156-215.81 Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81.20 Questions and Answers

 To enforce the Security Policy correctly, a Security Gateway requires awareness of the network topology. This means that the gateway knows which networks and interfaces are internal and external, and how to route packets between them . References: [Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide], Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

 The correct answer is B because after installing a new multicore CPU, the administrator needs to configure CoreXL to make use of the additional cores and reboot the Security Gateway. Installing the Security Policy is not necessary because it does not affect the CoreXL configuration1. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The correct answer is D because the command save configuration  stores the Gaia configuration in a file for later reference1. The other commands are not valid in Gaia Clish1. References: Gaia R81.10 Administration Guide

Logs are not automatically forwarded to a new Log Server. SmartConsole must be used to manually configure each gateway to send its logs to the server. After adding a new Log Server and establishing the SIC trust with the SMS, the administrator must use SmartConsole to assign the Log Server to each gateway in the Logs and Masters section of the gateway properties2. The other options are not correct, as gateways can send logs to both SMS and Log Server, Log Servers are not proprietary log archive servers, and gateways will not detect the new Log Server after the next policy install.

The SOLR database is used for full text search and enables powerful matching capabilities3 . SOLR is an open source enterprise search platform that provides fast and scalable indexing and searching of data. It supports advanced features such as faceting, highlighting, spell checking, synonyms, etc. The SOLR database is used by Check Point products such as SmartLog and SmartEvent to store and query logs and events3 . The other options are incorrect. Option B is false, as SOLR does not write data to the database, but only reads data from it. Option C is false, as SOLR does not serve GUI, but only provides a RESTful API for queries. Option D is false, as SOLR does not enable powerful matching capabilities and write data to the database, but only enables powerful matching capabilities. References: SOLR - Check Point Software, [Apache Solr]

The components of Check Point Capsule are Capsule Docs, Capsule Cloud, and Capsule Workspace123. There is no Capsule Enterprise component. Capsule Docs protects business documents everywhere they go. Capsule Cloud protects mobile users outside the enterprise security perimeter. Capsule Workspace creates a secure business environment on mobile devices. References: Check Point Capsule Datasheet, Check Point Capsule Workspace Datasheet, Mobile Secure Workspace with Capsule

The answer is B because bridge mode deployment adds a Security Gateway to an existing environment without changing IP routing. Bridge mode is a transparent mode that does not require assigning IP addresses to the Security Gateway interfaces. Distributed deployment is a deployment where the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on separate machines. Remote deployment is a deployment where the Security Gateway is installed on a remote site and connects to the Security Management Server over a VPN tunnel. Standalone deployment is a deployment where the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on the same machine.References: [Check Point R81 Bridge Mode], [Check Point R81 Deployment Scenarios]

The types of Software Containers are Security Management, Security Gateway, and Endpoint Security. Software Containers are virtual environments that run on top of Gaia OS and allow multiple instances of Check Point products to coexist on the same physical machine. The other options are not valid types of Software Containers.

The option that allows traffic to VPN gateways in specific VPN communities is Specific VPN Communities4. This option enables you to define which VPN communities are allowed in the rule. All Connections (Clear or Encrypted) allows traffic to any destination, regardless of whether it is encrypted or not. Accept all encrypted traffic allows traffic to any encrypted destination, regardless of the VPN community. All Site-to-Site VPN Communities allows traffic to any site-to-site VPN gateway, regardless of the VPN community4. Therefore, the correct answer is C. Specific VPN Communities.

The TCP/IP model is made up of four layers: Application, Transport, Internet, and Network Interface1, p. 10. The TCP/IP model is a simplified version of the OSI model, which has seven layers: Application, Presentation, Session, Transport, Network, Data Link, and Physical. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [TCP/IP Model Explained]

Accept all encrypted traffic is the option that will match a connection regardless of its association with a VPN community2. This option allows encrypted traffic from any VPN peer, even if it is not defined in a VPN community2. References: Site to Site VPN in R80.x - Tutorial for Beginners

The option that is NOT an advantage of Stateful Inspection is No Screening above Network layer. Stateful Inspection is a firewall technology that inspects packets at all layers of the OSI model, from layer 3 (Network) to layer 7 (Application). Stateful Inspection provides screening above Network layer, such as checking TCP flags, sequence numbers, ports, and application protocols . The other options are advantages of Stateful Inspection, as it provides high performance, good security, and transparency for legitimate traffic.

References: Stateful Inspection Technology, Firewall Administration Guide

The Object Explorer is the part of SmartConsole that allows administrators to add, edit, delete, and clone objects. Objects are entities that represent network elements, such as hosts, networks, gateways, services, users, etc. The Object Explorer provides a tree view of all the objects in the database and allows searching, filtering, and grouping them2. References: Check Point R81 SmartConsole R81 User Guide

The correct answer is D because sending API commands over an http connection using web-services is not one of the ways to communicate using the Management API’s3. The Management API’s support HTTPS protocol only, not HTTP3. The other methods are valid ways to communicate using the Management API’s3. References: Check Point Learning and Training Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

In order for changes made to policy to be enforced by a Security Gateway, an administrator must perform Install Policy3. This action transfers the policy package from the Security Management Server to the Security Gateway and activates it. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

From SmartConsole, go to the Log & Monitor and filter for the IP address of the tablet is the correct answer. This is because the Log & Monitor view in SmartConsole allows you to view and analyze logs and events from various sources, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, and SmartEvent Servers. You can use filters to search for specific logs and events based on different criteria, such as source IP, destination IP, action, time, etc. References: [Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80.20]

When enabling tracking on a rule, the default option is Log. This option generates a log entry for each connection that matches the rule. The log entry contains information such as the source, destination, service, action, and time of the connection.References: [Logging and Monitoring R81], [Logging and Monitoring]

The option that is used to enforce changes made to a Rule Base is Install policy. Installing policy is the process of sending the security policy and the network objects from the Security Management Server to the Security Gateway1, p. 22. Publishing database and saving changes are options that are used to save changes made to a Rule Base, but they do not enforce them on the Security Gateway2. Activating policy is not a valid option in SmartConsole. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point SmartConsole R81 Help

 Gaia has two default user accounts that cannot be deleted. They are Admin and Monitor. Admin is the user account that has full administrative privileges and can access both WebUI and CLI. Monitor is the user account that has read-only privileges and can access only WebUI2. The other options are not default user accounts in Gaia.

 Threat Prevention is a comprehensive solution that protects networks from malicious attacks by using multiple security blades, such as Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, IPS, Threat Emulation, and Threat Extraction. A Threat Prevention profile defines the actions and settings for each blade and can be applied to different network segments or scenarios. The Perimeter profile is one of the predefined profiles that uses sanitization technology to protect users from malicious files and links. Sanitization technology includes Threat Emulation and Threat Extraction blades, which can detect and remove malware from files and web content. References: [Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide]

By default, the SIC certificates issued by R80 Management Server are based on the SHA-256 algorithm1. SHA-256 is a secure hash algorithm that produces a 256-bit digest. SHA-200, MD5, and SHA-128 are not valid algorithms for SIC certificates. References: SHA-1 and SHA-256 certificates in Check Point Internal CA (ICA)

The Access Role object type is used to grant network access to an LDAP user group. It defines a set of users and machines that can access a specific network resource34 References: Access Role, LDAP User Group

The way that the objects can be manipulated using the new API integration in R80 Management is JSON. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans and machines to read and write. The R80 Management API uses JSON as the primary data format for requests and responses. Therefore, the correct answer is B. JSON.

The command fwaccel stat shows the status of SecureXL, including whether Drop Templates are enabled or not1. References: Check Point SecureXL R81 Administration Guide

The VPN Domains configuration element determines which traffic should be encrypted into a VPN tunnel vs. sent in the clear. The VPN Domain is the set of hosts and networks that are allowed to communicate securely with the gateway12. The firewall topologies, NAT rules, and the rule base do not directly affect the VPN encryption decision. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide, CCSA/CCSE Exam Tips & Content - R80.X vs. R81.X - Check Point CheckMates

The INSPECT Engine is a technology that extracts detailed information from packets and stores that information in state tables. It enables stateful inspection and application layer filtering12 References: INSPECT Engine, Stateful Inspection

The options that are not tracking options are Partial log, Network log, and Full log. Tracking options are settings that determine how the Security Gateway handles traffic that matches a rule in the security policy. The valid tracking options are Log, Detailed Log, Extended Log, Alert, Mail, SNMP trap, User Defined Alert, and None. The other options are incorrect. Log is a tracking option that records basic information about the traffic, such as source, destination, service, action, etc. Detailed Log is a tracking option that records additional information about the traffic, such as NAT details, data amount, etc. Extended Log is a tracking option that records even more information about the traffic, such as matched IPS protections, application details, etc. References: [Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80 - Check Point Software]

Using AD Query, the security gateway connections to the Active Directory Domain Controllers using LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol). The other protocols are not used for this purpose.

References: : [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide], page 14.

The User Directory is used to obtain identification and security information about network users. It can be integrated with external user databases such as LDAP, RADIUS, or TACACS+. References: Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) R81.20 Course Overview, page 9.

 To make John’s changes available to other administrators, and to save the database before installing a policy, John must publish the session. Publishing the session saves the changes to the database and makes them visible to other administrators1. The other options do not achieve this goal. References: Publishing a Session

Back up and restores can be accomplished through SmartConsole, WebUI, or CLI12. These are the methods to perform system backup and restore, which save and restore the Gaia OS configuration and the Security Management Server database1. WebUI, CLI, or SmartUpdate are not valid methods, as SmartUpdate is used to install software packages and patches, not to back up or restore the system3. CLI, SmartUpdate, or SmartBackup are not valid methods, as SmartBackup is a feature of SmartProvisioning that allows backing up and restoring the configuration of Security Gateways and VSX clusters4. SmartUpdate, SmartBackup, or SmartConsole are not valid methods, as SmartConsole is used to configure and manage the Security Policy, not to back up or restore the system5.

References: System Backup and Restore feature in Gaia, Check Point R81.10, INSTALLATION AND UPGRADE GUIDE R81.10, SmartProvisioning R81.10 Administration Guide, QUANTUM SECURITY MANAGEMENT R81

 The BEST command to view configuration details of all interfaces in Gaia CLISH is show configuration interface3. This command displays the interface name, IP address, netmask, state, MTU, and other parameters for each interface. ifconfig -a, show interfaces, and show interfaces detail are not valid commands in Gaia CLISH. References: How to configure static routes in CLISH on Gaia OS and IPSO OS, GAIA CLISH Commands - Fir3net, Gaia Administration Guide R80 - Check Point Software, Gaia Clish commands including User Defined (Extended) commands

 Core Protections are installed as part of the Threat Prevention Policy. Core Protections are a set of IPS protections that are essential for securing your network against malicious traffic4. The other policies do not include Core Protections.

References: 1: Check Point CLI Reference Card 2: Anti-Spoofing 3: SmartView Tracker 4: Core Protections

 The command that can be used to determine the software version from the CLI is fw ver. This command displays the version of the firewall module and the build number3 . fw stat, fw monitor, and cpinfo are not commands for software version identification. References: Check Point R81 Command Line Interface Reference Guide, [156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test - ExamTopics]

 In hide NAT, the source IP address is translated. Hide NAT is also known as many-to-one NAT or PAT (Port Address Translation). It maps multiple private IP addresses to one public IP address by using different port numbers. Hide NAT allows outbound connections from the private network to the public network, but not inbound connections from the public network to the private network. In static NAT, the source or destination IP address is translated depending on the direction of the traffic. Static NAT is also known as one-to-one NAT or bi-directional NAT. It maps one private IP address to one public IP address and allows both outbound and inbound connections. In simple NAT, there is no translation of IP addresses. Simple NAT is also known as routing mode or transparent mode. It allows traffic to pass through the NAT device without any modification. There is no hide NAT for destination IP address translation5678 References: What Is Network Address Translation (NAT)?, Network address translation, Network Address Translation Definition, Network Address Translation (NAT)

The command that shows the installed licenses in Expert mode is cplic print. This command displays information about the licenses that are installed on the local machine or a remote machine1. The other commands are not valid for showing licenses in Expert mode. 

The main difference between Static NAT and Hide NAT is that Static NAT allows incoming and outgoing connections, while Hide NAT only allows outgoing connections4. Static NAT translates a single IP address to another single IP address, while Hide NAT translates a group of IP addresses to a single IP address. Static NAT is used to expose internal servers to external networks, while Hide NAT is used to hide internal hosts from external networks. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide

The user ID (UID) of a user that has all the privileges of a root user is 0. The root user is the superuser account that can perform any action on the system, such as changing file ownership, binding to network ports below 1024, or executing any command. The root user is identified by the UID 0, not by the name “root”, which is just a convention. It is possible to have another user account with the name “root”, but not with the same UID 0. 

A Distinguished Name (DN) is a unique identifier for an entry in an LDAP directory. A DN consists of a sequence of relative distinguished names (RDNs) separated by commas. Each RDN is composed of an attribute type and an attribute value, such as cn=John Smith or ou=Sales. A DN can have different components depending on the structure and schema of the LDAP directory, but some common components are: Common Name (cn), Country ©, Organizational Unit (ou), Organization (o), State or Province (st), and Locality (l). User container is not a component of a DN3. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

Application Control/URL filtering database library is known as AppWiki. AppWiki is an application classification and identification database that enables administrators to control access to thousands of applications and millions of websites. References: [Check Point R81 Application Control Administration Guide], [Check Point AppWiki]

 Browser-based Authentication sends users to a web page to acquire identities using Captive Portal and Transparent Kerberos Authentication. Captive Portal is a web page that prompts users to enter their credentials. Transparent Kerberos Authentication is a method that automatically authenticates users who have a valid Kerberos ticket from the Active Directory domain controller2. UserCheck is a feature that allows users to interact with the security policy, not a method of authentication. User Directory is a component that integrates with external user databases, not a web page for authentication. Captive Portal alone is not enough to fill in the blank, as it is only one of the methods used by Browser-based Authentication.

Gaia can be configured using the command line interface (CLI) or the WebUI. The CLI is a text-based interface that allows you to configure and manage Gaia settings using commands and scripts. The WebUI is a graphical interface that allows you to configure and manage Gaia settings using a web browser. Gaia Interface and GaiaUI are not valid terms for Gaia configuration tools.References: [Gaia Administration Guide], [Gaia Overview]

This log filter will show only the logs that have the action of “Key Install”, which means that the Security Gateway installed a new encryption key for the VPN tunnel1. It will also show only the logs that have the IP address of 1.1.1.1, which is the remote gateway that has some issues. Finally, it will show only the logs that have the Quick Mode, which is the IKE Phase 2 negotiation that establishes the agreed networks for both gateways2.

The other log filters are not correct because they either include the Main Mode, which is the IKE Phase 1 negotiation that establishes the secure channel between the gateways2, or they do not specify the IP address of the remote gateway.

• Logging and Monitoring R81.20 Administration Guide
• Remote Access VPN R81.20 Administration Guide
• Remote Access VPN R81 Administration Guide

RADIUS protocol uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) to communicate with the gateway. UDP is a connectionless protocol that does not require a handshake or acknowledgment before sending or receiving data2.

References: 2: [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide], page 14.

 When you upload a package or license to the appropriate repository in SmartUpdate, the package or license is stored on the Security Management Server. SmartUpdate is a tool that allows you to centrally manage software updates and licenses for all Check Point products on your network.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 16.

To achieve the requirement of giving the Network Operations Center administrator access to Check Point Security devices mostly for troubleshooting purposes, but not to the expert mode, and still allowing her to run tcpdump, you need to:

• Add tcpdump to CLISH using add command. This command adds a new command to the Command Line Interface Shell (CLISH) that allows running tcpdump without entering the expert mode .
• Create a new access role. This option defines a set of permissions and commands that can be assigned to a user or a group of users.
• Add tcpdump to the role. This option grants the permission to run tcpdump to the role.
• Create new user with any UID and assign role to the user. This option creates a new user account with any User ID (UID) and assigns the role that has tcpdump permission to the user.

References: [How to add a new command to CLISH], [Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide]

 RADIUS Accounting gets identity data from requests generated by the accounting client. RADIUS Accounting is a feature that allows tracking and measuring resource usage of network services by users. The accounting client, which is usually a network access server (NAS), sends accounting requests to a RADIUS server with information about user sessions, such as start and stop times, bytes transmitted and received, IP addresses, etc. The RADIUS server records this information in a database for billing, auditing, or reporting purposes. One of the mandatory attributes that the accounting client must include in every accounting request is the User-Name attribute, which identifies the user who is accessing the network service.

NAT (Network Address Translation) is a technique that modifies the IP addresses or ports of packets that pass through a security gateway. NAT can be configured in two ways: Automatic or Manual. Automatic NAT means that the NAT rules are generated automatically by the security gateway based on the NAT properties of network objects. Manual NAT means that the NAT rules are defined explicitly by the administrator in the NAT policy. Proxy ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is a technique that allows a security gateway to answer ARP requests on behalf of other hosts. Proxy ARP is needed when a host on one network segment tries to communicate with a host on another network segment that has a different IP address than its own. In some scenarios, an administrator will need to manually define Proxy ARP for NAT to work properly. One such scenario is when they configure a Manual Static NAT which translates to an IP address that does not belong to one of the firewall’s interfaces2. References: Check Point R81 Network Address Translation Administration Guide

This answer is correct because this is the recommended way to configure a VPN tunnel between two subnets and not all subnets defined in the default VPN domain of your gateway1. By creating a dedicated VPN Community, you can specify the VPN peers and the encryption settings for the VPN tunnel2. By selecting the local gateway in the Community, you can set the VPN Domain to ‘User defined’ and put in the local network that you want to include in the VPN tunnel1. This way, you can limit the VPN traffic to the subnets that you want and avoid unnecessary encryption and decryption of other traffic.

The other answers are not correct because they are either outdated or incorrect ways to configure a VPN tunnel between two subnets. Answer A and C are outdated methods that involve editing the user.def file, which is not recommended and can cause problems with the VPN configuration3. Answer D is incorrect because creating an in-line layer rule with source and destination containing the two networks used for the IKE P2 SA will not affect the VPN tunnel establishment, but only the access control policy4. The VPN column in the rule is used to specify the VPN direction, not the VPN Community name4.

• How to configure a Site-to-Site VPN with a universal tunnel
• Site to Site VPN R81 Administration Guide - Check Point Software
• How to configure a Site-to-Site VPN with a 3rd-party remote gateway
• Access Control Policy R81 Administration Guide - Check Point Software

UserCheck is a communication tool used to inform a user about a website or application they are trying to access. UserCheck allows administrators to define actions that require user interaction, such as asking for confirmation, informing about risks, or blocking access3, p. 38. UserCheck is not a messaging tool, an administrator tool, or a notification tool. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point UserCheck Administration Guide R81]

The two Check Point Protocols that are used by are FWD and LEA567. FWD is the Firewall Daemon that handles communication between different Check Point components, such as Security Management Server, Security Gateway, SmartConsole, etc. LEA is the Log Export API that allows external applications to retrieve logs from the Security Gateway or Security Management Server. Therefore, the correct answer is B. FWD and LEA. References: Border Gateway Protocol - Check Point Software, Check Point IPS Datasheet, List of valid protocols for services? - Check Point CheckMates

The communication between different Check Point components is secured in R80 by using SIC. SIC stands for Secure Internal Communication and it is a mechanism that ensures the authenticity and confidentiality of communication between Check Point components, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, Log Servers, etc. SIC uses certificates issued by the Internal CA (ICA) and encryption algorithms such as AES-25634. References: Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide, Check Point R81 Quantum Security Management Administration Guide

 The two types of NAT supported by the Security Gateway are hide NAT and static NAT. Hide NAT translates many source IP addresses into one IP address, usually the external interface of the gateway. Static NAT translates one source IP address into another IP address, usually a public IP address34. The other options are not valid types of NAT. References: Network Address Translation (NAT), Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

Aggressive Mode in IKEv1 uses three packets for negotiation, with all data required for the SA passed by the initiator1. The responder sends the proposal, key material, and ID, and authenticates the session in the next packet. The initiator replies and authenticates the session1.

The other answers are not correct because they either refer to the Main Mode in IKEv1, which uses six packets for negotiation2, or they are irrelevant to the number of packets used in Aggressive Mode.

• Understand IPsec IKEv1 Protocol - Cisco
• Negotiation modes for phase 1 - IBM
• FAQ-What are the differences between IKEv1 and IKEv2- Huawei

 Extended Log is a tracking option that enables administrators to see additional information about the traffic that matches a security rule, such as data type, file name, file size, etc. However, to see any data type information, Content Awareness must be enabled on the Security Gateway. Content Awareness is a blade that inspects files based on their type, size, name, and data. Content Awareness is required for Extended Log to work properly3. References: Check Point R81 Content Awareness Administration Guide

The following is considered a “Subscription Blade”, requiring renewal every 1-3 years: IPS blade4. The IPS blade is a software blade that provides protection against network attacks and exploits by inspecting traffic and blocking malicious packets. The IPS blade requires a subscription license that includes updates for the IPS signatures and Geo Protection database. Other subscription blades include Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, URL Filtering, Application Control, Threat Emulation, and Threat Extraction. References: Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User Guide

Quick Mode Complete is the message that indicates IKE Phase 2 has completed successfully2. IKE Phase 2 is also known as Quick Mode or Child SA in IKEv1 and IKEv2 respectively. Aggressive Mode and Main Mode are part of IKE Phase 1, which establishes the IKE SA. IKE Mode is not a valid term for IKE negotiation. References: How to Analyze IKE Phase 2 VPN Status Messages, IKEv2 Phase 1 (IKE SA) and Phase 2 (Child SA) Message Exchanges, Understand IPsec IKEv1 Protocol

 In R80 Management, apart from using SmartConsole, objects or rules can also be modified using a complete CLI and API interface using SSH and custom CPCode integration. This allows you to automate tasks, integrate with third-party tools, and create custom scripts . 3rd Party integration of CLI and API for Gateways or Management prior to R80 is not relevant for R80 Management. A complete CLI and API interface for Management with 3rd Party integration is not a specific option. References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point Learning and Training Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)]

A reason for manual creation of a NAT rule is when the public IP-address is different from the gateway’s external IP. This can happen when the gateway is behind another NAT device or firewall3 . References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

 If there are two administrators logged in at the same time to the SmartConsole, and there are objects locked for editing, the administrator who locked the objects must publish or discard the session to make them available to other administrators. Publishing or discarding the session will save or discard the changes made by the administrator and unlock the objects for editing by others3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 18.

The correct answer is A because the traffic from source 192.168.1.1 to www.google.com is handled by the Slow Path if the Application Control Blade on the gateway is inspecting the traffic 2. The Slow Path is used when traffic requires inspection by one or more Software Blades2. The other paths are used for different scenarios2. References: Check Point R81 Performance Tuning Administration Guide

The most likely reason for Vanessa’s authentication failure is that she is using the wrong details for SmartConsole. Check Point Management software authentication details are not automatically the same as the Operating System authentication details. She needs to use the credentials that were defined during the initial configuration of the Security Management Server, or the ones that were assigned to her by the administrator12. The other options are not valid reasons for this error. References: SmartConsole Login, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

SmartConsole, SmartEvent GUI client, and SmartView Web Application allow viewing of billions of consolidated logs and shows them as prioritized security events1. SmartView Web Application is a web-based interface that provides access to SmartEvent reports and dashboards2. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, Check Point R81 SmartEvent Administration Guide

 SmartUpdate is the application that is used for the central management and deployment of licenses and packages. SmartUpdate allows administrators to manage licenses, software updates, and hotfixes for multiple Security Gateways and cluster members from one central location2. SmartProvisioning is an application that enables centralized management of network devices. SmartLicense is a feature that simplifies license management by using a cloud-based portal. Deployment Agent is a component that enables automatic deployment of software packages3.

The BEST object type to represent an LDAP group in a Security Policy is an Access Role. An Access Role object defines a set of users, machines, or networks that can access a resource or service1, p. 27. An Access Role object can include LDAP groups as one of its components2, p. 10. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Identity Awareness Administration Guide R81

The Online Activation method is available for Check Point manufactured appliances. The administrator uses the Online Activation method by using the Gaia First Time Configuration Wizard, the appliance connects to the Check Point User Center and downloads all necessary licenses and contracts. This method requires internet access and a valid User Center account. References: [Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User Guide], [Check Point R81 Gaia Installation and Upgrade Guide]

To increase security, the administrator has modified the Core protection ‘Host Port Scan’ from ‘Medium’ to ‘High’ Predefined Sensitivity. The administrator should install the Threat Prevention Policy after Publishing the changes3. The Threat Prevention Policy defines how the Security Gateway inspects and protects against threats such as port scans, bot attacks, and zero-day exploits4. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

The statement that a Sectional Title can be used to disable multiple rules by disabling only the sectional title is false. A Sectional Title is a visual divider that helps organize and navigate large rule bases. It does not affect the rule enforcement order or the rule functionality. Disabling a Sectional Title does not disable the rules under it. To disable multiple rules, you need to select them individually or use Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click to select them in bulk, and then right-click and choose Disable Rule(s). The other statements are true. Section titles are not sent to the gateway side, they are only displayed in SmartConsole. These sections are simple visual divisions of the Rule Base and do not hinder the order of rule enforcement. Sectional Titles do not need to be created in SmartConsole, they can also be created using SmartConsole CLI or API commands.References: [Sectional Titles], [SmartConsole CLI Guide], [SmartConsole API Reference Guide]

 Snapshot is the backup utility that captures the most information and tends to create the largest archives. Snapshot creates an image of the entire system, including operating system files, configuration files, databases, and logs. It can be used to restore the system in case of a failure or corruption. Backup creates a compressed file that contains configuration files and databases, but not operating system files or logs. It can be used to restore configuration settings and policies. Database Revision creates a backup of only the database files that store policies and objects. It can be used to revert to a previous revision of the database. Migrate export creates a compressed file that contains configuration files, databases, and logs, but not operating system files. It can be used to migrate data from one machine to another with different hardware or software versions.References: [Backup and Restore], [Database Revision Control], [Migrate Tools], [Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center]

In a Distributed deployment, the Security Gateway and the Security Management software are installed on different computers or appliances2. This allows for better scalability and performance. References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81

If the NAT property ‘Translate destination on client side’ is not enabled in Global properties, nothing needs to be configured on the client side, because the Gateway takes care of all details necessary. The Gateway translates the destination IP address before sending the packet to the client, so the client does not need to know about the NAT rule or add any host route or ARP entry.

References: Check Point Security Engineering Study Guide, p. 136-137

The command that is used to monitor cluster members is cphaprob state. This command shows the state of each cluster member (Active, Standby, Down, etc.) and the reason for the state (OK, HA Failure, CCP Failure, etc.). It also shows the state synchronization status (Synchronized or Not Synchronized) and the uptime of each cluster member. The other options are incorrect. Option B is a command to show the status of cluster services, not cluster members. Option C is not a valid command by itself, as it requires an argument such as state, status, list, etc. Option D is not a valid command at all. References: [cphaprob]

The Security Management Server is the component that changes most often and should be backed up most frequently, because it stores all the security policies and configurations for the Check Point components in your network. The other components are either clients or gateways that do not change as frequently.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 9

The Accounting tracking option is used to monitor the amount of data that passes through a connection. When this option is enabled on a traffic rule, the involved traffic logs are updated every 10 minutes to show how much data has passed on the connection. This information can be used for billing or auditing purposes3. References: Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide

Stateful Inspection is true about looking at both the headers of packets, as well as deeply examining their content. Stateful Inspection inspects packets at all layers of the OSI model and maintains information about the state and context of each connection in a state table. References: Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) R81.20 Course Overview, page 6.

The WebUI can be used to manage Operating System user accounts and add users to your Gaia system, assign privileges to users, and edit the home directory of the user. However, it cannot assign user rights to their home directory in the Security Management Server. This is done by the SmartConsole1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 11.

The back up solution that should be used to ensure your database can be restored on that device is snapshot . A snapshot creates a binary image of the entire root (lv_current) disk partition. This includes Check Point products, configuration, and operating system. A snapshot can be used to restore a Security Gateway or Security Management Server to its previous state at any time . Therefore, the correct answer is D. snapshot. 

 A one-time password is used to initially create trust between a Gateway and Security Management Server. The administrator generates a one-time password from SmartConsole and enters it on the gateway command line interface using the cpconfig command. This establishes a Secure Internal Communication (SIC) between the gateway and the server . The other options are not used for this purpose. References: [Configuring Secure Internal Communication (SIC)], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation]

The Sticky Decision Function (SDF) can only be changed for Load Sharing implementations, not for High Availability implementations4. References: Check Point ClusterXL R81 Administration Guide

The default Gaia user that has full read/write access is admin3. The admin user is the superuser that can perform any administrative task on the Gaia system, such as configuring network settings, installing software updates, managing licenses, creating snapshots, and more. The admin user can also access the Gaia Portal, which is a web-based interface for managing Gaia settings and features. References: Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide

When doing a Stand-Alone Installation, you would install the Security Management Server with none of the other Check Point architecture components. A Stand-Alone Installation is a type of installation that combines the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway on one computer or appliance3, p. 14. SmartConsole, SecureClient, and SmartEvent are not Check Point architecture components, but software applications that can be installed separately. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point Installation and Upgrade Guide R81]

 The answer is A because changing the Security Gateway IP-address requires re-establishing the trust with the Security Management Server by initializing the Secure Internal Communication (SIC). Changing the Security Gateway name in command line or changing the Security Management Server name or IP-address in SmartConsole does not require re-establishing the trust, but it may require updating the topology and pushing the policy.References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide]

According to the Check Point R81.10 SmartConsole for Windows1, to restore a backup, you need to supply the following data: Server, Protocol, Username, Password, and Path. The Server is the IP address or hostname of the Security Management Server. The Protocol is either SCP or SFTP. The Username and Password are the credentials for the Security Management Server. The Path is the location of the backup file on the Security Management Server. References: Check Point R81.10 SmartConsole for Windows

The Sticky Decision Function (SDF) is required to prevent failovers in an Active-Active cluster. The SDF ensures that the same cluster member handles all connections that belong to a certain session. If the SDF is not enabled, different cluster members may handle different connections of the same session, which may cause a failover or a drop12. References: ClusterXL Administration Guide R81, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

Gaia includes Check Point Upgrade Service Engine (CPUSE), which can directly receive updates for licensed Check Point products for the Gaia operating system and the Gaia operating system itself. CPUSE is an advanced tool that automates software updates and upgrades on Gaia platforms. It can download and install packages such as hotfixes, Jumbo Hotfix Accumulators, minor versions, major versions, and OS updates.References: [CPUSE - Gaia Software Updates (including Gaia Software Updates Agent)], [Check Point R81]

The options to calculate the traffic direction are Incoming, Internal, and External3. Outgoing is not an option. Incoming traffic is traffic that enters the Security Gateway from an external network. Internal traffic is traffic that originates and terminates in networks that are directly connected to the Security Gateway. External traffic is traffic that originates or terminates in networks that are not directly connected to the Security Gateway. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

 Address translation is not a role of the SmartCenter, as it is performed by the Security Gateway based on the NAT policy configured in the SmartConsole5. The other options are roles of the SmartCenter, as it is responsible for status monitoring, policy configuration, and certificate authority for the Security Gateways5.

References: Gaia R81.10 Administration Guide, QUANTUM SECURITY MANAGEMENT R81, Remote Access VPN R81 Administration Guide

 In Office mode, a Security Gateway assigns a remote client to an IP address once the user connects and authenticates. Office mode allows a remote client to get an IP address from the internal network of the organization. The IP address is assigned during the IKE negotiation, after the user has successfully authenticated with the Security Gateway3. The other options are not correct timings for assigning an IP address in Office mode. References: Office Mode

Smart Cloud Services is an option for deployment of Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection. It is a cloud-based service that provides advanced threat prevention for files and URLs, without requiring any on-premise infrastructure or appliances . References: [Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection], [Smart Cloud Services]

 A SAM (Suspicious Activity Monitoring) rule is implemented to provide the function or benefit of blocking suspicious activity. A SAM rule is a rule that defines an action to be taken by the firewall when it detects a suspicious activity, such as an attack, a scan, or a policy violation. The action can be blocking, dropping, rejecting, or logging the traffic that triggered the suspicious activity. A SAM rule can be created manually or automatically by other security features, such as IPS, Anti-Bot, or SmartEvent.References: [SAM Rules], [Suspicious Activity Rules]

When a policy package is installed, user and objects databases are also distributed to the target installation Security Gateways14. The user and objects databases contain information about network objects, users, groups, services, VPN domains, and more14. Therefore, the correct answer is A. User and objects databases.

The answer is B because Geo policy shared policy is used to create policy for traffic to or from a particular location based on the source or destination country. DLP shared policy is used to prevent data loss by inspecting files and data for sensitive information. Mobile Access software blade is used to provide secure remote access to corporate resources from various devices. HTTPS inspection is used to inspect encrypted web traffic for threats and compliance4References: Check Point R81 Geo Policy Administration Guide, [Check Point R81 Data Loss Prevention Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Mobile Access Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 HTTPS Inspection Administration Guide]

 Only one user can have read/write access in Gaia Operating System at one time2. This is to prevent conflicts and errors when multiple users try to modify the same configuration settings. References: Check Point Gaia Administration Guide

The Shared policies feature allows administrators to share a policy with other policy packages3. This can save time and effort when managing multiple gateways with similar security requirements. Shared policies can be applied to Access Control, Threat Prevention, and HTTPS Inspection layers4. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, Check Point R81 SmartConsole R81 Resolved Issues

 The pre-defined Roles included in Gaia OS are AdminRole and MonitorRole. AdminRole is the role that has full access to all Gaia features and commands. MonitorRole is the role that has read-only access to Gaia features and commands1. The other options are not valid pre-defined Roles in Gaia OS.

The answer is D because in R80 and above, the first administrator to connect to the Management Server using SmartConsole gets a lock on only the objects being modified in his session of the Management Database. Other administrators can connect to make changes using different sessions, but they cannot modify the same objects as the first administrator until he publishes his changes. This is called concurrent administration and it allows multiple administrators to work on the same policy package simultaneously12 References: Check Point R80.10 Concurrent Administration, Check Point R80.40 Security Management Administration Guide

 Identity Awareness is a blade that enables administrators to define access rules based on the identity of users and machines, rather than just IP addresses. Identity Awareness allows easy configuration for network access and auditing based on three items: network location, the identity of a user, and the identity of a machine. Network location refers to the source or destination network segment of the traffic. The identity of a user refers to the username or group membership of the user who initiates or receives the traffic. The identity of a machine refers to the hostname or certificate of the machine that initiates or receives the traffic. References: [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide]

Application Control is a blade that enables administrators to control access to applications and web sites by users, groups, machines, and time. Application Control can eliminate unknown and unwanted applications in your network to reduce IT complexity and application risk, identify and control which applications are in your IT environment and which to add to the IT environment, and automatically identify trusted software that has authorization to run1. However, Application Control cannot scan the content of files being downloaded by users in order to make policy decisions. That is the function of another blade called Content Awareness, which can inspect files based on their type, size, name, and data2. References: Check Point R81 Application Control Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Content Awareness Administration Guide

Logs & Monitor is the SmartConsole tab that is used to monitor network and security performance. This tab allows you to view and analyze logs and events from various sources, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, and SmartEvent Servers. You can also use this tab to generate reports and troubleshoot issues. References: [Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80.20]

The Secure Network Distributor (SND) is a feature of the Security Gateway that is used to distribute packets among Firewall instances . It improves the performance and scalability of the Firewall by utilizing multiple CPU cores. The other options are not related to SND. References: [Check Point Security Gateway Architecture and Packet Flow], [Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide]

Check Point licenses come in two forms: central and local. Central licenses are attached to the Security Management Server and are distributed to managed Security Gateways. Local licenses are attached directly to a specific Security Gateway.

Access roles allow the firewall administrator to configure network access according to remote access clients, a combination of computer or computer groups and networks, and users and user groups12. Therefore, the correct answer is D.

 Packet filtering is a technique that controls the flow of network data by examining the headers of packets and applying a set of rules to accept or reject them. Packet filtering has some advantages, such as efficiency, cost-effectiveness, ease of use, and transparency3. However, it also has some disadvantages, such as low security and no screening above the network layer4. Packet filtering firewalls cannot inspect the payload of packets or the application layer protocols, which makes them vulnerable to attacks that exploit higher-level vulnerabilitie

The administrator can edit a list of trusted SmartConsole clients in three ways: in cpconfig on a Security Management Server, in the WebUI logged into a Security Management Server, and in SmartConsole: Manage and Settings > Permissions and Administrators > Advanced > Trusted Clients

The difference between the Install Policy button on the SmartConsole’s tab and the Install Policy within a specific policy is that the former installs all the policies that are selected in the Install Policy window, while the latter pre-selects the installation for only the current policy and for the applicable gateways5 . The other options are not accurate differences. References: Installing Policies, [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation]

Clish is the default shell for the command line interface. It is a user-friendly shell that provides a menu-based and a command-line mode. Admin, Normal, and Expert are not valid shell names1.

The best way to restrict access to a network resource only allowing certain users to access it, and only when they are on a specific network, is to create an Access Role object, with specific users or user groups specified, and specific networks defined. Then, use this access role as the “Source” of an Access Control rule. This allows for granular control over network traffic based on user identity and location3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 13.

 It is Best Practice to have an Explicit CleanUp rule at the end of each policy layer. This rule will log and drop any traffic that does not match any of the preceding rules in the layer1, p. 23. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

You should generate new licenses when the existing license expires, license is upgraded or the IP-address where the license is tied changes13. These scenarios require a new license to be generated and activated on the Security Gateway or Management Server13. Therefore, the correct answer is C. When the existing license expires, license is upgraded or the IP-address where the license is tied changes

Permanent VPN tunnels can be set on all tunnels in the community, on all tunnels for specific gateways, or on specific tunnels in the community. This option allows the administrator to select which tunnels should be permanent and which should be established on demand. The other options are not valid, as they do not match the available choices in the VPN community settings.

References: [VPN Administration Guide], [Check Point R81.10]

The tracking actions that can be selected when configuring Spoof Tracking are Log, alert, none. Spoof Tracking is a feature that detects packets with spoofed source IP addresses and logs them in SmartView Tracker. The administrator can choose to log only, log and alert, or do nothing when spoofed packets are detected. The other options are not valid tracking actions for Spoof Tracking, as they are either not available or not relevant for this feature.

References: [Spoof Tracking], [Firewall Administration Guide]

The destination server for Security Gateway logs depends on a Security Management Server configuration. This is true because the Security Management Server defines the log servers that receive logs from the Security Gateways. The log servers can be either the Security Management Server itself or a dedicated Log Server12. References: Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide

CPUSE - Check Point Upgrade Service Engine is the tool that allows for the automatic updating of the Gaia OS and Check Point products installed on the Gaia OS. CPUSE is a web-based tool that simplifies the installation of software updates, hotfixes, and upgrade packages on Gaia OS2. The other options are not valid tools for updating Gaia OS and Check Point products.

 The Security Gateways collect logs and send them to the log server. The Security Gateways are the components that enforce the security policy on network traffic and generate logs for each connection that matches a rule with a tracking option. The log server is the component that receives and stores the logs from the Security Gateways and provides a centralized interface for viewing and analyzing them. The log server can be either a dedicated server or integrated with the Security Management Server. References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide]

The function that can NOT be performed in the Unified SmartConsole Gateways and Servers tab is Open SSH. SSH is a secure shell protocol that allows remote access to a device via command line interface. The Unified SmartConsole does not provide an option to open SSH from the Gateways and Servers tab, as it is not a graphical user interface. The other functions can be performed in the Unified SmartConsole Gateways and Servers tab, such as upgrading the software version, opening WebUI, or opening service request with Check Point Technical Support.

References: [SSH (Secure Shell)], [QUANTUM SECURITY MANAGEMENT R81]

 A security gateway is a device that enforces the security policy on the traffic that passes through it. There are three deployment options available for a security gateway: Standalone, Distributed, and Bridge Mode. Standalone means that the security gateway and the security management server are installed on the same machine. Distributed means that the security gateway and the security management server are installed on separate machines. Bridge Mode means that the security gateway acts as a transparent bridge between two network segments, without changing the IP addressing scheme1. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide

The Advanced Networking Blade is NOT subscription-based and therefore does not have to be renewed on a regular basis1011. The Advanced Networking Blade provides advanced routing capabilities such as BGP, OSPF, VRRP, and multicast routing10. The other blades are subscription-based and require annual renewal to receive updates and support from Check Point1012.

References: Check Point License Guide, IPS Software Blade contracts, Product Catalog