity, group membership, or time-based conditions.
URL Filtering controls web access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. It can integrate with identity sources for user-specific web access but does not enforce comprehensive network access policies across multiple traffic types, protocols, or inspection engines.
Identity-Based Access Control is the correct answer because it provides context-aware enforcement of security policies that reflect organizational roles, responsibilities, and operational requirements. By combining user identity, group membership, and time-based conditions, administrators can create adaptive policies that balance security with business productivity. Logging and reporting capabilities provide detailed visibility into policy enforcement, user activity, and potential violations, supporting auditing and compliance. Integration with other Firepower engines ensures that all traffic associated with a user or group is inspected and controlled according to their assigned policy. IBAC enhances network security by ensuring that only authorized users can access specific resources, applying appropriate inspection levels, and enforcing organizational security policies consistently across the enterprise. It also supports remote and mobile work scenarios, providing flexible access controls while maintaining visibility and compliance. The feature is essential for modern enterprise networks that require identity-aware security enforcement, operational flexibility, and comprehensive policy visibility across multiple devices and security layers.
Question 90
Which Cisco Firepower feature allows administrators to detect known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs and block communication in real time?
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 detect and block communication with known malicious IP addresses, domains, or URLs in real time. This feature leverages continuously updated threat intelligence feeds, such as Cisco Talos, to provide proactive protection against threats such as malware command-and-control servers, phishing domains, botnet endpoints, and malicious infrastructure. Security Intelligence can block, allow, or log traffic based on these reputation indicators, enabling administrators to prevent communication with high-risk sources before it reaches endpoints or internal network segments.
By integrating Security Intelligence with Access Control Policies, administrators can enforce dynamic rules that automatically respond to emerging threats. Policies can be applied to inbound and outbound traffic across multiple protocols and interfaces, ensuring comprehensive protection. Centralized management through Firepower Management Center enables administrators to monitor blocked traffic, generate reports, and correlate events for threat analysis, supporting compliance, auditing, and operational decision-making. Continuous updates from threat intelligence feeds ensure that new threats are blocked in near real time without manual intervention.
Snort is an intrusion detection and prevention engine that detects network-based attacks and anomalies. While Snort can block traffic in-line, it does not rely on reputation feeds to proactively block known malicious sources. Snort focuses on exploit detection and behavioral anomalies rather than reputation-based enforcement.
File Policy inspects files transmitted across multiple protocols for malware and ransomware. It does not block traffic based on IP, domain, or URL reputation. Its function is content inspection rather than network-level threat intelligence enforcement.
URL Filtering controls web access based on categories, domains, or URL reputation. While it can block web-based malicious domains, its scope is limited to HTTP/HTTPS traffic. Security Intelligence provides broader coverage, including non-web traffic, and enforces real-time blocking across multiple protocols and network paths.
Security Intelligence is the correct answer because it provides real-time, proactive blocking of malicious traffic based on continuously updated threat intelligence. By preventing communication with known bad sources, organizations can reduce exposure to malware, phishing attacks, and command-and-control activity. Integration with Access Control Policies ensures consistent enforcement across multiple Firepower devices. Logging, reporting, and event correlation provide visibility into blocked traffic, enforcement actions, and threat trends, supporting operational monitoring and compliance. Security Intelligence complements other Firepower engines, including Snort, File Policy, URL Filtering, SSL Decryption, and AVC, forming a multi-layered defense strategy. Its ability to adapt automatically to emerging threats, enforce rules dynamically, and provide centralized visibility makes it essential for modern enterprise networks, enhancing security posture, operational resilience, and compliance with organizational policies.