Practice Free XDR-Analyst Palo Alto Networks XDR Analyst Exam Questions Answers With Explanation

The File Search and Destroy feature is a capability of Cortex XDR that allows you to search for and delete malicious or unwanted files across your endpoints. You can use this feature to quickly respond to incidents, remediate threats, and enforce compliance policies. To use the File Search and Destroy feature, you need to specify the file name and the file hash of the file you want to search for and delete. The file hash is a unique identifier of the file that is generated by a cryptographic hash function. The file hash ensures that you are targeting the exact file you want, and not a file with a similar name or a different version. The File Search and Destroy feature supports the SHA256 hash type, which is a secure hash algorithm that produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value. The SHA256 hash type is widely used for file integrity verification and digital signatures. The File Search and Destroy feature does not support other hash types, such as AES256, MD5, or SHA1, which are either encryption algorithms or less secure hash algorithms. Therefore, the correct answer is A, SHA256 hash of the file1234

The objects that are considered to be sensors with a Cortex XDR Prevent license are Cortex XDR agents and Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls. These are the two sources of data that Cortex XDR can collect and analyze for threat detection and response. Cortex XDR agents are software components that run on endpoints, such as Windows, Linux, and Mac devices, and provide protection against malware, exploits, and fileless attacks. Cortex XDR agents also collect and send endpoint data, such as process activity, network traffic, registry changes, and user actions, to the Cortex Data Lake for analysis and correlation. Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls are network security devices that provide visibility and control over network traffic, and enforce security policies based on applications, users, and content. Next-Generation Firewalls also collect and send network data, such as firewall logs, DNS logs, HTTP headers, and WildFire verdicts, to the Cortex Data Lake for analysis and correlation. By integrating data from both Cortex XDR agents and Next-Generation Firewalls, Cortex XDR can provide a comprehensive view of the attack surface and detect threats across the network and endpoint layers. References:

Cortex XDR Prevent License

Cortex XDR Agent Features

Next-Generation Firewall Features

When deploying Cortex XDR agent on Kubernetes clusters as a DaemonSet, the license required is Cortex XDR Cloud per Host. This license allows you to protect and monitor your cloud workloads, such as Kubernetes clusters, containers, and serverless functions, using Cortex XDR. With Cortex XDR Cloud per Host license, you can deploy Cortex XDR agents as DaemonSets on your Kubernetes clusters, which ensures that every node in the cluster runs a copy of the agent. The Cortex XDR agent collects and sends data from the Kubernetes cluster, such as pod events, container logs, and network traffic, to the Cortex Data Lake for analysis and correlation. Cortex XDR can then detect and respond to threats across your cloud environment, and provide visibility and context into your cloud workloads. The Cortex XDR Cloud per Host license is based on the number of hosts that run the Cortex XDR agent, regardless of the number of containers or functions on each host. A host is defined as a virtual machine, a physical server, or a Kubernetes node that runs the Cortex XDR agent. You can read more about the Cortex XDR Cloud per Host license and how to deploy Cortex XDR agent on Kubernetes clusters here1 and here2. References:

Cortex XDR Cloud per Host License

Deploy Cortex XDR Agent on Kubernetes Clusters as a DaemonSet

 Unit 42 is the threat intelligence and response team of Palo Alto Networks. The purpose of Unit 42 is to collect and analyze the most up-to-date threat intelligence and apply it to respond to cyberattacks. Unit 42 is composed of world-renowned threat researchers, incident responders and security consultants who help organizations proactively manage cyber risk. Unit 42 is responsible for threat research, malware analysis and threat hunting, among other activities12.

Let’s briefly discuss the other options to provide a comprehensive explanation:

A. Unit 42 is not responsible for automation and orchestration of products. Automation and orchestration are capabilities that are provided by Palo Alto Networks products such as Cortex XSOAR, which is a security orchestration, automation and response platform that helps security teams automate tasks, coordinate actions and manage incidents3.

B. Unit 42 is not responsible for the configuration optimization of the Cortex XDR server. The Cortex XDR server is the cloud-based platform that provides detection and response capabilities across network, endpoint and cloud data sources. The configuration optimization of the Cortex XDR server is the responsibility of the Cortex XDR administrators, who can use the Cortex XDR app to manage the settings and policies of the Cortex XDR server4.

C. Unit 42 is not responsible for the rapid deployment of Cortex XDR agents. The Cortex XDR agents are the software components that are installed on endpoints to provide protection and visibility. The rapid deployment of Cortex XDR agents is the responsibility of the Cortex XDR administrators, who can use various methods such as group policy objects, scripts, or third-party tools to deploy the Cortex XDR agents to multiple endpoints5.

In conclusion, Unit 42 is the threat intelligence and response team of Palo Alto Networks that is responsible for threat research, malware analysis and threat hunting. By leveraging the expertise and insights of Unit 42, organizations can enhance their security posture and protect against the latest cyberthreats.

 WildFire is a cloud-based service that accepts and analyses samples from various sources, including Cortex XDR, to provide a verdict of malware, benign, or grayware. WildFire also generates detailed analysis reports that show the behaviour and characteristics of the samples. Cortex XDR uses WildFire verdicts and reports to enhance its detection and prevention capabilities, as well as to provide more visibility and context into the threats. References:

WildFire Analysis Concepts

WildFire Overview

 Cortex XDR agent for Windows prevents ransomware attacks from compromising the file system by utilizing decoy files. Decoy files are randomly generated files that are placed in strategic locations on the endpoint, such as the user’s desktop, documents, and pictures folders. These files are designed to look like valuable data that ransomware would target for encryption. When Cortex XDR agent detects that a process is attempting to access or modify a decoy file, it immediately blocks the process and alerts the administrator. This way, Cortex XDR agent can stop ransomware attacks before they can cause any damage to the real files on the endpoint. References:

Anti-Ransomware Protection

PCDRA Study Guide

 A logical schema in an XQL query is a field, which is a named attribute of a dataset. A field can have a data type, such as string, integer, boolean, or array. A field can also have a modifier, such as bin or expand, that transforms the field value in the query output. A field can be used in the select, where, group by, order by, or having clauses of an XQL query. References:

XQL Syntax

XQL Data Types

XQL Field Modifiers

 To prevent the Cortex XDR Agent from blocking execution of a file based on the digital signer in Windows and macOS, one way to add an exception for the signer is to add the signer to the allow list in the malware profile. A malware profile is a profile that defines the settings and actions for malware prevention and detection on the endpoints. A malware profile allows you to specify a list of files, folders, or signers that you want to exclude from malware scanning and blocking. By adding the signer to the allow list in the malware profile, you can prevent the Cortex XDR Agent from blocking any file that is signed by that signer1.

Let’s briefly discuss the other options to provide a comprehensive explanation:

A. In the Restrictions Profile, add the file name and path to the Executable Files allow list: This is not the correct answer. Adding the file name and path to the Executable Files allow list in the Restrictions Profile will not prevent the Cortex XDR Agent from blocking execution of a file based on the digital signer. A Restrictions Profile is a profile that defines the settings and actions for restricting the execution of files or processes on the endpoints. A Restrictions Profile allows you to specify a list of executable files that you want to allow or block based on the file name and path. However, this method does not take into account the digital signer of the file, and it may not be effective if the file name or path changes2.

B. Create a new rule exception and use the signer as the characteristic: This is not the correct answer. Creating a new rule exception and using the signer as the characteristic will not prevent the Cortex XDR Agent from blocking execution of a file based on the digital signer. A rule exception is an exception that you can create to modify the behavior of a specific prevention rule or BIOC rule. A rule exception allows you to specify the characteristics and the actions that you want to apply to the exception, such as file hash, process name, IP address, or domain name. However, this method does not support using the signer as a characteristic, and it may not be applicable to all prevention rules or BIOC rules3.

D. Add the signer to the allow list under the action center page: This is not the correct answer. Adding the signer to the allow list under the action center page will not prevent the Cortex XDR Agent from blocking execution of a file based on the digital signer. The action center page is a page that allows you to create and manage actions that you can perform on your endpoints, such as isolating, scanning, collecting files, or executing scripts. The action center page does not have an option to add a signer to the allow list, and it is not related to the malware prevention or detection functionality4.

In conclusion, to prevent the Cortex XDR Agent from blocking execution of a file based on the digital signer in Windows and macOS, one way to add an exception for the signer is to add the signer to the allow list in the malware profile. By using this method, you can exclude the files that are signed by the trusted signer from the malware scanning and blocking.

 Live terminal session is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to remotely access and control endpoints from the Cortex XDR console. With live terminal session, you can execute various actions on the endpoints, such as:

Manage Processes: You can view, start, or kill processes on the endpoint, and monitor their CPU and memory usage.

Manage Files: You can view, create, delete, or move files and folders on the endpoint, and upload or download files to or from the endpoint.

Run Operating System Commands: You can run commands on the endpoint using the native command-line interface of the operating system, such as cmd.exe for Windows, bash for Linux, or zsh for macOS.

Run Python Commands and Scripts: You can run Python commands and scripts on the endpoint using the Python interpreter embedded in the Cortex XDR agent. You can use the Python commands and scripts to perform advanced tasks or automation on the endpoint.

Cortex XDR allows you to define IOC rules based on various types of indicators of compromise (IOC) that you can use to detect and respond to threats in your network. One of the types of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR is destination IP address, which is the IP address of the remote host that a local endpoint is communicating with. You can use this type of IOC to identify malicious network activity, such as connections to command and control servers, phishing sites, or malware distribution hosts. You can also specify the direction of the network traffic (inbound or outbound) and the protocol (TCP or UDP) for the destination IP address IOC. References:

Cortex XDR documentation portal

Is there a possibility to create an IOC list to employ it in a query?

Cortex XDR Datasheet

Cortex XDR allows you to define IOCs based on various criteria, such as file hashes, registry keys, IP addresses, domain names, and full paths. A full path IOC is a specific location of a file or folder on an endpoint, such as C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe. You can use full path IOCs to detect and respond to malicious files or folders that are located in known locations on your endpoints12.

Let’s briefly discuss the other options to provide a comprehensive explanation:

A. destination port: This is not the correct answer. Destination port is not a type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. Destination port is a network attribute that indicates the port number to which a packet is sent. Cortex XDR does not support defining IOCs based on destination ports, but you can use XQL queries to filter network events by destination ports3.

B. e-mail address: This is not the correct answer. E-mail address is not a type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. E-mail address is an identifier that is used to send and receive e-mails. Cortex XDR does not support defining IOCs based on e-mail addresses, but you can use the Cortex XDR - IOC integration with Cortex XSOAR to ingest IOCs from various sources, including e-mail addresses4.

D. App-ID: This is not the correct answer. App-ID is not a type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. App-ID is a feature of Palo Alto Networks firewalls that identifies and controls applications on the network. Cortex XDR does not support defining IOCs based on App-IDs, but you can use the Cortex XDR Analytics app to create custom rules that use App-IDs as part of the rule logic5.

In conclusion, full path is the type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. By using full path IOCs, you can enhance your detection and response capabilities and protect your endpoints from malicious files or folders.

 A common sequence of cyber-attack tactics is based on the Cyber Kill Chain model, which describes the stages of a cyber intrusion from the perspective of the attacker. The Cyber Kill Chain model consists of seven phases: reconnaissance, weaponization, delivery, exploitation, installation, command and control, and actions on the objective. These phases are briefly explained below:

Reconnaissance: The attacker gathers information about the target, such as its network, systems, vulnerabilities, employees, and business operations. The attacker may use various methods, such as scanning, phishing, or searching open sources, to collect data that can help them plan the attack.

Weaponization: The attacker creates or obtains a malicious payload, such as malware, exploit, or script, that can be used to compromise the target. The attacker may also embed the payload into a delivery mechanism, such as an email attachment, a web link, or a removable media.

Delivery: The attacker sends or delivers the weaponized payload to the target, either directly or indirectly. The attacker may use various channels, such as email, web, or physical access, to reach the target’s network or system.

Exploitation: The attacker exploits a vulnerability or weakness in the target’s network or system to execute the payload. The vulnerability may be technical, such as a software flaw, or human, such as a social engineering trick.

Installation: The attacker installs or drops additional malware or tools on the target’s network or system to establish a foothold and maintain persistence. The attacker may use various techniques, such as registry modification, file manipulation, or process injection, to hide their presence and evade detection.

Command and Control: The attacker establishes a communication channel between the compromised target and a remote server or controller. The attacker may use various protocols, such as HTTP, DNS, or IRC, to send commands and receive data from the target.

Actions on the objective: The attacker performs the final actions that achieve their goal, such as stealing data, destroying files, encrypting systems, or disrupting services. The attacker may also try to move laterally within the target’s network or system to access more resources or data.

 A global exception is a rule that allows you to exclude specific files, processes, or behaviors from being blocked or detected by Cortex XDR. A global exception applies to all endpoints in your organization that are protected by Cortex XDR. Creating a global exception for a vitally important piece of software that is known to be benign would prevent Cortex XDR from blocking this software in the future, for all endpoints in your organization.

To create a global exception, you need to follow these steps:

In the Cortex XDR management console, go to Policy Management > Exceptions and click Add Exception.

Select the Global Exception option and click Next.

Enter a name and description for the exception and click Next.

Select the type of exception you want to create, such as file, process, or behavior, and click Next.

Specify the criteria for the exception, such as file name, hash, path, process name, command line, or behavior name, and click Next.

Review the summary of the exception and click Finish.

 To automatically convert leads into alerts after investigating a lead, you should create IOC rules based on the set of the collected attribute-value pairs over the affected entities concluded during the lead hunting. IOC rules are used to detect known threats based on indicators of compromise (IOCs) such as file hashes, IP addresses, domain names, etc. By creating IOC rules from the leads, you can prevent future occurrences of the same threats and generate alerts for them. References:

PCDRA Study Guide, page 25

Cortex XDR 3: Handling Cortex XDR Alerts, section 3.2

Cortex XDR Documentation, section “Create IOC Rules”

Cortex XDR Analytics is a feature of Cortex XDR that leverages machine learning and behavioral analytics to detect and alert on malicious activity across the network and endpoint layers. Cortex XDR Analytics can alert when detecting activity matching the following MITRE ATT&CKTM techniques: Exfiltration, Command and Control, Lateral Movement, Execution, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, Defense Evasion, Credential Access, Discovery, and Collection. However, among the options given in the question, the correct answer is D, Exfiltration, Command and Control, Lateral Movement. These are three of the most critical techniques that indicate an advanced and persistent threat (APT) in the environment. Exfiltration refers to the technique of transferring data or information from the compromised system or network to an external location controlled by the adversary. Command and Control refers to the technique of communicating with the compromised system or network to provide instructions, receive data, or update malware. Lateral Movement refers to the technique of moving from one system or network to another within the same environment, usually to gain access to more resources or data. Cortex XDR Analytics can alert on these techniques by analyzing various data sources, such as network traffic, firewall logs, endpoint events, and threat intelligence, and applying behavioral models, anomaly detection, and correlation rules. Cortex XDR Analytics can also map the alerts to the corresponding MITRE ATT&CKTM techniques and provide additional context and visibility into the attack chain1234

The Managed Threat Hunting (MTH) team is a group of security experts who proactively hunt for threats in the Cortex XDR tenant and generate a report with the findings. The MTH team uses advanced queries and investigative actions to identify and analyze potential threats, such as zero-day exploits, that may have bypassed the prevention and detection capabilities of Cortex XDR. The MTH team also provides recommendations and best practices to help customers remediate the threats and improve their security posture. References:

Managed Threat Hunting Service

Managed Threat Hunting Report

The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores settings for the operating system and for applications that run on Windows. The registry contains information, settings, options, and other values for programs and hardware installed on all versions of Microsoft Windows operating systems. The registry is organized into five main sections, called hives, each of which contains keys, subkeys, and values. The Cortex XDR agent uses the registry to store its configuration, status, and logs, as well as to monitor and control the endpoint’s security features. The Cortex XDR agent also allows you to run scripts that can read, write, or delete registry keys and values on the endpoint. References:

Windows Registry - Wikipedia

Registry Operations

The Broker VM is a virtual machine that you can deploy in your network to provide various services and functionalities to the Cortex XDR agents. One of the services that the Broker VM offers is the Local Agent Settings applet, which allows you to configure the agent proxy, agent installer, and content caching settings for the agents. The Local Agent Settings applet can support a maximum number of 10,000 agents per Broker VM. If you have more than 10,000 agents in your network, you need to deploy additional Broker VMs and distribute the load among them. References:

Broker VM Overview: This document provides an overview of the Broker VM and its features, requirements, and deployment options.

Configure the Broker VM: This document explains how to install, set up, and configure the Broker VM in an ESXi environment.

Manage Broker VM from the Cortex XDR Management Console: This document describes how to activate and manage the Broker VM applets from the Cortex XDR management console.

 Live terminal uses Python 3 with standard Python libraries to run Python commands and scripts on the endpoint. Live terminal does not support Python 2 or any custom or external Python libraries. Live terminal uses the Python interpreter embedded in the Cortex XDR agent, which is based on Python 3.7.4. The standard Python libraries are the modules that are included with the Python installation and provide a wide range of functionalities, such as operating system interfaces, network programming, data processing, and more. You can use the Python commands and scripts to perform advanced tasks or automation on the endpoint, such as querying system information, modifying files or registry keys, or running other applications. References:

Run Python Commands and Scripts

Python Standard Library

The correct statement regarding the Cortex XDR Analytics module is D, it interferes with the pattern as soon as it is observed on the endpoint. The Cortex XDR Analytics module is a feature of Cortex XDR that uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to detect and prevent network-based attacks on endpoints. The Cortex XDR Analytics module analyzes the network traffic and activity on the endpoint, and compares it with the attack patterns defined by Palo Alto Networks threat research team. The Cortex XDR Analytics module interferes with the attack pattern as soon as it is observed on the endpoint, by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. This way, the Cortex XDR Analytics module can stop the attack before it causes any damage or compromise.

The other statements are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does interfere with the attack pattern on the endpoint, by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not rely on the firewall or any other network device to stop the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the interference.

B is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does not interfere with the attack pattern as soon as it is observed by the firewall. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not depend on the firewall or any other network device to detect or prevent the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the analysis and interference. The firewall may not be able to observe or block the attack pattern if it is encrypted, obfuscated, or bypassed by the attacker.

C is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does need to interfere with the attack pattern to prevent the attack. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not only detect the attack pattern, but also prevents it from succeeding by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not rely on any other response mechanism or human intervention to stop the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the interference.

 The statement that best describes how Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) works is D, BTP uses machine learning to recognize malicious activity even if it is not known. BTP is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to define custom rules to detect and block malicious behaviors on endpoints. BTP uses machine learning to profile behavior and detect anomalies indicative of attack. BTP can recognize malicious activity based on file attributes, registry keys, processes, network connections, and other criteria, even if the activity is not associated with any known malware or threat. BTP rules are updated through content updates and can be managed from the Cortex XDR console.

The other statements are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because BTP does not inject into known vulnerable processes to detect malicious activity. BTP does not rely on process injection, which is a technique used by some malware to hide or execute code within another process. BTP monitors the behavior of all processes on the endpoint, regardless of their vulnerability status, and compares them with the BTP rules.

B is incorrect because BTP does not run on the Cortex XDR and distribute behavioral signatures to all agents. BTP runs on the Cortex XDR agent, which is installed on the endpoint, and analyzes the endpoint data locally. BTP does not use behavioral signatures, which are predefined patterns of malicious behavior, but rather uses machine learning to identify anomalies and deviations from normal behavior.

C is incorrect because BTP does not match EDR data with rules provided by Cortex XDR. BTP is part of the EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) capabilities of Cortex XDR, and uses the EDR data collected by the Cortex XDR agent to perform behavioral analysis. BTP does not match the EDR data with rules provided by Cortex XDR, but rather applies the BTP rules defined by the Cortex XDR administrator or the Palo Alto Networks threat research team.

 To create a BIOC rule with XQL query, you must at a minimum filter on the event_type field in order for it to be a valid BIOC rule. The event_type field indicates the type of event that triggered the alert, such as PROCESS, FILE, REGISTRY, NETWORK, or USER_ACCOUNT. Filtering on this field helps you narrow down the scope of your query and focus on the relevant events for your use case. Other fields, such as causality_chain, endpoint_name, threat_event, are optional and can be used to further refine your query or display additional information in the alert. References:

Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Remediation Analyst (PCDRA) Study Guide, page 9

Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Documentation, BIOC Rule Query Syntax