Paloalto Networks XDR-Analyst Palo Alto Networks XDR Analyst Exam Practice Test

 The statement that best describes how Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) works is D, BTP uses machine learning to recognize malicious activity even if it is not known. BTP is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to define custom rules to detect and block malicious behaviors on endpoints. BTP uses machine learning to profile behavior and detect anomalies indicative of attack. BTP can recognize malicious activity based on file attributes, registry keys, processes, network connections, and other criteria, even if the activity is not associated with any known malware or threat. BTP rules are updated through content updates and can be managed from the Cortex XDR console.

The other statements are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because BTP does not inject into known vulnerable processes to detect malicious activity. BTP does not rely on process injection, which is a technique used by some malware to hide or execute code within another process. BTP monitors the behavior of all processes on the endpoint, regardless of their vulnerability status, and compares them with the BTP rules.

B is incorrect because BTP does not run on the Cortex XDR and distribute behavioral signatures to all agents. BTP runs on the Cortex XDR agent, which is installed on the endpoint, and analyzes the endpoint data locally. BTP does not use behavioral signatures, which are predefined patterns of malicious behavior, but rather uses machine learning to identify anomalies and deviations from normal behavior.

C is incorrect because BTP does not match EDR data with rules provided by Cortex XDR. BTP is part of the EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) capabilities of Cortex XDR, and uses the EDR data collected by the Cortex XDR agent to perform behavioral analysis. BTP does not match the EDR data with rules provided by Cortex XDR, but rather applies the BTP rules defined by the Cortex XDR administrator or the Palo Alto Networks threat research team.

 Local Analysis is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows the agent to evaluate files locally on the endpoint, without sending them to WildFire for analysis. Local Analysis is evoked when the following conditions are met:

The endpoint is disconnected from the internet or the Cortex XDR management console, and therefore cannot communicate with WildFire.

The verdict from WildFire is of a type unknown, meaning that WildFire has not yet analyzed the file or has not reached a conclusive verdict.

Local Analysis uses machine learning models to assess the behavior and characteristics of the file and assign it a verdict of either benign, malware, or grayware. If the verdict is malware or grayware, the agent will block the file from running and report it to the Cortex XDR management console. If the verdict is benign, the agent will allow the file to run and report it to the Cortex XDR management console. References:

Local Analysis

WildFire File Verdicts

 The Broker VM is a virtual machine that acts as a data broker between third-party data sources and the Cortex Data Lake. It can ingest different types of data, such as syslog, netflow, database, and pathfinder. The Syslog Collector functionality of the Broker VM allows it to receive syslog messages from third-party devices, such as firewalls, routers, switches, and servers, and forward them to the Cortex Data Lake. The Syslog Collector can be configured to filter, parse, and enrich the syslog messages before sending them to the Cortex Data Lake. The Syslog Collector can also be used to ingest logs from third-party firewall vendors, such as Cisco, Fortinet, and Check Point, to the Cortex Data Lake. This enables Cortex XDR to analyze the firewall logs and provide visibility and threat detection across the network perimeter. References:

Cortex XDR Data Broker VM

Syslog Collector

Supported Third-Party Firewall Vendors

 File Search and Destroy is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to search for and remove malicious files from endpoints. You can use this feature to find files by their hash, full path, or partial path using regex parameters. You can then select the files from the search results and destroy them by hash or by path. When you destroy a file by hash, all the file instances on the endpoint are removed. File Search and Destroy is useful for quickly responding to threats and preventing further damage. References:

Search and Destroy Malicious Files

Cortex XDR Pro Administrator Guide

An example of an attack vector for ransomware is phishing emails containing malicious attachments. Phishing is a technique that involves sending fraudulent emails that appear to come from a legitimate source, such as a bank, a company, or a government agency. The emails typically contain a malicious attachment, such as a PDF document, a ZIP archive, or a Microsoft Office document, that contains ransomware or a ransomware downloader. When the recipient opens or downloads the attachment, the ransomware is executed and encrypts the files or data on the victim’s system. The attacker then demands a ransom for the decryption key, usually in cryptocurrency.

Phishing emails are one of the most common and effective ways of delivering ransomware, as they can bypass security measures such as firewalls, antivirus software, or URL filtering. Phishing emails can also exploit the human factor, as they can trick the recipient into opening the attachment by using social engineering techniques, such as impersonating a trusted sender, creating a sense of urgency, or appealing to curiosity or greed. Phishing emails can also target specific individuals or organizations, such as executives, employees, or customers, in a technique called spear phishing, which increases the chances of success.

According to various sources, phishing emails are the main vector of ransomware attacks, accounting for more than 90% of all ransomware infections12. Some of the most notorious ransomware campaigns, such as CryptoLocker, Locky, and WannaCry, have used phishing emails as their primary delivery method3 . Therefore, it is essential to educate users on how to recognize and avoid phishing emails, as well as to implement security solutions that can detect and block malicious attachments. References:

Top 7 Ransomware Attack Vectors & How to Avoid Becoming a Victim - Bitsight

What Is the Main Vector of Ransomware Attacks? A Definitive Guide

CryptoLocker Ransomware Information Guide and FAQ

[Locky Ransomware Information, Help Guide, and FAQ]

[WannaCry ransomware attack]

 The minimum Cortex XDR agent version required for Kubernetes Cluster is Cortex XDR 7.5. This version introduces the Cortex XDR agent for Kubernetes hosts, which provides protection and visibility for Linux hosts that run on Kubernetes clusters. The Cortex XDR agent for Kubernetes hosts supports the following features:

Anti-malware protection

Behavioral threat protection

Exploit protection

File integrity monitoring

Network security

Audit and remediation

Live terminal

To install the Cortex XDR agent for Kubernetes hosts, you need to deploy the Cortex XDR agent as a DaemonSet on your Kubernetes cluster. You also need to configure the agent settings profile and the agent installer in the Cortex XDR management console. References:

Cortex XDR Agent Release Notes: This document provides the release notes for Cortex XDR agent versions, including the new features, enhancements, and resolved issues.

Install the Cortex XDR Agent for Kubernetes Hosts: This document explains how to install and configure the Cortex XDR agent for Kubernetes hosts using the Cortex XDR management console and the Kubernetes command-line tool.

Phishing is a technique that belongs to two MITRE ATT&CK tactics: Reconnaissance and Initial Access. Reconnaissance is the process of gathering information about a target before launching an attack. Phishing for information is a sub-technique of Reconnaissance that involves sending phishing messages to elicit sensitive information that can be used during targeting. Initial Access is the process of gaining a foothold in a network or system. Phishing is a sub-technique of Initial Access that involves sending phishing messages to execute malicious code on victim systems. Phishing can be used for both Reconnaissance and Initial Access depending on the objective and content of the phishing message. References:

Phishing, Technique T1566 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK® 1

Phishing for Information, Technique T1598 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK® 2

Phishing for information, Part 2: Tactics and techniques 3

PHISHING AND THE MITREATT&CK FRAMEWORK - EnterpriseTalk 4

Initial Access, Tactic TA0001 - Enterprise | MITRE ATT&CK® 5

The “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains” feature in a Cortex XDR Windows Malware profile allows the agent to take automatic actions against network connections and processes that are involved in malicious activity on the endpoint. The feature has two modes: Block IP Address and Kill Process1.

The two purposes of “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains” in a Cortex XDR Windows Malware profile are:

Automatically kill the processes involved in malicious activity. This can help to stop the malware from spreading or doing any further damage.

Automatically block the IP addresses involved in malicious traffic. This can help to prevent the malware from communicating with its command and control server or other malicious hosts.

The other two options, automatically close the connections involved in malicious traffic and automatically terminate the threads involved in malicious activity, are not specific to “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains”. They are general security measures that the agent can perform regardless of the feature.

 A global exception is a rule that allows you to exclude specific files, processes, or behaviors from being blocked or detected by Cortex XDR. A global exception applies to all endpoints in your organization that are protected by Cortex XDR. Creating a global exception for a vitally important piece of software that is known to be benign would prevent Cortex XDR from blocking this software in the future, for all endpoints in your organization.

To create a global exception, you need to follow these steps:

In the Cortex XDR management console, go to Policy Management > Exceptions and click Add Exception.

Select the Global Exception option and click Next.

Enter a name and description for the exception and click Next.

Select the type of exception you want to create, such as file, process, or behavior, and click Next.

Specify the criteria for the exception, such as file name, hash, path, process name, command line, or behavior name, and click Next.

Review the summary of the exception and click Finish.

Cortex XDR Malware Protection Profiles allow you to configure the malware prevention settings for Windows, Linux, and macOS endpoints. You can use SHA256 hash values in the Windows Malware Protection Profile to indicate allowed executables that you want to exclude from malware scanning. This can help you reduce false positives and improve performance by skipping the scanning of known benign files. You can add up to 1000 SHA256 hash values per profile. You cannot use SHA256 hash values in the Linux or macOS Malware Protection Profiles, but you can use other criteria such as file path, file name, or signer to exclude files from scanning. References:

Malware Protection Profiles

Configure a Windows Malware Protection Profile

PCDRA Study Guide

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that encrypts user files and prevents them from accessing their data until they pay a ransom. Ransomware can affect individual users, businesses, and organizations of all kinds. Ransomware attacks can cause costly disruptions, data loss, and reputational damage. Ransomware can spread through various methods, such as phishing emails, malicious attachments, compromised websites, or network vulnerabilities. Some ransomware variants can also self-propagate and infect other devices or networks. Ransomware authors typically demand payment in cryptocurrency or other untraceable methods, and may threaten to delete or expose the encrypted data if the ransom is not paid within a certain time frame. However, paying the ransom does not guarantee that the files will be decrypted or that the attackers will not target the victim again. Therefore, the best way to protect against ransomware is to prevent infection in the first place, and to have a backup of the data in case of an attack123456

The Broker VM is a virtual machine that you can deploy in your network to provide various services and functionalities to the Cortex XDR agents. One of the services that the Broker VM offers is the Local Agent Settings applet, which allows you to configure the agent proxy, agent installer, and content caching settings for the agents. The Local Agent Settings applet can support a maximum number of 10,000 agents per Broker VM. If you have more than 10,000 agents in your network, you need to deploy additional Broker VMs and distribute the load among them. References:

Broker VM Overview: This document provides an overview of the Broker VM and its features, requirements, and deployment options.

Configure the Broker VM: This document explains how to install, set up, and configure the Broker VM in an ESXi environment.

Manage Broker VM from the Cortex XDR Management Console: This document describes how to activate and manage the Broker VM applets from the Cortex XDR management console.

 When selecting multiple incidents at a time, the options that are available from the menu when a user right-clicks the incidents are: Assign incidents to an analyst in bulk and Change the status of multiple incidents. These options allow the user to perform bulk actions on the selected incidents, such as assigning them to a specific analyst or changing their status to open, in progress, resolved, or closed. These options can help the user to manage and prioritize the incidents more efficiently and effectively. To use these options, the user needs to select the incidents from the incident table, right-click on them, and choose the desired option from the menu. The user can also use keyboard shortcuts to perform these actions, such as Ctrl+A to select all incidents, Ctrl+Shift+A to assign incidents to an analyst, and Ctrl+Shift+S to change the status of incidents12

If you have an isolated network that is prevented from connecting to the Cortex Data Lake, you can use the Local Agent Proxy setup to facilitate the communication. The Local Agent Proxy is a type of Broker VM that acts as a proxy server for the Cortex XDR agents that are deployed on the isolated network. The Local Agent Proxy enables the Cortex XDR agents to communicate securely with the Cortex Data Lake and the Cortex XDR management console over the internet, without requiring direct access to the internet from the isolated network. The Local Agent Proxy also allows the Cortex XDR agents to download installation packages and content updates from the Cortex XDR management console. To use the Local Agent Proxy setup, you need to deploy a Broker VM on the isolated network and configure it as a Local Agent Proxy. You also need to deploy another Broker VM on a network that has internet access and configure it as a Remote Agent Proxy. The Remote Agent Proxy acts as a relay between the Local Agent Proxy and the Cortex Data Lake. You also need to install a strong cipher SHA256-based SSL certificate on both the Local Agent Proxy and the Remote Agent Proxy to ensure secure communication. You can read more about the Local Agent Proxy setup and how to configure it here1 and here2. References:

Local Agent Proxy

Configure the Local Agent Proxy Setup

The best step to ensure the same protection is extended to all your servers is to create indicators of compromise (IOCs) of the malicious files you have found to prevent their execution. IOCs are pieces of information that indicate a potential threat or compromise on an endpoint, such as file hashes, IP addresses, domain names, or registry keys. You can create IOCs in Cortex XDR to block or alert on any file or network activity that matches the IOCs. By creating IOCs of the malicious files involved in the cobalt strike attack, you can prevent them from running or spreading on any of your servers.

The other options are not the best steps for the following reasons:

A is not the best step because conducting a thorough Endpoint Malware scan may not detect or prevent the cobalt strike attack if the malicious files are obfuscated, encrypted, or hidden. Endpoint Malware scan is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to scan endpoints for known malware and quarantine any malicious files found. However, Endpoint Malware scan may not be effective against unknown or advanced threats that use evasion techniques to avoid detection.

B is not the best step because enabling DLL Protection on all servers may cause some false positives and disrupt legitimate applications. DLL Protection is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to block or alert on any DLL loading activity that matches certain criteria, such as unsigned DLLs, DLLs loaded from network locations, or DLLs loaded by specific processes. However, DLL Protection may also block or alert on benign DLL loading activity that is part of normal system or application operations, resulting in false positives and performance issues.

C is not the best step because enabling Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) with cytool may not prevent the attack from spreading if the malicious files are already on the endpoints or if the attack uses other methods to evade detection. Behavioral Threat Protection is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to block or alert on any endpoint behavior that matches certain patterns, such as ransomware, credential theft, or lateral movement. Cytool is a command-line tool that allows you to configure and manage the Cortex XDR agent on the endpoint. However, Behavioral Threat Protection may not prevent the attack from spreading if the malicious files are already on the endpoints or if the attack uses other methods to evade detection, such as encryption, obfuscation, or proxy servers.

When deploying Cortex XDR agent on Kubernetes clusters as a DaemonSet, the license required is Cortex XDR Cloud per Host. This license allows you to protect and monitor your cloud workloads, such as Kubernetes clusters, containers, and serverless functions, using Cortex XDR. With Cortex XDR Cloud per Host license, you can deploy Cortex XDR agents as DaemonSets on your Kubernetes clusters, which ensures that every node in the cluster runs a copy of the agent. The Cortex XDR agent collects and sends data from the Kubernetes cluster, such as pod events, container logs, and network traffic, to the Cortex Data Lake for analysis and correlation. Cortex XDR can then detect and respond to threats across your cloud environment, and provide visibility and context into your cloud workloads. The Cortex XDR Cloud per Host license is based on the number of hosts that run the Cortex XDR agent, regardless of the number of containers or functions on each host. A host is defined as a virtual machine, a physical server, or a Kubernetes node that runs the Cortex XDR agent. You can read more about the Cortex XDR Cloud per Host license and how to deploy Cortex XDR agent on Kubernetes clusters here1 and here2. References:

Cortex XDR Cloud per Host License

Deploy Cortex XDR Agent on Kubernetes Clusters as a DaemonSet

Cortex XDR allows you to create two types of exception profiles: agent exception profiles and global exception profiles. Agent exception profiles apply to specific endpoints that are assigned to the profile. Global exception profiles apply to all endpoints in your network. You can use exception profiles to configure different types of exceptions, such as process exceptions, support exceptions, behavioral threat protection rule exceptions, local analysis rules exceptions, advanced analysis exceptions, or digital signer exceptions. Exception profiles help you fine-tune the security policies for your endpoints and reduce false positives. References:

Exception Security Profiles

Create an Agent Exception Profile

Create a Global Exception Profile

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

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

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

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

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

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

A supply chain attack is a type of cyberattack that targets a trusted third-party vendor who offers services or software vital to the supply chain. Software supply chain attacks inject malicious code into an application in order to infect all users of an app. The purpose of targeting software vendors in a supply-chain attack is to take advantage of a trusted software delivery method, such as an update or a download, that can reach a large number of potential victims. By compromising a software vendor, an attacker can bypass the security measures of the downstream organizations and gain access to their systems, data, or networks. References:

What Is a Supply Chain Attack? - Definition, Examples & More | Proofpoint US

What Is a Supply Chain Attack? - CrowdStrike

What Is a Supply Chain Attack? | Zscaler

What Is a Supply Chain Attack? Definition, Examples & Prevention

 To automatically convert leads into alerts after investigating a lead, you should create IOC rules based on the set of the collected attribute-value pairs over the affected entities concluded during the lead hunting. IOC rules are used to detect known threats based on indicators of compromise (IOCs) such as file hashes, IP addresses, domain names, etc. By creating IOC rules from the leads, you can prevent future occurrences of the same threats and generate alerts for them. References:

PCDRA Study Guide, page 25

Cortex XDR 3: Handling Cortex XDR Alerts, section 3.2

Cortex XDR Documentation, section “Create IOC Rules”

 You can star security events in Cortex XDR in two ways: manually star an alert or an incident, or create an alert-starring or incident-starring configuration. Starring security events helps you prioritize and track the events that are most important to you. You can also filter and sort the events by their star status in the Cortex XDR console.

To manually star an alert or an incident, you can use the star icon in the Alerts table or the Incidents table. You can also star an alert from the Causality View or the Query Center Results table. You can star an incident from the Incident View or the Query Center Results table. You can also unstar an event by clicking the star icon again.

To create an alert-starring or incident-starring configuration, you can use the Alert Starring Configuration or the Incident Starring Configuration pages in the Cortex XDR console. You can define the criteria for starring alerts or incidents based on their severity, category, source, or other attributes. You can also enable or disable the configurations as needed.

 A successful exploit is a piece of software or code that takes advantage of a vulnerability and executes malicious actions on the target system. A vulnerability is a weakness or flaw in a software or hardware component that can be exploited by an attacker. A successful exploit is one that achieves its intended goal, such as gaining unauthorized access, executing arbitrary code, escalating privileges, or compromising data.

In the given options, only B is an example of a successful exploit, because it involves a user executing code that exploits a vulnerability on a local service, such as a web server, a database, or a network protocol. This could allow the attacker to gain control over the service, access sensitive information, or perform other malicious actions.

Option A is not a successful exploit, because it involves connecting unknown media to an endpoint that copied malware due to Autorun. Autorun is a feature that automatically runs a program or script when a removable media, such as a USB drive, is inserted into a computer. This feature can be abused by malware authors to spread their malicious code, but it is not an exploit in itself. The malware still needs to exploit a vulnerability on the endpoint to execute its payload and cause damage.

Option C is not a successful exploit, because it involves identifying vulnerable services on a server. This is a step in the reconnaissance phase of an attack, where the attacker scans the target system for potential vulnerabilities that can be exploited. However, this does not mean that the attacker has successfully exploited any of the vulnerabilities, or that the vulnerabilities are even exploitable.

Option D is not a successful exploit, because it involves executing a process executable for well-known and signed software. This is a legitimate action that does not exploit any vulnerability or cause any harm. Well-known and signed software are programs that are widely used and trusted, and have a digital signature that verifies their authenticity and integrity. Executing such software does not pose a security risk, unless the software itself is malicious or compromised.

 Cortex XDR supports Live Terminal for Android systems, which allows you to remotely access and manage Android endpoints using a command-line interface. You can use Live Terminal to run Android commands, such as adb shell, adb logcat, adb install, and adb uninstall. You can also use Live Terminal to view and modify files, directories, and permissions on the Android endpoints. Live Terminal for Android systems does not support stopping an app or running APK scripts. References:

Cortex XDR documentation portal

Initiate a Live Terminal Session

Live Terminal Commands

To pivot within a row to Causality view and Timeline views for further investigation, you can use the Open Card and Open Timeline actions respectively. The Open Card action will open a new tab with the Causality view of the selected row, showing the causal chain of events that led to the alert. The Open Timeline action will open a new tab with the Timeline view of the selected row, showing the chronological sequence of events that occurred on the affected endpoint. These actions allow you to drill down into the details of each alert and understand the root cause and impact of the incident. References:

Cortex XDR User Guide, Chapter 9: Investigate Alerts, Section: Pivot to Causality View and Timeline View

PCDRA Study Guide, Section 3: Investigate and Respond to Alerts, Objective 3.1: Investigate alerts using the Causality view and Timeline view

The report output shows the number of endpoints that have forensic inventory data collection enabled, which is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows the collection of detailed information about the endpoint’s hardware, software, and network configuration. This feature helps analysts to investigate and respond to incidents more effectively by providing a comprehensive view of the endpoint’s state and activity. Forensic inventory data collection can be enabled or disabled per policy in Cortex XDR. References:

Forensic Inventory Data Collection

Cortex XDR 3: Getting Started with Endpoint Protection

 Ransomware attackers have a motivation to return access to systems once their victims have paid because they want to maintain their reputation and credibility. If they fail to restore access to systems, they risk losing the trust of future victims who may not believe that paying the ransom will result in getting their data back. This would reduce the effectiveness and profitability of their scheme. Therefore, ransomware attackers have an incentive to honor their promises and decrypt the data after receiving the ransom. References:

What is the motivation behind ransomware? | Foresite

As Ransomware Attackers’ Motives Change, So Should Your Defense - Forbes

The Agent Auto Upgrade widget shows the status of the agent auto upgrade feature on the endpoints. The widget displays the number of agents that are up to date, in progress, pending, failed, and not configured. In this case, the widget shows that there are 450 agents that are up to date, 78 in progress, 15 pending, 18 failed, and 128 not configured. This means that the agent auto upgrade feature was enabled but not on all endpoints. References:

Cortex XDR Agent Auto Upgrade

PCDRA Study Guide