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

Secure Internal Communication (SIC) is handled by the CPD process3. CPD is the Check Point Daemon that runs on all Check Point modules and handles internal licensing and SIC operations. SIC is a mechanism that ensures secure communication between Check Point components using certificates and encryption. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The command show config-state can be used to verify if there are unsaved changes in GAiA that will be lost with a reboot . The other commands are not valid in GAiA. References: [Check Point GAiA Administration Guide], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation]

The R80.10 management server can manage gateways with versions R76 and higher34. Versions lower than R76 are not supported by the R80.10 management server. References: Check Point R80.10 Release Notes, Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide

One limitation of using Security Zones in the network is that Security Zones will not work in Manual NAT rules. Manual NAT rules are rules that explicitly define how to translate the source and destination IP addresses and ports of each connection. Manual NAT rules do not support using Security Zones as objects, only network objects or groups. Automatic NAT rules are rules that automatically define how to translate the source and destination IP addresses and ports of each connection based on the network objects or groups properties. Automatic NAT rules support using Security Zones as objects. Security Zones can also work in firewall policy layer and network topology.References: [Security Zones Best Practices], [NAT Methods]

The purpose of a Stealth Rule is to drop any traffic destined for the firewall that is not otherwise explicitly allowed1, p. 32. A Stealth Rule is usually placed at the top of the rule base, before any other rule that allows traffic to the Security Gateway2, p. 13. A Stealth Rule is not used to hide a server’s IP address, to allow administrators to access SmartDashboard, or to drop any traffic that is not explicitly allowed. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test

 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

 Captive Portal is a feature of Identity Awareness that allows you to authenticate users through a web browser before they access the Internet or corporate resources. Captive Portal can be used for various authentication methods, such as user name and password, one-time password (OTP), or certificate3. Captive Portal does not manage user permission in SmartConsole, provide remote access to SmartConsole, or authenticate users to the Gaia OS. Those are different functions that are not related to Captive Portal. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

 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 Next Generation Threat Emulation software blade package uses CPU-level and OS-level sandboxing in order to detect and block malware1, p. 41. It emulates files in a virtual environment and inspects their behavior for malicious activity3. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Threat Emulation Administration Guide R81

Automatic Hide NAT enables Source Port Address Translation by default1. This means that the source IP address and port number are translated to a different IP address and port number. This allows multiple hosts to share a single IP address for outbound connections. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide

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

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

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

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

 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.

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

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

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 fwm process is responsible for managing the communication between the SmartConsole and the Security Management Server. It can only be seen on a Management Server12. References: Check Point Processes and Daemons, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The ports to which the Client Authentication daemon listens on by default are 259 and 900. Client Authentication is a method that allows users to authenticate with the Security Gateway before they are allowed access to protected resources. The Client Authentication daemon (fwauthd) runs on the Security Gateway and listens for authentication requests on TCP ports 259 and 900 . References: [Check Point R81 Remote Access VPN Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway 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.

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

Service blades must be attached to a Security Gateway. A Security Gateway is a device that enforces security policies on traffic that passes through it. A service blade is a software module that provides a specific security function, such as firewall, VPN, IPS, etc. A Security Gateway can have one or more service blades attached to it, depending on the license and hardware capabilities. The other options are incorrect. A management container is a virtualized environment that hosts a Security Management Server or a Log Server. A management server is a device that manages security policies and distributes them to Security Gateways. A Security Gateway container is not a valid term in Check Point terminology. References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 CloudGuard Administration Guide]

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. 

SmartView is the web application for real-time event monitoring in SmartEvent R80 and above. It provides a unified view of security events across the network and allows for quick investigation and response34. References: SmartEvent R80.40 Administration Guide, SmartView

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.

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

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

 The 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]

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

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. 

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.

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

The tool that is used to enable ClusterXL is cpconfig. ClusterXL is a software-based Load Sharing and High Availability solution that distributes network traffic between clusters of redundant Security Gateways1. To enable ClusterXL, you need to run the cpconfig command on each cluster member and select Enable Cluster membership for this gateway2. Therefore, the correct answer is B. cpconfig. 

The command show cluster state is used to monitor cluster members in CLI. It displays information such as the cluster mode, the cluster members, their status, their priority, and their interfaces.References: [ClusterXL Administration Guide], [Check Point CLI Reference Card]

 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]

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

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

The position of an implied rule is manipulated in the Global Properties window. Implied rules are predefined rules that are not displayed in the rule base. They allow or block traffic for essential services such as communication with Check Point servers, logging, and VPN traffic. The position of an implied rule can be changed in the Global Properties > Firewall > Implied Rules section56. References: How to view Implied Rules in R80.x / R81.x SmartConsole, Implied Rules

 From the Gaia web interface, the operation that CANNOT be performed on a Security Management Server is Verify a Security Policy. This operation can only be done from SmartConsole4. References: Check Point R81 SmartConsole Online Help

 The procedure that SmartEvent does not use to identify events is matching a log against local exclusions. Local exclusions are used to filter out logs that are not relevant for SmartLog, not SmartEvent12. SmartEvent uses the other procedures to identify events based on event definitions, event candidates, and global exclusions3 . References: SmartLog R81 Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, SmartEvent R81 Administration Guide, [Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide]

When using Automatic Hide NAT, Source Port Address Translation (PAT) is enabled by default1. This means that the source IP address and port number are translated to a different IP address and port number. This allows multiple hosts to share a single IP address for outbound connections. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide

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

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

 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 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 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

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]

References: Certificate-based authentication is considered to be the more secure and preferred VPN authentication method. It uses digital certificates to verify the identity of the VPN client and server, and provides stronger encryption and mutual authentication. Password-based authentication methods are less secure and more vulnerable to brute-force attacks, phishing, and keylogging. MD5 is a hashing algorithm, not an authentication method. Pre-shared secret is a symmetric key that is shared between the VPN peers, but it can be compromised if it is not changed frequently or stored securely12 References: VPN authentication options, Windows VPN technical guide

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

The Threat Prevention policy is a unified policy that manages three software blades: IPS, Anti-Virus, and Threat Emulation7. The Threat Prevention policy enables you to configure settings and actions for detecting and preventing various types of threats, such as malware, exploits, botnets, etc. Application Control and URL Filtering are not part of the Threat Prevention policy, but they are part of a separate policy that controls access to applications and websites based on categories, users, groups, and machines

A Check Point software license consists of a Software blade and a Software container. A Software blade is a modular security feature that delivers security functionality to the gateway or management server. A Software container is a set of Software blades that can be purchased as a bundle.

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

 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]

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

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.

SmartEvent is a unified security management solution that provides real-time visibility into security events across the network. SmartEvent shows correlated logs and aggregated data to provide an overview of potential threats and attack patterns, as well as generate reports and alerts based on predefined or customized indicators. SmartView Tracker, SmartLog, and SmartView Monitor are other SmartConsole applications that can show logs, search queries, and network statistics respectively, but they do not provide the same level of correlation and analysis as SmartEvent. References: [Check Point R81 SmartEvent Administration Guide]

 Authentication rules are defined for user groups rather than individual users1. To define authentication rules, you must first define users and groups. You can define users with the Check Point user database, or with an external server, such as LDAP1. UserCheck is a feature that enables user interaction with security events2. Individual users and all users in the database are not valid options for defining authentication rules. References: How to Configure Client Authentication, UserCheck

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.

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 

 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

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]

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

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

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

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 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]

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]

The two ordered layers that make up the Access Control Policy Layer are Network and Threat Prevention. Network layer contains rules that define how traffic is inspected and handled by the Security Gateway. Threat Prevention layer contains rules that define how traffic is inspected by the Threat Prevention Software Blades2. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

When a SAM rule is required on Security Gateway to quickly block suspicious connections which are not restricted by the Security Policy, the administrator needs to take the following action: SmartView Monitor should be opened and then the SAM rule/s can be applied immediately. Installing policy is not required. SAM stands for Suspicious Activity Monitoring and is a feature that allows administrators to block or limit connections from specific sources or destinations without modifying the security policy. SAM rules can be created from SmartView Monitor or SmartEvent based on real-time network activity or security events. References: [Check Point R81 SmartView Monitor Administration Guide]

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

SmartConsole is a unified graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple Check Point security products from a single console. More than one administrator can log into the Security Management Server with SmartConsole with write permission at the same time. Every administrator works in a session that is independent of the other administrators. The changes made by one administrator are not visible to others until they are published2. References: Check Point R81 SmartConsole R81 User Guide

When changes are made to a Rule base, it is important to Publish database to enforce changes5. Publishing database saves the changes to the database and makes them available to other administrators. Installing policy applies the changes to the Security Gateways. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, [Check Point R81 SmartConsole R81 Resolved Issues], [Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide]

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.

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

Tom’s changes will have been stored on the Management when he reconnects and he will not lose any of his work. This is because SmartConsole uses a session mechanism that allows users to work offline and save their changes locally until they are ready to publish them to the Management13. If Tom loses connectivity, he can resume his session when he reconnects and continue working on his Rule Base changes. He does not need to reboot his SmartConsole computer, clear the cache, or restore changes. His changes will not be lost since he lost connectivity. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation | Udemy

The protocol that is specifically used for clustered environments is Cluster Control Protocol (CCP). CCP is a proprietary Check Point protocol that is used for communication between cluster members and for cluster administration. CCP enables cluster members to exchange state information, synchronize connections, monitor interfaces, and perform failover operations. The other options are incorrect. Clustered Protocol, Synchronized Cluster Protocol, and Control Cluster Protocol are not valid terms in Check Point terminology. References: [Cluster Control Protocol (CCP) - Check Point Software]

 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]

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

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 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

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.

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

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

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

 The answer is A because Identity Awareness commands are used to support identity sharing between Security Gateways. Policy Decision Point (PDP) is the Security Gateway that collects identities from various sources and shares them with other gateways. Policy Enforcement Point (PEP) is the Security Gateway that enforces the policy based on the identities received from the PDP12 References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

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

According to the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center3, the snapshot command uses the command line to create an image of the OS. A snapshot is a point-in-time copy of a disk partition that can be used to restore the system in case of a failure or corruption. References: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Support Center

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

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

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

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

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

 DLP and Geo Policy are examples of Shared Policies. Shared Policies are policies that can be shared with other policy packages to save time and effort when managing multiple gateways with similar security requirements. Shared Policies can be applied to Access Control, Threat Prevention, and HTTPS Inspection layers. Other types of policies include Inspection Policies, Unified Policies, and Standard Policies. References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 SmartConsole R81 Resolved Issues]

An Endpoint identity agent uses a username/password or Kerberos ticket for user authentication3, p. 28. An Endpoint identity agent is a lightweight client installed on endpoint computers that communicates with Identity Awareness gateways and provides reliable identity information. An Endpoint identity agent does not use a shared secret, a token, or a certificate for user authentication. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, [Check Point Identity Awareness Administration Guide R81]

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

 Log, Alert, and None are the tracking options that an Administrator can select when configuring Anti-Spoofing. Log means that the packet will be logged in SmartView Tracker. Alert means that the packet will trigger an alert in SmartView Monitor. None means that no action will be taken2. The other options are not valid tracking options.

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

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

You should generate new licenses when the existing license expires, the license is upgraded, or the IP address associated with the license changes. These situations invalidate the current license and require a new one to be obtained from the Check Point User Center and installed on the Security Management Server or Security Gateway. Installing contract files or upgrading devices do not affect the validity of the license12 References: Check Point R81, Managing and Installing license via SmartUpdate

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]

Address translation rules are used to map an IP address space into another by modifying network address information in the IP header of packets. Address translation rules have two elements: original packet and translated packet6. The original packet is the packet before it undergoes address translation, and the translated packet is the packet after it undergoes address translation. The original packet and the translated packet may have different source and destination IP addresses, depending on the type and direction of address translation. 

 UserCheck is not an identity source used for Identity Awareness. UserCheck is a feature that allows you to interact with users when they trigger Data Loss Prevention or Threat Prevention incidents2. Identity Awareness uses different methods to acquire identities, such as AD Query, Identity Agent, Browser-Based Authentication, Terminal Servers, Captive Portal, and RADIUS3 . Therefore, the correct answer is B. UserCheck.

The key C is used to save the current CPView page in a filename format cpview_“cpview process ID”. cap”number of captures”2. References: Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide

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

The steps you will need to do in SmartConsole in order to get the connection working behind the Internet Security Gateway are:

• Define an accept rule in Security Policy. This rule allows the traffic from your internal networks to pass through the Security Gateway.
• Define automatic NAT for each network to NAT the networks behind a public IP. This option translates the private IP addresses of your internal networks to a public IP address assigned by your ISP router. This way, your internal networks can communicate with the Internet using a valid IP address.
• Publish and install the policy. This step applies the changes you made to the Security Gateway and activates the security and NAT rules.

References: Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide

 The product that correlates logs and detects security threats, providing a centralized display of potential attack patterns from all network devices is SmartEvent. SmartEvent is a software blade that analyzes logs from various sources such as Security Gateways, Endpoint Security Servers, Identity Awareness Servers, etc. and generates security events based on predefined or custom rules. SmartEvent provides a graphical interface for viewing and managing security events in real-time or historical mode. References: [Check Point R81 SmartEvent Administration Guide]

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

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

Plug-and-play (Trial) and Evaluation licenses are considered temporary because they expire after a certain period of time3. Plug-and-play licenses are valid for 15 days, while Evaluation licenses are valid for 30 days. References: Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User 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. 

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.

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 Internal Certificate Authority (ICA) is created during the primary Security Management Server installation process. The ICA is a component that issues and manages certificates for Check Point products. The ICA is automatically installed and initialized when installing the Security Management Server.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 26.

Browser-Based Authentication is the best method for enabling Identity Awareness on the Check Point firewalls for users who use company issued or personal laptops. Browser-Based Authentication redirects users to a web page where they enter their credentials to access the network resources. This method does not require any installation or configuration on the user’s device and supports any operating system and browser. AD Query is a method that queries Active Directory servers for user login events and maps them to IP addresses. This method does not work for personal laptops that are not joined to the domain. Identity Agents are software agents that run on Windows or macOS devices and provide user and machine identity information to the firewall. This method requires installation and management of the agents on each device, which may not be feasible for personal laptops. Terminal Servers Agent is a method that identifies users who connect to Windows Terminal Servers or Citrix servers via RDP or ICA protocols. This method does not apply to laptops that connect directly to the network910 References: Identity Awareness Reference Architecture and Best Practices, Part 10 - Identity

The Check Point software blade that monitors Check Point devices and provides a picture of network and security performance is Monitoring. The Monitoring Software Blade presents a complete picture of network and security performance, enabling fast responses to changes in traffic patterns or security events. It centrally monitors Check Point devices and alerts security administrators to changes to gateways, endpoints, tunnels, remote users and security activities234. References: Monitoring Software Blade, Check Point Integrated Security Architecture, Support, Support Requests, Training, Documentation, and Knowledge base for Check Point products and services

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