SECRET-SEN Practice Exam Questions with Answers CyberArk Sentry Secrets Manager Certification

This is the correct answer because a minimal Conjur deployment that integrates with an existing CyberArk PAM Vault environment, supports high availability, and is redundant across two geographically disparate regions requires the following servers:

• 2 Linux servers for the Conjur master cluster, one in each region. The master cluster consists of a leader and a standby node that can automatically failover in case of a leader failure. The leader node performs read/write operations on the Conjur database and policy engine, while the standby node replicates the leader data and can be promoted to leader if needed. The master cluster also hosts the Conjur UI and API endpoints.
• 4 Linux servers for the Conjur follower clusters, two in each region. The follower clusters consist of one or more follower nodes that perform read-only operations on the Conjur database and policy engine, such as authentication, authorization, and secret retrieval. The follower clusters are horizontally scalable and can be configured behind a load balancer to handle high volumes of requests from applications and clients. The follower clusters also host the Conjur Synchronizer service, which synchronizes secrets from the CyberArk PAM Vault to the Conjur database.
• 2 Linux servers for the Conjur seed fetcher service, one in each region. The seed fetcher service is a utility that runs on a separate server and periodically fetches the Conjur seed files from the master cluster and distributes them to the follower clusters. The seed files contain the configuration and encryption keys that are required to join a follower node to the Conjur cluster. The seed fetcher service ensures that the follower clusters are always updated with the latest seed files and can join the Conjur cluster without manual intervention.
• 2 Windows servers for the CyberArk Central Credential Provider (CCP), one in each region. The CCP is a component that provides secure and centralized credential management for applications and clients that need to access secrets from the CyberArk PAM Vault. The CCP exposes a web service interface that allows applications and clients to request credentials based on their identity and permissions. The CCP integrates with the Conjur Synchronizer service to retrieve the secrets from the Conjur database and cache them locally for faster access.

Therefore, the total number of servers required for this deployment is 9 Linux servers and 2 Windows servers. This deployment architecture is based on the Conjur documentation1 and the Conjur training course2.

The most likely cause for this issue is A. malformed Policy file. A 422 Response from Conjur indicates that the request was well-formed but was unable to be followed due to semantic errors. A common semantic error when loading policy is having a malformed Policy file, which means that the Policy file does not follow the correct syntax, structure, or logic of the Conjur Policy language. A malformed Policy file can result from typos, missing or extra characters, incorrect indentation, invalid references, or other mistakes that prevent Conjur from parsing and applying the Policy file. The message that accompanies the 422 Response will usually provide more details about the error and the location of the problem in the Policy file.

To resolve this issue, you should review the Policy file and check for any errors or inconsistencies. You can use a YAML validator or a text editor with syntax highlighting to help you identify and correct any syntax errors. You can also use the Conjur Policy Simulator to test and debug your Policy file before loading it to Conjur. The Conjur Policy Simulator is a web-based tool that allows you to upload your Policy file and see how it will affect the Conjur data model, without actually loading it to Conjur. You can also use the Conjur Policy Simulator to compare different versions of your Policy file and see the changes and conflicts between them. For more information, refer to the following resources:

• Policy - CyberArk, Section “Policy”
• Policy Language - CyberArk, Section “Policy Language”
• Conjur Policy Simulator - CyberArk, Section “Conjur Policy Simulator”

This is the correct answer because the SynchronizerReplication.config file contains the configuration settings for the Vault Conjur Synchronizer service (Synchronizer) to sync secrets from the CyberArk Vault to the Conjur database. The SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter specifies whether to sync all the properties of the accounts in the Vault or only the password property. By default, the SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter is set to false, which means that only the password property is synced. To sync all the properties, such as the address and the user, the SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter needs to be set to true. This answer is based on the CyberArk Secrets Manager documentation1 and the CyberArk Secrets Manager training course2.

The other options are not correct because they do not configure the Synchronizer to properly sync all properties. Modifying VaultConjurSynchronizer.exe.config, uncommenting SYNCALLPROPERTIES and updating its value to true is not a valid option, as this file does not contain the SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter. The VaultConjurSynchronizer.exe.config file contains the configuration settings for the Synchronizer service, such as the log level, the log path, and the service name. The SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter is only found in the SynchronizerReplication.config file.

Modifying Vault.ini, uncommenting SYNCALLPROPERTIES and updating its value to true is not a valid option, as this file does not contain the SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter. The Vault.ini file contains the configuration settings for the CyberArk Central Credential Provider (CCP) to connect to the Vault server and provide credentials to the applications. The SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter is not related to the CCP configuration or functionality.

In the Conjur UI under Cluster > Synchronizer > Config, changing SYNCALLPROPERTIES and updating its value to true is not a valid option, as this section does not exist in the Conjur UI. The Conjur UI does not have a Cluster, Synchronizer, or Config section. The Conjur UI has a Cluster Config section under Settings, but this section is used to configure the Conjur cluster settings, such as the master IP address, the follower IP address, and the seed fetcher IP address. The SYNCALLPROPERTIES parameter is not related to the Conjur cluster configuration or functionality.

Conjur is a secrets management solution that securely stores and manages secrets and credentials used by applications, DevOps tools, and other systems. Conjur can be deployed in different scenarios, depending on the needs and preferences of the organization. One of the possible deployment scenarios is to deploy the Leader cluster outside a Kubernetes environment, and the Followers and Standbys inside or outside the environment.

The Leader cluster is the primary node that handles all write operations and coordinates the replication of data to the Follower and Standby nodes. The Leader cluster consists of one active Leader node and one or more Standby nodes that can be promoted to Leader in case of a failure. The Leader cluster can be deployed outside a Kubernetes environment, such as on a virtual machine or a physical server, using Docker or other installation methods. This can provide more control and flexibility over the configuration and management of the Leader cluster, as well as better performance and security.

The Follower and Standby nodes are read-only replicas of the Leader node that can serve requests from clients and applications that need to retrieve secrets or perform other read-only operations. The Follower and Standby nodes can be deployed inside or outside a Kubernetes environment, depending on the use case and the availability requirements. For example, if the clients and applications are running inside a Kubernetes cluster, it may be convenient and efficient to deploy the Follower and Standby nodes inside the same cluster, using Helm charts or other methods. This can reduce the network latency and complexity, and leverage the Kubernetes features such as service discovery, load balancing, and health checks. Alternatively, if the clients and applications are running outside a Kubernetes cluster, or if there is a need to distribute the Follower and Standby nodes across different regions or availability zones, it may be preferable to deploy the Follower and Standby nodes outside the Kubernetes cluster, using Docker or other methods. This can provide more scalability and resiliency, and avoid the dependency on the Kubernetes cluster.

References = Conjur Deployment Scenarios; Conjur Cluster Installation; Conjur Kubernetes Integration

• AWS -> authn-iam
• Azure -> authn-azure
• GCP -> authn-gcp
• JWT Provider -> authn-jwt

Explanation: Conjur supports different authenticators for different cloud platforms. Each authenticator allows a resource or service running on the cloud platform to authenticate to Conjur using a unique identity token signed by the cloud provider. The following are the descriptions of each authenticator:

• authn-iam: Enables an AWS resource to use its AWS IAM role to authenticate with Conjur. The resource sends a request to the AWS Security Token Service (STS) to get a signed AWS access token, and then sends the token to Conjur for verification.
• authn-azure: Enables an Azure resource to authenticate with Conjur. The resource sends a request to the Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) to get a signed Azure access token, and then sends the token to Conjur for verification.
• authn-gcp: Enables a Google Cloud Platform resource to authenticate with Conjur. The resource sends a request to the Google Cloud Identity and Access Management (IAM) service to get a signed Google identity token, and then sends the token to Conjur for verification.
• authn-jwt: Enables an application to authenticate to Conjur using a JWT from a JWT Provider. The application obtains a JWT from the JWT Provider, and then sends the JWT to Conjur for verification.

References: You can find more information about the Conjur authenticators in the following resources:

• Supported Conjur Cloud authenticators
• Configure Conjur Cloud authenticators
• GCP Authenticator

This is the most likely cause of this issue because it creates a discrepancy between the passwords stored in the Primary Vault and the DR Vault, which affects the Vault Conjur Synchronizer service (Synchronizer) and the application. The Synchronizer is a service that synchronizes secrets from the CyberArk Vault to the Conjur database. The application is a client that retrieves secrets from the Conjur database using the Conjur REST API. The CPM is a component that manages the lifecycle of the passwords stored in the CyberArk Vault, such as changing, verifying, and reconciling them. If the CPM is writing password changes to the Primary Vault while the Synchronizer is configured to replicate from the DR Vault, the following scenario may occur:

• The CPM changes the password for an account in the Primary Vault and updates the password value in the Vault database.
• The Synchronizer does not detect the password change in the DR Vault, as the DR Vault database has not been updated yet with the new password value.
• The Synchronizer does not sync the new password value to the Conjur database, as it assumes that the password value in the DR Vault database is the latest and correct one.
• The application requests the password value from the Conjur database and receives the old password value, which is different from the new password value in the Primary Vault database.
• The application tries to use the old password value to access the target platform or device and fails, as the target platform or device expects the new password value.

This answer is based on the CyberArk Secrets Manager documentation1 and the CyberArk Secrets Manager training course2.

 Dual accounts is a password management method that uses two accounts with identical privileges to access a system, database, or application. One account is active and the other is inactive at any given time. The active account remains untouched during password rotation, while the inactive account has its password changed after a grace period. This way, the application can always use the active account without experiencing any delays or errors due to password expiration or change. The advantage of using dual accounts is that it ensures business continuity and seamless access to the target resource, especially for high load and critical applications. References: Manage Dual Accounts, Configure dual accounts

The log entry shows a failed authentication attempt with Conjur using the authn-jwt method. This method allows applications to authenticate with Conjur using JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) that are signed by a trusted identity provider. In this case, the application is Jenkins, which is a CI/CD tool that can integrate with Conjur using the Conjur Jenkins plugin. The plugin allows Jenkins to securely retrieve secrets from Conjur and inject them as environment variables into Jenkins pipelines or projects.

The log entry indicates that the JWT sent by Jenkins was rejected by Conjur because of an SSL connection error. The error message says that the certificate chain of Jenkins could not be verified by Conjur, and that the certificate authority (CA) that signed the Jenkins certificate was unknown to Conjur. This means that the Jenkins certificate chain is not trusted by Conjur, and that Conjur does not have the CA certificate of Jenkins in its trust store. Therefore, Conjur cannot establish a secure and trusted connection with Jenkins, and cannot validate the JWT signature.

To fix this problem, the Jenkins certificate chain needs to be trusted by Conjur. This can be done by copying the CA certificate of Jenkins to the Conjur server, and adding it to the Conjur trust store. The Conjur trust store is a directory that contains the CA certificates of the trusted identity providers for the authn-jwt method. The Conjur server also needs to be restarted for the changes to take effect.

References = Conjur Jenkins Plugin; Conjur JWT Authentication; Conjur Trust Store

• Create an authenticator policy for each authenticator and then load the policy to Conjur.
• Add each authenticator to conjur.yml using this format: .
• Execute evoke configuration apply.

Comprehensive Explanation: Authenticators are plugins that enable Conjur to authenticate requests from different types of clients, such as Kubernetes, Azure, or LDAP. To configure authenticators, you need to follow these steps:

• Create an authenticator policy for each authenticator and then load the policy to Conjur. This step defines the authenticator as a resource in Conjur and grants permissions to the users or hosts that can use it. You can use the policy templates provided by Conjur for each authenticator type, or create your own custom policy. For more information, see Define Authenticator Policy.
• Add each authenticator to conjur.yml using this format: . This step enables the authenticator service on the Conjur server and specifies the service ID that identifies the authenticator instance. The service ID must match the one used in the policy. For more information, see Enable Authenticators.
• Execute evoke configuration apply. This step applies the changes made to the conjur.yml file and restarts the Conjur service. This is necessary for the authenticator configuration to take effect. For more information, see Apply Configuration Changes.

References: The steps to configure authenticators are explained in detail in the Configure Authenticators section of the CyberArk Conjur Enterprise documentation. The image in the question is taken from the same source.

The correct order for prioritization of the findings is as follows:

• A new vulnerability scanner project is nearing completion and is expected to go into production soon. This scanner is owned by the Security Team that owns CyberArk. This finding should be prioritized first because it has the highest urgency, feasibility, and alignment with the Security Team’s goals. The vulnerability scanner is a critical security tool that needs to protect its credentials from unauthorized access. The Security Team can leverage their own expertise and authority to implement the Secrets Manager solution for this project without much delay or dependency.
• A large, high performance application under PCI DSS regulation will require many CPs. This will require a license purchase. The procurement process can take 6-12 months. The development team is eager to work with Security on this project. This finding should be prioritized second because it has a high impact, compliance requirement, and stakeholder support. The application handles sensitive payment card data that needs to be secured by the Secrets Manager solution. The development team is willing to collaborate with the Security Team on this project and can help with the technical aspects of the implementation. However, this finding also has a high cost and a long lead time due to the license purchase and the procurement process.
• A small, internally developed application under HIPPA regulation needs updates to the application code to retrieve secrets from a Secrets Manager solution. The development team stated they cannot accommodate this work before next quarter. This finding should be prioritized third because it has a moderate impact, compliance requirement, and feasibility. The application handles protected health information that needs to be secured by the Secrets Manager solution. The development team is aware of the need to update the application code to integrate with the Secrets Manager solution, but they have other priorities and constraints that prevent them from doing so in the near term.

Here's the reasoning behind this order:

1. New vulnerability scanner project:

This project directly impacts CyberArk's Security Team, making it a high priority due to potential internal security concerns. Additionally, its near-completion state suggests a quicker implementation timeframe.

2. Large application under PCI DSS:

While this application requires significant resources and time investment due to license purchase and development, its high performance and PCI DSS regulation compliance mandate prioritization. Delaying this project could potentially lead to security vulnerabilities and compliance issues.

3. Small application under HIPAA:

Although HIPAA regulation necessitates compliance, the application's size and development team's delay request suggest a lower priority compared to the previous two projects. However, it should still be addressed within the next quarter as mandated by the development team.

The best way to enable debug for CCP is to edit the web.config file in the AIMWebService folder and change the value of the AIMWebServiceTrace parameter to 4, which is the verbose level. This will generate detailed logs in the AIMWSTrace.log file in the logs folder. The logs folder may need to be created manually and given the appropriate permissions for the IIS_IUSRS group. After changing the web.config file, the Windows Web Server (IIS) service needs to be restarted to apply the changes. This method is recommended by CyberArk Support and documented in the CyberArk Knowledge Base1.

Editing the basic_appprovider.conf file and changing the AIMWebServiceTrace value is not a valid option, as this parameter does not exist in this file. The basic_appprovider.conf file is used to configure the basic provider settings, such as the AppProviderVaultParmsFile, the AppProviderPort, and the AppProviderCacheMode. The AIMWebServiceTrace parameter is only found in the web.config file of the AIMWebService.

In the PVWA, going to the Applications tab, selecting the Application in question, and going to Options > Logging and choosing Debug is not a valid option, as this will only enable debug for the Application Identity Manager (AIM) component, not the CCP component. The AIM component is used to manage the application identities and their access to the Vault. The CCP component is used to provide secure retrieval of credentials from the Vault using web services. Enabling debug for AIM will generate logs in the APPconsole.log, APPtrace.log, and APPaudit.log files in the ApplicationPasswordProvider\Logs folder, but these logs will not help to troubleshoot the CCP authentication issues.

From the command line, running appprvmgr.exe update_config logging=debug is not a valid option, as this will only enable debug for the Application Provider Manager (APM) component, not the CCP component. The APM component is used to manage the configuration and operation of the providers, such as the basic provider, the LDAP provider, and the ENE provider. Running appprvmgr.exe update_config logging=debug will generate logs in the appprvmgr.log file in the ApplicationPasswordProvider\Logs folder, but these logs will not help to troubleshoot the CCP authentication issues. References:

• Enable Debugging and Gather Logs - Central Credential Provider1

 The correct order of the steps is:

• Define the Application with the desired authentication details
• Add the Application ID and Application Provider ID to the safe with appropriate permissions
• Configure application to call the appropriate REST API to retrieve the secret and test

Explanation: To allow an application to retrieve a secret with the CCP, the following steps are required:

• Define the Application with the desired authentication details: This step involves creating an Application object in the Vault with a unique Application ID and an Application Provider ID. The Application Provider ID is used to identify the CCP instance that will serve the request. The Application object also defines the authentication method and parameters that the application will use to connect to the CCP, such as certificate, password, or AppRole.
• Add the Application ID and Application Provider ID to the safe with appropriate permissions: This step involves granting the Application object the necessary permissions to access the safe and the secret that it needs. The Application ID and the Application Provider ID are added as members of the safe with at least List and Retrieve permissions. The secret name or ID can also be specified as a restriction to limit the access to a specific secret within the safe.
• Configure application to call the appropriate REST API to retrieve the secret and test: This step involves configuring the application to send a REST API request to the CCP endpoint with the required parameters, such as the Application ID, the Application Provider ID, the safe name, and the secret name or ID. The application should also provide the authentication credentials or token that match the method defined in the Application object. The application should receive a JSON response from the CCP with the secret value and other metadata. The application should test the connection and the secret retrieval before deploying to production.

References:

• CyberArk Secrets Manager
• Sentry - Secrets Manager - Sample Items & Study Guide
• Sentry - Secrets
• Secrets Management Essentials for Developers

o enable synchronous replication on a Conjur cluster, you need to run the command evoke replication sync that on the Leader node of the cluster. This command will configure the Leader to wait for confirmation from all Standbys before committing any transaction to the database. This ensures that the data is consistent across all nodes and prevents data loss in case of a failover. However, this also increases the latency and reduces the throughput of the cluster, so it should be used with caution and only when required by the business or compliance needs.

References:

• Conjur Cluster Replication
• Sentry - Secrets Manager - Sample Items & Study Guide