156-315.81 Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 Question and Answers

 The Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Web API uses the REST web services protocol to communicate with external identity sources. REST stands for Representational State Transfer, and it is an architectural style for designing web services that use HTTP methods to access and manipulate resources. The Identity Awareness Web API allows external identity sources to send identity and session information to the Security Gateway, which can then use this information for policy enforcement. 

The option that is not supported by CPUSE is offline installations. CPUSE (Check Point Update Service Engine) is a Gaia software update agent that manages software updates on Gaia OS and Check Point products. It requires an internet connection to download and install updates from the Check Point Cloud or a local Deployment Agent. The other options are supported by CPUSE. It can automatically download full installation and upgrade packages, hotfixes, and private hotfixes. It can also install them manually or automatically according to a schedule. References: [CPUSE Overview]

https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R77/CP_R77_Gaia_AdminWebAdminGuide/

html_frameset.htm?topic=documents/R77/CP_R77_Gaia_AdminWebAdminGuide/112109

 The recommended configuration when the customer requires SmartLog indexing for 14 days and SmartEvent to keep events for 180 days is to install Management and SmartEvent on different machines. This is because SmartLog and SmartEvent use different databases and storage methods, and having them on separate machines allows for better performance and scalability. References: [SmartLog Administration Guide]

The FWD process provides logging services, such as forwarding logs from Gateway to Log Server, providing Log Export API (LEA) and Event Logging API (EL-A) services. The FWD process is responsible for sending logs from the Security Gateway to the Security Management Server or Log Server, and for fetching logs from the Security Management Server or Log Server to SmartConsole. The FWD process also handles the communication with external logging applications that use the LEA or EL-A protocols.

References:

• FWD process does not work after reboot - Check Point CheckMates, section “FWD process does not work after reboot”
• Check Point R81, section “Logging and Monitoring”
• CoreXL Dynamic Dispatcher - Check Point Software, section “Example of output”

Identity Awareness maps users and computer identities, enabling enforcement of Access Control policy rules and auditing data based on identity. It is an easy-to-deploy and scalable solution that works for both Active Directory and non-Active Directory based networks, including employees and guest users1. By considering network location, user identity, and machine identity, organizations can control access between different segments in the network using an identity-based policy2.

References:

• Check Point Troubleshooting Expert - R81 (CCTE) Reference Materials
• Check Point Certified Troubleshooting Expert R81.20 - CCTE
• Check Point CCTE Certification Sample Questions and Practice Exam

 The correct command for enabling the management data plane separation (MDPS) is set mdps mgmt plane on. This command enables routing separation between management and data planes on a security gateway. This means that management traffic will use a different routing table than data traffic, which can improve security and performance. References: [Check Point Security Expert R81 Administration Guide], page 76.

The best way to test if the policy from two weeks ago have the same issue is to install the specific version of the policy from the installation history view of the gateway. This way, you can keep the changes from the last weeks in the management server and revert back to them later if needed. You do not need to take a backup or a snapshot of the gateway or the management server for this purpose. References: [Check Point Security Expert R81 Administration Guide], page 34.

 The attribute that is not used for identifying a connection by packet acceleration (SecureXL) is TCP Acknowledgment Number. SecureXL identifies connections by using a hash function that takes into account the following attributes: source address, destination address, source port, destination port, protocol, and VPN ID. The TCP Acknowledgment Number is not part of the hash function and does not affect the connection identification. References: [SecureXL Mechanism]

https //sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R77/CP R77_Firewall_WebAdmm/92711.htm

To determine the cause of a cluster gateway showing "Down" despite running "clusterXL_admin up" on the down member, you can run the following command:

This command will provide a list of cluster members along with their statuses and can help diagnose the issue with the down member.

References: Check Point documentation or training materials related to High Availability and ClusterXL.

 The main objective when using Application Control is to ensure security and privacy of information. Application Control is a blade that enables administrators to control access to web applications and web sites based on categories, users, groups, machines, and time. Application Control can also block or limit usage of applications that pose security risks or consume excessive bandwidth2. References: Check Point R81 Application Control Administration Guide

Each instance of VRRP running on a supported interface may monitor the link state of other interfaces. The monitored interfaces do not have to be running VRRP.

If a monitored interface loses its link state, then VRRP will decrement its priority over a VRID by the specified delta value and then will send out a new VRRP HELLO packet. If the new effective priority is less than the priority a backup platform has, then the backup platform will begin to send out its own HELLO packet.

Once the master sees this packet with a priority greater than its own, then it releases the VIP.

References:

In the context of Check Point remote access clients and Office Mode, the correct answer is:

A. SecuRemote: SecuRemote is a Check Point remote access client that does not provide an Office-Mode Address. Office Mode is a feature that assigns a unique IP address from a designated IP pool to remote users when they connect to the corporate network. SecuRemote does not support this feature.

B. Endpoint Security Suite, C. Endpoint Security VPN, and D. Check Point Mobile are remote access clients that support Office Mode and can provide an Office-Mode Address to remote users.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer as it correctly identifies a remote access client that does not provide an Office-Mode Address.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

 The Threat Prevention profile in Check Point R81.20 SmartConsole application allows you to enforce the following software blades: IPS, Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, Threat Emulation, and Threat Extraction. These software blades provide comprehensive protection against various types of threats, such as network attacks, malware, ransomware, phishing, and zero-day exploits. You can configure the profile settings for each software blade, such as the action to take, the protection scope, and the exceptions. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Threat Prevention Administration Guide

The command cpinfo –y all displays information about all the hotfixes that are installed on the gateway1. This command also shows the hotfix ID, description, installation date, and status for each hotfix2. The other commands are not valid options for this task. The command cpinfo –h all shows the hardware information of the gateway3. The commands cpinfo –o hotfix and cpinfo –l hotfix do not exist and will return an error message.

References: Hotfix installer - Configuration Manager, How to keep your Security Gateways up to date, Solved: Does it always need to have the higher hotfix vers…

The correct syntax to import a host object using mgmt_cli is mgmt_cli add host name ip-address --format 1. The name and ip-address parameters are mandatory, while the format parameter is optional and can be either json or txt. The other options are incorrect because they either use wrong parameters, wrong hyphens, or wrong object types. References: 1: Check Point Resource Library2

Which firewall daemon is responsible for the FW CLI commands? The firewall daemon that is responsible for the FW CLI commands is fwd. This daemon handles the communication between the firewall kernel and the user space processes, such as SmartConsole, SmartView Tracker, etc. The FW CLI commands are used to control and monitor various aspects of the firewall, such as connections, policy installation, logs, NAT, etc. The FW CLI commands are executed with the prefix fw, such as fw stat, fw tab, fw monitor, etc. References: R81 Command Line Interface Reference Guide, page 13.

The statement that is wrong regarding the usage of the Central Deployment in SmartConsole is that only be installed Hotfixes can with the Central Deployment in SmartConsole. This is wrong because Central Deployment can also be used to install Jumbo Hotfix accumulators, upgrade clusters, and perform other operations on multiple gateways simultaneously. Central Deployment simplifies and automates the deployment process and reduces human errors and downtime. References: [Check Point Security Expert R81 Administration Guide], page 23.

 The traffic that the Anti-bot feature blocks is command and control traffic from hosts that have been identified as infected. Anti-bot is a blade that detects and prevents botnet attacks by using a cloud-based service that provides up-to-date threat intelligence. When Anti-bot detects a host that is communicating with a malicious command and control server, it blocks the traffic and generates an alert2. The other options are not the types of traffic that Anti-bot blocks. References: 2: Check Point Software, Getting Started, Anti-Bot.

 CPUSE offline upgrade is the best upgrade method when the management server is not connected to the Internet. CPUSE (Check Point Upgrade Service Engine) is a tool that automates the process of upgrading and installing software packages on Check Point devices. CPUSE can work in online mode or offline mode. Online mode requires an Internet connection to download the packages from Check Point servers. Offline mode allows you to download the packages manually from another device and transfer them to the management server using a USB drive or SCP. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, CPUSE Administration Guide

 The action that is not supported in UserCheck objects is Reject. UserCheck objects in the Application Control and URL Filtering rules allow the gateway to communicate with the users and display messages or requests on their browsers. The supported actions in UserCheck objects are Ask, Inform, Block, and Continue. The Ask action prompts the user to confirm or cancel an action. The Inform action notifies the user about an event or a policy. The Block action prevents the user from accessing a resource or performing an action. The Continue action allows the user to access a resource or perform an action after displaying a message. References: [UserCheck]

 According to out of the box SmartEvent policy, the blade that will automatically be correlated into events is IPS. IPS (Intrusion Prevention System) is a blade that detects and prevents network attacks by inspecting traffic and applying signatures and protections. SmartEvent correlates IPS logs into events based on predefined event definitions, such as IPS Attack, IPS Attack High Confidence, IPS Attack Critical Confidence, etc. The other blades are not automatically correlated into events by default, but they can be added to the SmartEvent policy manually. References: [SmartEvent Policy]

You will find the config.txt file in the home directory of your user account (e.g. /home/admin/)1. The save configuration config.txt command is a Clish command that saves the current Gaia configuration to a text file2. The file is stored in the home directory of the user who executed the command, and it can be accessed by using the cat or less commands in expert mode1. The file can also be transferred to another machine by using the scp or sftp commands1. The config.txt file contains the Clish commands that are needed to restore the Gaia configuration to the same state as when the file was saved2. The file can be used for backup, migration, or troubleshooting purposes2.

References: How to backup and restore Gaia configuration - Check Point Software, Gaia R81.20 Administration Guide - Check Point Software

The ports that are required to be open for SmartEvent are 19009, 18190, and 443. TCP port 19009 is used by the CPM process for management communication. TCP port 18190 is used by the CPD process for inter-process communication. TCP port 443 is used by the HTTPS protocol for secure web access. SmartEvent uses these ports to communicate with other components, such as SmartConsole, Security Management Server, Log Server, Correlation Unit, etc. References: [SmartEvent Ports]

 A Policy Package is a set of rules and settings that define how a Security Gateway enforces security on traffic that passes through it. A Policy Package can be created on either the Management Server or the Security Gateway, but it must be installed on both to take effect. When a new Policy Package is created on the Management Server, it must be installed on an existing Security Gateway that has a different Policy Package installed. The message below warns the administrator that installing a new Policy Package will overwrite the existing one on the Security Gateway.

https://www.bing.com/images/blob?bcid=qMoRhR0dzSkGmg

The message also advises the administrator to back up their existing configuration before proceeding with the installation.

The hostname of the Standby member should not be changed to match the hostname of the Active member, as this would cause a conflict in the network. The correct procedure is to change the hostname of the Active member to a different name, and then change the Standby member to the original hostname of the Active member1. References: 1: Check Point Resource Library, Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81.20 Course Overview, page 9.

 If SecureXL is disabled, which means that packet acceleration is not available, the traffic is processed by the Firewall path. The Firewall path is the slowest path in the Check Point architecture, as it involves a full inspection of each packet by the Firewall kernel and all the enabled Software Blades. The Firewall path is also known as the F2F (Firewall to Firewall) path or the INSPECT path. References: Check Point Architecture

Automation and Orchestration differ in that automation relates to codifying tasks, whereas orchestration relates to codifying processes. Automation is the process of converting manual tasks into executable scripts or programs that can be run by machines or software agents. Orchestration is the process of coordinating multiple automated tasks into a coherent workflow that achieves a desired outcome or goal. Orchestration can also involve integrating different systems, tools, and services through web service interactions such as XML and JSON. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Automation & Orchestration Administration Guide

When simulating a problem on a ClusterXL cluster with the command "cphaprob –d STOP -s problem -t 0 register" to initiate a failover on an active cluster member, you can use the command "cphaprob –d STOP unregister" to remove the problematic state and return the cluster to normal operation.

Option A correctly identifies the command that allows you to remove the problematic state, making it the verified answer.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

 The SmartEvent Correlation Unit is responsible for analyzing the log entries and identifying events from them. It runs on the Log Server machine or on a dedicated machine1. To check the status of the SmartEvent Correlation Unit, you can use the command cpstat cpsead on the machine where it is installed. This command will show you information such as the number of logs processed, the number of events generated, the CPU and memory usage, and the status of the connection to the SmartEvent Server23.

References: SmartEvent Administration Guide R76, SmartEvent Administration Guide R75, SmartEvent Performance Tuning Guide

The command vpn tu tlist shows detailed information about VPN tunnels, such as the peer IP address, encryption domain, IKE phase 1 and phase 2 status, encryption algorithm, and tunnel uptime. The command vpn tu is an interactive tool that allows users to list, delete, or reconnect VPN tunnels. The command cpview is a real-time performance monitoring tool that shows various statistics about the system and network. References: VPN Administration Guide, SK97638 - What is cpview Utility and How to Use it

 The correct command to add an “emailserver1” host with IP address 10.50.23.90 using GAiA management CLI is mgmt: add host name emailserver1 ip-address 10.50.23.90. This command will create a new host object in the Security Management Server database, with the specified name and IP address. The mgmt: prefix indicates that the command is executed on the Security Management Server, and not on the local GAiA machine. The other commands are either missing the mgmt: prefix, or have incorrect syntax or parameters. 

 A clientless remote access VPN deployment is used to provide remote users with secure access to internal corporate resources by authenticating the user through an internet browser. A clientless remote access VPN does not require any software installation or configuration on the user’s device. Instead, it uses a web-based portal that acts as a proxy between the user and the corporate resources. The user can access web applications and services through the portal using a standard web browser that supports SSL/TLS encryption. The portal can also provide single sign-on (SSO) capabilities for SAML-enabled applications. A clientless remote access VPN is suitable for scenarios where users need to access mainly web-based resources from unmanaged devices or devices that cannot run VPN clients.

The other options are incorrect because:

• A client-based remote access VPN deployment is used to provide remote users with secure access to internal corporate resources by installing a VPN client software on the user’s device. A client-based remote access VPN requires software installation and configuration on the user’s device. It uses IPsec or SSL/TLS protocols to create a secure tunnel between the user’s device and the VPN gateway. The user can access any type of resource through the tunnel using any application that supports TCP/IP protocols. A client-based remote access VPN is suitable for scenarios where users need to access various types of resources from managed devices or devices that can run VPN clients.
• A clientless direct access deployment is not a valid term for a VPN deployment. Direct access is a feature of Windows Server that allows remote users to securely access internal corporate resources without using a VPN connection. Direct access uses IPv6 transition technologies and IPsec protocols to create a secure connection between the user’s device and the direct access server. The user can access any type of resource through the connection using any application that supports TCP/IP protocols. Direct access requires software installation and configuration on both the user’s device and the direct access server.
• A direct access deployment is not a term for a VPN deployment, but a feature of Windows Server that allows remote users to securely access internal corporate resources without using a VPN connection. Direct access uses IPv6 transition technologies and IPsec protocols to create a secure connection between the user’s device and the direct access server. The user can access any type of resource through the connection using any application that supports TCP/IP protocols. Direct access requires software installation and configuration on both the user’s device and the direct access server.

The WebUI offers three methods for downloading hotfixes via CPUSE: Automatic, Manually, and Scheduled. Force override is not a valid method for downloading hotfixes. Force override is an option that can be used when installing a hotfix to override the compatibility check and force the installation of the hotfix. References: CPUSE - Gaia Software Updates (including Gaia Software Updates Agent)

The Check Point history feature in R81 provides the following functions:

• View install changes: This function allows you to view the changes that were made in each policy installation, such as added, modified, or deleted rules, objects, settings, etc. You can also compare the changes between different policy installations and filter them by various criteria.
• Install specific version: This function allows you to install a specific version of the policy from the history, which can be useful for reverting to a previous policy or testing different policies. You can also view the changes that will be applied by installing a specific version before installing it. References: R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 85.

The "Network Access VPN Domain" feature allows remote-access VPN users to access resources across a site-to-site VPN tunnel. This feature allows remote users to securely access internal network resources as if they were physically connected to the network. This is achieved by adding the remote-access VPN users to a "VPN Domain" that has access to the internal network resources via a site-to-site VPN tunnel. This VPN Domain is also referred to as a "Network Access VPN Domain".

 The correct address to access the Web UI for Gaia platform via browser is https:// . This will open the Gaia Portal login page, where you can enter your username and password to access the Gaia configuration options. By default, the Web UI listens on port 443 for HTTPS connections, but you can change it using the CLISH command set web ssl-port . 

The command fw ctl debug 0 will reset the kernel debug options to default settings. This command will disable all the debug flags and clear the debug buffer. It is recommended to use this command before and after performing a kernel debug, to avoid any interference or confusion with other debug outputs. The command fw ctl debug 0 is also equivalent to fw ctl debug -buf 0.

References:

• Best Practices - HTTPS Inspection - Check Point Software, section “How to perform a Kernel Debug”
• LOGGINGAND MONITORING R81 - Check Point Software, page 104

https://resources.checkpoint.com/datasheet/certified-security-expert-ccse-r8120-course-overview

Dynamic log distribution is a feature that allows you to configure the Security Gateway to distribute logs between multiple active Log Servers to support a better rate of Logs and Log Servers redundancy. This means that each log is sent to only one Log Server and the load is balanced between the primary Log Servers. If all the primary Log Servers are disconnected, the logs are distributed between the backup Log Servers. If no Log Servers are connected, the gateway writes the logs locally. This feature improves the performance and reliability of logging and reduces the network traffic and disk space consumption. You can enable this feature on the SmartConsole -> Gateways & Servers -> Logs -> Dynamic Log Distribution1.

The other options are incorrect because they do not describe the dynamic log distribution feature. Option B is wrong because the Management High Availability does not store the logs dynamically on the member with the most available disk space, but rather synchronizes the logs between the members using the cpd process2. Option C is wrong because the dynamic log distribution feature does not synchronize the logs between the primary and secondary management server, but rather distributes the logs between the Log Servers. Option D is wrong because the dynamic log distribution feature does not save disk space in case of a firewall cluster, but rather distributes the logs between the Log Servers. The firewall cluster members do not store local logs, but rather send them to the Log Servers3.

The component that is not required to communicate with the Web Services API is the API key. The Web Services API uses a session ID token for authentication, which is obtained by sending a login request with a valid username and password. The other components are required for sending requests and receiving responses from the Web Services API. The content-type specifies the format of the data being sent or received, such as JSON or XML. The request payload contains the data and parameters for the API call, such as command name, object name, etc. References: [Web Services API Reference Guide]

The valid authentication methods for mutual authenticating the VPN gateways are Pre-shared Secret and PKI Certificates. Pre-shared Secret is a method that uses a secret key that is known only to the two VPN gateways. PKI Certificates is a method that uses digital certificates that are issued by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) and contain the public key of each VPN gateway. Both methods ensure that the VPN gateways can verify each other’s identity before establishing a secure VPN tunnel. References: [Check Point R81 VPN Administration Guide]

The command that lists firewall chain is fw ctl chain1. This command displays the list of chain modules that are registered on the Security Gateway2. Chain modules are components of the Firewall kernel that inspect and process packets according to the security policy and other features3. The order of the chain modules determines the order of the packet inspection and processing3. The fw ctl chain command can help you troubleshoot connectivity or performance issues, or to verify that a feature is enabled or disabled on the Security Gateway2. To run this command, you need to access the Security Gateway in expert mode and run fw ctl chain1.

References: How to use fw ctl chain - Check Point Software, fw ctl chain - Check Point Software, R81.x Security Gateway Architecture (Logical Packet Flow) - Check Point CheckMates

 Establishing SIC between gateways and the management server is a prerequisite for Central Deployment usage, as the CDT tool will not take care of this automatically1. The administrator must have write permission on SmartUpdate, the Security Gateway must have the latest CPUSE Deployment Agent, and the Security Gateway must have a policy installed2. These are the basic requirements for using the Central Deployment Tool (CDT), which is a utility that lets you manage a deployment of software packages from your Management Server to the multiple managed Security gateways and cluster members at the same time2. The CDT can perform various actions, such as installation of software packages, taking snapshots, running shell scripts, pushing/pulling files, and automating the RMA backup and restore process2. The CDT is supported on Check Point Appliances with R80.40 and higher versions2. References: How to keep your Security Gateways up to date - Check Point Software, Central Deployment Tool (CDT) - Check Point CheckMates.

 The purpose of the CPCA process is to generate and modify certificates for Check Point products and features. CPCA stands for Check Point Certificate Authority and it is responsible for creating and managing certificates for internal communication between Check Point components, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, SmartConsole clients, and OPSEC applications. CPCA also supports external certificate authorities and can import and export certificates from other sources. 

Hit Count is a feature to track the number of connections that each rule matches, which can help to optimize the Rule Base efficiency and analyze the network traffic behavior. The benefit that is not provided by Hit Count is automatically rearrange Access Control Policy based on Hit Count Analysis. Hit Count does not change the order of the rules automatically, but it allows the administrator to manually move the rules up or down based on the hit count statistics. The administrator can also use the SmartOptimize feature to get suggestions for improving the Rule Base order and performance. References: R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 97.

The Log “Views” tab shows the details of a selected log when SmartEvent is correlating events. You can select a log from the Logs tab and click on the Views tab to see more information about the log, such as source, destination, service, action, blade, rule number, etc. You can also customize the columns and filters in the Views tab to display only the relevant fields for your analysis. References: [SmartEvent User Guide]

 In the Check Point Security Management Architecture, both the Security Management Server and Security Gateway can store logs. The Security Management Server stores logs related to management activities, while the Security Gateway stores logs related to network traffic1. References: Check Point Resource Library, page 3.

The verified answer is C. Identity Awareness.

Identity Awareness is the Check Point software blade that provides detailed visibility of users, groups, and machines, while also providing application and access control through the creation of accurate, identity-based policies1. Identity Awareness allows you to easily configure network access and auditing based on three items: network location, the identity of a user and the identity of a machine1. Identity Awareness integrates with multiple identity sources, such as Microsoft Active Directory, Cisco Identity Services Engine, and RADIUS Accounting23.

Application Control is the Check Point software blade that enables network administrators to identify and control thousands of applications and widgets, and millions of websites, based on categories, risk, and characteristics.

Firewall is the Check Point software blade that provides stateful inspection and enforcement of network traffic, and protects against network and application-level attacks.

URL Filtering is the Check Point software blade that enables secure web access by blocking access to malicious and inappropriate websites, and enforcing compliance with corporate policies.

References:

• Identity Awareness - Check Point Software1
• Check Point Integrated Security Architecture - Check Point Software2
• Cisco Identity Services Engine and Check Point Integration3
• Application Control - Check Point Software
• Firewall - Check Point Software
• URL Filtering - Check Point Software

 The TCP port that the CPM process listens on is 19009. The CPM process is the Check Point Management process that handles all management operations on the Security Management Server, such as policy installation, database synchronization, logging, etc. It communicates with other processes and clients using TCP port 19009. The other ports are used by different processes or services. TCP port 18191 is used by the FWM process for management communication. TCP port 18190 is used by the CPD process for inter-process communication. TCP port 8983 is used by the Solr process for SmartLog indexing. References: [Check Point Ports]

Check Point recommends configuring Disk Space Management parameters to delete old log entries when available disk space is less than or equal to a certain threshold. In this case, the correct threshold is specified as option D: 15%.

So, when the available disk space reaches or falls below 15%, old log entries should be deleted to free up space.

Options A, B, and C do not represent the recommended threshold for deleting old log entries according to Check Point's best practices.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

 R81.20 management server can manage gateways with versions R75.20 and higher. However, some features may not be supported on older gateway versions. For example, R81 introduces a new feature called Infinity Threat Prevention, which requires R81 gateways to work properly. Therefore, it is recommended to upgrade your gateways to the latest version to take advantage of all the new features and enhancements in R81. 

The SmartEvent component that creates events is the Correlation Unit, which is responsible for correlating and analyzing security events to identify patterns and potential threats.

Option A, "Consolidation Policy," does not create events but is used to configure policies for event consolidation.

Option C, "SmartEvent Policy," is not responsible for creating events but is used to configure policies related to SmartEvent.

Option D, "SmartEvent GUI," is the graphical user interface for managing SmartEvent but does not create events itself.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

When configuring Management HA, you have to take into consideration that the Database revisions will not be synchronized between the management servers. Database revisions are snapshots of the database that are created manually or automatically when installing a policy or saving changes. They are stored locally on each management server and are not replicated by Management HA. The other options are either not true or not relevant to Management HA. References: Check Point R81 Installation and Upgrade Guide

 UserCheck is a communication tool used to inform a user about a website or application they are trying to access. UserCheck allows administrators to interact with users in real time, informing them of the security policy and the actions they need to take. UserCheck can also enable users to self-remediate incidents or request exceptions from the administrator. References: Training & Certification | Check Point Software, Check Point Resource Library

The SmartEvent R81 Web application for real-time event monitoring is called SmartEventWeb. SmartEventWeb is a web-based interface that allows administrators to view and analyze security events from various sources, such as logs, reports, incidents, and indicators. SmartEventWeb provides dashboards, widgets, filters, and drill-down options to help administrators gain insights into their security posture. The other options are either incorrect or refer to different applications.

Browser-based Authentication is a method of acquiring identities from unidentified users by sending them to a web page where they can log in and authenticate. Browser-based Authentication uses two techniques to acquire identities: Captive Portal and Transparent Kerberos Authentication1.

Captive Portal is a simple method that attempts authentication through a web interface before granting a user access to Intranet resources. When a user tries to access a protected resource, they are redirected to a web page where they have to enter their credentials. The credentials are verified by the Identity Awareness Security Gateway or an external authentication server. If the authentication is successful, the user’s identity is associated with their IP address and they are allowed to access the resource12.

Transparent Kerberos Authentication is a more seamless method that leverages the existing Kerberos infrastructure in the network. When a user tries to access a protected resource, the Identity Awareness Security Gateway intercepts the Kerberos ticket request and extracts the user’s identity from it. The user’s identity is then associated with their IP address and they are allowed to access the resource without any additional prompts. This method requires that the Identity Awareness Security Gateway is configured as a trusted proxy in the Active Directory domain12.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. Browser-based Authentication sends users to a web page to acquire identities using Captive Portal and Transparent Kerberos Authentication.

References:

• 1, THE IMPORTANCE OF ACCESS ROLES - Check Point Software, page 2
• 2, Browser-based Authentication Check Point - Bing
• 3, How to Configure Client Authentication - Check Point Software, page 1
• 4, Identity Sources - Check Point Software
• 5, Configuring Browser-Based Authentication - Check Point Software
• 6, Two Factor Authentication - Check Point Software

 The most ideal Synchronization Status for Security Management Server High Availability deployment is Synchronized. Security Management Server High Availability deployment is a feature that allows two or more Security Management Servers to provide redundancy and load balancing for managing security policies and logs. Synchronization Status is a parameter that indicates how up-to-date the databases of the Security Management Servers are with each other. Synchronization Status can have one of the following values: Synchronized, Lagging, Never been synchronized, or Collision. Synchronized means that the databases of all Security Management Servers are identical and have no conflicts. This is the most ideal status as it ensures consistency and reliability of security management. Lagging means that one or more Security Management Servers have not received all the updates from other Security Management Servers, and their databases are outdated. Never been synchronized means that one or more Security Management Servers have never synchronized their databases with other Security Management Servers, and their databases are independent. Collision means that one or more Security Management Servers have received conflicting updates from other Security Management Servers, and their databases have discrepancies. 

 According to the Check Point R81 release notes, you can access the ThreatCloud Repository from R81.20 SmartConsole and Threat Prevention. The ThreatCloud Repository is a cloud-based service that provides real-time threat intelligence and updates to Check Point products. The other options are either outdated or nonexistent. References: Check Point R81

The kind of information that you would expect to see using the sim affinity command is network interfaces and core distribution used for CoreXL. Sim affinity is a command that allows administrators to view and modify the CPU core affinity of network interfaces and SecureXL instances. CoreXL is a technology that improves the performance of the Security Gateway by using multiple cores to handle concurrent connections. The sim affinity command can show which network interfaces and SecureXL instances are bound to which CPU cores, and allow administrators to change the affinity settings.

One of the major features in R81 SmartConsole is concurrent administration. This feature allows multiple administrators to work on the same Security Policy simultaneously, without blocking each other or creating conflicts. Concurrent administration improves the efficiency and productivity of security management operations1.

However, not all of the options given are possible considering that AdminA, AdminB and AdminC are editing the same Security Policy. The correct answer is B. AdminA and AdminB are editing the same rule at the same time. This is not possible because concurrent administration uses a locking mechanism to prevent multiple administrators from modifying the same rule or object at the same time. When an administrator clicks on a rule or an object, it becomes locked and a lock icon appears next to it. The lock icon shows the name of the administrator who is working on that rule or object, and prevents other administrators from editing it until it is unlocked12.

Therefore, the other options are possible considering that AdminA, AdminB and AdminC are editing the same Security Policy. Option A is possible because a lock icon shows that a rule or an object is locked and will be available when the administrator who locked it finishes working on it or logs out of SmartConsole12. Option C is possible because a lock icon next to a rule informs that any administrator is working on this particular rule, and hovering over the lock icon will show the name of that administrator12. Option D is possible because AdminA, AdminB and AdminC are editing three different rules at the same time, which does not create any conflicts or blockages12.

 To ensure that VMAC mode is enabled, the CLI command that should be run on all cluster members is fw ctl get int fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled; result of command should return value 1. VMAC mode is a feature that allows ClusterXL to use virtual MAC addresses for cluster interfaces, instead of physical MAC addresses. This improves the failover performance and compatibility of ClusterXL with switches and routers. To check if VMAC mode is enabled, the command fw ctl get int fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled can be used, which returns 1 if VMAC mode is enabled, and 0 if VMAC mode is disabled. 

 According to the Check Point website, Whitelist Files is the tool that provides a list of trusted files to the administrator so they can specify to the Threat Prevention blade that these files do not need to be scanned or analyzed. Whitelist Files can be configured in SmartConsole under Threat Prevention > Policy > Whitelist Files. The other tools are either not related or not valid tools. References: Whitelist Files

 In the Firewall chain mode FFF refers to all packets. Firewall chain mode is a feature that allows administrators to define how packets are processed by different firewall kernel modules in inbound and outbound directions. FFF is one of the predefined chain modes that applies all firewall kernel modules (Firewall, VPN, IPS, etc.) to all packets, regardless of their state or connection. This mode provides maximum security, but also consumes more CPU resources. 

Ken can use either of the two commands lock database override or unlock database to obtain a configuration lock from another administrator on R81 Security Management Server via CLI. These commands allow him to override the existing lock and gain exclusive access to the database. He can also use the WebUI to perform the same action. References: Training & Certification | Check Point Software, New Courses and Certificates for R81.20 - Check Point CheckMates

 According to the Check Point R81 training course, the medium path is available only when CoreXL is enabled. CoreXL is a performance-enhancing technology that allows multiple CPU cores to process traffic simultaneously. The medium path handles packets that require deeper inspection or content awareness, such as IPS, Anti-Virus, or URL Filtering. The other paths are either available regardless of CoreXL or not valid terms. References: Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81.20 Course Overview

 According to the Check Point R81 Mobile Access Administration Guide, the recommended number of physical network interfaces in a Mobile Access cluster deployment is three. One interface should be connected to the organization network, one interface should be connected to the Internet, and one interface should be used for synchronization between cluster members. This configuration provides optimal performance and security for Mobile Access traffic. 

According to the Check Point website, you can use the pre_upgrade_verifier tool to verify if your management server is ready to upgrade to R81.20. This tool checks the compatibility of your current configuration and database with the target version, and provides a detailed report of any issues or warnings. The other tools are either used for exporting or importing databases, or not valid tools. References: Upgrade Verification Service

The R81 SmartConsole, SmartEvent GUI client, and SmartView Web Application consolidate billions of logs and show them as prioritized security events. The SmartView Web Application is a web-based interface that allows you to access the SmartEvent Server from any browser. You can use the SmartView Web Application to view and analyze security events, generate reports, and configure SmartEvent settings12.

References: 1: Check Point R81 SmartConsole User Guide - Check Point Software, page 10 2: Check Point R81 SmartEvent Administration Guide - Check Point Software, page 9

According to the Check Point website, Capsule Connect and Capsule Workspace both offer secured connection for remote users who are using their mobile devices. However, there are differences between the two. For credential protection, Connect uses One-time Password login support and has no SSO support, whereas Workspace offers both One-Time Password and certain SSO login support. The other statements are either false or partially true. References: Capsule Connect and Capsule Workspace

 Identity Awareness AD-Query is using the Microsoft WMI API to learn users from AD. WMI stands for Windows Management Instrumentation, and it is an API that allows remote management and monitoring of Windows systems. Identity Awareness AD-Query is a feature that enables the Security Gateway to query Active Directory servers for user and computer information, such as login events, group membership, and IP addresses. By using the WMI API, Identity Awareness AD-Query can receive real-time notifications from Active Directory servers without installing any agents or scripts on them. 

 The number of cores that can be used in a Cluster for Firewall-kernel on the new device with 4 cores is 4. Cluster is a feature that allows two or more Security Gateways to provide high availability and load balancing for network traffic. Firewall-kernel is a component of the Security Gateway that performs packet inspection according to security policies. The number of cores that can be used for Firewall-kernel in a Cluster depends on the number of cores available on each device in the Cluster. The Cluster will use the lowest common denominator of cores among all devices in the Cluster for Firewall-kernel. Therefore, if one device has 2 cores and another device has 4 cores, the Cluster will use 2 cores for Firewall-kernel on each device. However, if both devices have 4 cores, the Cluster will use 4 cores for Firewall-kernel on each device.

AppWiki is the Check Point feature that enables application scanning and the detection. AppWiki is an easy to use tool that lets you search and filter Check Point’s Web 2.0 Applications Database to find out information about internet applications, including social network widgets; filter by a category, tag, or risk level; and search for a keyword or application1. AppWiki helps you to identify and control the applications on your network, and to apply granular policies based on the application type, risk, and characteristics1. AppWiki is integrated with the Check Point Application Control Software Blade, which provides the industry’s strongest application security and identity control to organizations of all sizes1.

References: 1: AppWiki | Check Point Software

 When SecureXL is enabled, all packets should be accelerated, except packets that match the following conditions: CIFS packets. SecureXL is a technology that accelerates network traffic processing by offloading intensive operations from the Firewall kernel to a dedicated SecureXL device. However, some packets cannot be accelerated by SecureXL due to various reasons, such as unsupported features, security policy settings, or protocol limitations. One example of packets that cannot be accelerated by SecureXL are CIFS packets, which are used for file sharing and access over SMB protocol. CIFS packets are not accelerated by SecureXL because they require stateful inspection by the Firewall kernel. 

 The command that would be used to set the network interfaces’ affinity in Manual mode is sim affinity -s. Sim affinity is a command that allows administrators to view and modify the CPU core affinity of network interfaces and SecureXL instances. Core affinity is a feature that binds network interfaces and SecureXL instances to specific CPU cores, which improves the performance and load balancing of the Security Gateway. Sim affinity -s sets the network interfaces’ affinity in Manual mode, which means that administrators can manually assign network interfaces to CPU cores. The other options are either invalid or perform different functions. 

The valid range for VRID value in VRRP configuration is 1 - 255. VRID stands for Virtual Router ID, and it is a number that identifies a virtual router in a VRRP cluster. A VRRP cluster consists of one or more routers that share a virtual IP address and provide redundancy and load balancing for network traffic. Each router in the cluster must have a unique VRID value, and the VRID value must match the VRID value configured on the interface that connects to the VRRP cluster. The VRID value can be any number from 1 to 255, inclusive. 

 The deployment of Check Point API does not have the purpose of creating a customized GUI Client for manipulating the objects database. The Check Point API is a web service that allows external applications to interact with the Check Point management server using standard methods such as HTTP(S) requests and JSON objects. The Check Point API can be used to execute an automated script to perform common tasks, create products that use and enhance the Check Point solution, and integrate Check Point products with 3rd party solutions. However, creating a customized GUI Client for manipulating the objects database is not a supported or intended use case of the Check Point API. 

The file that gives you a list of all security servers in use, including port number, is $FWDIR/conf/fwauthd.conf. Security servers are processes that handle application-level protocols such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, etc., and perform security checks on them. Fwauthd.conf is a configuration file that defines which security servers are enabled, which ports they listen on, and which inspection points they are attached to. 

 The command that would be used to enable the Penalty Box feature is sim erdos -e 1. Penalty Box is a feature that protects the Security Gateway from DDoS attacks by dropping packets from sources that send excessive traffic. Sim erdos is a command that allows administrators to configure and manage the Penalty Box feature. Sim erdos -e 1 enables the Penalty Box feature on the Security Gateway. The other options are either invalid or perform different functions. 

References:

The Software Container is a logical component in the Software Blade Architecture. There are three types of Software Containers: Security Management, Security Gateway, and Endpoint Security. The container enables the server functionality, and defines its purpose – e.g, management or gateway. https://downloads.checkpoint.com/dc/download.htm?ID=11608

High alert is not an alert option in Check Point. Alert options are ways to notify the administrator or other parties when a security event occurs. The available alert options are SNMP, Mail, User defined alert, Log, Popup alert, and User alert. References: Training & Certification | Check Point Software, Check Point Resource Library

The Implicit Clean-up Rule is another name for the Clean-up Rule, which is the last rule in every policy layer. The Clean-up Rule defines the default action for traffic that does not match any of the preceding rules in the layer. The default action is to drop the traffic and log it, but it can be changed by the administrator. References: Training & Certification | Check Point Software, Check Point Resource Library

The responsibility of SOLR process on R81.20 management server is to generate indexes of data written to the database. SOLR is an open source search platform that provides fast and scalable indexing and querying capabilities. SOLR is used by the R81.20 management server to index data such as logs, objects, policies, tasks, and events, and to enable quick and efficient searches on this data by SmartConsole and SmartView applications. 

According to the Check Point Resource Library, the minimum amount of RAM needed for a Threat Prevention Appliance is 4 GB. This applies to both physical and virtual appliances. The other options are either incorrect or irrelevant. References: Check Point Resource Library

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 has a feature called Concurrent Administration, which allows multiple administrators to work on the same Security Policy simultaneously, without blocking each other or creating conflicts. Concurrent Administration uses a locking mechanism to prevent multiple administrators from modifying the same rule or object at the same time. When an administrator clicks on a rule or an object, it becomes locked and a lock icon appears next to it. The lock icon shows the name of the administrator who is working on that rule or object, and prevents other administrators from editing it until it is unlocked12.

Concurrent Administration also has a feature called Session Persistence, which preserves the changes made by an administrator in case of a network failure or a SmartConsole crash. When an administrator reconnects to the Management Server after a network failure or a SmartConsole crash, they can resume their work from where they left off, without losing any changes. The changes are stored locally on the administrator’s machine until they are published to the Management Server13.

Therefore, if Tom has connected to the R81 Management Server remotely using SmartConsole and is in the process of making some Rule Base changes, when he suddenly loses connectivity, his changes will not be lost. They will be stored locally on his machine and he can resume his work when he reconnects to the Management Server.

 The file that contains the host address to be published, the MAC address that needs to be associated with the IP address, and the unique IP of the interface that responds to ARP request is $FWDIR/conf/local.arp. Local.arp is a configuration file that defines static ARP entries for hosts behind NAT devices. This file allows the Security Gateway to respond to ARP requests for NATed hosts with the correct MAC address, and to publish the NATed IP address instead of the real IP address. The other files are either not related or not valid. 

 For packets that do not pass Firewall Kernel Inspection and are rejected by the rule definition, packets are dropped with logs and without sending a negative acknowledgment. Firewall Kernel Inspection is the process of applying security policies and rules to network traffic by the Firewall kernel module. If a packet does not match any rule or matches a rule with an action of Drop or Reject, the packet is dropped by the Firewall kernel module. The difference between Drop and Reject is that Drop silently discards the packet without informing the sender, while Reject discards the packet and sends a negative acknowledgment (such as an ICMP message) to the sender. However, both Drop and Reject actions generate logs that record the details of the dropped packets, such as source, destination, protocol, port, rule number, etc. The other options are either incorrect or describe different scenarios.

 If Deyra sees the gateway status as shown in the image, it means that there is a blade reporting a problem. The red exclamation mark indicates that one or more blades on the gateway have an issue that needs attention. The issue could be related to configuration, license, policy, or other factors. Deyra can hover over the icon to see more details about the problem. References: Training & Certification | Check Point Software, New Courses and Certificates for R81.20 - Check Point CheckMates

The process that handles connection from SmartConsole R81 is cpm. Cpm stands for Check Point Management, and it is the main process that runs on the Security Management Server and interacts with SmartConsole clients. Cpm is responsible for managing policies, objects, logs, tasks, and other management functions. The other processes are either obsolete or irrelevant for SmartConsole connection.

 To set the IP address and default gateway of the Management interface on a Check Point appliance, you can use the following commands:

• set interface Mgmt ipv4-address 192.168.80.200 mask-length 24 - This command sets the IPv4 address of the Management interface to 192.168.80.200 and the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 (24 bits).
• set static-route default nexthop gateway address 192.168.80.1 on - This command sets the default gateway to 192.168.80.1 and enables the static route.
• save config - This command saves the configuration changes to the appliance.

These commands are documented in the Check Point appliance initial installation guide, which you can find in the web search results.

The other options are incorrect because they use invalid syntax or parameters for the commands. For example, option B uses add static-route instead of set static-route, option C uses 0.0.0.0. instead of 0.0.0.0, and option D uses add static-route default instead of set static-route default.

 The statement that is most correct regarding about “CoreXL Dynamic Dispatcher” is: The CoreXL FW instances assignment mechanism is based on the utilization of CPU cores. CoreXL Dynamic Dispatcher is a feature that allows the Security Gateway to dynamically assign connections to the most available CoreXL FW instance, based on the CPU core utilization. This improves the performance and load balancing of the Security Gateway, especially when handling connections with different processing requirements. The other statements are either incorrect or describe the CoreXL Static Dispatcher mechanism, which assigns connections based on a hash function of the Source IP, Destination IP, and IP Protocol type.

Gateway API is NOT an example of a Check Point API. Check Point API is a general term that refers to various application programming interfaces (APIs) that allow external applications to interact with Check Point products and services using standard methods such as HTTP(S) requests and JSON objects. There are several types of Check Point APIs, such as Management API, Threat Prevention API, OPSEC SDK, etc. Management API is an API that allows external applications to configure, manage, and monitor Check Point management server using web services. Threat Prevention API is an API that allows external applications to send files or URLs to Check Point Threat Prevention products for scanning and analysis using web services. OPSEC SDK is an API that allows external applications to integrate with Check Point OPSEC products using C/C++ libraries and protocols. Gateway API is not a valid or existing type of Check Point API.

Once a certificate is revoked from the Security Gateway by the Security Management Server, the certificate information is stored on the Certificate Revocation List (CRL). The CRL is a list of certificates that have been revoked by the Internal Certificate Authority (ICA) and are no longer valid for Secure Internal Communication (SIC). The CRL is signed by the ICA and issued to all the managed Security Gateways the next time a SIC connection is made12. The CRL helps to prevent unauthorized access to the Security Management Server by revoked Security Gateways.

References: 1: How to renew SIC after changing IP Address of Security Management Server - Check Point Software, Solution ID: sk43784 2: Check Point R81 Security Engineering Guide - Check Point Software, page 162

 According to the Check Point website, SmartEvent Maps is a feature that was supported in previous versions of SmartEvent, but is not supported in R81. SmartEvent Maps displayed a graphical representation of security events on a world map. The other options are either supported or not valid features in R81. References: SmartEvent Maps

The best suggestion for Pamela to make sure she successfully captures entire traffic in context of Firewall and problematic traffic is: Pamela should check SecureXL status on DMZ Security gateway and if it’s turned ON. She should turn OFF SecureXL before using fw monitor to avoid misleading traffic captures. SecureXL is a technology that accelerates network traffic processing by offloading intensive operations from the Firewall kernel to a dedicated SecureXL device. However, this also means that some traffic might not be seen by fw monitor, which is a tool that captures packets at different inspection points in the Firewall kernel. Therefore, to ensure that fw monitor captures all traffic, SecureXL should be turned OFF before using fw monitor. The other suggestions are either incorrect or less effective in capturing traffic. 

The correct statement about Security Gateway and Security Management Server failover in Check Point R81.X in terms of Check Point Redundancy driven solution is: Security Gateway failover is an automatic procedure but Security Management Server failover is a manual procedure. Security Gateway failover is a feature that allows a cluster of Security Gateways to provide high availability and load balancing for network traffic. If one Security Gateway fails or becomes unreachable, another Security Gateway in the cluster automatically takes over its role and handles the traffic without interrupting the service. Security Management Server failover is a feature that allows a backup Security Management Server to take over the role of the primary Security Management Server in case of failure or disaster. However, this feature requires manual intervention to activate the backup server and restore the database from a backup file. 

The option that is NOT an option to calculate the traffic direction is Outgoing. Traffic direction is a parameter that determines how traffic is classified as internal or external based on its source and destination. Traffic direction can be calculated using three options: Incoming, Internal, or External. Incoming means that traffic is classified as internal if its destination is one of the Security Gateway’s interfaces, and external otherwise. Internal means that traffic is classified as internal if its source or destination belongs to one of the internal networks defined in the topology, and external otherwise. External means that traffic is classified as internal if both its source and destination belong to one of the internal networks defined in the topology, and external otherwise. Outgoing is not a valid option to calculate traffic direction. 

The methods of SandBlast Threat Emulation deployment are Cloud, Appliance, and Private. SandBlast Threat Emulation is a solution that detects and prevents zero-day attacks by emulating files in a sandbox environment and analyzing their behavior for malicious indicators. SandBlast Threat Emulation can be deployed in three different methods: Cloud, Appliance, and Private. Cloud method is when the files are sent to the Check Point cloud service for emulation and analysis. This method does not require any additional hardware or software on the customer’s side, and provides the fastest updates and feeds from ThreatCloud. Appliance method is when the files are sent to a dedicated appliance on the customer’s network for emulation and analysis. This method provides more control and privacy for the customer, and supports more file types and sizes. Private method is when the files are sent to a private cloud service on the customer’s network for emulation and analysis. This method provides the highest level of control and privacy for the customer, and supports customizing the emulation environment and scenarios.

 In ClusterXL Load Sharing Multicast Mode, every member of the cluster receives all of the packets sent to the cluster IP address. This mode uses multicast MAC addresses to distribute packets to all cluster members. Each member decides whether to accept or reject the packet based on a load balancing algorithm. This mode provides better performance and scalability than Unicast mode, but requires a switch that supports multicast MAC addresses. 

 According to the Check Point website, Vanessa needs to fill in the following details in the System Restore window before she can click OK button and test the backup: Server, Protocol, Username, Password, Path, Comment, All Members. These details specify the source and destination of the backup file, as well as the scope of the restore operation. The other options are either missing or incorrect details. References: System Restore

After trust has been established between the Check Point components, the Security Gateway IP address cannot be changed without re-establishing the trust. This is because the trust is based on the Secure Internal Communication (SIC) mechanism, which uses certificates to authenticate and encrypt the communication. The certificates are issued by the Internal Certificate Authority (ICA) of the Security Management Server / Domain Management Server, and contain the name and IP address of the component. Therefore, if the IP address of a component is changed, the certificate will become invalid and the trust will be lost. To restore the trust, the certificate must be renewed or reissued by the ICA12.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. The Security Gateway name can be changed in command line without re-establishing trust, as long as the IP address remains the same. This is because the SIC mechanism does not rely on the hostname, but on the IP address and the SIC name (which is usually derived from the hostname, but can be manually changed). The Security Management Server name can be changed in SmartConsole without re-establishing trust, as long as the IP address remains the same. This is because SmartConsole uses a different mechanism to connect to the Security Management Server, which does not depend on the SIC certificate. The Security Management Server IP address can be changed without re-establishing trust, as long as some steps are followed to update the Check Point Registry file on the managed Security Gateways / Cluster Members / VSX Virtual Devices. This is because the Registry file contains the IP address of the ICA, which is used for certificate renewal. If the Registry file is not updated, then the certificate renewal will fail and the trust will be lost3.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Administration Guide - Check Point Software, page 162 2: Check Point R81 Security Engineering Guide - Check Point Software, page 162 3: How to renew SIC after changing IP Address of Security Management Server - Check Point Software, Solution ID: sk103356

CoreXL is supported when one of the following features is enabled: IPS. CoreXL does not support Check Point Suite with these features: Route-based VPN, IPv6, Overlapping NAT, QoS, Content Awareness, Application Control, URL Filtering, Identity Awareness, HTTPS Inspection, DLP, Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, Threat Emulation. References: CoreXL

 The host having a Critical event found by Anti-Bot should be remediated first, as it indicates that the host is infected by a botnet malware that is communicating with a Command and Control server. This poses a serious threat to the network security and data integrity. The other events may indicate potential malware infection or attack attempts, but not necessarily successful ones. References: Threat Prevention Administration Guide

NAT rules are prioritized in the following order:

• Automatic Static NAT: This is the highest priority NAT rule and it translates the source or destination IP address to a different IP address without changing the port number. It is configured in the network object properties.
• Automatic Hide NAT: This is the second highest priority NAT rule and it translates the source IP address and port number to a different IP address and port number. It is configured in the network object properties.
• Manual/Pre-Automatic NAT: This is the third highest priority NAT rule and it allows you to create custom NAT rules that are not possible with automatic NAT. It is configured in the NAT policy rulebase before the automatic NAT rules.
• Post-Automatic/Manual NAT rules: This is the lowest priority NAT rule and it allows you to create custom NAT rules that are not possible with automatic NAT. It is configured in the NAT policy rulebase after the automatic NAT rules.

 The cphaprob -a if command displays the interface status of all cluster members, including the interface name, IP address, state, monitor mode, and sync status. References: cphaprob - Check Point Support Center

 The command fw ctl pstat can be used to verify the number of active concurrent connections on a gateway. This command displays various statistics about the firewall kernel, such as memory usage, CPU utilization, packet rates, and connection table information. The output of this command includes a line that shows the current number of connections and the peak number of connections since the last reboot. For example:

This means that there are currently 1234 active connections out of a maximum of 8192 connections, which is 15% of the connection table capacity. The peak number of connections since the last reboot was 2345. 

 Dynamic Dispatcher is a feature that optimizes the performance of Security Gateways with multiple CPU cores by dynamically allocating traffic to different cores based on their load and priority. Firewall Priority Queues is a feature that prioritizes traffic based on its type and importance by assigning it to different queues with different weights and limits. To fully enable Dynamic Dispatcher with Firewall Priority Queues on a Security Gateway, you need to run the following command in Expert mode then reboot:

This command sets the multi-core mode to 9, which means that Dynamic Dispatcher is enabled with Firewall Priority Queues. The other commands are not valid or do not enable both features. References: R81 Performance Tuning Administration Guide

The statement that is true regarding redundancy is Both ClusterXL and VRRP are fully supported by Gaia and available to all Check Point appliances, open servers, and virtualized environments. ClusterXL and VRRP are two technologies that provide high availability and load sharing for Security Gateways. They are both supported by Gaia OS and can be deployed on various platforms5. The other statements are either false or incomplete regarding redundancy. References: Check Point R81 ClusterXL Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide

 SSL Network Extender (SNX) has two modes of operation: Network Mode and Application Mode. Network Mode provides full network connectivity to the remote user, while Application Mode provides access to specific applications on the corporate network. References: [SSL Network Extender]

 Check Point Management (cpm) is the main management process that provides the architecture for a consolidated management console. CPM allows the GUI client and management server to communicate via web services using TCP port 19009 by default. References: CPM process

 The API command add host name ip-address  can be used in a script to create 100 new host objects with different IP addresses. This command adds a new host object with the specified name and IP address to the database. The other commands are either not valid or not suitable for creating new host objects. References: Check Point - Management API reference

GAIA greatly increases operational efficiency by offering an advanced and intuitive software update agent, commonly referred to as the Check Point Update Service Engine. This agent allows you to download and install software updates, hotfixes, upgrade packages, etc., from Check Point servers or from a local repository. The Check Point Update Service Engine can be accessed via SmartConsole or via WebUI or CLI on GAIA. References: [Gaia Administration Guide R81], page 77.

 CPUSE (Check Point Upgrade Service Engine) is a tool that allows users to download, import, install, and uninstall software packages on Gaia OS. CPUSE has a web-based user interface that can be accessed through Gaia Portal. CPUSE offers four package options in the web GUI for different purposes4:

• Clean Install - This option performs a clean installation of a Major Version package, which erases all existing configuration and data on the system.
• Export Package - This option exports a package from CPUSE repository to an external location for backup or transfer purposes.
• Upgrade - This option performs an upgrade of a Major Version package or a Minor Version package, which preserves the existing configuration and data on the system.
• Database Conversion - This option converts the database schema of a Major Version package to match the current version.

Therefore, the correct answer is B.

References: 4: CPUSE - Gaia Deployment Agent

Authentication rules are defined for user groups, not individual users or all users in the database. Authentication rules allow you to control which user groups can access specific resources or services through the Security Gateway. You can define different authentication methods and schemes for different user groups, such as Check Point Password, OS Password, RADIUS, TACACS, SecurID, LDAP, or Certificate. You can also define different session timeouts and source restrictions for different user groups. Authentication rules are processed before the network access rules in the rule base.

The lowest gateway version supported by R81.20 management server is R77.30. According to the Check Point Release Map1, you can upgrade to R81.20 from R77.30, R80, R80.10, R80.20.M1, R80.20, R80.20SP, R80.20.M2, R80.20 3.10, R80.30, R80.30 3.10, R80.30SP, R80.40, R81 and R81.20. However, to upgrade from R77.30, R80 and R80.10, you first need to upgrade to R80.40. For more information, you can refer to the Check Point R81.20 (Titan) Release Home page2 or the Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81.20 Course Overview3.

The three types of tracking available for Threat Prevention Policy are Alert, SNMP trap, and Mail. These tracking options can be configured in the Threat Prevention tab of the SmartConsole, under the Policy section. The tracking options determine how the system notifies the administrator of events that match the policy rules. References: Configuring Threat Prevention Policy

Mobile Access Gateway can be configured as a reverse proxy for internal web applications. Reverse proxy users browse to a URL that is resolved to the Security Gateway IP address. The Security Gateway then forwards the requests to the internal web servers and returns the responses to the users. To enable reverse proxy mode on the Mobile Access Gateway, the administrator needs to run the ReverseProxy command on the command line interface of the Security Gateway5. Therefore, the correct answer is C.

References: 5: Reverse Proxy Mode

 The extended master key extension/session hash is a feature introduced in TLS 1.3 to prevent a Man-in-the-Middle attack/disclosure of the client-server communication. It works by generating a unique session hash for each connection, which is derived from the master key and other parameters. This session hash is then used to authenticate the application data and the end-of-handshake messages, ensuring that no one can tamper with or eavesdrop on the communication. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, TLS 1.3 RFC

Check Point API is a set of web services that enable the usage of functions and commands in a dynamic and automated fashion. Check Point API is available in different types, each serving a different purpose and functionality. According to the Check Point Resource Library1, the following are the types of Check Point API available in R81.x:

• Identity Awareness Web Services: This type of API allows external applications to send identity and location information to the Security Gateway, which can then use this information for policy enforcement. Identity Awareness Web Services can be used for scenarios such as guest registration, captive portal, identity agents, etc.
• OPSEC SDK: This type of API provides a framework for developing applications that interact with Check Point products using the OPSEC (Open Platform for Security) protocol. OPSEC SDK can be used for scenarios such as log export, event management, anti-virus integration, etc.
• Management: This type of API allows external applications to perform management operations on the Check Point Management server using RESTful web services. Management API can be used for scenarios such as policy installation, object creation, configuration backup, etc.

Mobile Access is not a type of Check Point API, but rather a feature that provides secure remote access to corporate resources from various devices. Mobile Access uses SSL VPN technology and supports different authentication methods and access scenarios.

References: What is an API Gateway?, How to use Check Point API with Postman quick guide, Home - Check Point Developers, Introduction to RESTful APIs and JSON format, Checkpoint API tutorial, part 1 - getting started

The feature that provides Full Layer3 VPN –IPSec VPN, giving users network access to all mobile applications, is the correct answer.

Capsule Connect/VPN is used to establish secure VPN connections for mobile devices, and the Full Layer3 VPN (IPSec VPN) option provides comprehensive network access.

References: Check Point documentation or training materials related to Mobile Access Methods and VPN configurations.

The directory /opt/CPsuite-R81/fw1/log contains the log files for the Security Gateway, such as firewall, VPN, IPS, and anti-virus logs1. These log files can be viewed and analyzed using SmartConsole or SmartView2. The other directories are not correct because:

• A. The directory /opt/CPSmartlog-R81/log contains the log files for the SmartLog server, which is a separate component that indexes and searches the logs from multiple Security Gateways3.
• B. The directory /opt/CPshrd-R81/log contains the log files for the shared components of the Check Point suite, such as cpwd, cpca, cpd, and cpwatchdog4.
• D. The directory /opt/CPsuite-R81/log does not exist by default and is not used for logging purposes.

References: Logging and Monitoring R81 Administration Guide, SmartConsole R81 Help, SmartLog R81 Help, Check Point Processes and Daemons

When an encrypted packet is received by a Check Point Security Gateway, it is decrypted according to the security policy. The security policy defines the rules and settings for encryption and decryption of traffic, such as the encryption algorithm, the encryption domain, the pre-shared secret or certificate, etc. The security policy is enforced by the Firewall kernel, which is responsible for decrypting the packets before passing them to the inbound chain for further inspection. The inbound chain consists of various inspection modules that apply security checks and actions on the decrypted packets. The outbound chain is the reverse process, where the packets are inspected and then encrypted according to the security policy before being sent out.

References: Check Point Firewall Security Solution, Check Point R81 Cyber Security Platform, Check Point VPN Administration Guide R81

 Mobile Access is not part of the SandBlast component. Mobile Access is a software blade that provides secure remote access to corporate resources from various devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. Mobile Access supports different connectivity methods, such as SSL VPN, IPsec VPN, and Mobile Enterprise Application Store (MEAS). Mobile Access also integrates with Mobile Threat Prevention (MTP) to protect mobile devices from malware and network attacks. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Mobile Access Administration Guide, SandBlast Mobile Datasheet

The cpinfo tool generates a R81 Security Gateway configuration report that includes information about the hardware, operating system, product version, patches, and configuration settings. References: cpinfo - Check Point Support Center

SmartEvent Processes use two Check Point Protocols: ELA (Event Log Agent) and CPLOG (Check Point Log). ELA collects logs from Security Gateways and forwards them to the Log Server. CPLOG is used by the Log Server to communicate with the SmartEvent Server. References: [SmartEvent Architecture]

Check Point Protect is a lightweight app that can be used to gather and analyze threats to your mobile device. It provides real-time threat intelligence, device posture assessment, and secure browsing protection3. The other applications are either not designed for mobile devices, or do not offer threat analysis features. References: R81 CCSA & CCSE exams released featuring Promo for… - Check Point …, Check Point Protect - Apps on Google Play

The most recommended way to install patches and hotfixes is CPUSE (Check Point Update Service Engine). CPUSE is a tool that automates the process of upgrading and installing software packages on Check Point devices. CPUSE can work in online mode or offline mode. Online mode requires an Internet connection to download the packages from Check Point servers. Offline mode allows you to download the packages manually from another device and transfer them to the target device using a USB drive or SCP. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, CPUSE Administration Guide

 fwssd is a child process of fwd, which is the firewall daemon that handles policy installation, logging, and state synchronization. cpwd is the watchdog process that monitors and restarts other processes. fwm is the management server process that handles communication with GUI clients. cpd is the infrastructure daemon that handles SIC, licensing, and policy code generation. References: Check Point Processes Cheat Sheet – LazyAdmins, Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide, Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81.20 Course Overview

When requiring certificates for mobile devices, the authentication method should be set to one of the following:

Username and Password

RADIUS

SecurID (RSA SecurID)

So, the correct answer is option B, "SecurID."

Options A, C, and D are not standard authentication methods for mobile devices in this context.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

To simplify security administration when working with multiple Security Gateways enforcing an extensive number of rules, you would choose to create a separate Security Policy package for each remote Security Gateway. A Security Policy package is a set of rules and objects that can be assigned to one or more Security Gateways. This allows you to manage different policies for different gateways from the same Management Server1. The other options are either not effective or not feasible for simplifying security administration. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

SmartEvent does not use matching a log against local exclusions to identify events. Local exclusions are filters that are applied to logs before they are sent to the SmartEvent server. They are used to reduce the amount of logs that are forwarded by the Security Gateways or Log Servers, and to avoid sending irrelevant or sensitive logs. Local exclusions do not affect the event detection process, which is performed by the SmartEvent Correlation Unit on the SmartEvent server. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, SmartEvent Administration Guide, SK120193 - How to configure Local Log Filtering on Security Gateway / Cluster / VSX

To add a file to the Threat Prevention Whitelist, you need two items:

B. Object Name and MD5 signature

You need the Object Name to identify the file or object you want to whitelist, and the MD5 signature to specify the unique hash value of that file. The MD5 signature ensures that the specific file you want to whitelist is identified accurately.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 Study Guide, Threat Prevention Administration Guide.

The correct command to verify the CPUSE (Check Point Update Service Engine) version is:

Option B is incorrect because it uses the "[Expert@HostName:0]#" prompt, which is typically used for expert mode commands, but the CPUSE version can be checked using the "show installer status build" command in standard mode.

Option C is incorrect because it uses the "[Expert@HostName:0]#" prompt, and while it includes the "build" parameter, it's not the standard command to check the CPUSE version.

Option D is incorrect because it uses the "HostName:0>" prompt, but it lacks the "show" command and uses "build" instead of "status build."

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 documentation

Threat Emulation is a software blade that takes minutes to complete (less than 3 minutes). Threat Emulation analyzes files for malicious behavior by running them in a virtual sandbox. Threat Emulation works on MS Office, PDF, executables, and archive files. Threat Emulation does not always deliver a file, but only if no threats are found or if the user chooses to download the original file after seeing a warning message. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Threat Emulation Administration Guide

Multiple administrators can connect to a Security Management Server at the same time. Each administrator has their own username and works in a session that is independent of other administrators. This allows for collaboration and simultaneous management tasks by different administrators.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

 SecureXL templates are a mechanism to accelerate the rate of connection establishment by grouping connections that match a particular service and whose sole differentiating element is the source port. SecureXL templates enable even the very first packets of a TCP handshake to be accelerated, without waiting for the Firewall kernel to create a connection entry. The first packets of the first connection on the same service will be forwarded to the Firewall kernel, which will then create a template of the connection. The template will contain all the relevant information for the connection, such as source and destination IP addresses, destination port, NAT information, policy decision, etc. The template will be used by SecureXL to handle subsequent connections on the same service, without involving the Firewall kernel. This reduces the CPU load and increases the throughput.

There are three types of SecureXL templates: Accept, Drop, and NAT. Accept templates are used for connections that are allowed by the Firewall policy. Drop templates are used for connections that are blocked by the Firewall policy. NAT templates are used for connections that require NAT translation. Deny templates are not a valid type of SecureXL template.

References: SecureXL NAT Templates in R80.20 and lower, Part 3 - SecureXL, Security Gateway Performance Optimization - Part 5 - SecureXL

 TACACS+ is not an authentication method that is used for Mobile Access. Mobile Access supports the following authentication methods: username and password (internal, LDAP, or RADIUS), certificate, SecurID, DynamicID, and SMS2. TACACS+ is a protocol that provides access control for routers, network access servers, and other network devices, but it is not supported by Mobile Access3. References: Check Point R81 Mobile Access Administration Guide, TACACS+ - Wikipedia

 Check Point Central Deployment Tool (CDT) communicates with the Security Gateway / Cluster Members over Check Point SIC using TCP port 18191 by default. CDT is a tool that allows you to perform simultaneous configuration changes on multiple gateways or clusters using predefined commands or scripts. References: Check Point Central Deployment Tool (CDT)

 CPM process stores objects, policies, users, administrators, licenses and management data in a Postgres SQL database. This database is located in $FWDIR/conf and can be accessed using the pg_client command2. The other options are not the correct database type for CPM. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

Sticky Decision Function (SDF) is a feature that ensures that VPN traffic is handled by the same core on a Security Gateway with multiple CPU cores. This improves the performance and stability of VPN tunnels by avoiding out-of-order packets and reducing encryption overhead. However, the limitation of employing SDF is that acceleration technologies, such as SecureXL and CoreXL are disabled when activating SDF. This means that SDF may reduce the overall throughput and scalability of the Security Gateway. Therefore, SDF should be used only when necessary and only on gateways that are dedicated to VPN traffic. References: R81 Performance Tuning Administration Guide

 The inspection point Big l is the first point immediately following the tables and rule base check of a packet coming from outside of the network. It is also the last point before the packet leaves the Security Gateway to the internal network1. The other inspection points are either before or after the rule base check, or in a different direction of traffic flow2. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Architecture and Packet Flow, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test - ExamTopics

Advanced Security Checkups can be easily conducted within the Reports tab in the Logs & Monitor view in SmartConsole. The Reports tab allows you to generate and view various reports that provide insights into the security status and performance of your network. You can use predefined reports or create custom reports based on your needs. You can also schedule reports to run automatically and send them by email. Some of the predefined reports that can help you conduct advanced security checkups are:

• Security Overview: This report provides a summary of the security posture of your network, including the number and severity of incidents, the top attacked hosts and services, the top attackers and attack methods, the top detected threats and vulnerabilities, etc.
• Security Best Practices: This report evaluates your security configuration and policy against the Check Point best practices and provides recommendations for improvement. It covers areas such as firewall policy, NAT policy, VPN policy, identity awareness, threat prevention, etc.
• Compliance Status: This report assesses your compliance level with various regulations and standards, such as PCI DSS, ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, etc. It shows the compliance score, the compliance status of each requirement, the compliance status of each gateway and blade, etc.
• Network Activity: This report shows the network activity and traffic patterns on your network, including the top sources and destinations of traffic, the top protocols and applications used, the top bandwidth consumers, etc.
• System Health: This report monitors the health and performance of your management server and gateways, including the CPU utilization, memory usage, disk space, network interfaces, etc. References: R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide

 When doing a Stand-Alone Installation, you would install the Security Management Server with the Security Gateway as the other Check Point architecture component. A Stand-Alone Installation is where the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on the same machine2. The other options are either not Check Point architecture components, or not suitable for a Stand-Alone Installation. References: Check Point R81 Installation and Upgrade Guide

The command cphaprob igmp can be used to display the Multicast MAC address of a cluster. This command shows the IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) information for each cluster interface, including the VRID (Virtual Router ID), the Multicast IP address, and the Multicast MAC address3. The other commands do not show the Multicast MAC address information. References: Check Point R81 ClusterXL Administration Guide

 Tom will need two machines to install Check Point R81 in a distributed deployment, if he does not include a SmartConsole machine in his calculations. A distributed deployment consists of a Security Management Server that manages one or more Security Gateways. Therefore, Tom will need one machine for the Security Management Server and another machine for the Security Gateway. The other options are either too few or too many machines for a distributed deployment. References: Check Point R81 Installation and Upgrade Guide

 You can select the file types that are sent for emulation for all the Threat Prevention profiles. Each profile defines an Inspect or Bypass action for the file types. The Inspect action means that the file will be sent to the Threat Emulation engine for analysis, and the Bypass action means that the file will not be sent and will be allowed or blocked based on other Threat Prevention blades1. The other options are not valid actions for file types in Threat Prevention profiles. References: Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

The CPD daemon is a Firewall Kernel Process that does not pull application monitoring status. The CPD daemon is responsible for Secure Internal Communication (SIC), restarting daemons if they fail, transferring messages between Firewall processes, and managing policy installation. References: CPD process

Check Point’s FW Monitor is a powerful built-in tool for capturing network traffic at the packet level. The FW Monitor utility captures network packets at multiple capture points along the FireWall inspection chains. These captured packets can be inspected later using the WireShark.

References:

 A management plug-in is a software component that interacts with a Security Management Server to provide new features and support for new products. A management plug-in can extend the functionality of SmartConsole, SmartDashboard, SmartView Monitor, SmartView Tracker, SmartEvent, SmartReporter, SmartProvisioning, SmartUpdate, and other management tools. A management plug-in can also add new objects, policies, rules, actions, reports, views, and wizards to the management system. Some examples of management plug-ins are CloudGuard Controller, SandBlast Agent, Endpoint Security Server, Threat Extraction for Web, etc. 

 You can communicate with the API server using three command sources: SmartConsole GUI Console, mgmt_cli Tool, and Gaia CLI. Web Services are not a command source, but a way to access the API server using HTTP requests. References: Check Point Management APIs

The fwd process on the Security Gateway sends logs to the fwd process on the Management Server via the cpm process. The cpm process is the main management process that handles database operations, policy installation, and communication with GUI clients via TCP port 190093. The other options are either incorrect or irrelevant to the log flow. References: Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81.20 Course Overview, Check Point Ports Used for Communication by Various Check Point Modules

The correct command to store the GAIA configuration in a file is save configuration 1. This will create a file with the current system level configuration in the home directory of the current user1. The other commands are incorrect because they either do not exist or do not save the configuration to a file. References: 1: Backing up Gaia system level configuration(https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails= &solutionid=sk102234)

References:

The fwd process within the Security Management Server is responsible for the receiving of log records from Security Gateway. The fwd process handles the communication with the Security Gateways and log servers via TCP port 2571. The other processes have different roles, such as logd for writing logs to the database, fwm for handling GUI clients, and cpd for infrastructure tasks2. References: Check Point Ports Used for Communication by Various Check Point Modules, Check Point Processes Cheat Sheet – LazyAdmins

The cpmq set command enables or disables multi-queue per interface. Multi-queue is a feature that allows distributing the network traffic among several CPU cores, improving the throughput and performance of the Security Gateway. References: Multi-Queue

 Connections to the Check Point R81 Web API use the HTTPS protocol. The Web API is a RESTful web service that allows you to perform management tasks on the Security Management Server using HTTP requests. References: Check Point Management APIs

Anti-Bot is a post-infection malware protection that detects and blocks botnet communications from infected hosts to Command & Control servers. It is different from other Threat Prevention mechanisms that prevent malware from entering the network or executing on the hosts. References: Anti-Bot Software Blade

The Event List within the Event tab contains events generated by a query. The Event List shows the events that match the query criteria, such as time range, filter, and aggregation. The events can be sorted by different columns, such as severity, time, action, and source3. The other options are either not part of the Event tab or not related to the Event List. References: Check Point R81 Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide

The main difference between SSL VPN (Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Network) and IPSec VPN (Internet Protocol Security Virtual Private Network) is in the way they operate:

SSL VPN typically does not require the installation of a resident VPN client. It often relies on a web browser to establish the VPN connection, making it more convenient for remote users who may not want to install dedicated VPN software.

IPSec VPN, on the other hand, often requires the installation of a resident VPN client on the user's device to establish the VPN connection. This client software is necessary for configuring and managing the VPN connection.

Option C, stating that SSL VPN and IPSec VPN are the same, is incorrect because they have distinct characteristics as described above.

Option A is incorrect because it inaccurately suggests that IPSec VPN does not require a resident VPN client, which is not true in most cases.

Option B is incorrect because it wrongly claims that SSL VPN requires the installation of a resident VPN client.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 Study Guide

To see the cluster status in CLI expert mode, you can use the command cphaprob stat. This command displays the status of the Check Point High Availability cluster. It provides information about the state of the cluster members, such as "Active," "Standby," or "Collision."

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

Threat Extraction (Answer B): Threat Extraction always delivers a file, but it removes potentially malicious content from the file before delivering it to the user. It is designed to provide a safe version of the file quickly, taking less than a second to complete.

Threat Emulation (Option A): Threat Emulation does not deliver the original file to the user until it has been thoroughly analyzed for threats. It may take more than 3 minutes to complete the analysis. The emphasis here is on safety and thorough inspection, which may result in a longer processing time.

Therefore, Option B correctly describes the main difference between Threat Extraction and Threat Emulation.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 training materials and documentation.

 The cpinfo command is a tool that collects diagnostic data from a Check Point gateway or management server. The data includes configuration files, logs, status reports, and more. The cpinfo output can be used for troubleshooting or sent to Check Point support for analysis. The -x parameter is used to get information about the specified Virtual System on a VSX gateway. A Virtual System is a virtualized firewall instance that runs on a VSX gateway and has its own security policy and objects. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, cpinfo Utility, VSX Administration Guide

 For ClusterXL to work properly, one of the mandatory requirements is that the Magic MAC number must be unique per cluster node. The Magic MAC number is a MAC address that is used by ClusterXL to hide the physical MAC addresses of the cluster members from the network. This way, the cluster can present a single virtual MAC address to the network, and avoid ARP issues when a failover occurs. The Magic MAC number is derived from the Cluster Virtual IP address, which must also be unique per cluster. 

In SmartEvent, the administrator can configure different types of automatic reactions, which include:

• Mail notifications
• Blocking the source of the event
• Blocking the event activity
• Running an external script
• Sending an SNMP trap

So, the correct answer is "Mail, Block Source, Block Event Activity, External Script, SNMP Trap."

References: Check Point documentation or training materials related to SmartEvent configuration and automatic reactions.

The cvpnd_restart command is used to restart the daemon after making modifications to the $CVPNDIR/conf/cvpnd.C file. The cvpnd daemon is responsible for managing the communication between the Check Point components and the Content Vectoring Protocol (CVP) server. The CVP server is an external server that provides content inspection and filtering services for Check Point gateways. The $CVPNDIR/conf/cvpnd.C file contains the configuration settings for the cvpnd daemon, such as the CVP server IP address, port number, timeout value, and debug level. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Content Inspection Using ICAP, cvpnd daemon debug file

ClusterXL supports Dynamic Routing for both Unicast and Multicast traffic. Dynamic Routing protocols, such as OSPF, BGP, or PIM, can be configured on cluster members to exchange routing information with other routers. ClusterXL supports two modes of operation for Dynamic Routing: New Mode and Legacy Mode. References: ClusterXL Administration Guide, SK98226 - ClusterXL New Mode Overview

Threat Emulation downloads packages by default once per day. The packages contain updates for the Threat Emulation engine, signatures, and images. The download frequency can be changed in the Threat Prevention policy settings. References: Threat Emulation Administration Guide, Threat Prevention R81 Release Notes

The purpose of a SmartEvent Correlation Unit is to evaluate logs from the log server component to identify patterns/threats and convert them to events. The SmartEvent Correlation Unit is a software module that runs on the SmartEvent server or on a dedicated server. It applies correlation rules and logic to the logs received from various sources, such as security gateways, endpoints, or third-party devices. It then generates events that represent security incidents or trends that require attention or action. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, SmartEvent Administration Guide

 The port used for SmartConsole to connect to the Security Management Server is CPMI port 18191/TCP. CPMI stands for Check Point Management Interface, which is a proprietary protocol that enables secure communication between the SmartConsole and the Security Management Server. CPMI uses SSL encryption and authentication to protect the data exchange. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, SK52421 - Ports used by Check Point software

Mobile Access encrypts all traffic using HTTPS for web-based applications and 3DES or RC4 algorithm for native applications. For end users to access the native applications, they need to install the SSL Network Extender, which is a lightweight VPN client that creates a secure SSL tunnel to the Mobile Access gateway. The SSL Network Extender supports various types of native applications, such as email clients, file sharing, and remote desktop. References: Mobile Access Administration Guide, SSL Network Extender

The component of R81 Management that is used for indexing is SOLR. SOLR is an open-source enterprise search platform that provides fast and scalable indexing and searching capabilities. SOLR is used by SmartConsole to index the objects and rules in the security policy, as well as the logs and events in SmartLog and SmartEvent. SOLR enables quick and easy access to the relevant information in the management database. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, SOLR Troubleshooting

 Security Checkup Summary can be easily conducted within Views. Views is a feature in SmartConsole that allows you to create customized dashboards and reports based on various security data sources, such as logs, events, audit trails, and more. You can use Views to perform a Security Checkup Summary, which is a comprehensive analysis of your network security posture and potential risks. You can use predefined templates or create your own views to generate the summary. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Views Administration Guide

To use SmartConsole R81 for managing SmartEvent R81, you need to have the following ports open:

• Port 19009 for communication over HTTPS (443)
• Port 19009 for communication over HTTP (80)

These ports are necessary for the SmartConsole to communicate with SmartEvent for management and monitoring purposes.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 documentation and learning resources.

The command cphaprob all show stat is not related to redundancy and functions. This command does not exist in ClusterXL or VRRP. The other commands are valid commands for checking the status of cluster members, interfaces, and synchronization. ClusterXL and VRRP are both high availability solutions that provide redundancy and load balancing for Check Point gateways. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, ClusterXL Administration Guide, VRRP Administration Guide

 A best practice before starting to troubleshoot using the fw monitor tool is to disable SecureXL. SecureXL is a performance acceleration solution that optimizes the packet flow through the Security Gateway. However, SecureXL can also bypass some inspection points and cause some packets to be invisible to fw monitor. Therefore, disabling SecureXL can ensure that fw monitor captures all the relevant packets for troubleshooting purposes. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, fw monitor, SecureXL

Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection offers flexibility in implementation to meet individual business needs. One of the deployment options for Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection is:

Smart Cloud Services (Option A): Smart Cloud Services allow organizations to leverage cloud-based threat intelligence and protection services provided by Check Point.

The other options, Load Sharing Mode Services (Option B), Threat Agent Solution (Option C), and Public Cloud Services (Option D), may also be components of a security strategy, but they are not specific deployment options for Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 training materials and documentation.

 Session Rate Acceleration is a SecureXL feature that accelerates the establishment of new connections by bypassing the inspection of the first packet of each session. Session Rate Acceleration ignores the source port information of the packet, as well as the destination port ranges, protocol type, and VPN information. The other packet info is used by Packet Acceleration, which is another SecureXL feature that accelerates the forwarding of subsequent packets of an established connection. References: SecureXL Mechanism

To optimize drops you decide to use Priority Queues and fully enable Dynamic Dispatcher. You can enable them by using the command fw ctl multik set_mode 9. This command sets the SecureXL mode to 9, which means that Priority Queues are enabled and Dynamic Dispatcher is fully enabled. References: SecureXL Mechanism

PDP is not a valid CPVIEW view. CPVIEW is a command-line tool that shows the status of different system parameters, such as CPU, memory, disk, network, and firewall. The valid views are IDA, RAD, VPN, FW, QoS, and others. PDP is a process that handles identity awareness and authentication. References: Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide, Check Point Identity Awareness Administration Guide R81

The least ideal Synchronization Status for Security Management Server High Availability deployment is Collision. This status indicates that both members have modified the same object independently, resulting in a conflict that needs to be resolved manually. The other statuses are either normal or indicate a temporary delay in synchronization. References: High Availability Administration Guide