156-215.81 Practice Exam Questions with Answers Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81.20 Certification

 A session starts when an Administrator logs in through SmartConsole and ends when the Administrator logs out. A session allows multiple administrators to work on the same policy simultaneously, without overwriting each other’s changes3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 17.

The statement that is TRUE of anti-spoofing is that it is BEST Practice to have anti-spoofing groups in sync with the routing table. Anti-spoofing prevents attackers from sending packets with a false source IP address. Anti-spoofing groups define which IP addresses are expected on each interface of the Security Gateway. If the routing table changes, the anti-spoofing groups should be updated accordingly34. References: Check Point R81 ClusterXL Administration Guide, Network Defined by Routes: Anti-Spoofing

The three components for Check Point Capsule are Capsule Workspace, Capsule Docs, and Capsule Cloud123. Capsule Workspace provides a secure container on the mobile device that isolates business data and applications from personal data and applications2. Capsule Docs protects business documents everywhere they go with encryption and access control1. Capsule Cloud provides cloud-based security services to protect mobile users from threats3. References: Check Point Capsule, Check Point Capsule Workspace, Mobile Secure Workspace with Capsule

SmartLog is a unified log viewer that provides fast and easy access to logs from all Check Point components3. It allows the administrator to query for any log field, such as the IP address of the tablet, and filter the results by time, severity, blade, action, and more4. SmartView Tracker is a legacy tool that displays network activity logs from Security Gateways and other Check Point devices. It does not support remote connection to the wireless controller or querying for specific IP addresses. References: SmartLog, SmartLog Queries, [SmartView Tracker]

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 technologies that are used to deny or permit network traffic are Stateful Inspection, Firewall Blade, and URL/Application Blade. Stateful Inspection is a technology that inspects network traffic at the packet level and maintains the state and context of each connection. Firewall Blade is a software blade that enforces security policy and prevents unauthorized access to protected resources. URL/Application Blade is a software blade that enables administrators to control access to millions of websites and applications based on users, groups, and machines.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 9. : Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 10. : Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 12.

The purpose of the Clean-up Rule is to log all traffic that is not explicitly allowed or denied in the Rule Base78. The Clean-up Rule is the last rule in the rulebase and is used to drop and log explicitly unmatched traffic97. To improve the rulebase performance, noise traffic that is logged in the Clean-up rule should be included in the Noise rule so it is matched and dropped higher up in the rulebase8. The other options are not valid purposes of the Clean-up Rule.

References: Using Intune device cleanup rules, Security policy fundamentals, Support, Support Requests, Training, Documentation, and Knowledge base for Check Point products and services

When using Monitored circuit VRRP, the priority delta is the value that is subtracted from the priority of a cluster member when one of its monitored interfaces fails2. For example, if the priority of a cluster member is 100 and the priority delta is 10, then when one of its monitored interfaces fails, its priority becomes 90. References: Check Point R81 ClusterXL Administration Guide

This answer is correct because a standalone deployment is a valid option for installing a Check Point Security Gateway and a Security Management Server on the same machine1. This option is suitable for small or medium-sized networks that do not require high availability or load balancing1.

The other answers are not correct because they are either invalid or irrelevant options for deployment. CloudSec deployment is not a valid option, but it might be confused with CloudGuard, which is a Check Point solution for securing cloud environments2. Disliked deployment is not a valid option, but it might be a typo for Distributed deployment, which is a valid option for installing a Check Point Security Gateway and a Security Management Server on separate machines1. Router only deployment is not a valid option, but it might be confused with Router mode, which is a configuration option for a Check Point Security Gateway that enables it to act as a router and forward packets between interfaces3.

• Gaia R81.20 Administration Guide
• CloudGuard Network Security
• Configuring Router Mode in Gaia Clish

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

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

 Identity Awareness is a software blade that lets an administrator easily configure network access and auditing based on three items: network location, the identity of a user, and the identity of a machine. These items are used to identify and authenticate users and machines, and to enforce identity-based policies. Network location refers to the IP address or subnet of the source or destination of the traffic. The identity of a user can be obtained from various sources, such as Active Directory, LDAP, or Captive Portal. The identity of a machine can be verified by using Secure Domain Logon or Identity Agent. 

The command add rba user roles  is used to add users to or from existing roles. RBA stands for Role-Based Administration, which is a feature that allows administrators to assign different permissions and access levels to users based on their roles2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 20.

The path that is available only when CoreXL is enabled is the medium path. The medium path is used to handle packets that require deeper inspection by the Firewall and IPS blades, but do not need to go through the slow path . The slow path is used to handle packets that require stateful or out-of-state inspection by other blades, such as Application Control or VPN . The firewall path and the accelerated path are available regardless of CoreXL status . References: [CoreXL R81 Administration Guide], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation], [Check Point Security Gateway Architecture and Packet Flow], [Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide]

The default port numbers for an LDAP server are 389 for standard connections and 636 for SSL connections. LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a protocol that allows access to directory services over TCP/IP. Therefore, the correct answer is B. 389, 636. 

The best sync method in the ClusterXL deployment is to use one dedicated sync interface56. This method provides optimal performance and reliability for synchronization traffic. Using multiple sync interfaces is not recommended as it increases CPU load and does not provide 100% sync redundancy5. Using multiple clusters is not a sync method, but a cluster topology. References: Sync Redundancy in ClusterXL, Best Practice for HA sync interface

The correct answer is A because the fwd daemon is responsible for the FW CLI commands3. The fwm daemon handles the communication between the Security Management server and the GUI clients. The cpm daemon handles the communication between the Security Management server and SmartConsole. The cpd daemon monitors the status of critical processes on the Security Gateway. References: Check Point Firewall Processes and Daemons

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 answer is A because the graphic shows the properties of a personal .p12 certificate file issued for user John. A .p12 file is a file format that contains a user’s private key and public key certificate. The graphic shows that the certificate file is valid and has an expiration date of 07-Apr-2018. The graphic also shows that the certificate file is issued by an internal CA, which is a Check Point component that manages certificates for users and gateways.References: Check Point R81 Certificate Management, Check Point R81 Internal CA

 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]

 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 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]

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

When a Security Gateway sends its logs to an IP address other than its own, it means that the Security Gateway and the Log Server are installed on different machines. This is a characteristic of a Distributed deployment3. Therefore, the correct answer is A

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.

According to the Managing and Installing license via SmartUpdate2, there are two repositories installed on the Security Management Server by SmartUpdate: License & Contract and Package Repository. The License & Contract repository stores all licenses available and all of the assigned licenses. The Package Repository stores all packages downloaded from the Check Point Cloud or uploaded from a local device. References: Managing and Installing license via SmartUpdate

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 Publish operation sends the modifications made via SmartConsole in the private session and makes them public is the correct answer. This is because publishing is the process of saving your changes to the database and making them available to other administrators. Publishing also allows you to install policies on Security Gateways. References: [Publishing Changes]

Upgrading the Security Gateway does not require a new license to be generated and installed. The license is tied to the IP address or hostname of the Security Gateway, not the software version. However, if the IP address or hostname changes, the existing license expires, or the license is upgraded, a new license must be generated and installed12 References: Check Point R81, Managing and Installing license via SmartUpdate

The order of NAT priorities is Static NAT, IP pool NAT, and hide NAT. Static NAT has the highest priority because it is a one-to-one mapping of a private IP address to a public IP address. IP pool NAT has the second highest priority because it is a one-to-many mapping of a private IP address to a pool of public IP addresses. Hide NAT has the lowest priority because it is a many-to-one mapping of multiple private IP addresses to a single public IP address1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 23.

The Stealth Rule is used to prevent users from directly connecting to a Security Gateway. It is usually placed at the top of the rule base, before any other rule that allows traffic to the Security Gateway1, p. 32. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

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]

 Identity Awareness allows the Security Administrator to configure network access based on network location, identity of a user, and identity of a machine1. These are the three main identity sources that Identity Awareness supports1. References: Identity Awareness R80.40 Administration Guide

The tool used to enable cluster membership on a Gateway is cpconfig2. This tool allows you to configure basic settings of Check Point products, such as cluster membership, administrator name and password, GUI clients, and Secure Internal Communication (SIC)2. References: Next Generation Security Gateway Guide R80

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

One of the major features in R80.x SmartConsole is concurrent administration, which allows multiple administrators to work on the same Security Policy at the same time12. However, only one administrator can edit a rule at a time. If AdminA and AdminB are editing the same rule at the same time, it will cause a conflict and prevent them from saving their changes12. Therefore, the correct answer is B. AdminA and AdminB are editing the same rule at the same time.

Correlation Unit is the SmartEvent component that creates events. It analyzes logs received from Security Gateways and Servers, and generates security events according to the definitions in the Consolidation Policy. References: [SmartEvent R80.40 Administration Guide], [Correlation Unit]

There are two default users on Gaia Platform and neither can be deleted. The two default users are admin and monitor. The admin user has full access to the Gaia configuration and management tools, such as CLI and WebUI. The monitor user has read-only access to the Gaia configuration and management tools, and can only view the system status and settings. These two users cannot be deleted, but their passwords can be changed.References: [Gaia Administration Guide], [Gaia Overview]

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]

 In Security Gateways R75 and above, SIC uses AES-128 for encryption. SIC stands for Secure Internal Communication, which is a mechanism that establishes trust between Check Point components, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, Log Servers, etc. SIC uses certificates to authenticate and encrypt the communication between the components. AES-128 is an encryption algorithm that uses a 128-bit key to encrypt and decrypt data. The other options are incorrect. AES-256 is an encryption algorithm that uses a 256-bit key, but it is not used by SIC. DES and 3DES are older encryption algorithms that use 56-bit and 168-bit keys respectively, but they are not used by SIC either. References: [Secure Internal Communication (SIC) between Check Point components], AES - Wikipedia, DES - Wikipedia, Triple DES - Wikipedia

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.

While enabling the Identity Awareness blade, the Identity Awareness wizard does not automatically detect the Windows domain because the SmartConsole machine is not part of the domain. The SmartConsole machine needs to be a member of the Windows domain or have access to a domain controller in order to detect the domain automatically2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, page 10.

When an encrypted packet is decrypted, this happens in the security policy4. The security policy is a set of rules that defines how the Security Gateway inspects and secures traffic. The security policy includes VPN rules that specify which traffic should be encrypted or decrypted. The inbound and outbound chains are part of the inspection framework that processes packets according to the security policy. References: Check Point R81 VPN 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

Most Check Point deployments use Gaia, which is a unified operating system for all Check Point appliances, open servers, and virtualized gateways. However, some product deployments utilize special Check Point code, such as Scalable Platforms (formerly known as Maestro), which are high-performance security gateways that can scale up to 1.5 Tbps of firewall throughput. Scalable Platforms use a special version of Gaia OS called Gaia Embedded, which is planned to be unified with Gaia OS in R81.102. References: Check Point R81 Release Notes

 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]

With the User Directory Software Blade, you can create user definitions on a(n) LDAP Server2. LDAP stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol and is a protocol for accessing and managing user information stored in a directory service. The User Directory Software Blade enables integration with LDAP servers such as Microsoft Active Directory, Novell eDirectory, and OpenLDAP. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

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]

The file that stores the proxy arp configuration is $FWDIR/conf/local.arp on the gateway3 . The other files are not related to proxy arp configuration. References: How to configure Proxy ARP for Manual NAT on Security Gateway, [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation]

 Anti-Virus is the single Security Blade that can be turned on to block both malicious files from being downloaded as well as block websites known to host malware. Anti-Virus scans files and email attachments for viruses, worms, trojans, and other types of malware. It also uses ThreatCloud, a collaborative network that delivers real-time dynamic security intelligence, to detect unknown malware based on their behavior3. Anti-Bot is a Security Blade that detects and blocks botnet communications, but it does not scan files or block websites. URL Filtering is a Security Blade that enables administrators to control access to web applications, but it does not scan files or detect malware.

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

 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]

 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

Backup and restores can be accomplished through SmartConsole, WebUI, or CLI. SmartUpdate and SmartBackup are not valid options1.

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

By default, the WebUI listens on port 80. The WebUI is a web-based interface that allows administrators to configure and monitor Gaia OS settings and features from a web browser. The WebUI uses the HTTP protocol to communicate with the Gaia machine, which by default uses port 80 as the standard port number. The other port numbers are not used by the WebUI by default, but they can be changed by modifying the Gaia configuration file or using CLISH commands. 

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

An explicit rule is created by an administrator and configured to allow or block traffic based on specified criteria. Explicit rules are displayed in the Rule Base and can be modified by the administrator. References: Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) R81.20 Course Overview, page 12.

The port used for full synchronization between cluster members is TCP port 2654. This port is used by the Firewall Kernel to send and receive synchronization data, such as connection tables, NAT tables, and VPN keys4. UDP port 8116 is used by the Cluster Control Protocol (CCP) for internal communications between cluster members4. References: How does the Cluster Control Protocol function in working and failure scenarios for gateway clusters?

 A Security Policy is created in SmartConsole, stored in the Security Management Server, and distributed to the various Security Gateways. SmartConsole is a graphical user interface that allows administrators to create and edit security policies. The Security Management Server is a central server that stores and manages the security policies. The Security Gateways are devices that enforce the security policies on the network traffic.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 9.

 The answer is B because AES-CBC-256 is not a supported encryption algorithm for IPsec Security Associations (Phase 2) in R81. The supported encryption algorithms are AES-GCM-128, AES-GCM-256, AES-CBC-128, 3DES, and NULL3 References: Check Point R81 VPN Administration Guide

 The best upgrade method when the management server is not connected to the Internet is CPUSE offline upgrade . This method allows you to download the upgrade package from another source and install it manually on the management server. The other methods require Internet connection or are not supported for R80.10. References: [R80.10 Upgrade Verification and FAQ], [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.

 Phase 1 of the two-phase negotiation process conducted by IKE operates in Main mode or Aggressive mode12. Main mode is more secure than Aggressive mode, as it protects the identities of the peers and uses six messages to establish the IKE SA13. Authentication, Quick, and High Alert are not valid modes for IKE phase 1.

References: Understand IPsec IKEv1 Protocol, Internet Key Exchange for IPsec VPNs Configuration Guide, Internet Key Exchange

The correct answer is D because from SecureXL perspective, the three paths of traffic flow are Firewall Path, Accelerated Path, and Medium Path3. The Firewall Path is used when SecureXL is disabled or traffic is not eligible for acceleration3. The Accelerated Path is used when SecureXL handles the entire connection and bypasses the Firewall kernel3. The Medium Path is used when SecureXL handles part of the connection and forwards packets to the Firewall kernel for further inspection3. The other options are not valid paths of traffic flow from SecureXL perspective3. References: Check Point R81 Performance Tuning Administration Guide

The statement that is true regarding Gaia command line is that all configuration changes should be made in CLISH and expert-mode should be used for OS-level tasks. CLISH is the default shell of Gaia CLI that provides a limited set of commands for basic configuration and troubleshooting. Expert mode is an advanced shell that allows running Linux commands and accessing the file system. Configuration changes should not be done in expert-mode, as they may cause inconsistencies or errors in the system. The other statements are false regarding Gaia command line. 

The pen-symbol in the left column means that the rules have been edited by the logged in administrator, but the policy has not been published yet. It indicates that the changes are not yet effective and can be discarded.References: Policy Editor, Publishing Changes

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 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 command cplic print displays the installed licenses and their expiration dates on the CLI1. References: Check Point CLI Reference Card

 The type of Check Point license that ties the package license to the IP address of the Security Management Server is Central license. A Central license is a license that is installed on the Security Management Server and applies to all the Security Gateways that are managed by it. The Central license is based on the IP address of the Security Management Server and cannot be transferred to another Security Management Server with a different IP address.References: [Check Point R81 Licensing Guide], [Managing and Installing license via SmartUpdate]

Anti-Virus is the Check Point software blade that prevents malicious files from entering a network using virus signatures and anomaly-based protections from ThreatCloud. Anti-Virus scans files and email attachments for viruses, worms, trojans, and other types of malware. It also uses ThreatCloud, a collaborative network that delivers real-time dynamic security intelligence, to detect unknown malware based on their behavior. Firewall is a software blade that enforces security policy by inspecting and controlling network traffic. Application Control is a software blade that enables administrators to control access to web applications. Anti-spam and Email Security is a software blade that protects email infrastructure from spam, phishing, and malware attacks.

Multiple administrators can connect to a Security Management Server at the same time, and each administrator has their own username and works in a session that is independent of other administrators1. This allows concurrent administration and prevents conflicts between different administrators. The other options are incorrect. Only one administrator can be connected is false. All administrators can modify a network object at the same time is false, as only one administrator can lock and edit an object at a time. Only one has the right to write is false, as all administrators have write permissions unless they are restricted by roles or permissions. References: Security Management Server - Check Point Software

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]

References: Threat Emulation is not a policy type available for each policy package. Threat Emulation is a software blade that is part of the Threat Prevention policy type. The other options are valid policy types that can be configured for each policy package. References: [Threat Prevention Administration Guide R80.40], [Security Policies Administration Guide R80.40]

 If Deyra sees the gateway status as shown in the image, it means that there is a blade reporting a problem. The red “X” in the status column indicates that one or more blades on the Security Gateway have a problem that requires attention. The other options are not correct, as they do not match the status shown in the image. If the SmartCenter Server cannot reach this Security Gateway, the status column would show a yellow triangle with an exclamation mark. If the VPN software blade is reporting a malfunction, the blades column would show a red “X” on the VPN icon. If the Security Gateway’s MGNT NIC card is disconnected, the IP column would show “N/A” instead of the IP address.

References: Remote Access VPN R81 Administration Guide, Check Point R81.10

The default Threat Prevention Profiles in R80 Management are Basic, Optimized, and Strict1. There is no Recommended profile by default. You can create a custom profile and name it Recommended, but it is not included by default. References: Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

A Check Point Software license consists of two components, the Software Blade and the Software Container. There are three types of Software Containers: Security Management, Security Gateway, and Endpoint Security1. A Software Blade is a specific security function that can be enabled or disabled on a Software Container. A Software Container is a platform that runs one or more Software Blades. Security Management is a container that manages the security policy and configuration of Security Gateways. Security Gateway is a container that enforces the security policy on network traffic. Endpoint Security is a container that protects endpoints from threats and data loss. References: Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User Guide

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

 In order to modify Security Policies, the administrator can use SmartConsole or mgmt_cli (API) on any computer where SmartConsole is installed. SmartConsole is a graphical tool that allows the administrator to create, edit, and manage security policies using a web browser. mgmt_cli (API) is a command-line tool that allows the administrator to perform the same tasks using commands and scripts. Both tools can connect to the Security Management Server remotely from any computer that has SmartConsole installed.References: [SmartConsole Overview], [mgmt_cli (API)]

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 default shell of the Gaia CLI is cli.sh, which provides a limited set of commands for basic configuration and troubleshooting. To change from the cli.sh shell to the advanced shell (also known as expert mode) to run Linux commands, the administrator needs to execute the command ‘expert’ in the cli.sh shell

Automatic Hide NAT rules are created by the administrator when they configure NAT for network objects or groups in the object properties. Automatic Hide NAT rules allow multiple private IP addresses to share a single public IP address when accessing external networks. Source Port Address Translation (PAT) is enabled by default for Automatic Hide NAT rules, which means that the Security Gateway assigns a unique source port number for each connection from the same source IP address. This allows the Security Gateway to keep track of the connections and translate the reply packets correctly. 

The policy type that is used to enforce bandwidth and traffic control rules is QoS. QoS stands for Quality of Service and is a software blade that allows administrators to prioritize network traffic according to various criteria such as source, destination, service, application, user, etc. QoS can also limit the bandwidth consumption of certain traffic types or guarantee a minimum bandwidth for critical applications. References: [Check Point R81 QoS Administration Guide]

The statement that best describes Secure Internal Communication (SIC) is: After successful initialization, the gateway can communicate with any Check Point node that possesses a SIC certificate signed by the same ICA. SIC is a mechanism that ensures secure communication between Check Point components by using certificates that are issued by an Internal Certificate Authority (ICA)3. The other statements are not accurate descriptions of SIC.

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

The default shell of Gaia CLI is clish, which stands for Check Point command line interface shell1. It provides a user-friendly interface to configure and manage Check Point products. References: Check Point Gaia Administration Guide

Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM) is the utility that is used to block activities that appear to be suspicious. SAM allows administrators to block connections from specific IP addresses or network objects for a specified period of time3. Penalty Box is a feature of SAM that automatically blocks connections from sources that generate too many log entries. Drop Rule in the rulebase is a firewall action that discards packets that match certain criteria. Stealth rule is a firewall rule that prevents direct access to the Security Gateway from external sources.

ThreatWiki is a tool that provides a list of trusted files to the administrator so they can specify to the Threat Prevention blade that these files do not need to be scanned or analyzed3. ThreatWiki is a web-based service that collects information about files from various sources, such as Check Point customers, partners, and researchers. Administrators can use ThreatWiki to view file reputation, upload files for analysis, and download indicators of compromise3. Whitelist Files, AppWiki, and IPS Protections are not tools that provide a list of trusted files. References: Threat Prevention R80.40 Administration Guide

If a network administrator has identified a malicious host on the network and instructed you to block it, but you cannot make any firewall policy changes at this time, you can use Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM) rules to block this traffic. SAM rules are temporary rules that allow you to block or limit traffic from specific sources or destinations without modifying the security policy. SAM rules are created and managed by SmartView Monitor and are enforced by the security gateway for a specified duration. Anti-Bot protection, Anti-Malware protection, and Policy-based routing are not tools that can be used to block traffic without changing the firewall policy. References: [Check Point R81 SmartView Monitor Administration Guide]

The SmartCenter that should be connected to for making changes is the active SmartCenter. The active SmartCenter is the one that is currently synchronizing its configuration with the secondary SmartCenter and handling the communication with the gateways . The primary SmartCenter is the one that was initially configured as the main server, but it may become inactive if a failover occurs. The virtual IP of SmartCenter HA is used to access the SmartConsole, not to make changes. References: [Security Management Server High Availability (HA) R81 Administration Guide], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation], [How to configure ClusterXL High Availability on Security Management Server]

The IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) Software Blade provides comprehensive protection against malicious and unwanted network traffic, focusing on application and server vulnerabilities. The other options are not related to this function.

References: : [Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide], page 9.

CloudGuard is not a valid deployment option for R80. CloudGuard is a product name for Check Point’s cloud security solutions, not a deployment mode. The valid deployment options for R80 are all-in-one (stand-alone), distributed, and bridge mode. In an all-in-one deployment, the Security Management Server and Security Gateway are installed on the same machine. In a distributed deployment, the Security Management Server and Security Gateway are installed on separate machines. In a bridge mode deployment, the Security Gateway acts as a transparent bridge between two network segments and does not have an IP address of its own3References: CloudGuard, [Part 4 - Installing Security Gateway], [Deployment Options]

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

When a gateway requires user information for authentication, it queries servers for user information in the following order: first the internal user database, then the generic external user profile, and finally LDAP servers in order of priority. The internal user database is a local database that stores user information on the Security Gateway or Security Management Server. The generic external user profile is a predefined profile that allows users to authenticate with any external server that supports RADIUS or TACACS protocols. LDAP servers are external servers that use the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol to store and retrieve user information. The gateway queries LDAP servers according to the priority that is defined in the LDAP Account Unit object properties. 

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. 

 The purpose of the CPCA process is generating and modifying certificates. CPCA stands for Check Point Certificate Authority and it is a process that runs on the Security Management Server or Log Server. It is responsible for creating and managing certificates for internal communication between Check Point components, such as SIC . References: [Check Point R81 Quantum Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide]

The Hit count feature will work independently from logging and track the hits even if the Track option is set to “None”1, p. 23. When you enable Hit Count, the Security Management Server collects the data from supported Security Gateways and displays the number of connections that each rule matches in SmartConsole3. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81

The Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are the components that can store logs in the Check Point Security Management Architecture. The Security Management Server stores logs in a database and can also forward them to external log servers. The Security Gateway can store logs locally in a buffer or a local log file, and can also send them to the Security Management Server or a log server.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 11-12

Central licensing is the preferred licensing model because it ties the package license to the IP-address of the Security Management Server and has no dependency on the gateway. This allows for easier management and distribution of licenses across multiple gateways1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 14.

 Alerts can be viewed in SmartView Monitor, which is a graphical tool that provides real-time information about the network and security activities, such as traffic, VPN tunnels, threats, and performance4.

References: 4: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 25.

Active Directory Query is an identity acquisition method that allows a Security Gateway to identify Active Directory users and computers. Active Directory Query enables the Security Gateway to query the Active Directory Domain Controllers for user and computer information, such as IP addresses, group memberships, and login events.

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

 Central License is the preferred and recommended method of licensing because it ties to the IP address of the management server and is not dependent on the IP of any gateway in the event it changes. Central License allows administrators to manage licenses for all Security Gateways from one central location. If the IP address of a gateway changes, the license remains valid as long as it is connected to the same management server. Central Licensing is supported with Gaia and is not the only option when deploying Gaia. Central Licensing does not tie to the IP address of a gateway and can not be changed to any gateway if needed.

References: 1: Rugged Appliances 2: SmartUpdate 3: Check Point Software Deployment Options : [Anti-Virus] : [Check Point Software Blades] : [Central License]

 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]

Threat Extraction delivers PDF versions of original files with active content removed, such as macros, embedded objects, and scripts. This ensures that users receive clean and safe files in seconds12. References: Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection, Check Point Threat Extraction

The icon in the WebUI that indicates that read/write access is enabled is the Pencil icon . The Pencil icon appears next to the name of the device when it is in Read/Write mode, which allows making changes to the configuration. The Padlock icon indicates that read-only access is enabled, which prevents making changes to the configuration. The Book icon indicates that online help is available, which provides information and guidance on using the WebUI. The Eyeglasses icon indicates that a view-only mode is enabled, which allows viewing the configuration without logging in.

References: Gaia R81.10 Administration Guide, WebUI Overview

 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

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 correct syntax for adding a host using GAiA management CLI is mgmt add host name ip-address 2. References: Check Point GAiA R81 Command Line Interface Reference Guide

This answer is correct because these are two valid methods for mutually authenticating the VPN gateways, which means that both sides of the communication verify each other’s identity using a shared secret or a public key certificate1. A pre-shared secret is a password or a passphrase that both gateways know and use to encrypt and decrypt the VPN traffic2. A PKI certificate is a digital document that contains the public key and other information that helps identify the gateway, such as the issuer, the subject, and the expiration date3. The certificate is signed by a trusted certificate authority (CA) that vouches for the authenticity of the gateway3.

The other answers are not correct because they either include invalid or irrelevant methods for mutual authentication. PKI certificates and Kerberos tickets are not compatible methods for mutual authentication, because Kerberos tickets are issued by a Kerberos server and not by a CA4. Pre-shared secrets and Kerberos tickets are also not compatible methods for mutual authentication, because they use different protocols and encryption algorithms4. PKI certificates and DynamiciD OTP are not valid methods for mutual authentication, because DynamiciD OTP is a one-time password that is used for user authentication, not for gateway authentication5.

• What is mutual authentication? | Two-way authentication
• Mutual authentication - AWS Client VPN
• VPN authentication options - Windows Security
• Mutual Authentication | Top 3 Methods of Mutual Authentication
• Authentication methods and features - Microsoft Entra

The reason why querying logs now are very fast is that Indexing Engine indexes logs for faster search results. Indexing Engine is a component of R81 Management that creates and maintains an index of log data, which enables quick and efficient log searches4. The other options are not related to the speed of log querying. The amount of logs being stored may vary depending on the log retention settings. New Smart-1 appliances may have improved hardware specifications, but they do not affect the log querying process directly. SmartConsole queries results from the Security Management Server, not from the Security Gateway.

References: 1: HTTPS Inspection 2: Browser-Based Authentication 3: URL Filtering 4: Indexing Engine

The changes made by an administrator before publishing the session can be seen by a superuser administrator from Manage and Settings > Sessions, right click on the session and click ‘View Changes…’. This option allows the superuser to review the changes made by another administrator in a pending session1. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

Manage and Command Line is not a valid application navigation tab in the R80 SmartConsole, as it does not exist in the interface. The image shows the navigation toolbar of the R80 SmartConsole, which has four tabs: Security Policies, Logs & Monitor, Gateways & Servers, and Manage & Settings1. The Command Line Interface button is located in the system information area, not in the navigation toolbar1.

References: Application Control and URL Filtering - Check Point Software

The type of Endpoint Identity Agent that includes packet tagging and computer authentication is Full. The Full Identity Agent is a client-side software that provides full identity awareness features, such as user authentication, computer authentication, packet tagging, identity caching, and identity sharing. The other types of Endpoint Identity Agents are Custom, Complete, and Light, which have different features and capabilities. 

The default tracking option of a rule is Log3. This means that the Security Gateway will generate a log entry for every connection that matches the rule. The log entry will contain information such as source, destination, service, action, and time. Other tracking options include None, Alert, Mail, SNMP Trap, User Alert, and Accounting. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide

 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