Cisco 300-715 Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (300-715 SISE) Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 1 Q1-15
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Question 1
Which component of Cisco ISE is responsible for performing endpoint posture assessment before allowing network access?
A) Policy Service Node
B) Monitoring Node
C) pxGrid Controller
D) Device Administration Node
Answer: A
Explanation:
The first element to understand is the function performed by the system component that evaluates the health and compliance of connecting devices. This part of the system handles checks such as antivirus status, operating system patches, disk encryption, personal firewall availability, and other configurable posture conditions. It communicates with the agent on the endpoint or uses agentless methods, collecting posture information and comparing it against configured requirements. When combined with flexible policy evaluation, it determines the level of network access that the device should receive. It also can trigger remediation workflows, redirect users to remediation portals, or enforce limited network access. This capability is central to secure access enforcement in networks where device trustworthiness matters.
The next system role is dedicated to logging and auditing functions. It gathers session details, authentication transactions, profiling events, posture results, and system-wide operational data. It displays dashboards and offers administrators insights into the environment, allowing quick identification of issues or abnormal behaviors. This role does not enforce access control or evaluate the real-time posture of devices. Instead, it collects events from the rest of the system and organizes them into searchable, reportable formats. Its responsibility lies in visibility rather than real-time decision-making or endpoint assessment processes.
Another function is responsible for enabling adaptive information exchange between security platforms. It supports information sharing, dynamic updates, and high-level visibility across integrated products. Its key role is enabling other platforms to subscribe to contextual information, endpoint attributes, or user session states. This improves threat detection, adaptive access control and aligns the identity system with broader security ecosystems. This role does not evaluate device compliance, nor does it engage in real-time endpoint posture decision-making.
A further component is used for device command authorization, configuration control, and administrative session management. It provides capabilities for managing network device administrative logins, enforcing command-level permissions, and offering centralized device management. This role supports network device administrators, ensuring that operational staff access devices with the correct permission levels. It does not evaluate endpoint health, nor does it interact with context-aware access policy decisions relating to posture.
Among these components, the one that performs device posture assessment is responsible for evaluating endpoint compliance before allowing access to the network. It integrates with posture agents or runs agentless evaluations and is the core processing element for access control decisions. It hosts the policy engine that evaluates conditions against network access rules, including posture rules. That makes it the correct choice.
The posture evaluation process includes several stages. First, a device requests network access. The access device forwards authentication requests to the central service. Once the authentication identity is established, the posture module engages with the endpoint to gather system parameters. These parameters are compared to defined posture policies, which might specify required antivirus definitions, updated patch levels, or the presence of certain security software. Only after a comparison is performed does the system mark the device as compliant or noncompliant.
If the device is marked noncompliant, the system enforces restrictions. These often include VLAN changes, dACL application, or redirection to a remediation portal. The posture module then waits for remediation actions to finish. If the endpoint corrects the issues and rechecks successfully, access restrictions are removed. This process ensures that only secure, trustworthy devices join the network with full access rights.
By contrast, the monitoring function cannot fulfill this role. It does not handle real-time interaction with endpoints or enforce access control changes. It merely stores results already generated by other components. Its purpose is visibility and reporting, not device health evaluation or network control.
The adaptive exchange controller also cannot perform posture assessment. Its job is sharing information with other systems. Even though it may share posture state, it does not determine that state. It acts more as a data distribution layer, integrating multiple security products into a cohesive environment.
Finally, the administrative command enforcement function is unrelated to endpoint health. While important for network device management, it does not interact with end-user clients or posture states. It is entirely focused on TACACS+-based access control for devices rather than endpoint compliance verification.
By understanding the purposes of each of these elements, it becomes clear which one performs the central role in posture assessment. The function responsible for evaluating device compliance is built to enforce access control decisions based on actual endpoint conditions. It hosts the policy logic, transaction handling, authorization decisions, and posture workflows. It also interacts with the agent or agentless mechanism to gather device information and compare it to established posture rules.
In contrast, the other components offer valuable but different functions: data storage and reporting, inter-system information exchange, and network device administration. None of these is capable of evaluating posture or making the corresponding network decision. That capability lies only with the system element that processes policies, performs RADIUS communications, executes authorization logic, and applies posture rules—making it the correct selection.
Question 2
In a Cisco ISE distributed deployment, which persona handles RADIUS authentication and authorization requests?
A) Policy Service Node
B) Policy Administration Node
C) Monitoring Node
D) pxGrid Controller
Answer: A
Explanation:
The persona that processes identity-based access control requests is central to network authentication. It receives RADIUS access packets from access devices and evaluates them based on defined rules. It validates user identities, device certificates, and authentication methods such as EAP, PAP, CHAP, or MS-CHAP. After evaluating identity and contextual conditions, it determines whether the requesting entity should gain network access. It uses policy rule sets that include identity groups, device types, user attributes, and other contextual information. Because it is responsible for the core decision-making process, it also applies authorization logic that assigns VLANs, security groups, downloadable ACLs, profiles, and other enforcement results.
A separate persona manages policy configuration. This role is responsible for creating, editing, and maintaining system-wide rule sets, dictionaries, identity groups, and conditions. It also handles system-level configuration, certificate management, and global settings. However, it does not process incoming authentication traffic. Instead, it distributes configuration to the rest of the deployment. It plays a vital administrative role but is not involved in live transaction processing.
A third persona handles logging and monitoring tasks. It receives authentication logs, posture results, profiling records, and system events. Its purpose is visibility and analytics. It offers dashboards, reporting functions, and searches for events. While it receives copies of authentication results, it does not evaluate authentication requests. It processes stored records rather than real-time access control transactions.
Another persona supports integration with external systems by sharing contextual information. It helps create dynamic and adaptive security ecosystems. It can share identity information, session states, endpoint details, and related attributes with subscribing systems. However, it also does not process access control transactions or authentication requests. It is not designed for real-time RADIUS evaluation.
Only one persona has the function of evaluating authentication and authorization requests. This persona interacts directly with access devices. It validates identity credentials by communicating with external identity sources such as Active Directory, LDAP, or certificate authorities. It determines what level of access to assign based on policy logic. It also handles posture and profiling tasks and may enforce related authorization outcomes such as quarantine VLANs or dACLs.
When an endpoint attempts to connect to the network, the access device sends a RADIUS request to the system. The persona responsible for decision-making receives this request. It checks the identity information and compares it with policy rules. It uses contextual attributes such as time of day, device type, certificate information, group membership, and network location. After evaluating these attributes, it determines whether the user or device should be granted full access, restricted access, or denied access. It then sends a RADIUS response to the access device.
By contrast, the configuration persona helps administrators define the rules used by the decision-making persona but does not evaluate any access requests itself. It distributes policies but does not apply them to live sessions. It stores configuration data and manages global system settings.
Similarly, the monitoring persona only stores the results of decisions made by the processing persona. It does not participate in live RADIUS communication. It enables administrators to review authentication logs, but it does not control or affect authentication outcomes.
The integration persona allows other systems to react to identity changes, threat information, and session context. While valuable for adaptive security, it does not authenticate users or devices. It receives session states rather than creating them.
The persona responsible for RADIUS processing must scale horizontally to handle high volumes of authentication traffic. Deployments often include multiple instances of this persona to distribute the load and provide redundancy. It is the key operational component for enforcing secure access control decisions. Because it directly controls whether endpoints are granted access, it is essential for network security, regulatory compliance, and trustworthy network operations.
Given the responsibilities of each persona, only one performs RADIUS authentication and authorization processing. It is responsible for receiving requests, validating identity, applying policy, and returning authorization results. This makes it the correct answer.
Question 3
Which Cisco ISE feature assigns security group values to users or endpoints to enable TrustSec-based access enforcement?
A) Security Group Tagging
B) Posture Assessment
C) Profiling
D) Guest Services
Answer: A
Explanation:
The concept behind tagging is to assign a numerical identifier representing a logical security group. This identifier can be used throughout the network to enforce access control decisions without relying on traditional VLAN or IP-based segmentation. The tag can be assigned to users or endpoints based on their identity, device type, or policy attributes. Once assigned, network devices use these identifiers to enforce TrustSec policies through matrix-based control. This allows scalable segmentation, reduces dependence on IP-based rules, and simplifies security operations. The mechanism integrates with enforcement devices that use inline tagging or propagation mechanisms. It is a core component of identity-based segmentation and is tightly integrated with authorization policies within the system.
Another capability focuses on evaluating the compliance state of endpoints. This includes checking antivirus status, operating system patches, encryption, firewall settings, and other health attributes. This process happens during or after authentication. The system evaluates whether the device meets required security conditions and then assigns appropriate access based on health status. While this feature influences access rights and may restrict devices into remediation networks, it does not assign segmentation identifiers used in TrustSec enforcement.
A separate capability identifies devices based on network attributes such as MAC address, DHCP information, traffic signatures, and other observable characteristics. Using this information, the system classifies endpoints into known categories such as printers, cameras, phones, and laptops. This classification can influence policy decisions and drive automatic onboarding workflows. However, it does not directly assign segmentation identifiers used by TrustSec. Instead, it provides contextual information that policies may use when assigning tags.
Another capability supports temporary or sponsored network access for visitors. It includes captive portals, registration flows, approval workflows, and credential creation. It helps organizations provide controlled access for guests but does not relate to identity-based segmentation through TrustSec. Its purpose is guest onboarding rather than authoritative assignment of segmentation identifiers.
Segmentation identifiers are used to implement scalable access control. They represent the identity category of the user or device. These identifiers travel through the network or remain associated with the session on enforcement points. Devices that support TrustSec interpret these identifiers and apply policies from the TrustSec matrix. This allows the network to decide which groups may communicate with each other. Traditional segmentation relies on VLANs or IP subnets, but this mechanism abstracts segmentation into logical categories independent of network topology. This greatly simplifies enforcement in dynamic environments where devices frequently move or change network locations.
The mechanism works by linking authorization rules with a tag assignment. After authenticating the user or device, the system checks relevant conditions and determines which group should apply. It then instructs the network device to assign or propagate the tag. The tag may be communicated inline between devices or distributed through policy systems. Enforcement devices then apply policies associated with the tag.
The information provided by posture evaluation does not determine group assignment. While compliant or noncompliant states may influence authorization decisions, the tag mechanism is not tied to the evaluation of device health. Posture influences access rights but does not define segmentation categories.
Similarly, profiling helps classify devices but does not constitute a segmentation assignment. Profiling improves visibility and supports decisions about which tag might apply but is not the tag mechanism itself.
Guest onboarding capabilities support temporary network access. Guests may receive specific segmentation tags in some deployments, but the feature itself is unrelated to the tag mechanism. Guest services do not assign the segmentation identifier; policy does.
The mechanism that assigns segmentation identifiers is deeply integrated with TrustSec and supports scalable, identity-driven segmentation. It is central to the architecture and provides a framework for consistent security enforcement across the network. It is the only feature among the listed capabilities specifically designed to assign security group identifiers.
Thus, the correct choice is the one that provides tagging for TrustSec enforcement.
Question 4
In Cisco ISE, what feature allows dynamic authorization changes by instructing the network access device to re-evaluate a session after a policy event?
A) Change of Authorization
B) Rapid Threat Containment
C) Adaptive Network Control
D) Context Visibility
Answer: A
Explanation:
The mechanism that enables dynamic enforcement updates in the network is centered around the ability to instruct connected access devices to immediately re-evaluate an active session. This occurs when new policy conditions arise, such as changes in device posture, identity information, threat signals, or session attributes. The mechanism delivers commands to the access device so it can modify VLAN assignments, apply new downloadable access lists, terminate the session, or trigger reauthentication. It is essential for environments that rely on continuous monitoring and adaptive responses, ensuring security decisions remain aligned with real-time endpoint behavior. Without this capability, policy changes would only apply at initial authentication, which would significantly limit responsiveness.
Another capability relates to the integration of security systems that detect malicious activity or indicators of compromise. This allows external threat-detection platforms to notify the identity system of high-risk conditions. Based on this information, the identity system can adjust access rights through its normal policy engine. It does not itself perform session reevaluation. Instead, it relies on other mechanisms to enforce any required session updates. While this allows improved security coordination, it does not provide a direct command function to the access device to refresh or modify active sessions. It is more of an externally driven security automation mechanism rather than a direct session-control feature.
Another feature is a broader framework that coordinates automated actions based on contextual inputs. It allows orchestration of network responses based on triggers such as posture state, threat intelligence, or profiling outcomes. It is designed to create workflow-like responses or trigger policy events. However, it does not directly send control instructions to access devices for immediate session updates. It acts as a decision framework that can signal when a session’s access rights should be changed, but it is not the mechanism used by the access device to actually implement those changes. This distinction is important because session enforcement requires a specific protocol-based instruction that only one particular feature provides.
A visibility-oriented capability focuses solely on presenting information about users, devices, behavior patterns, and network attributes. It aggregates identity information, posture details, endpoint profiles, authentication results, and session characteristics. Administrators use it for monitoring, troubleshooting, and analytics. It does not influence live sessions, nor does it provide any way to enforce changes in access rights. Its value is situational awareness, not active enforcement. Although visibility plays a central role in enabling informed policy decisions, it is not involved in command signaling or dynamic authorization updates.
Among these capabilities, only one enables real-time instructions that immediately modify active sessions. This mechanism works by sending specific authorization commands to the access device. These commands instruct the device to re-evaluate the authorization state of the endpoint. Depending on the policy evaluation, the network might apply a new access list, move the session to another VLAN, restrict access, or force reauthentication. Access devices such as switches and wireless controllers support this feature, allowing the identity system to dynamically adjust access rights as conditions evolve. It is critical for posture use cases, in which a device may initially be placed in a restricted network and then granted broader access once compliant. It also supports threat response scenarios by limiting access for compromised endpoints as soon as risk levels increase.
The mechanism operates by sending standardized control messages defined within the RADIUS protocol. These messages reach the access device and initiate the requested action. The device then refreshes the session’s authorization state by contacting the identity system again. This allows the updated policy conditions stored in the identity system to apply without requiring the user or device to disconnect. Such dynamic control helps maintain seamless network experience while improving security posture through adaptive enforcement.
The threat-containment system, in comparison, acts as a reporting and signaling layer. It depends on the dynamic authorization mechanism for actual session changes. Even though it significantly enhances security responsiveness, it does not perform the reevaluation itself. The distinction lies in enforcement versus orchestration.
The automation framework mentioned earlier attempts to orchestrate contextual workflows. It may generate triggers that cause enforcement actions, but it is not the engine that applies them. It is more of a logic layer than a session-control mechanism. When the automation workflow determines that a session must be updated, it still relies on the dynamic authorization mechanism to implement that change on the access network.
The visibility capability does not influence session management. It helps administrators view and understand network activity but plays no part in authorization enforcement. It cannot initiate session reevaluation or trigger new authorization states.
Because the mechanism designed specifically for modifying live sessions is the only one capable of issuing commands that force a re-evaluation of authorization states on the access device, it is the correct answer. It ensures that authorization parameters remain continuously aligned with dynamic conditions and is fundamental to adaptive network security.
Question 5
Which Cisco ISE feature enables classification of endpoints based on observed network characteristics such as DHCP attributes, MAC OUI, traffic behavior, and CDP or LLDP information?
A) Profiling
B) Device Administration
C) Guest Access
D) SAML Identity Federation
Answer: A
Explanation:
The capability responsible for classifying devices on the network relies on analyzing observable attributes to determine what type of endpoint is present. It collects information from multiple probes such as DHCP, network device protocols, traffic patterns, HTTP data, and organizational identifiers associated with MAC addresses. By comparing collected attributes with prebuilt or custom rules, it identifies whether the device is a printer, phone, camera, IoT sensor, laptop, or another category. This capability plays an important role in dynamic policy enforcement, allowing authorization decisions to reflect device type rather than relying solely on user identity. Because device type strongly influences access requirements, this mechanism supports logical segmentation, security posture expectations, and operational consistency. It forms a foundation of identity-driven networking by transforming raw endpoint information into meaningful classifications.
Another important system function focuses on managing administrative authentication to network infrastructure devices rather than classifying endpoints. This function uses an authorization protocol to evaluate commands issued to routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices. It helps enforce role-based access for network operators and records administrative activity. It provides centralized command authorization, password management, and auditing of administrator sessions. While critically important for security operations, it does not collect DHCP attributes, traffic signatures, or link-layer identifiers from endpoints. It is completely separate from endpoint classification and has no role in determining endpoint type.
There is also a capability designed to support temporary access for visitors and non-employees. It includes features such as captive portals, self-registration, credential issuance, approval workflows, and customizable login pages. Its purpose is to provide controlled onboarding for guests, giving them secure access without assigning them to internal directories. Although it may apply specific authorization profiles to guest users, it does not attempt to classify their devices based on network-layer characteristics. The purpose is user onboarding and temporary credential use, not endpoint classification through network probes.
Another function integrates external identity providers to support federated authentication. It builds trust relationships so users can authenticate using an external identity management system. It supports modern federation protocols, allowing secure authentication exchanges between organizations. While this is valuable for scalable identity management, it does not examine endpoint characteristics such as MAC address patterns, DHCP details, LLDP information, or traffic behavior. Its purpose is authentication, not device-type determination.
In contrast, the feature designed for analyzing endpoint behavior gathers data passively and actively to generate a profile. It uses a combination of internal probes and network device integrations to collect relevant attributes. For example, DHCP probes can extract hostnames, OS values, vendor classes, and other identifiers present in DHCP messages. SNMP probes can gather information from switches about connected endpoints. Link-layer discovery protocols can reveal embedded capabilities such as phone models or hardware types. HTTP probes can identify browser agent strings or device-specific web patterns. Even the MAC address itself can indicate a vendor through the organizational identifier.
This information is compared with rule sets consisting of conditions and scoring logic. If an attribute matches a known pattern, it increases the confidence level for a particular type. Rules aggregate these observations to determine the most likely classification. When confidence is high enough, the system assigns a profile. Profiles may represent categories such as network printers, IP phones, IoT devices, smart TVs, laptops, or medical equipment. Once a device has a profile, administrators can write policies tailored to the device category.
Device classification is important in networking environments because identity alone does not provide enough context for proper access control. Many devices do not authenticate using traditional credentials. Some devices cannot run posture agents. Some have limited security capabilities. Without classification, applying policy becomes inconsistent and risky. Profiling enables policy decisions such as allowing printers only to reach print servers, isolating surveillance cameras, or granting IP phones access to voice VLANs. It supports granular and automated segmentation.
The administrative device authentication function mentioned earlier plays no role in classifying endpoints. It affects only the interactions between human administrators and network infrastructure devices. It evaluates commands but never inspects DHCP or link-layer attributes.
The visitor onboarding function also does not classify devices. It focuses on user workflows and sponsored access. Even though guests can use various devices, this feature does not analyze device characteristics to identify their type.
The federated identity feature handles authentication but does not interact with endpoint traffic patterns or link discovery protocols. It is strictly an identity exchange mechanism.
Only the feature that collects behavioral and protocol attributes from endpoints can determine device type. It is tightly integrated with the broader access control system and provides critical context that complements user identity. It automates classification, reducing administrator effort and ensuring policies remain consistent as endpoints change.
Because this capability is the only one that evaluates devices using network-layer observations and applies a classification based on those characteristics, it is the correct answer.
Question 6
Which Cisco ISE feature allows administrators to enforce time-based access policies for users and devices?
A) Policy Sets
B) Posture Assessment
C) Guest Access
D) pxGrid
Answer: A
Explanation:
The capability that enforces time-based network access policies is designed to integrate multiple contextual elements to determine whether a user or device can gain access at a given moment. Policy sets are a logical grouping of conditions and rules that define access policies in Cisco ISE. They allow administrators to combine authentication, authorization, and contextual conditions such as device type, user identity, location, and time of day into a single decision framework. This enables organizations to restrict or permit access based on operational schedules, regulatory requirements, or organizational policies. By evaluating these conditions during the authentication process, the system ensures that access is dynamically controlled and aligned with temporal constraints.
Posture assessment, by contrast, evaluates the security compliance of an endpoint device. This feature inspects attributes such as operating system updates, antivirus signatures, disk encryption, firewall status, and other health-related parameters. The results determine whether the device is compliant and eligible for network access or needs remediation. Although posture results can influence the access policy that is ultimately applied, posture itself does not provide scheduling functionality. It does not inherently include the ability to grant or deny access based on specific times or days, which is essential for time-based enforcement scenarios.
Guest access provides controlled network connectivity for visitors or temporary users through features like captive portals, registration, and approval workflows. This mechanism facilitates onboarding of non-employee users and enforces access restrictions for a defined period or session. While guest access can enforce expiration or session-time limits, it is not designed to implement broader time-based policies for all users or devices in the enterprise. It is a specialized solution for temporary or visitor scenarios rather than a comprehensive mechanism for scheduling access for all network users.
pxGrid is a platform designed to enable the sharing of contextual information and security-related data between Cisco ISE and other integrated systems, such as firewalls, endpoint detection, or threat intelligence platforms. pxGrid facilitates dynamic exchange of information, allowing adaptive security enforcement based on real-time intelligence. While it enhances overall security and policy responsiveness, it does not evaluate temporal conditions or schedule access directly. Its function is data exchange and integration rather than policy decision-making based on time.
Policy sets work by grouping multiple authentication and authorization rules into a structured framework. Each policy set evaluates identity sources, endpoints, and contextual attributes in a hierarchical fashion. Within this framework, administrators can specify time-based conditions, such as allowing network access only during business hours or restricting access outside specific windows. When a user or device attempts authentication, the system checks the current time against the defined policy conditions. If the time matches the allowed window, access proceeds according to other conditions; otherwise, access is denied or limited to a remediation network. This real-time evaluation ensures that organizational requirements are strictly enforced without manual intervention.
The integration of time conditions within policy sets provides flexibility and granularity. For instance, different departments may have unique schedules, or contractors may be limited to certain hours of operation. Time-based conditions can also complement other attributes, such as device posture, location, or identity group. By combining these elements in policy sets, Cisco ISE enables complex access scenarios that align with business policies, compliance mandates, and operational needs.
By contrast, posture assessment alone does not account for time-based constraints. It focuses on security compliance metrics to determine whether a device is trustworthy, but the system would need additional mechanisms, like policy sets, to consider temporal factors. Guest access focuses on temporary sessions without integrating broader time-based rules for all users or devices. pxGrid focuses on sharing contextual intelligence with external systems, not on evaluating the current time relative to access policy conditions.
The feature that allows administrators to implement time-based access policies is policy sets. They provide a comprehensive framework that evaluates multiple contextual factors, including temporal conditions, to make real-time authentication and authorization decisions. This functionality ensures consistent enforcement of schedules and operational policies across the network. It allows organizations to maintain security, control access, and comply with internal or regulatory requirements while minimizing administrative overhead. All other features—posture assessment, guest access, and pxGrid—serve critical roles but do not provide the specific capability to define and enforce access windows based on time. The ability to enforce temporal policies at the point of authentication and authorization distinguishes policy sets as the correct mechanism for time-based access control in Cisco ISE.
Question 7
Which Cisco ISE component is primarily responsible for storing and managing all system configuration and policy definitions?
A) Policy Administration Node
B) Policy Service Node
C) Monitoring Node
D) pxGrid Controller
Answer: A
Explanation :
The component that stores and manages system configurations and policy definitions is critical for centralized management of Cisco ISE. The Policy Administration Node (PAN) provides the administrative interface for creating, modifying, and distributing configuration information to other nodes in a distributed deployment. Administrators interact with the PAN to define authentication policies, authorization rules, policy sets, identity groups, profiling rules, posture requirements, and device administration policies. It serves as the authoritative source for all configuration data and ensures consistency across the network by replicating policies to Policy Service Nodes (PSNs) and other relevant nodes. PAN is responsible for system-wide policy lifecycle management and acts as the central control point for changes, updates, and versioning of configuration settings. It also handles certificate management, administrative accounts, logging settings, and other system-level configurations that are necessary for proper ISE operation.
The Policy Service Node is primarily focused on processing authentication and authorization requests. It interacts with network devices, endpoints, and identity sources to validate credentials and enforce policies defined by the PAN. While PSNs rely on the PAN for the policies they apply, they do not store or manage the configuration themselves. Their function is operational rather than administrative; they implement access decisions in real-time based on the centralized configuration. Although PSNs may cache configuration temporarily for performance reasons, the authoritative source remains the PAN.
The Monitoring Node provides visibility into system operations, session activity, and compliance reports. It collects logs from various nodes, aggregates events, and presents them through dashboards and reports. While it provides essential operational intelligence, it does not store the master configuration or allow administrators to define or modify policies. Its purpose is monitoring and analytics, offering insights into authentication successes and failures, posture results, profiling outcomes, and other operational metrics. This visibility enables troubleshooting, capacity planning, and audit reporting, but it does not influence policy creation or replication.
The pxGrid Controller facilitates information exchange between Cisco ISE and external systems. It allows subscribing platforms to receive contextual data such as endpoint identity, security posture, and session state. While pxGrid enhances integration and adaptive security, it does not store configuration or act as the primary source for policies. Its role is focused on interoperability and sharing of real-time context with other security tools.
Because only one component is responsible for centralized configuration management, including policy creation, editing, and distribution to operational nodes, the PAN is the correct choice. It ensures that all enforcement nodes apply consistent policies, providing reliability and predictability in network access control. This distinction separates administrative functions from operational enforcement, monitoring, and integration roles within a Cisco ISE deployment.
Question 8
Which feature of Cisco ISE allows an endpoint to be automatically redirected to a remediation portal when it fails compliance checks?
A) Posture Assessment
B) Profiling
C) Guest Access
D) pxGrid
Answer: A
Explanation:
The feature responsible for evaluating endpoint compliance and redirecting noncompliant devices to remediation is posture assessment. Posture assessment verifies whether devices meet security requirements, such as having updated antivirus software, enabled firewalls, operating system patches, or encryption standards. When a device fails these checks, the system can enforce a limited access state by assigning the endpoint to a restricted VLAN or downloadable ACL. Simultaneously, the user or device can be redirected to a remediation portal, where corrective actions are provided. This ensures that endpoints either meet security policies or are prevented from gaining unrestricted network access. Posture assessment enables organizations to maintain a strong security posture while guiding users through compliance remediation.
Profiling identifies devices on the network by analyzing attributes such as MAC addresses, DHCP information, CDP/LLDP details, and traffic behavior. While profiling helps classify endpoints and informs policy decisions, it does not enforce compliance checks or redirect devices to remediation portals. Profiling is mainly used for device identification and contextual policy application, rather than security enforcement for health-related issues.
Guest access allows temporary or sponsored users to access the network through registration portals. It can limit session duration or apply access rules for guest devices. However, it does not evaluate endpoint compliance against corporate security requirements or trigger remediation workflows for noncompliant devices. Its focus is providing controlled access to visitors rather than maintaining corporate endpoint security standards.
pxGrid is used for sharing contextual information between Cisco ISE and other integrated security systems. It enables adaptive security by distributing endpoint identity, session context, and risk information, but it does not perform health assessments or remediation redirection. Its purpose is integration and data exchange, not direct enforcement of compliance policies.
Posture assessment evaluates devices either with agents installed on endpoints or using agentless methods. Once the evaluation is complete, if the device is noncompliant, the system can dynamically apply policies restricting access and automatically redirect the user to a remediation portal. The portal typically contains instructions, software, or patches needed to bring the device into compliance. When remediation is successful, the system can re-evaluate the endpoint and grant full network access. This process ensures network security is maintained without preventing users from correcting deficiencies.
Because it directly performs compliance verification and initiates automated remediation workflows, posture assessment is the correct answer. The other features—profiling, guest access, and pxGrid—support identity classification, temporary access, or integration but do not provide this automated remediation capability.
Question 9
Which Cisco ISE feature supports centralized command authorization and auditing for network devices?
A) Device Administration
B) Policy Sets
C) Profiling
D) Guest Access
Answer: A
Explanation :
Device Administration in Cisco ISE provides centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) for administrative access to network devices. It ensures that network operators are authenticated before accessing switches, routers, firewalls, or wireless controllers. Once authenticated, Device Administration enforces role-based command authorization, granting access only to the commands that the operator is permitted to execute. All administrative actions are logged and auditable, allowing organizations to track configuration changes and ensure compliance with internal policies and external regulations. This feature reduces the risk of misconfigurations, insider threats, and unauthorized access to critical network infrastructure.
Policy sets define access control rules for network users and devices, combining identity, location, device type, and contextual conditions. While they provide powerful enforcement for endpoints and network sessions, they do not control administrative access to network devices or provide command-level authorization. Policy sets focus on user and device access rather than operational network management.
Profiling identifies devices based on DHCP information, MAC addresses, traffic patterns, and link-layer protocols. It is valuable for device classification and policy application but does not manage administrative access or command authorization for network infrastructure. Its purpose is endpoint identification and contextual awareness, not AAA for administrators.
Guest access provides temporary network access for visitors through portals, approvals, and session management. While it is essential for secure visitor access, it does not authenticate administrators or manage command-level permissions on network devices. Its function is strictly related to non-employee access rather than operational device control.
Device Administration integrates with TACACS+ and RADIUS protocols to enforce AAA for network device management. It ensures secure authentication, applies granular command restrictions, and maintains detailed audit logs for accountability. By providing centralized control, Device Administration allows organizations to manage administrative privileges consistently and securely. It supports compliance and operational governance by maintaining a clear record of who accessed what device, which commands were executed, and when the actions occurred.
Because this feature provides centralized authentication, granular command authorization, and detailed auditing for network devices, Device Administration is the correct choice. Policy sets, profiling, and guest access serve other purposes in access control, classification, or temporary connectivity but do not handle administrative network device management.
Question 10
Which Cisco ISE feature allows integration with external threat detection systems to automatically adjust access policies based on security events?
A) pxGrid
B) Policy Sets
C) Device Administration
D) Guest Access
Answer: A
Explanation :
The feature designed to share contextual information with external security systems and respond dynamically to threat intelligence is pxGrid. pxGrid enables Cisco ISE to integrate with other platforms such as firewalls, endpoint protection, SIEMs, and threat detection systems. Through this integration, contextual information about users, devices, sessions, and risk posture can be shared in real time, allowing policies to adapt automatically to security events. For example, if a threat detection system identifies a compromised endpoint, pxGrid can notify Cisco ISE, which can trigger policy adjustments such as placing the device in a quarantine VLAN, restricting access, or forcing reauthentication. pxGrid enables adaptive security by allowing dynamic responses to threats based on centralized identity and session context, reducing the manual intervention required to protect the network. It provides a standardized, bi-directional communication framework to ensure that multiple security systems can react to and enforce policy changes consistently and efficiently.
Policy sets define structured rules for authentication and authorization of endpoints and users. They allow administrators to combine identity, device type, location, and contextual attributes to enforce access control. However, while policy sets enforce decisions based on conditions, they do not integrate dynamically with external threat intelligence platforms. They are local to the ISE environment and rely on internal or predefined contextual conditions rather than real-time external alerts.
Device Administration manages administrative access to network devices. It ensures authentication, command authorization, and auditing for administrative users accessing routers, switches, firewalls, and other network equipment. While Device Administration is essential for controlling privileged access, it does not provide integration with external security systems to influence network access policies based on detected threats.
Guest Access provides temporary network access for visitors and external users. It manages registration, approval, and session time limits for non-employee devices. While important for security and operational efficiency, Guest Access does not interact with threat intelligence or adapt policy in response to security events. Its scope is limited to temporary access provisioning.
pxGrid allows adaptive security by providing the ability to share endpoint and session context with subscribing security systems. If a subscribing SIEM or endpoint protection platform detects suspicious behavior, pxGrid facilitates the automatic adjustment of access rights, ensuring rapid containment of potential threats. It enables a proactive security posture by combining identity-based network access with threat intelligence. This dynamic integration differentiates pxGrid from other features that enforce static or local policies, making it the correct answer.
Question 11
In Cisco ISE, which feature allows the system to identify endpoints without requiring user login credentials?
A) Profiling
B) Posture Assessment
C) Guest Access
D) Policy Sets
Answer: A
Explanation :
The feature responsible for identifying devices without requiring user credentials is profiling. Profiling collects information from endpoints by monitoring network activity and extracting characteristics from DHCP requests, MAC addresses, CDP/LLDP attributes, HTTP headers, and other protocol-based data. By analyzing these attributes, ISE can categorize devices into predefined or custom classes such as printers, phones, cameras, laptops, or IoT devices. Profiling works passively, without user involvement, and allows administrators to enforce policies tailored to device types. This capability is critical in networks where endpoints cannot authenticate through traditional credentials, such as networked printers or surveillance cameras. It also enables dynamic policy application based on device identity, improving both security and operational efficiency.
Posture Assessment evaluates the security compliance of devices, including antivirus, firewall, patches, and encryption. While posture assessment may influence access decisions, it requires a device to participate in the evaluation process and does not identify endpoints solely through network observation. Posture focuses on health and compliance rather than identifying device types without user credentials.
Guest Access provides temporary access for visitors or non-employees. Users must often authenticate via registration portals or sponsor approval. Guest access is not designed to passively identify endpoints on the network; its focus is controlled provisioning and session management for temporary users.
Policy Sets define access rules based on identity, device type, location, and other conditions. While policy sets rely on information from profiling or other sources to enforce rules, they do not directly identify devices without credentials. They are decision frameworks rather than observation mechanisms.
Profiling continuously analyzes traffic and endpoint attributes to provide accurate device classification. By leveraging multiple data sources, it increases the confidence in classification and enables automated policy enforcement. Devices that cannot log in are still identifiable through passive network monitoring. This makes profiling the correct choice for identifying endpoints without requiring credentials.
Question 12
Which Cisco ISE feature provides selective wiping of corporate data on personal devices in BYOD environments?
A) App Protection Policies
B) Posture Assessment
C) Policy Sets
D) Guest Access
Answer: A
Explanation :
App Protection Policies enable administrators to enforce security controls on corporate applications installed on personal devices while leaving personal apps and data untouched. This capability is critical in BYOD environments, where users own devices but access corporate resources. App Protection Policies can remotely remove corporate email accounts, corporate apps, and sensitive data without affecting personal content. These policies also enforce data-sharing restrictions, preventing the transfer of corporate data to unmanaged apps or storage. The policies help maintain security and regulatory compliance while respecting user privacy. When a device is lost, stolen, or a user leaves the organization, selective wipe ensures that corporate information is removed promptly, reducing risk exposure.
Posture Assessment focuses on evaluating the security health of a device, such as antivirus status, OS updates, and firewall settings. Although it determines whether a device is compliant and can enforce restricted network access, it does not provide selective wiping of corporate data. Its function is security compliance evaluation rather than data removal or privacy management.
Policy Sets define access control rules for users and devices. They combine identity, device type, location, and other contextual attributes to determine network access. Policy sets control authorization and enforcement but do not manage corporate data on endpoints. While they may influence whether a device is allowed network access, they do not perform selective wiping.
Guest Access provides temporary or sponsored network access for visitors. It manages authentication, session time limits, and authorization for non-employee users. Guest access does not handle corporate app security, selective wipe, or BYOD management. Its scope is limited to temporary access provisioning.
App Protection Policies operate at the application layer, providing targeted enforcement of corporate data security while maintaining user privacy. This capability allows organizations to secure corporate resources in BYOD scenarios, remove corporate data when necessary, and prevent data leakage. Because this feature addresses selective wiping specifically, it is the correct answer.
Question 13
Which Cisco ISE feature allows the system to apply policies based on the endpoint’s compliance with security requirements before granting full network access?
A) Posture Assessment
B) Profiling
C) Guest Access
D) Policy Sets
Answer: A
Explanation:
The capability that evaluates endpoints against security requirements prior to granting full network access is known as posture assessment. Posture assessment determines whether an endpoint device complies with organizational security policies, including antivirus status, patch levels, disk encryption, firewall settings, and other configured security conditions. When a device attempts to connect to the network, the posture assessment mechanism engages to gather health information through agent-based or agentless methods. The endpoint is then evaluated against the defined posture policies to determine its compliance. If the device is compliant, full network access is granted. If it is noncompliant, restricted access is applied, or the endpoint may be redirected to a remediation portal where it can be updated to meet security requirements. This ensures that only devices that meet security standards can access sensitive resources.
Profiling identifies endpoints by observing network behavior, MAC addresses, DHCP attributes, and link-layer information. Profiling is essential for device classification but does not assess compliance or health. While profiling may inform policy decisions, it does not enforce restrictions based on security posture. It does not interact with remediation portals or evaluate antivirus or patch levels.
Guest access provides temporary network connectivity for visitors or non-employees. It includes captive portals, registration workflows, and approval mechanisms. Guest access focuses on onboarding and controlled access for temporary users, not evaluating the security compliance of corporate devices. It cannot enforce posture-related access policies or redirect noncompliant devices to remediation portals.
Policy sets are decision frameworks that define authentication and authorization rules based on identity, device type, location, and other conditions. While policy sets are used to enforce rules, they rely on external input such as posture results or profiling information. Policy sets themselves do not directly determine compliance; they implement access rules after compliance evaluation has occurred.
Posture assessment works in conjunction with policy sets to enforce access based on endpoint health. It evaluates devices, applies remediation workflows, and reports compliance results. The combination of posture assessment and policy enforcement ensures network security is maintained while providing a clear path for users to correct deficiencies. Because posture assessment is the feature that specifically evaluates endpoint compliance before granting full access, it is the correct answer.
Question 14
Which Cisco ISE component processes RADIUS authentication and authorization requests from network devices?
A) Policy Service Node
B) Policy Administration Node
C) Monitoring Node
D) pxGrid Controller
Answer: A
Explanation:
The component responsible for processing RADIUS authentication and authorization requests is the Policy Service Node (PSN). PSNs handle real-time access control by receiving authentication requests from network devices such as switches, wireless controllers, and VPN concentrators. They validate user credentials or device certificates against identity sources such as Active Directory or LDAP, evaluate contextual information like location, device type, or posture, and then apply authorization rules to determine the level of network access. The PSN performs these functions in real-time, providing immediate enforcement of policies defined centrally in the Policy Administration Node.
The Policy Administration Node is responsible for creating, storing, and distributing configuration and policy definitions. While it ensures consistent policy deployment across PSNs and other nodes, it does not process live authentication requests. Its function is administrative rather than operational.
The Monitoring Node collects logs and session data from PSNs and other nodes, providing dashboards, reports, and alerts. While it receives copies of authentication and authorization events, it does not evaluate credentials or make access decisions. Its purpose is visibility, auditing, and analytics, not real-time enforcement.
The pxGrid Controller enables the sharing of contextual information between Cisco ISE and external systems. While it provides adaptive security and integration with threat detection platforms, it does not directly process RADIUS authentication or authorization. Its function is data exchange and context-sharing rather than live access control.
PSNs execute the core operational function in a distributed Cisco ISE deployment. They are responsible for evaluating requests against authentication and authorization policies, applying policy rules, and communicating results back to the network device. PSNs may be deployed redundantly to ensure scalability and high availability. Because PSNs process the live RADIUS transactions that grant or deny network access, they are the correct answer.
Question 15
Which Cisco ISE feature enables the assignment of Security Group Tags (SGTs) to users and endpoints to support TrustSec-based access control?
A) Security Group Tagging
B) Posture Assessment
C) Profiling
D) Guest Access
Answer: A
Explanation :
The feature that allows the assignment of Security Group Tags (SGTs) to users and endpoints is Security Group Tagging. SGTs are numerical identifiers assigned to endpoints or users to represent their security group or role in the organization. These tags are used by TrustSec-enabled network devices to enforce access control policies regardless of the underlying IP addresses or VLAN assignments. By applying SGTs, administrators can implement scalable, identity-based network segmentation and control communication between endpoints according to security group policies. The SGT is propagated through the network using TrustSec mechanisms, and enforcement points apply access policies based on these tags.
Posture assessment evaluates device compliance with security requirements, such as antivirus, patch levels, and firewall settings. While posture can influence authorization outcomes, it does not assign SGTs or define TrustSec group membership. Posture ensures endpoints are compliant but does not directly manage segmentation tags.
Profiling identifies endpoint types based on MAC addresses, DHCP attributes, or traffic behavior. Profiling can influence policy decisions by providing device context, but it does not assign SGTs or enforce TrustSec-based access control. Its role is classification, not tagging or policy enforcement.
Guest access provides temporary network access for visitors, including captive portal login, registration workflows, and session limits. Guest access does not assign SGTs or support TrustSec; it manages temporary user sessions rather than scalable network segmentation based on security groups.
Security Group Tagging integrates with authorization policies in Cisco ISE to assign SGTs during the authentication and authorization process. Once assigned, network devices use the SGTs to enforce communication policies between groups, enabling secure, role-based access control that scales across complex networks. Because this feature directly supports TrustSec-based segmentation and SGT assignment, it is the correct answer.