CloudSec-Pro Palo Alto Networks Cloud Security Professional Question and Answers

In Prisma Cloud, roles with access to view policies include Auditor and Dev SecOps. The Auditor role is typically focused on compliance and oversight, allowing users to review configurations, policies, and compliance status without making changes. The Dev SecOps role bridges the gap between development, security, and operations, focusing on integrating security practices within the CI/CD pipeline. Both roles require access to Prisma Cloud policies to perform their functions effectively, ensuring that security and compliance are maintained throughout the cloud environment and application lifecycle.

https://docs.prismacloud.io/en/classic/rql-reference/rql-reference/event-query/event-query-examples https://docs.prismacloud.io/en/classic/rql-reference/rql-reference/event-query/event-query-examples#idda895fd2-4496-4b31-9766-7d50215dcc18

To protect the pods hosting a web front end from Layer 7 attacks, the development team should create a Web Application and API Security (WAAS) rule targeted at the image name of the pods. This approach allows the policy to specifically protect the applications running within the pods against sophisticated attacks that target the application layer.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/waas/deploy_waas

Prisma Cloud supports integration with various Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) as part of its DevOps Security offerings, including Visual Studio Code (Option B) and IntelliJ (Option D). These integrations allow developers to scan their Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates and application code for vulnerabilities and compliance issues directly within their preferred development environments, promoting a "shift left" security approach. BitBucket (Option A) and CircleCI (Option C) are more commonly associated with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines rather than being IDEs.

When you have one or more tenant or scale Projects, upgrade all Supervisors before upgrading the Central Console. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/20-09/prisma-cloud-compute-edition-admin/upgrade/upgrade_process

In Prisma Cloud, configuration policies are categorized to align with the different phases of the cloud security lifecycle, emphasizing a holistic approach to cloud security management. The subtypes "Build and Run" encapsulate this approach by covering both the development phase (Build) - where cloud resources and applications are designed and created, and the operational phase (Run) - where these resources and applications are deployed and actively used. This categorization ensures that security and compliance are integral throughout the lifecycle, from the initial creation of cloud infrastructure and applications to their deployment and day-to-day operation, thereby enhancing the overall security posture.

In the Prisma Cloud Software Release 22.06, referred to as the Kepler release, the addition of Google Artifact Registry as a supported Registry type was a significant update. Google Artifact Registry is designed to store, manage, and secure your container images and language packages (such as Maven and npm). It provides a single place for teams to manage their artifacts and dependencies, improving consistency and security across software development and deployment processes. This update in Prisma Cloud reflects the platform's commitment to supporting the latest cloud-native technologies and services, enhancing its capabilities in securing modern cloud environments.

In the context of DoS protection, enforcing a rate limit is a common strategy to prevent abuse and ensure service availability. The scenario described involves limiting the rate at which users can post ".tar.gz" files to five within five seconds. The correct ban configuration for this requirement would be one that specifies an average rate of 5 with a file extension match on “.tar.gz" within the Web Application and API Security (WAAS) component of a security solution like Prisma Cloud. WAAS is designed to protect web applications and APIs from various threats, including DoS attacks, by applying policies that can limit actions based on specific criteria, such as file types and request rates. This configuration ensures that any attempt to upload more than five ".tar.gz" files within a five-second window would be detected and blocked, mitigating the risk of DoS attacks targeting this particular file upload functionality.

https://prismacloud.ideas.aha.io/ideas

To submit an external new feature request for Prisma Cloud, users can utilize the Aha platform. By accessing the Palo Alto Networks Aha portal, users can submit their feature requests, suggest enhancements, and contribute to shaping the future of Prisma Cloud. Aha provides a structured way to collect and prioritize customer feedback, ensuring that valuable insights reach the product development teams.

For those seeking to propose new features or improvements, visiting the Aha portal and submitting their ideas is the recommended approach. It allows users to participate in the ongoing evolution of Prisma Cloud by sharing their requirements and vision for the platform

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/prisma-cloud-iam-security/integrate-prisma-cloud-with-okta

Cloud Provisioning Admin (Defender Manager) DevOps team members that need to manage Defender deployments without sysadmin privileges. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/authentication/prisma_cloud_user_roles

To onboard an AWS account into Prisma Cloud for the purpose of monitoring resource configurations, the necessary information includes the Role ARN (Amazon Resource Name) and CloudTrail setup. The Role ARN (Option E) is crucial because Prisma Cloud requires permission to access and monitor resources within the AWS account, which is facilitated through an IAM role that Prisma Cloud can assume. This IAM role must have the necessary permissions to access AWS services and resources that Prisma Cloud needs to monitor. CloudTrail (Option A) is essential for auditing and monitoring API calls within the AWS environment, including those related to resource configurations. It provides visibility into user and resource activity by recording API calls made on the account. CloudTrail logs are used by Prisma Cloud to detect changes in resource configurations and ensure compliance with security policies. Subscription ID (Option B) and Active Directory ID (Option C) are more relevant to Azure cloud environments, not AWS. External ID (Option D) is used in a cross-account role trust relationship to prevent the "confused deputy" problem, but it's not specifically required just to onboard the account for resource configuration monitoring.

Under Web-Application and API Security (WAAS) bot protection in Prisma Cloud, unknown bots are categorized based on their behavior and characteristics. Web scrapers and HTTP libraries fall into the category of unknown bots. Web scrapers are automated scripts or programs that extract data from websites, often without permission, while HTTP libraries are tools used for making HTTP requests. Both can be used benignly but may also be employed in malicious activities, hence their classification as unknown bots requiring further analysis.

To onboard an AWS account for monitoring by Prisma Cloud, specifically for resource configuration monitoring, the required pieces of information include:

A. External ID: The External ID is a unique identifier used in the trust relationship between Prisma Cloud and the AWS account, ensuring secure access, making it a correct choice.

D. RoleARN: The Role Amazon Resource Name (RoleARN) is necessary to grant Prisma Cloud the required permissions to access and monitor the AWS account resources, making it a correct choice. Option B (CloudTrail) is related to AWS logging but is not required solely for onboarding. Option C (Active Directory ID) is not relevant to AWS account onboarding for Prisma Cloud.

Prisma Cloud Data Security supports various data storage types, including AWS S3 buckets (B). AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a widely used object storage service that offers scalability, data availability, security, and performance. Prisma Cloud's ability to secure S3 buckets is crucial for organizations leveraging AWS for storage needs, as it ensures that data stored within these buckets is protected against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security threats. Prisma Cloud provides comprehensive visibility into the data stored in S3 buckets, enabling data classification, compliance monitoring, and threat detection to safeguard sensitive data effectively.

The Defender type "Container Defender - Linux" in Prisma Cloud is typically deployed as a container. This deployment method allows the Defender to integrate seamlessly into containerized environments, providing runtime protection and monitoring for container activities. By running as a container, the Container Defender can leverage the native capabilities of the container orchestration platform, such as Kubernetes, to provide security features like threat detection, vulnerability management, and compliance enforcement within the containerized environment. This approach ensures that the security protections are closely aligned with the dynamic and scalable nature of containerized applications.

The Prisma Cloud documentation specifies the actions that can be taken for container image scanning compliance rules as:

C. Block: This action prevents the use of a container image if it fails to meet the defined compliance criteria.

D. Ignore: This action allows the image to bypass the compliance check, effectively overlooking the identified issues.

E. Alert: This action triggers an alert to notify the relevant stakeholders about the compliance status of the container image.

These actions are integral to Prisma Cloud’s governance capabilities, allowing organizations to enforce their security and compliance policies effectively. By setting up these rules, teams can ensure that only images that comply with their standards are deployed, while also having the flexibility to ignore certain images or receive alerts for further investigation.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/compliance/trusted_images

Block — Defender stops the entire container if a process that violates your policy attempts to run.

https://docs.prismacloudcompute.com/docs/enterprise_edition/runtime_defense/runtime_defense_containers.html#_effect

Saved Searches has list of search queries saved by any Prisma Cloud administrator.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/manage-prisma-cloud-administrators/prisma-cloud-admin-permissions

According to the official Palo Alto Networks documentation, saved searches in a cloud account are managed by administrators. This aligns with the principle that administrative privileges are typically required to manage access to saved searches and other similar resources within cloud platforms. Administrators have the capability to control who can access various resources, ensuring that only authorized users can view or modify saved searches. This is a common security measure to prevent unauthorized access and potential data breaches.

After the Console has been upgraded, check and upgrade any of the Defenders that have reached the end of their support lifecycle (Defenders are backward compatible for N-2 releases). The Defender release image is built from the UBI8-minimal base image and on upgrade it is a full container image upgrade, which means that the old Defender container is replaced with a new container. Then, upgrade all other Prisma Cloud components, such as the Jenkins plugin. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/upgrade/upgrade_process_saas

The correct RQL (Resource Query Language) that detected the vulnerability is:

config from cloud.resource where cloud.type = 'aws' and api.name = 'aws-iam-get-credential-report' AND json.rule = '(access_key_1_active is true and access_key_1_last_rotated != N/A and DateTime. ageInDays (access_key_1_last_rotated) > 90) or (access_key_2_active is true and access_key_2_last_rotated != N/A and _DateTime. ageInDays (access_key_2_last_rotated) > 90)'

This RQL is designed to check the age of the AWS IAM user's access keys to ensure that they are rotated within a recommended period, typically 90 days. If the access keys have not been rotated within this timeframe, it would be considered a security risk or vulnerability, as old keys may potentially be compromised. By enforcing access key rotation, it minimizes the risk of unauthorized access.

The reference for this type of policy check can be seen in cloud security best practices that advocate for regular rotation of access keys to minimize the potential impact of key compromise. CSPM tools like Prisma Cloud include such checks to automate compliance with these best practices.

Anomaly policies in Prisma Cloud utilize Network flow logs (A) and Audit logs (B) to identify unusual network and user activities. Network flow logs provide visibility into the traffic flow across the network, helping detect anomalies in communication patterns that might indicate malicious activities or network misconfigurations. Audit logs record user actions within the system, offering insights into potentially unauthorized or suspicious operations that could compromise security. By analyzing these logs, anomaly policies can effectively pinpoint irregularities that deviate from established baselines, enabling timely detection and response to potential security threats.

Adoption Advisor is a feature within Prisma Cloud that provides organizations with guidance on adopting various security capabilities based on their unique needs and the stage they are at in their cloud security journey. It doesn't enforce a fixed pace but rather suggests a tailored path for enhancing security posture, taking into account the organization's specific requirements and the complexity of their cloud environment. The Adoption Advisor supports a broad range of security capabilities, encompassing Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), Cloud Workload Protection (CWP), Cloud Code Security (CCS), Out-of-Band (OEM), and Data Security. This comprehensive approach ensures that organizations can secure their cloud environments effectively across different phases of the application lifecycle, from development to deployment, and across various cloud resources and services.

The correct command to scan the nginx:latest image for vulnerabilities and compliance issues using the Prisma Cloud twistcli tool is shown in Option D. This command uses twistcli images scan with specified parameters for the console address, username, and password, and it outputs the results to a file named scan-results.json. This allows for the scanning results to be saved and reviewed in a structured format, which aids in further analysis and tracking of vulnerabilities and compliance issues.

Prisma Cloud scans all hosts for compliance issues, provided that a defender is installed or the host is covered by an agentless scan. Among these, the following compliance issues are covered.

-Host configuration

-Docker daemon configuration

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/compliance/host_scanning

Prisma Cloud Compute's compliance enforcement capabilities for hosts include ensuring proper configurations of Docker daemons and host operating systems, as well as managing hosts that do not have Defender agents installed. These measures are critical for hardening environments against misconfigurations which could lead to security vulnerabilities.

Reference tech docs: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/continuous_integration/set_policy_ci_plugins.html

Vulnerability rules that target the build tool can allow specific vulnerabilities by creating an exception and setting the effect to 'ignore'. Block them by creating an exception and setting hte effect to 'fail'. For example, you could create a vulnerability rule that explicitly allows CVE-2018-1234 to suppress warnings in the scan results.

To fail CI jobs based on a specific CVE contained within an image, the development team should configure the policy within Prisma Cloud's Console, specifically within the Continuous Integration (CI) policy settings. By setting a specific CVE exception in the CI policy, the team can define criteria that will cause the CI process to fail if the specified CVE is detected in the scanned image. This approach allows for granular control over the build process, ensuring that images with known vulnerabilities are not promoted through the CI/CD pipeline, thereby maintaining the security posture of the deployed applications. This method is in line with best practices for integrating security into the CI/CD process, allowing for automated enforcement of security standards directly within the development pipeline.

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA14u000000oMkpCAE &lang=en_US%E2%80%A9&refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fknowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com%2FKCSArticleDetail

To detect and alert on cryptominer network activity, the policy type that should be used is an Anomaly policy. Anomaly policies in Prisma Cloud are designed to identify unusual and potentially malicious activities, including the network patterns typical of cryptomining operations. These policies leverage behavioral analytics to spot deviations from normal operations, making Option B the correct answer.

Suspicious network actors—Exposes suspicious connections by inspecting the network traffic to and from your cloud environment and correlating it with AutoFocus, Palo Alto Networks threat intelligence feed. AutoFocus identifies IP addresses involved in suspicious or malicious activity and classifies them into one of eighteen categories. Some examples of the categories are Backdoor, Botnet, Cryptominer, DDoS, Ransomware, Rootkit, and Worm. There are thirty-six policies, two for each of the eighteen categories—internal and external. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/prisma-cloud-policies/anomaly-policies

the default when using the script is twistlock, but you can use whatever you want. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/configure/set_diff_paths_daemon_sets

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/continuous_integration/jenkins_plugin.html

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/continuous_integration/jenkins_pipeline_project

To scan container images in Jenkins pipelines, Prisma Cloud offers two specific tools:

D. Twistcli: This is a command-line interface tool provided by Prisma Cloud that allows users to scan container images for vulnerabilities and compliance issues. It can be integrated into Jenkins pipelines to automate the scanning process as part of the CI/CD workflow1.

E. Compute Jenkins plugin: This plugin integrates Prisma Cloud’s capabilities directly into Jenkins, enabling automated scanning of container images during the build process. It provides a seamless way to include security checks within the Jenkins pipeline1.

Both Twistcli and the Compute Jenkins plugin are designed to work within the Jenkins environment to ensure that container images are scanned for security risks before they are deployed. By integrating these tools into the pipeline, developers can identify and address vulnerabilities early in the development cycle, contributing to a more secure software delivery process

In Prisma Cloud Enterprise Edition, Palo Alto Networks hosts and runs the Console component. The Console serves as the central management interface for Prisma Cloud, allowing customers to configure policies, view alerts, and manage their cloud security posture without the need to host this component themselves.

Log into Console. / Go to Manage > Alerts > Logging. / Configure Prisma Cloud to send audit event records to syslog, stdout and Prometheus.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/audit/logging

To ingest all Console and Defender logs into Splunk within Prisma Cloud Compute, the most effective method is to enable the syslog option in the Console. This configuration allows the direct export of logs in a format compatible with Splunk, facilitating real-time log analysis and monitoring. This setup supports continuous security monitoring and advanced threat detection capabilities by utilizing Splunk's extensive data processing and visualization tools.

While agentless scanning in Prisma Cloud can effectively assess various risks in cloud environments, including host compliance and vulnerabilities, it does not extend to container runtime risks. To inspect risks associated with container runtimes, such as real-time threat detection, behavioral monitoring, and deep visibility into container activity, deploying Prisma Cloud Defenders is necessary. These Defenders are lightweight agents that provide an additional layer of security by monitoring containerized applications in real-time, thereby offering comprehensive protection against threats that may arise during the runtime phase of containers.

In Prisma Cloud, to automatically enable all severity levels for alerts, a user would need to navigate to the Policies section, then to Settings. Within this area, there is an option for "auto-enable default policies," which, when checked for all severity levels, ensures that any default policies related to those severities are automatically activated. This is a configuration setting that streamlines the alerting process by ensuring that all relevant severity levels are covered by the default policies without the need for manual intervention.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/prisma-cloud-policies/manage-prisma-cloud-policies

Step 1- To enable global settings for Prisma Cloud default policies click "Settings" and select "Enterprise Settings" Step 2- To enable policies based on severity, select Auto enable new default policies of the type—Critical, High, Medium, Low or Informational.

In Prisma Cloud Enterprise, for alerts to be generated for configuration assets in an onboarded public cloud account, it is essential that the account is associated with an alert rule that matches the enabled config policies. If the account is not linked to an alert rule or if the existing alert rules do not match the config policies, no alerts will be generated even though configuration resource ingestion is visible, and RQL statements return config resource results. This requirement emphasizes the need for a well-structured alerting mechanism to ensure that security incidents are promptly identified and addressed​​.

To protect pods in an environment from Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks, the development team should create a Container Cloud Native Application Firewall (CNAF) policy. This policy should be targeted at the specific resource (e.g., a particular pod or set of pods), with the option for XSS protection checked, and the action set to "prevent." This configuration ensures that any XSS attacks directed at the targeted containers are effectively blocked.

In Prisma Cloud, the Defender type responsible for performing registry scanning is the Container Defender. Registry scanning is crucial for ensuring that container images stored in registries are free from vulnerabilities and compliance issues before they are deployed. Container Defenders scan images within container registries, identifying security risks and ensuring that only secure container images are used in deployment, thereby maintaining the integrity and security of containerized applications.

The correct section of the Console that the administrator should use to review findings such as "User namespace is enabled", "An LDAP server is enabled", and "SSH root is enabled" is "Compliance".

The "Compliance" section in CSPM tools like Prisma Cloud provides an overview of the current compliance posture against various regulatory standards and best practices. It can help identify configurations that do not adhere to best practices or that may violate compliance requirements, such as enabling the user namespace, which could be a security risk, or having an LDAP server and SSH root enabled, which may not comply with certain security standards.

Reference to the use of the "Compliance" section can be found in CSPM documentation, where it details how compliance checks are used to assess the security and configuration of cloud resources against established benchmarks and standards, allowing organizations to maintain compliance and improve their security posture.

Create SNS Topic Triggers: No data security scan

Select an S3 bucket: Forward Scan only

Select an S3 bucket with existing files: Forward or Backward Scan

Link an S3 logging to CloudTrail: Backward Scan only

The scanning mode for Data Security in AWS typically depends on the configuration and the desired outcomes for monitoring and protecting data within S3 buckets.

Creating SNS Topic Triggers is a configuration step that does not directly involve scanning. It is part of setting up notifications for events in S3 buckets, but on its own, it does not initiate a data security scan.

Selecting an S3 bucket without specifying existing files typically implies that you intend to scan new objects as they are added to the bucket, which is known as a Forward Scan. This mode is proactive and scans files upon their arrival in the bucket.

When you select an S3 bucket with existing files, you can perform either Forward Scanning for new files or Backward Scanning to scan all existing files in the bucket. This option provides the most comprehensive scanning coverage for both new and existing data.

Linking an S3 logging to CloudTrail is usually a step taken to monitor access and changes to S3 resources. In the context of scanning, linking S3 to CloudTrail does not initiate a scan, but the CloudTrail logs can be used to trigger a Backward Scan if configured to do so, which scans historical files in the bucket based on CloudTrail events.

To assign a new policy to a compliance standard in Prisma Cloud, the administrator needs to edit the policy and navigate to the step where compliance standards are managed. By clicking the '+' button, the administrator can add the policy to a specific compliance standard, provide necessary details, and confirm the assignment. This integrates the custom policy into the chosen compliance standard, ensuring that compliance checks include the newly defined policy criteria.

Regarding the use of access keys, it is correct that up to two access keys can be active at any time for a single IAM user in AWS, and access keys are used for programmatic API calls to AWS services. This allows for rotation of keys without immediate invalidation of the old key and ensures secure access to AWS services via APIs.

In the context of Prisma Cloud, the policy type that is specifically designed to detect unusual activities, such as port scanning, within a customer's environment is classified under "Anomaly." Anomaly-based policies leverage advanced analytics and machine learning algorithms to identify patterns and behaviors that deviate from the norm, which could indicate potential security threats like port scanning attempts. By detecting such anomalies, these policies help organizations proactively identify and respond to potential reconnaissance activities by attackers seeking to discover open ports and vulnerable services.

The correct command to generate the YAML file for Defender install in a Kubernetes cluster, considering the console and websocket addresses, as well as the admin user, would typically involve specifying the addresses and user details. The option D seems most aligned with standard practices for such commands, where you export the Defender configuration for Kubernetes, specifying the console and websocket addresses along with the user details.

In Prisma Cloud, the list of people who are receiving e-mails for alerts is managed within the configuration of individual Alert Rules.

Option D: Set Alert Notification section within an Alert Rule is where administrators can specify the e-mail recipients for alerts generated by Prisma Cloud. This section allows for the customization of alert notifications, including the selection of recipients who should receive email notifications when an alert is triggered. This granularity ensures that the right stakeholders are informed about specific security incidents or compliance violations, facilitating timely and appropriate responses.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/waas/waas_dos_protection

The Adoption Advisor is a feature within Prisma Cloud that aims to improve product operationalization. It provides visibility into how features are utilized, identifies unused capabilities, and suggests ways to leverage the full potential of the platform. Therefore, Option A: Adoption Advisor is the correct answer.

POST https://api.prismacloud.io/login

GET https://api.prismacloud.io/access_keys

PATCH https://api.prismacloud.io/access_keys/ /status/

To write a script that automatically deactivates access keys that have not been used for 30 days, an administrator would need to follow an ordered sequence of API calls to the Prisma Cloud platform.

The first API call must authenticate the script with the Prisma Cloud API, which is typically done using a POST request to the login endpoint. This step is necessary to establish a session and retrieve an authentication token required for subsequent API calls.

Once the script is authenticated, the next call is a GET request to the access_keys endpoint. This retrieves a list of all access keys within the environment. The script can then parse through these keys to determine which ones have not been used within the specified timeframe of 30 days.

For each access key that meets the criteria (unused for 30 days), the script must send a PATCH request to the specific access key's endpoint, which includes the access key ID and the desired status. This request will change the status of the access key to 'inactive' or a similar status that denotes deactivation.

Following this ordered sequence ensures that the script systematically authenticates, evaluates, and updates the status of access keys based on their usage, thereby maintaining security and compliance within the Prisma Cloud environment.

"The list of AWS policy types and identities that are used to calculate the net effective permissions are as follows:

AWS IAM role

AWS IAM policy

AWS IAM group

AWS service control policies (SCPs)

Role trust relationships

Permission boundaries

NotAction

Policies with wild card support

If your cloud environment has additional resource types, Prisma Cloud does not factor them into the net-effective permissions.

In addition, permissions can also be set by a resource-based policy. The following AWS resource-based policies are supported in the net effective permissions calculation:

Lambda function

S3 bucket

SQS queue

SNS topic

ECS task definition

Secret manager

KMS key

Lambda layer version"

In the SecOps dashboard of a cloud security platform like Prisma Cloud, filters such as Time range and Account Groups are essential for narrowing down the data or security alerts based on specific time periods or organizational structures. The Time range filter allows users to view incidents or compliance data for a particular timeframe, facilitating trend analysis and focusing on recent events. The Account Groups filter enables the segregation of data based on different cloud accounts or organizational units, making it easier for security teams to manage and prioritize security tasks according to the business structure or cloud architecture.

In the context of Kubernetes, an admission controller is a piece of code that intercepts requests to the Kubernetes API server before the persistence of the object, but after the request is authenticated and authorized. The admission controller lets you apply complex validation and policy controls to objects before they are created or updated.

The ValidatingWebhookConfiguration is a Kubernetes object that tells the API server to send an admission validation request to a service (the admission webhook) when a request to create, update, or delete a Kubernetes object matches the rules defined in the configuration. The webhook can then approve or deny the request based on custom logic.

The MutatingWebhookConfiguration is similar but is used to modify objects before they are created or updated, which is not the primary function of an admission controller acting in a protective or validating capacity.

DestinationRules are related to Istio service mesh and are not relevant to Kubernetes admission control.

PodSecurityPolicies (PSPs) are a type of admission controller in Kubernetes but they are predefined by Kubernetes and do not require a specific configuration object like ValidatingWebhookConfiguration. PSPs are also deprecated in recent versions of Kubernetes.

Therefore, the correct answer is C. ValidatingWebhookConfiguration, as it is the Kubernetes object used to configure admission webhooks for validating requests, which aligns with the role of Defender acting as an admission controller in Prisma Cloud.

References from the provided documents:

The documents uploaded do not contain specific details about Kubernetes objects or Prisma Cloud's integration with Kubernetes. However, this explanation aligns with general Kubernetes practices and Prisma Cloud's capabilities in securing Kubernetes environments.

View users who enabled console access with both access keys and passwords: config from cloud.resource where api.name = 'aws-iam-get-credential-report' AND json.rule = access_key_1_active is true or access_key_2_active is true and password_enabled is true https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-rql-reference/rql-reference/config-query/config-query-examples

When an administrator adds a Cloud account to Prisma Cloud and then deletes it, if the deleted account is added back to Prisma Cloud within a 24-hour period, the existing alerts associated with that account will be displayed again. This behavior ensures continuity in monitoring and alerting, allowing security teams to retain visibility into potential security issues or compliance violations associated with the cloud account. Re-displaying existing alerts helps maintain a consistent security posture and ensures that no critical alerts are overlooked during the re-addition process.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/manage-prisma-cloud-alerts/view-respond-to-prisma-cloud-alerts

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/manage-prisma-cloud-alerts/prisma-cloud-alert-notifications

The "overly permissive service access" compliance check is specifically designed to evaluate and ensure that cloud services are not granted more permissions than necessary, which could lead to potential security risks. Among the listed options, Amazon Web Services (AWS) is known for its extensive service offerings and the complexity of its Identity and Access Management (IAM) configurations. Prisma Cloud, a comprehensive cloud security platform by Palo Alto Networks, provides extensive support for AWS, including checks for overly permissive service access. This ensures that AWS environments adhere to the principle of least privilege, reducing the attack surface by limiting access to the minimum necessary to perform required tasks. Prisma Cloud's capabilities in AWS environments are detailed in various resources, including documentation and guides provided by Palo Alto Networks, which highlight its effectiveness in identifying and mitigating risks associated with excessive permissions in AWS services.

The protection in the runtime rule that would cause the audit message indicating "/bin/ls launched and is explicitly blocked in the runtime rule" is related to "Processes". In container security, a runtime rule set to monitor and restrict processes can block specific executables or commands from running within a container. If the rule is triggered, it indicates that a process that is explicitly denied by the policy attempted to execute, which in this case is the 'ls' command.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/22-12/prisma-cloud-compute-edition-admin/runtime_defense/runtime_audits

Configuring Single Sign-On (SSO) in Prisma Cloud requires the Identity Provider Issuer (Option B) and Certificate (Option C). The Identity Provider Issuer is a unique identifier for the SSO identity provider and is used by Prisma Cloud to establish trust and validate SSO responses. The Certificate, typically an X.509 certificate, is used to sign SSO assertions and ensure the security of the SSO communication. The Prisma Cloud Access SAML URL (Option A) is provided by Prisma Cloud to configure the SSO on the identity provider's side, not the other way around. The Identity Provider Logout URL (Option D) is used for single logout configurations but is not a required field for basic SSO configuration in Prisma Cloud.

In Prisma Cloud Compute Self-Hosted Edition, images can be retrieved by first authenticating with the Prisma Cloud registry and then pulling the images from the Prisma Cloud registry. This process ensures secure access to Prisma Cloud images, as authentication is required to access the registry. By using authentication, Prisma Cloud ensures that only authorized users can retrieve and deploy Prisma Cloud images, maintaining the security and integrity of the deployment.

To view the vulnerabilities identified on a host, navigating to the "Monitor > Vulnerabilities > Hosts" section within the Prisma Cloud Console is the correct approach. This section is specifically designed to provide a comprehensive overview of all detected vulnerabilities within the host environment, offering detailed insights into each vulnerability's nature, severity, and potential impact.

This pathway allows users to efficiently assess the security posture of their hosts, prioritize vulnerabilities based on their severity, and take appropriate remediation actions. The "Hosts" section under "Vulnerabilities" is tailored to display vulnerabilities related to host configurations, installed software, and other host-level security concerns, making it the ideal location within the Prisma Cloud Console for this purpose.

When setting up Single Sign-On (SSO) in Prisma Cloud on the Identity Provider (IdP) side, it is essential to configure the Assertion Consumer Service (ACS) URL and the Service Provider (SP) Entity ID. The ACS URL is the endpoint to which the IdP will send the SAML assertion, and the SP Entity ID is a unique identifier for the service provider that often resembles a URL but does not necessarily point to a location. These elements are crucial for establishing the trust relationship between the IdP and the service provider, enabling secure user authentication and authorization.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-rql-reference/rql-reference/event-query/event-query-examples

RESOURCE_DELETED Resource was deleted. USER_DISMISSED Alert was dismissed or snoozed by the Prisma Cloud administrator with role of System admin, Account Group Admin, or Account and Cloud Provisioning Admin. POLICY_UPDATED Policy was updated. This status indicates a change in the policy RQL that results in a resource not being in scope for the policy evaluation.

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA14u0000004OQ2CAM

The correct RQL query to view users who have sufficient permissions to create security groups within Azure AD and create applications is option D. This query is specifically designed to assess policies within Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) by checking the authorization policy settings related to user default role permissions. The query targets the azure-active-directory-authorization-policy API to fetch configurations (config from cloud.resource) and then filters those configurations based on the JSON rules that dictate whether users are allowed to create security groups (defaultUserRolePermissions.allowedToCreateSecurityGroups is true) and applications (defaultUserRolePermissions.allowedToCreateApps is true). This query provides a comprehensive check by ensuring both conditions are met, which is necessary for users to have the combined capabilities of creating security groups and applications within Azure AD.

In the context of Prisma Cloud and cloud security principles, the RQL (Resource Query Language) is utilized for querying the configuration state of resources within cloud environments to ensure compliance with security policies. The RQL syntax in option D precisely aligns with the requirements for identifying users with specific permissions, leveraging Prisma Cloud's capability to provide visibility and control over cloud resources, as emphasized in various resources like the "Prisma Cloud Visibility and Control Qualification Guide" and the "Guide to Cloud Security Posture Management Tools." These documents highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and validation of cloud resource configurations to maintain a secure and compliant cloud environment, which is effectively achieved through targeted RQL queries like the one in option D.

To reduce the number of alerts generated by the "Unusual protocol activity (Internal)" network anomaly without entirely disabling the policy, setting the Alert Disposition to Conservative (option B) is the most effective strategy. This configuration adjusts the sensitivity of the anomaly detection, reducing the likelihood of false positives and minimizing alert fatigue without compromising the ability to detect genuine security threats. By adopting a more conservative approach to anomaly detection, the administrator can ensure that only the most significant and potentially harmful activities trigger alerts, thus maintaining a balance between security vigilance and operational efficiency.

The asset inventory in cloud security platforms like Prisma Cloud typically displays a wide range of cloud resources, including EC2 instances. EC2 instances are virtual servers in Amazon's Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) for running applications on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure. The asset inventory provides visibility into these instances, allowing security teams to monitor their configuration, security posture, and compliance status. This visibility is crucial for identifying misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and ensuring that all EC2 instances adhere to the organization's security policies and compliance requirements.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/prisma-cloud-dashboards/asset-inventory

To utilize the automated method for remediation within the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Cloud, specifically for the Identity and Access Management (IAM) module, two critical actions are required: installing the boto3 and requests libraries, and configuring the IAM AWS remediation script.

The boto3 library is AWS's SDK for Python, allowing Python developers to write software that makes use of services like Amazon S3 and Amazon EC2. The requests library is a Python HTTP library designed for human beings, enabling easy interaction with HTTP services. Together, these libraries are foundational for scripting AWS services, including automating remediation tasks within IAM.

Configuring the IAM AWS remediation script is the second critical step. This script is tailored to interact with AWS IAM to automate the remediation of identified security issues, such as excessive permissions, unused IAM roles, or improperly configured policies. The script uses the boto3 library to communicate with AWS services, applying the necessary changes to align IAM configurations with security best practices.

These actions are essential for leveraging automation to enhance IAM security within AWS, ensuring that IAM configurations adhere to the principle of least privilege and other security best practices. This approach aligns with Prisma Cloud's capabilities and recommendations for cloud security, emphasizing the importance of automation in maintaining a robust security posture, as discussed in resources like the "Prisma Cloud Visibility and Control Qualification Guide" and the "Guide to Cloud Security Posture Management Tools."

To configure serverless scanning in a cloud security platform like Prisma Cloud, the system needs to know where (Region) the serverless functions are deployed, how to access them (Credential), and on which cloud platform they are running (Provider). These settings ensure that the scanning tool can accurately locate and authenticate to the serverless functions across different cloud environments for vulnerability assessment. This aligns with the principle of providing comprehensive visibility and consistent security across multi-cloud environments as outlined in the "Guide to Cloud Security Posture Management Tools" document​​.