Free and Premium Paloalto Networks XDR-Analyst Dumps Questions Answers

Cortex XDR allows you to create two types of exception profiles: agent exception profiles and global exception profiles. Agent exception profiles apply to specific endpoints that are assigned to the profile. Global exception profiles apply to all endpoints in your network. You can use exception profiles to configure different types of exceptions, such as process exceptions, support exceptions, behavioral threat protection rule exceptions, local analysis rules exceptions, advanced analysis exceptions, or digital signer exceptions. Exception profiles help you fine-tune the security policies for your endpoints and reduce false positives. References:

Exception Security Profiles

Create an Agent Exception Profile

Create a Global Exception Profile

The type of BIOC rule that is currently available in Cortex XDR is Discovery. A Discovery BIOC rule is a rule that detects suspicious or malicious behavior on endpoints based on the Cortex XDR data. A Discovery BIOC rule can use various event types, such as file, injection, load image, network, process, registry, or user, to define the criteria for the rule. A Discovery BIOC rule can also use operators, functions, and variables to create complex logic and conditions for the rule. A Discovery BIOC rule can generate alerts when the rule is triggered, and these alerts can be grouped into incidents for further investigation and response12.

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

A. Threat Actor: This is not the correct answer. Threat Actor is not a type of BIOC rule that is currently available in Cortex XDR. Threat Actor is a term that refers to an individual or a group that is responsible for a cyberattack or a threat campaign. Cortex XDR does not support creating BIOC rules based on threat actors, but it can provide threat intelligence and context from various sources, such as Unit 42, AutoFocus, or Cortex XSOAR3.

C. Network: This is not the correct answer. Network is not a type of BIOC rule that is currently available in Cortex XDR. Network is an event type that can be used in a Discovery BIOC rule to define the criteria based on network attributes, such as source IP, destination IP, source port, destination port, protocol, or domain. Network is not a standalone type of BIOC rule, but a part of the Discovery BIOC rule2.

D. Dropper: This is not the correct answer. Dropper is not a type of BIOC rule that is currently available in Cortex XDR. Dropper is a term that refers to a type of malware that is designed to download and install other malicious files or programs on a compromised system. Cortex XDR does not support creating BIOC rules based on droppers, but it can detect and prevent droppers using various methods, such as behavioral threat protection, exploit prevention, or WildFire analysis4.

In conclusion, the type of BIOC rule that is currently available in Cortex XDR is Discovery. By using Discovery BIOC rules, you can create custom detection rules that match your specific use cases and scenarios.

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

Live Terminal uses the WebSocket protocol to communicate with the agent on the endpoint. WebSocket is a full-duplex communication protocol that enables bidirectional data exchange between a client and a server over a single TCP connection. WebSocket is designed to be implemented in web browsers and web servers, but it can be used by any client or server application. WebSocket provides a persistent connection between the Cortex XDR console and the endpoint, allowing you to execute commands and receive responses in real time. Live Terminal uses port 443 for WebSocket communication, which is the same port used for HTTPS traffic. References:

Initiate a Live Terminal Session

WebSocket

 The ultimate goal of any exploit is to reach the kernel, which is the core component of the operating system that has the highest level of privileges and access to the hardware resources. Application exploits are attacks that target vulnerabilities in specific applications, such as web browsers, email clients, or office suites. Kernel exploits are attacks that target vulnerabilities in the kernel itself, such as memory corruption, privilege escalation, or code execution. Kernel exploits are more difficult to prevent and detect than application exploits, because they can bypass security mechanisms and hide their presence from the user and the system. References:

Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Remediation Analyst (PCDRA) Study Guide, page 8

Palo Alto Networks Cortex XDR Documentation, Exploit Protection Overview

 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.

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

The best action to delete the file on the Linux endpoint is to initiate Remediation Suggestions from the Cortex XDR console. Remediation Suggestions are a feature of Cortex XDR that provide you with recommended actions to undo the effects of malicious activity on your endpoints. You can view the remediation suggestions for each alert or incident in the Cortex XDR console, and decide whether to apply them or not. Remediation Suggestions can help you restore the endpoint to its original state, remove malicious files or processes, or fix registry or system settings. Remediation Suggestions are based on the forensic data collected by the Cortex XDR agent and the analysis performed by Cortex XDR.

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because manually remediating the problem on the endpoint is not a convenient or efficient way to delete the file. Manually remediating the problem would require you to access the endpoint directly, log in as root, locate the file, and delete it. This would also require you to have the necessary permissions and credentials to access the endpoint, and to know the exact path and name of the file. Manually remediating the problem would also not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

B is incorrect because opening X2go from the Cortex XDR console is not a supported or secure way to delete the file. X2go is a third-party remote desktop software that allows you to access Linux endpoints from a graphical user interface. However, X2go is not integrated with Cortex XDR, and using it would require you to install and configure it on both the Cortex XDR console and the endpoint. Using X2go would also expose the endpoint to potential network attacks or unauthorized access, and would not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

D is incorrect because opening an NFS connection from the Cortex XDR console is not a feasible or reliable way to delete the file. NFS is a network file system protocol that allows you to access files on remote servers as if they were local. However, NFS is not integrated with Cortex XDR, and using it would require you to set up and maintain an NFS server and client on both the Cortex XDR console and the endpoint. Using NFS would also depend on the network availability and performance, and would not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

A false positive is a situation where a file or activity is incorrectly identified as malicious by a security tool, when in fact it is benign or harmless. A false positive can cause unnecessary alerts, disruptions, or remediation actions, and reduce the confidence and efficiency of the security system. In this question, a file is identified as malware by the Local Analysis module, whereas WildFire verdict is Benign, assuming WildFire is accurate. This means that the Local Analysis module has made a mistake and flagged a legitimate file as malicious, while WildFire has correctly determined that the file is safe. Therefore, this is an example of a false positive. The Local Analysis module is a feature of the Cortex XDR agent that uses a static set of pattern-matching rules and a statistical model to determine if an unknown file is likely to be malware. The Local Analysis module can provide a fast and offline verdict for files that are not yet analyzed by WildFire, but it is not as accurate or comprehensive as WildFire, which uses dynamic analysis and machine learning to examine the behavior and characteristics of files in a sandbox environment. WildFire verdicts are considered more reliable and authoritative than Local Analysis verdicts, and can override them in case of a discrepancy. Therefore, if a file is identified as malware by the Local Analysis module, but as Benign by WildFire, the WildFire verdict should be trusted and the Local Analysis verdict should be disregarded123

A BIOC rule is a custom detection rule that uses the Cortex Query Language (XQL) to define the behavior or actions that indicate a potential threat. A BIOC rule can use the xdr_data and cloud_audit_log datasets and presets for these datasets. A BIOC rule can also use the filter stage, alter stage, and functions without any aggregations in the XQL query. The query must return a single field named action_process_image, which is the process image name of the suspicious process. The query must also include the event_type and event_sub_type fields in the filter stage to specify the type and sub-type of the event that triggers the rule.

Option B is the correct answer because it meets all the requirements for a valid BIOC rule query. It uses the xdr_data dataset, the filter stage, the event_type and event_sub_type fields, and the action_process_image_name field with a regular expression to match any process image name that ends with .pdf.exe or .docx.exe, which are common indicators of malicious files.

Option A is incorrect because it does not include the event_type field in the filter stage, which is mandatory for a BIOC rule query.

Option C is incorrect because it does not include the event_type and event_sub_type fields in the filter stage, and it uses the fields stage, which is not supported for a BIOC rule query. It also returns the action_process_image field instead of the action_process_image_name field, which is the expected output for a BIOC rule query.

Option D is incorrect because it uses the event_behavior field, which is not supported for a BIOC rule query. It also does not include the event_type field in the filter stage, and it uses the event_sub_type field incorrectly. The event_sub_type field should be equal to PROCESS_START, not true.

To ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers, you need to create Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) rules to recognize and prevent the activity. BTP is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to create custom rules that detect and block malicious or suspicious behaviors on your endpoints, such as file execution, process injection, network connection, or registry modification. BTP rules can use various operators, functions, and variables to define the criteria and the actions for the rules. By creating BTP rules that match the behaviors of the supply chain attack, you can prevent the attack from compromising your servers12.

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

B. Enable DLL Protection on all servers but there might be some false positives: This is not the correct answer. Enabling DLL Protection on all servers will not ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers. DLL Protection is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to block the execution of unsigned or untrusted DLL files on your endpoints. DLL Protection can help to prevent some types of attacks that use malicious DLL files, but it may not be effective against the supply chain attack that used a Trojanized DLL file that was digitally signed by a trusted vendor. DLL Protection may also cause some false positives, as it may block some legitimate DLL files that are unsigned or untrusted3.

C. Create IOCs of the malicious files you have found to prevent their execution: This is not the correct answer. Creating IOCs of the malicious files you have found will not ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers. IOCs are indicators of compromise that you can create to detect and respond to known threats on your endpoints, such as file hashes, registry keys, IP addresses, domain names, or full paths. IOCs can help to identify and block the malicious files that you have already discovered, but they may not be effective against the supply chain attack that used different variants of the malicious files with different hashes or names. IOCs may also become outdated, as the attackers may change or update their files to evade detection4.

D. Enable Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) with cytool to prevent the attack from spreading: This is not the correct answer. Enabling BTP with cytool will not ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers. BTP is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to create custom rules that detect and block malicious or suspicious behaviors on your endpoints, such as file execution, process injection, network connection, or registry modification. BTP rules can help to prevent the attack from spreading, but they need to be created and configured in the Cortex XDR app, not with cytool. Cytool is a command-line tool that allows you to perform various operations on the Cortex XDR agent, such as installing, uninstalling, upgrading, or troubleshooting. Cytool does not have an option to enable or configure BTP rules.

In conclusion, to ensure that the same protection is extended to all your servers, you need to create BTP rules to recognize and prevent the activity. By using BTP rules, you can create custom and flexible prevention rules that match the behaviors of the supply chain attack.

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

Ransomware is a type of malicious software, or malware, that encrypts user files and prevents them from accessing their data until they pay a ransom. Ransomware can affect individual users, businesses, and organizations of all kinds. Ransomware attacks can cause costly disruptions, data loss, and reputational damage. Ransomware can spread through various methods, such as phishing emails, malicious attachments, compromised websites, or network vulnerabilities. Some ransomware variants can also self-propagate and infect other devices or networks. Ransomware authors typically demand payment in cryptocurrency or other untraceable methods, and may threaten to delete or expose the encrypted data if the ransom is not paid within a certain time frame. However, paying the ransom does not guarantee that the files will be decrypted or that the attackers will not target the victim again. Therefore, the best way to protect against ransomware is to prevent infection in the first place, and to have a backup of the data in case of an attack123456

JIT Mitigation is an Exploit Protection Module (EPM) that can be used to prevent attacks based on OS function. JIT Mitigation protects against exploits that use the Just-In-Time (JIT) compiler of the OS to execute malicious code. JIT Mitigation monitors the memory pages that are allocated by the JIT compiler and blocks any attempts to execute code from those pages. This prevents attackers from using the JIT compiler as a way to bypass other security mechanisms such as Data Execution Prevention (DEP) and Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR). References:

Palo Alto Networks. (2023). PCDRA Study Guide. PDF file. Retrieved from

Palo Alto Networks. (2021). Exploit Protection Modules. Web page. Retrieved from

An example of an attack vector for ransomware is phishing emails containing malicious attachments. Phishing is a technique that involves sending fraudulent emails that appear to come from a legitimate source, such as a bank, a company, or a government agency. The emails typically contain a malicious attachment, such as a PDF document, a ZIP archive, or a Microsoft Office document, that contains ransomware or a ransomware downloader. When the recipient opens or downloads the attachment, the ransomware is executed and encrypts the files or data on the victim’s system. The attacker then demands a ransom for the decryption key, usually in cryptocurrency.

Phishing emails are one of the most common and effective ways of delivering ransomware, as they can bypass security measures such as firewalls, antivirus software, or URL filtering. Phishing emails can also exploit the human factor, as they can trick the recipient into opening the attachment by using social engineering techniques, such as impersonating a trusted sender, creating a sense of urgency, or appealing to curiosity or greed. Phishing emails can also target specific individuals or organizations, such as executives, employees, or customers, in a technique called spear phishing, which increases the chances of success.

According to various sources, phishing emails are the main vector of ransomware attacks, accounting for more than 90% of all ransomware infections12. Some of the most notorious ransomware campaigns, such as CryptoLocker, Locky, and WannaCry, have used phishing emails as their primary delivery method3 . Therefore, it is essential to educate users on how to recognize and avoid phishing emails, as well as to implement security solutions that can detect and block malicious attachments. References:

Top 7 Ransomware Attack Vectors & How to Avoid Becoming a Victim - Bitsight

What Is the Main Vector of Ransomware Attacks? A Definitive Guide

CryptoLocker Ransomware Information Guide and FAQ

[Locky Ransomware Information, Help Guide, and FAQ]

[WannaCry ransomware attack]

 To add an exception to exclude a specific file hash from examination by the Malware profile for a Windows endpoint, you need to use the Action Center in Cortex XDR. The Action Center allows you to create and manage actions that apply to endpoints, such as adding files or processes to the allow list or block list, isolating or unisolating endpoints, or initiating live terminal sessions. To add a file hash to the allow list, you need to choose Allow list, select new action, select add to allow list, add your hash to the list, and apply it. This will prevent the Malware profile from scanning or blocking the file on the endpoints that match the scope of the action. References: Cortex XDR 3: Responding to Attacks1, Action Center2

The Agent Installer and Content Caching applet of the Broker VM is used to download and cache the Cortex XDR agent installation packages and content updates from Palo Alto Networks servers. This applet also acts as a proxy server for the Cortex XDR agents to communicate with the Cortex Data Lake and the Cortex XDR management console. To ensure secure communication between the Broker VM and the Cortex XDR agents, you are required to install a strong cipher SHA256-based SSL certificate on the Broker VM. The SSL certificate must have a common name or subject alternative name that matches the Broker VM FQDN or IP address. The SSL certificate must also be trusted by the Cortex XDR agents, either by using a certificate signed by a public CA or by manually installing the certificate on the endpoints. References:

Agent Installer and Content Caching

Install an SSL Certificate on the Broker VM

 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

The WSS (WebSocket Secure) protocol is an extension of the WebSocket protocol that provides a secure communication channel over the internet. It is used to establish a persistent, full-duplex communication channel between a client (in this case, the Cortex XDR agent) and a server (such as the Cortex XDR management console or other components). The Cortex XDR agent uses the WSS protocol to establish a secure and real-time bidirectional communication channel with the Cortex XDR management console or other components in the Palo Alto Networks security ecosystem. This communication channel allows the agent to send data, such as security events, alerts, and other relevant information, to the management console, and receive commands, policy updates, and responses in return. By using the WSS protocol, the Cortex XDR agent can maintain a persistent connection with the management console, which enables timely communication of security-related information and allows for efficient incident response and remediation actions. It’s important to note that the other options mentioned in the question also involve communication between the Cortex XDR agent and various components, but they do not specifically mention the use of the WSS protocol. For example:

A. The Cortex XDR agent downloading new security content typically utilizes protocols like HTTP or HTTPS.

B. When the Cortex XDR agent uploads alert data, it may use protocols like HTTP or HTTPS to transmit the data securely.

C. When the Cortex XDR agent connects to WildFire to upload files for analysis, it typically uses protocols like HTTP or HTTPS. Therefore, the correct answer is D, when the Cortex XDR agent establishes a bidirectional communication channel. References:

Device communication protocols – AWS IoT Core

WebSocket – Wikipedia

Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Remediation Analyst (PCDRA) – Palo Alto Networks

[What are WebSockets? | Web Security Academy]

[Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Remediation Analyst PCDRA certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Remediation Analyst PCDRA exam and earn Palo Alto Networks Certified Detection and Remediation Analyst PCDRA certification.]

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

Encrypting a hypervisor or a multiple number of virtual machines running on a server is a form of ransomware attack, which is a type of cyberattack that involves locking or encrypting the victim’s data or system and demanding a ransom for its release. The attacker may threaten to encrypt the hypervisor or the virtual machines to extort a payment from the victim or potentially embarrass the owners by exposing their sensitive or confidential information. Encrypting a hypervisor or a multiple number of virtual machines can have a severe impact on the victim’s business operations, as it can affect the availability, integrity, and confidentiality of their data and applications. The attacker may also use the encryption as a leverage to negotiate a higher ransom or to coerce the victim into complying with their demands. References:

Encrypt an Existing Virtual Machine or Virtual Disk: This document explains how to encrypt an existing virtual machine or virtual disk using the vSphere Client.

How to Encrypt an Existing or New Virtual Machine: This article provides a guide on how to encrypt an existing or new virtual machine using AOMEI Backupper.

Ransomware: This document provides an overview of ransomware, its types, impacts, and prevention methods.

 The policy exception that applies to the following description is B, local file threat examination exception. A local file threat examination exception is an exception that allows you to exclude specific files or folders from being scanned by the Cortex XDR agent for malware or threats. You can use this exception to prevent false positives, performance issues, or compatibility problems with legitimate files or applications. You can define the local file threat examination exception by file name, file path, file hash, or digital signer. For example, you can create a local file threat examination exception for specific PHP files by entering their file names or paths in the exception configuration. References:

Local File Threat Examination Exceptions

Create a Local File Threat Examination Exception

 When investigating security events, the feature in Cortex XDR that is useful for reverting the changes on the endpoint is Remediation Suggestions. Remediation Suggestions are a feature of Cortex XDR that provide you with recommended actions to undo the effects of malicious activity on your endpoints. You can view the remediation suggestions for each alert or incident in the Cortex XDR console, and decide whether to apply them or not. Remediation Suggestions can help you restore the endpoint to its original state, remove malicious files or processes, or fix registry or system settings. Remediation Suggestions are based on the forensic data collected by the Cortex XDR agent and the analysis performed by Cortex XDR. References:

Remediation Suggestions

Apply Remediation Suggestions

The correct answer is B, create Behavioral Threat Protection (BTP) rules to recognize and prevent the activity. BTP rules are a powerful feature of Cortex XDR that allow you to define custom rules to detect and block malicious behaviors on endpoints. You can use BTP rules to create indicators of compromise (IOCs) based on file attributes, registry keys, processes, network connections, and other criteria. By creating BTP rules, you can prevent the same malicious Word document from being opened by other users in your organization, even if the document has a different name or hash value. BTP rules are updated through content updates and can be managed from the Cortex XDR console.

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because enabling DLL Protection on all endpoints is not a specific or effective way to prevent the malicious Word document. DLL Protection is a feature of Cortex XDR that prevents the loading of unsigned or untrusted DLLs by protected processes. However, this feature does not apply to Word documents or macros, and may cause false positives or compatibility issues with legitimate applications.

C is incorrect because relying on Cortex to share IOCs with the Cyber Threat Alliance members is not a proactive or sufficient way to prevent the malicious Word document. The Cyber Threat Alliance is a group of cybersecurity vendors that share threat intelligence and best practices to improve their products and services. However, not all vendors are members of the alliance, and not all IOCs are shared or updated in a timely manner. Therefore, you cannot assume that other users in your organization are protected by the same IOCs as Cortex XDR.

D is incorrect because doing nothing is not a responsible or secure way to prevent the malicious Word document. Even though Cortex XDR agent prevented the attempt to open the document on one endpoint, it does not mean that the document is no longer a threat. The document may still be circulating in your network or email system, and may be opened by other users who have different agent profiles or policies. Therefore, you should take steps to identify and block the document across your organization.

The “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains” feature in a Cortex XDR Windows Malware profile allows the agent to take automatic actions against network connections and processes that are involved in malicious activity on the endpoint. The feature has two modes: Block IP Address and Kill Process1.

The two purposes of “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains” in a Cortex XDR Windows Malware profile are:

Automatically kill the processes involved in malicious activity. This can help to stop the malware from spreading or doing any further damage.

Automatically block the IP addresses involved in malicious traffic. This can help to prevent the malware from communicating with its command and control server or other malicious hosts.

The other two options, automatically close the connections involved in malicious traffic and automatically terminate the threads involved in malicious activity, are not specific to “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains”. They are general security measures that the agent can perform regardless of the feature.

 You can star security events in Cortex XDR in two ways: manually star an alert or an incident, or create an alert-starring or incident-starring configuration. Starring security events helps you prioritize and track the events that are most important to you. You can also filter and sort the events by their star status in the Cortex XDR console.

To manually star an alert or an incident, you can use the star icon in the Alerts table or the Incidents table. You can also star an alert from the Causality View or the Query Center Results table. You can star an incident from the Incident View or the Query Center Results table. You can also unstar an event by clicking the star icon again.

To create an alert-starring or incident-starring configuration, you can use the Alert Starring Configuration or the Incident Starring Configuration pages in the Cortex XDR console. You can define the criteria for starring alerts or incidents based on their severity, category, source, or other attributes. You can also enable or disable the configurations as needed.

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