156-215.81 Practice Exam Questions with Answers Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81.20 CCSA (156-215.81.20) Certification

The selected option “Accept Domain Name over UDP (Queries)” means that UDP Queries will be accepted by the traffic allowed only through interfaces with external anti-spoofing topology and this will be done before first explicit rule written by Administrator in a Security Policy. This option enables the Security Gateway to accept DNS queries from external hosts and forward them to internal DNS servers. The queries are accepted by an implied rule that is applied before the explicit rules in the Security Policy. The implied rule only allows queries from interfaces that have external anti-spoofing groups defined . References: Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide, Implied Rules

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

Manual NAT can offer more flexibility than Automatic NAT because it allows the administrator to define the NAT rules in any order and position1. Automatic NAT creates the NAT rules automatically and places them at the top or bottom of the NAT Rule Base2. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

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.

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.

A layer can support different combinations of blades, but the supported blades are Firewall (Network Access Control), Application & URL Filtering, and Content Awareness. These blades provide granular control over network traffic based on applications, users, content, and risk1. Mobile Access is not a supported blade in a layer2.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 101. 2: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 11.

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

In Check Point Gaia OS, the default command-line shell is Clish (B).

Clish (Command Line Shell) is a restricted shell used in Gaia for role-based administration. It controls user access and limits the number of available commands.

Expert mode (C) is an elevated shell that provides full system root access, but it is not the default shell. Users must explicitly enter expert mode.

Bash (D) is the underlying Linux shell, but it is not the default.

Admin (A) is not a shell but rather a user role in Gaia.

Thus, the correct answer is B. Clish.

 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 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

 The GUI tool that can be used to view and apply Check Point licenses is SmartUpdate. SmartUpdate is a centralized tool that allows you to manage licenses, software packages, and hotfixes for multiple gateways and clusters12. cpconfig, Management Command Line, and SmartConsole are not tools for license management. References: Check Point R81 SmartUpdate Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation | Udemy

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

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

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 Threat Prevention Software Blade that provides protection from malicious software that can infect your network computers is Anti-Virus. Anti-Virus is a software blade that scans files and traffic for viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and other malware. Anti-Virus can block or clean infected files and prevent malware outbreaks. IPS is a software blade that provides protection from network attacks and exploits. Anti-Malware is not a software blade, but rather a term that refers to any software that can detect and remove malware. Content Awareness is a software blade that provides visibility and control over data that enters or leaves the network based on file types, data types, and keywords.

References: [Anti-Virus Software Blade], [IPS Software Blade], [What is Anti-Malware?], [Content Awareness Software Blade]

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

 A stateful inspection firewall works by registering connection data and compiling this information in state tables. State tables are data structures that store information about the state and context of each connection, such as source, destination, service, protocol, sequence number, flags, etc. State tables enable the firewall to inspect both the header and the payload of each packet and apply security policies accordingly.References: [Stateful Inspection], [State Tables]

 In Logging and Monitoring, the tracking options are Log, Detailed Log and Extended Log. You can add Accounting and/or Suppression to each of these options1. Accounting enables you to track the amount of data that is sent or received by a specific rule. Suppression enables you to reduce the number of logs that are generated by a specific rule. Therefore, the correct answer is C. Accounting/Suppression. References: Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80 - Check Point Software

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

 A firewall can NOT prevent a network bandwidth saturation attack, which is a type of denial-of-service (DoS) attack that aims to consume all the available bandwidth of a target network or device1, p. 9. A firewall can prevent other types of attacks, such as buffer overflow, SYN flood, and SQL injection, by inspecting packets and applying security rules2, p. 11-12. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test

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]

In a Distributed Environment, a Central License can be installed via CLI on a Security Gateway using the CPLIC command1. This command allows you to install a license from a file or from the User Center1. Therefore, the correct answer is D. True, Central License can be installed with CPLIC command on a Security Gateway. 

Certificate based Authentication is the only authentication method available between two Security Gateway managed by the same SMS. This is because certificate based authentication provides stronger security and easier management than pre-shared secret authentication. The other options are either incorrect or irrelevant for this scenario. References: [Check Point R80.10 - Part 6 - Certificate Based Authentication]

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 three deployment considerations for a secure network are Remote, Standalone, and Distributed3. Remote deployment means that the Security Management Server and Security Gateway are installed on different machines. Standalone deployment means that the Security Management Server and Security Gateway are installed on the same machine. Distributed deployment means that there are multiple Security Gateways managed by one or more Security Management Servers3. Therefore, the correct answer is C. Remote, Standalone, and Distributed.

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]

The answer is B because in R80 and above, more than one administrator can login to the Security Management Server with write permission at the same time. Every administrator works in a session that is independent of the other administrators. This is called concurrent administration and it allows multiple administrators to work on the same policy package simultaneously34 References: Check Point R80.10 Concurrent Administration, Check Point R80.40 Security Management Administration Guide

In order to install a license, it must first be added to the License and Contract repository. The License and Contract repository is a centralized database that stores all the licenses and contracts for Check Point products. It allows you to manage, activate, and attach licenses to your Check Point products.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 19-20

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

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

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

Rugged appliances are small appliances with ruggedized hardware and like Quantum Spark appliance they use Gaia embedded as the operating system. Gaia embedded is a lightweight version of Gaia that is designed for small and medium businesses1. Centos Linux, Gaia, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux version 5 are not the operating systems used by Rugged appliances.

 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

Capsule Connect provides a Layer 3 VPN that allows users to access corporate resources securely from their mobile devices2. Capsule Workspace provides a secure container on the mobile device that isolates business data and applications from personal data and applications3. Capsule Workspace also provides a desktop with usable applications such as email, calendar, contacts, documents, and web applications3. References: Check Point Capsule Connect, Check Point Capsule Workspace

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

 src:192.168.1.1 AND dst:172.26.1.1 AND action:Drop is the correct log query to show only dropped packets with source address of 192.168.1.1 and destination address of 172.26.1.1. The AND operator means that all conditions must be true for the query to match. The OR operator means that any condition can be true for the query to match3. The other queries will either show packets that are not dropped or packets that have different source or destination addresses.

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

A Distributed Deployment is when the Security Management Server and Security Gateway are installed on separate machines. In this setup, the Security Gateway communicates its status to the Security Management Server, which resides at a different IP address.

Option A (Incorrect): "Targeted" is not an official Check Point deployment mode.

Option B (Incorrect): In Bridge Mode, the Security Gateway acts as a Layer 2 bridge and does not communicate its status to another IP.

Option D (Incorrect): In Standalone Mode, the Security Gateway and Management Server are on the same machine, meaning it does not communicate status to a different IP.

Thus, the correct answer is C. Distributed.

The correct answer is D because the recommended size of the root partition for a dedicated R80 SmartEvent server is at least 20GB2. Any size, less than 20GB, or more than 10GB and less than 20GB are not sufficient for the SmartEvent server. References: Check Point R80.40 Installation and Upgrade Guide

A correlation unit (CU) is a component of SmartEvent that analyzes log entries on log servers and identifies events based on predefined or custom rules1. A CU receives logs from one or more log servers and forwards them to the SmartEvent server, where they are stored in the events database

 Stateful Inspection and Proxies are two different technologies for implementing firewall security. Stateful Inspection is a technique that inspects packets at the network layer and maintains a state table that tracks the status of each connection. Proxies are applications that act as intermediaries between clients and servers, and inspect packets at the application layer. The competition between stateful inspection and proxies was based on performance, protocol support, and security. When it comes to performance, stateful inspection was significantly faster than proxies, because it did not have to process the payload of each packet and could handle more concurrent connections1. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical 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.

 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 Check Point software blade that provides Application Security and identity control is Application Control3 . Application Control enables network administrators to identify, allow, block, or limit usage of thousands of applications and millions of websites3 . Therefore, the correct answer is D. Application Control

The GAiA Portal is the WebUI for Check Point security appliances. By default, it uses the HTTPS protocol for secure communication. The default port for HTTPS-based web access is port 443.

Port 4434 (A) is not the default port for GAiA Portal.

Port 80 (B) is the default for standard HTTP, but GAiA Portal requires HTTPS.

Port 8080 (C) is sometimes used for alternative web services, but not for GAiA Portal.

Port 443 (D) is the correct default port for GAiA Portal access.

Thus, the correct answer is D. 443.

In order to see real-time and historical graph views of Security Gateway statistics in SmartView Monitor, the Monitoring Blade feature needs to be enabled on the Security Gateway. The Monitoring Blade is a software blade that collects and displays network and security performance data from the Security Gateway, such as traffic, throughput, connections, CPU usage, memory usage, etc. The Monitoring Blade can be enabled or disabled on each Security Gateway from the SmartConsole.References: [Monitoring Blade], [SmartView Monitor]

Detailed Log is not a valid tracking log option in R80.x3. The tracking log options in R80.x are Log, Full Log, and Extended Log45. References: Where is ‘full log’ option in track column, LOGGINGAND MONITORING R80, Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80.20

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]

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]

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

 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.

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

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 answer is B because querying logs now is very fast because the Indexing Engine indexes logs for faster search results. The Indexing Engine is a component of the Smart-1 appliance that creates indexes for log fields and values, such as source, destination, action, and time. The indexes enable quick and efficient searches of large amounts of log data.References: [Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Indexing Engine]

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.

 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)]

 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.

When LDAP is integrated with Check Point Security Management, it is then referred to as User Directory. User Directory is a feature that allows administrators to manage users and user groups from an external LDAP server, such as Active Directory2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, page 9.

 Bridge Mode Check Point Security Gateway does not support NAT. Bridge Mode is a deployment option that allows the Security Gateway to inspect traffic without being a routing hop. In Bridge Mode, the Security Gateway does not have an IP address and cannot perform NAT1. Therefore, the correct answer is C. NAT. 

Stateful Inspection is a firewall technology that inspects both the header and the payload of each packet and keeps track of the state and context of each connection. Packet Filtering is a firewall technology that inspects only the header of each packet and does not keep track of the state or context of each connection. A benefit that Stateful Inspection offers over Packet Filtering is that only one rule is required for each connection, whereas Packet Filtering requires two rules for each connection (one for each direction). Stateful Inspection also offers other benefits over Packet Filtering, such as enhanced security, performance, and flexibility. Stateful Inspection does not offer unlimited connections because of virtual memory usage, nor does it avoid using memory to record the protocol used by the connection.References: [Stateful Inspection], [Packet Filtering], [Firewall Technologies]

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 RFC number that acts as a best practice guide for NAT is RFC 1918. RFC 1918 defines a range of private IP addresses that are not globally routable and can be used for internal networks. NAT is a technique that maps these private IP addresses to public IP addresses that can communicate with the Internet. RFC 1918 provides guidelines and recommendations for using NAT in different scenarios and environments.References: [RFC 1918], [Network Address Translation (NAT)]

 The SIC Status “Unknown” means that there is no connection between the gateway and Security Management Server. This can happen if the gateway is down, unreachable, or has not been initialized yet12. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide

The command cplic print is used to verify license installation. It displays the installed licenses and their expiration dates . References: [Check Point R81 Command Line Interface Reference Guide], Check Point :: Pearson VUE

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

The commands you could use to set the IP to 192.168.80.200/24 and default gateway to 192.168.80.1 after the initial installation on Check Point appliance are:

set interface Mgmt ipv4-address 192.168.80.200 mask-length 24. This command sets the IPv4 address and subnet mask of the Management interface.

set static-route default nexthop gateway address 192.168.80.1 on. This command sets the default gateway for IPv4 routing.

save config. This command saves the configuration changes.

References: [Check Point R81 Gaia CLI Reference Guide], [Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide]

Application information is included in the “Extended Log” tracking option, but is not included in the “Log” tracking option4. The “Extended Log” option provides additional information about the application, such as name, category, risk, and technology4. References: LOGGINGAND MONITORING R80

Two basic rules that Check Point recommends for building an effective security policy are Cleanup Rule and Stealth Rule. A Cleanup Rule is a rule that is placed at the end of the rule base and drops or logs any traffic that does not match any of the previous rules2. A Stealth Rule is a rule that is placed at the top of the rule base and protects the Security Gateway from direct access by unauthorized users3. The other options are not basic rules for building a security policy, but rather types or categories of rules.

The correct answer is A because renaming the hostname of the Standby member to match exactly the hostname of the Active member is not a recommended step to prevent data loss. The hostname of the Standby member should be different from the hostname of the Active member1. The other steps are necessary to ensure a smooth failover and synchronization between the Active and Standby Security Management Servers2. References: Check Point R81.20 Administration Guide, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test

Identity Sharing is a feature that allows Security Gateways to acquire and share identities with other Security Gateways, enabling identity-based access control across different network segments or domains13. Management servers, users, and administrators do not share identities with Security Gateways.

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

The default layers that are included when creating a new policy layer are Access Control, Threat Prevention, and HTTPS Inspection. Access Control is the layer that defines the basic firewall rules. Threat Prevention is the layer that enables the protection against various types of attacks, such as IPS, Anti-Virus, Anti-Bot, etc. HTTPS Inspection is the layer that allows the inspection of encrypted traffic1. The other options are not the default layers that are included when creating a new policy layer.

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]

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

halt is the Gaia command that turns the server off. This command shuts down the operating system and powers off the machine. Other commands that can be used to shut down the server are shutdown and poweroff. References: [Gaia Administration Guide R80.40]

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 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]

The type of NAT that is a one-to-one relationship where each host is translated to a unique address is Static NAT. Static NAT maps an unregistered IP address to a registered IP address on a one-to-one basis3. This means that for each internal host, there is a corresponding external address that represents it3. Therefore, the correct answer is B

When dealing with rule base layers, two layer types can be utilized: Ordered Layers and Inline Layers5. Ordered Layers are executed sequentially according to their order in the policy. Inline Layers are embedded in a parent layer and are executed only if the parent rule matches. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide]

The types of VPN communities are Meshed, Star, and Combination. A Meshed community is a group of Security Gateways that have VPN connections between every pair of members. A Star community has one Security Gateway as the center and other Security Gateways or hosts as satellites. A Combination community is a group of Meshed and Star communities. References: [Check Point R81 Site-to-Site VPN Administration Guide]

In Check Point Gaia WebUI, different icons are used to indicate various system states.

Eyeglasses (A) typically represent "view-only" access.

Pencil (B) represents "edit" or read/write access, meaning the user can modify configurations.

Padlock (C) is often used to indicate locked or restricted settings.

Book (D) does not indicate access permissions.

Therefore, the correct answer is "Pencil" (B), which represents that read/write access is enabled in the WebUI.

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.

Resource is NOT an objects category in SmartConsole1, p. 18. The objects categories in SmartConsole are Network Object, Host, Network, Group, Gateway, Cluster, VPN Community, Service, Time Object, Access Role, Custom Application / Site, Data Center Object, Limit. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point SmartConsole R81 Help]

 To use Application objects in a rule, the “Applications & URL Filtering” blade should be enabled on the policy layer where the rule is being created. Enabling the “Application Control” blade on a gateway is not enough3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 102.

A main component of the Check Point security management architecture is SmartConsole2. SmartConsole is a unified graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple security functions such as firewall, VPN, IPS, application control, URL filtering, identity awareness, and more. SmartConsole connects to the Security Management Server and interacts with other Check Point components such as Security Gateways and Endpoint Security Servers. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

You can use the same layer in multiple policies or rulebases. A layer is a set of rules that can be shared, reused, or inherited by different policies. This allows you to create modular and flexible security policies that can be applied to different scenarios.References: [Layers], [Policy Layers and Sub-Policies]

This answer is correct because DES (Data Encryption Standard) is the least secured encryption algorithm among the options given. DES uses a 56-bit key, which is too short and can be easily cracked by brute force attacks1. DES also suffers from other weaknesses, such as weak keys, complementation property, and linear cryptanalysis2.

The other answers are not correct because they are more secured encryption algorithms than DES. 3DES (Triple DES) is an improvement over DES that applies DES three times with different keys, resulting in a 168-bit key3. AES-128 and AES-256 are variants of AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) that use 128-bit and 256-bit keys respectively. AES is considered to be the most secure symmetric encryption algorithm and is widely used for data protection.

What is DES encryption, and why was it replaced?

Data Encryption Standard - Wikipedia

What is 3DES encryption?

[What is AES encryption and how does it work?]

 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]

 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. 

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

The key that is created during Phase 2 of a site-to-site VPN is a symmetrical IPSec key3. This key is used to encrypt and decrypt the data that is exchanged between the VPN peers3. The symmetrical IPSec key is derived from the shared secret and the Diffie-Hellman public keys that are exchanged during Phase 13. References: Site to Site VPN in R80.x - Tutorial for Beginners

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 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

According to the Learn More About Threat Signatures4, to quickly review when Threat Prevention signatures were last updated, you can use the IPS Protections tool. This tool shows you the date and time of the last update, as well as the number of signatures and their categories. References: Learn More About Threat Signatures

The Transport layer of the TCP/IP model is responsible for managing the flow of data between two hosts to ensure that the packets are correctly assembled and delivered to the target application. It also provides error detection and correction, flow control, and multiplexing. The Transport layer uses protocols such as TCP and UDP.

References: Check Point Security Engineering Study Guide, p. 10-11

The Application Layer Firewalls inspect traffic through the Lower layer(s) of the TCP/IP model and up to and including the Application layer. The lower layers are the Physical, Data Link, and Network layers, which deal with the transmission and routing of packets. The Application layer is the highest layer of the TCP/IP model, which provides services and protocols for specific applications such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, etc. The Application Layer Firewalls can inspect the content and context of the traffic and enforce granular security policies based on various criteria such as user identity, application identity, content type, etc. References: [Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide]

A standalone deployment is when the security management server and Security Gateway are installed on the same appliance. This is suitable for small or branch office environments1

 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.

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 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. 

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.

 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.

Threat Extraction is the Security Blade that needs to be enabled in order to sanitize and remove potentially malicious content from files, before those files enter the network. It can strip out active content, embedded objects, and other risky elements from documents and deliver a safe version of the file to the user. References: Remote Access VPN R81.20 Administration Guide, page 18.

 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 correct answer is A because session unique identifiers are passed to the web api using the X-chkp-sid http header option1. The X-chkp-sid header is used to authenticate and authorize API calls1. The other options are not related to session unique identifiers. References: Check Point R81 Security Management 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

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

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

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]

 To ensure that VMAC mode is enabled, you should run the command fw ctl get int fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled on all cluster members and check that the result of the command returns the value 11. This command shows the current value of the global kernel parameter fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled, which controls whether VMAC mode is enabled or disabled. VMAC mode is a feature that associates a Virtual MAC address with each Virtual IP address of the cluster, which reduces the need for Gratuitous ARP packets and improves failover performance1. The other options are incorrect. Option A is not a valid command. Option C is a command to show the status of cluster interfaces, not VMAC mode2. Option D is a command to show the value of a different global kernel parameter, fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled, which controls whether VMAC mode is enabled for all interfaces or only for non-VLAN interfaces1. References: How to enable ClusterXL Virtual MAC (VMAC) mode, cphaprob

SmartConsole provides a consolidated solution for everything that is necessary for the security of an organization, such as Security Policy Management and Log Analysis. Security Policy Management is the process of defining and enforcing rules that control the access and protection of network resources. Log Analysis is the process of collecting, analyzing, and reporting on log data that is generated by network devices and applications. SmartConsole is a unified graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple security functions from a single console. The other options are not part of SmartConsole, but rather separate software blades or features that can be integrated with SmartConsole. 

 Once a license is activated, a Service Contract file should be installed. This file contains information about the license expiration date, support level, and other details3. The other options are not valid file names.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 15.

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. 

Domain-based— VPN domains are pre-defined for all VPN Gateways. A VPN domain is a service or user that can send or receive VPN traffic through a VPN Gateway.

This statement is not true because a VPN domain is not a service or user, but a host or network that can send or receive VPN traffic through a VPN Gateway1. This is the definition given in the Site to Site VPN R81 Administration Guide1. The other statements are true according to the same guide1.

Remote Access VPN R81.20 Administration Guide

Site to Site VPN R81 Administration Guide

DeepDive Webinar - R81.20 Seamless VPN Connection to Public Cloud

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

URL Filtering is a blade that enables administrators to control access to millions of websites by category, users, groups, and machines. URL Filtering can be used to improve organizational security, decrease legal liability, and control data security by preventing users from accessing malicious or inappropriate websites. However, URL Filtering cannot be used to control bandwidth issues, such as limiting the amount of traffic or prioritizing certain applications over others3. For that purpose, other blades such as QoS (Quality of Service) or SecureXL are more suitable. References: Check Point R81 URL Filtering Administration Guide

 SecureID is the authentication method that requires token authenticator2. SecureID is a two-factor authentication method that uses a hardware or software token to generate a one-time password. The user must enter the token code along with their username and password to authenticate. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide