SPLK-2003 Splunk SOAR Certified Automation Developer Exam Question and Answers

The asset ingestion setting 'Polling Interval' within Splunk SOAR determines how frequently the SOAR platform will poll an asset to ingest data. This setting is crucial for assets that are configured to pull in data from external sources at regular intervals. Adjusting the polling interval allows administrators to balance the need for timely data against network and system resource considerations.

An asset ingestion setting is a configuration option that allows you to specify how often SOAR should poll an asset for new data. Data ingestion settings are available for assets such as QRadar, Splunk, and IMAP. To configure ingestion settings for an asset, you need to navigate to the Asset Configuration page, select the Ingest Settings tab, and edit the Polling Interval field. The Polling Interval is the number of seconds between each poll request that SOAR sends to the asset. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it is the only option that is an asset ingestion setting in SOAR. Option B is incorrect, because Tag is not an asset ingestion setting, but a way of labeling an asset for easier identification and filtering. Option C is incorrect, because File format is not an asset ingestion setting, but a way of specifying the format of the data that is ingested from an asset. Option D is incorrect, because Operating system is not an asset ingestion setting, but a way of identifying the type of system that an asset runs on.

1: Configure ingest settings for a Splunk SOAR (On-premises) asset

 In Splunk SOAR, it is possible to import external Python libraries, such as the time module, within the scope of a playbook's global code block. The global block allows users to define custom Python code, including imports of standard Python libraries that are included in the Phantom platform's Python environment. This capability enables the extension of playbooks' functionality with additional Python logic, making playbooks more powerful and versatile in their operations.

The correct answer is C because the best way to restrict the execution of playbooks to members of the admin role is to make sure the Execute Playbook capability is removed from all roles except admin. The Execute Playbook capability is a permission that allows a user to run any playbook on any container. By default, all roles have this capability, but it can be removed or added in the Phantom UI by going to Administration > User Management > Roles. Removing this capability from all roles except admin will ensure that only admin users can execute playbooks. See Splunk SOAR Documentation for more details. To ensure that only members of the admin role can execute specific playbooks on the Phantom server, the most effective approach is to manage role-based access controls (RBAC) directly. By configuring the system to remove the "Execute Playbook" capability from all roles except for the admin role, you can enforce this rule. This method leverages Phantom's built-in RBAC mechanisms to restrict playbook execution privileges. It is a straightforward and secure way to ensure that only users with the necessary administrative privileges can initiate the execution of sensitive or critical playbooks, thus maintaining operational security and control.

 When configuring Splunk Phantom to integrate with an external Splunk Enterprise instance, it is typically required to have user accounts with sufficient privileges to access data and perform necessary actions. The roles of "superuser" and "administrator" in Splunk provide the broad set of permissions needed for such integration, enabling comprehensive access to data, management capabilities, and the execution of searches or actions that Phantom may require as part of its automated playbooks or investigations.

System Health Display is a dashboard that shows the status and performance of the SOAR processes and components, such as the automation service, the playbook daemon, the DECIDED process, and the REST API. One of the things that can be done with the System Health Display is to reset DECIDED, which is a core component of the SOAR automation engine that handles the execution of playbooks and actions. Resetting DECIDED can be useful for troubleshooting or debugging purposes, as it resets the playbook environments back to at-start conditions, meaning that any changes made by the playbooks are discarded and the playbooks are reloaded. To reset DECIDED, you need to click on the Reset DECIDED button on the System Health Display dashboard. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, as it is the only option that can be done with the System Health Display. Option A is incorrect, because creating a temporary, edited version of a process and testing the results is not something that can be done with the System Health Display, but rather with the Debugging dashboard, which allows you to modify and run a process in a sandbox environment. Option B is incorrect, because partially rewinding processes, which is useful for debugging, is not something that can be done with the System Health Display, but rather with the Rewind feature, which allows you to go back to a previous state of a process and resume the execution from there. Option C is incorrect, because viewing a single column of status for SOAR processes is not something that can be done with the System Health Display, but rather with the Status Display dashboard, which shows a simplified view of the SOAR processes and their status.

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To restrict playbook execution to members of the admin role within Splunk SOAR, the 'Execute Playbook' capability must be managed appropriately. This is done by ensuring that this capability is removed from all other roles except the admin role. Role-based access control (RBAC) in Splunk SOAR allows for granular permissions, which means you can configure which roles have the ability to execute playbooks, and by restricting this capability, you can control which users are able to initiate playbook runs.

 An individual asset action can be manually started with the > action button in the Investigation page. This allows the user to select an asset and an action to perform on it. The other options are not valid ways to start an asset action manually. See Performing asset actions for more information. Individual asset actions in Splunk SOAR can be manually initiated from the Investigation page of a container. The "> action" button on this page allows users to execute specific actions associated with assets directly, enabling on-the-fly operations on artifacts or indicators within a container. This feature is particularly useful for ad-hoc analysis and actions, allowing analysts to respond to or investigate specific aspects of an incident without the need for a full playbook.

 The main purpose of using a customized workbook is to guide user activity and coordination during event analysis and case operations. Workbooks can be customized to include different phases, tasks, and instructions for the users. The other options are not valid purposes of using a customized workbook. See Workbooks for more information.

Customized workbooks in Splunk SOAR are designed to guide users through the process of analyzing events and managing cases. They provide a structured framework for documenting investigations, tracking progress, and ensuring that all necessary steps are followed during incident response and case management. This helps in coordinating team efforts, maintaining consistency in response activities, and ensuring that all aspects of an incident are thoroughly investigated and resolved. Workbooks can be customized to fit the specific processes and procedures of an organization, making them a versatile tool for managing security operations.

The correct answer is D because the default ports that must be configured on Splunk to allow connections from Phantom are SplunkWeb (8000), SplunkD (8089), and HTTP Collector (8088). SplunkWeb is the port used to access the Splunk web interface. SplunkD is the port used to communicate with the Splunk server. HTTP Collector is the port used to send data to Splunk using the HTTP Event Collector (HEC). These ports must be configured on Splunk and Phantom to enable the integration between the two products. See Splunk SOAR Documentation for more details.

To allow connections from Splunk Phantom to Splunk, certain default ports need to be open and properly configured. The default ports include SplunkWeb (8000) for web access, SplunkD (8089) for Splunk's management port, and the HTTP Event Collector (HEC) on port 8088, which is used for ingesting data into Splunk. These ports are essential for the communication between Splunk Phantom and Splunk, facilitating data exchange, search capabilities, and the integration of various functionalities between the two platforms.

In Splunk SOAR, when working on a case and analyzing events, items marked as significant evidence are aggregated for review. These evidence items can be collectively viewed on the Investigation page under the Evidence tab. This centralized view allows analysts to easily access and review all marked evidence related to a case, facilitating a streamlined analysis process and ensuring that key information is readily available for investigation and decision-making.

Selecting the New option under Sources in the Splunk SOAR menu typically initiates the New Data Ingestion wizard. This wizard guides users through the process of configuring new data sources for ingestion into the SOAR platform. It is designed to streamline the setup of various data inputs, such as event logs, threat intelligence feeds, or notifications from other security tools, ensuring that SOAR can receive and process relevant security data efficiently. This feature is crucial for expanding SOAR's monitoring and response capabilities by integrating diverse data sources. Options A, C, and D do not accurately describe what is displayed when the New option under Sources is selected, making option B the correct choice.

New Data Ingestion wizard allows you to create a new data source for Splunk SOAR (On-premises) by selecting the type of data, the ingestion method, and the configuration options. The other options are incorrect because they do not match the description of the New option under Sources on the menu. For example, option A refers to a list of new assets, which is not related to data ingestion. Option C refers to a list of new data sources, which is not what the New option does. Option D refers to a list of new events, which is not the same as creating a new data source.

 The correct answer is B because an active playbook can be configured to operate on all containers that share a label. A label is a user-defined attribute that can be applied to containers to group them by a common characteristic, such as source, type, severity, etc. Labels can be used to filter containers and trigger active playbooks based on the label value. See Splunk SOAR Documentation for more details.

In Splunk SOAR, labels are used to categorize containers (such as incidents or events) based on their characteristics or the type of security issue they represent. An active playbook can be configured to trigger on all containers that share a specific label, enabling targeted automation based on the nature of the incident. This functionality allows for efficient and relevant playbook execution, ensuring that the automated response is tailored to the specific requirements of the container's category. Labels serve as a powerful organizational tool within SOAR, guiding the automated response framework to act on incidents that meet predefined criteria, thus streamlining the security operations process.

Splunk Phantom supports different types of backups to safeguard data. Full backups create a complete copy of the current state of the system, while incremental backups only save the changes made since the last backup. This approach allows for efficient use of storage space and faster backups after the initial full backup. Delta backups, which would save changes since the last full or incremental backup, are not a standard part of Phantom's backup capabilities according to available documentation. Therefore, the complete list of backups supported by Phantom would be Full and Incremental backups.

The correct answer is D because synchronous execution has not been configured. Synchronous execution is a feature that allows you to control the order of execution of playbook blocks. By default, Phantom executes playbook blocks asynchronously, meaning that it does not wait for one block to finish before starting the next one. This can cause problems when you have dependencies between blocks or when you call other playbooks. To enable synchronous execution, you need to use the sync action in the run playbook block and specify the name of the next block to run after the called playbook completes. See Splunk SOAR Documentation for more details.

In Splunk SOAR, playbooks can be executed either synchronously or asynchronously. Synchronous execution ensures that a playbook waits for a called playbook to complete before proceeding to the next step. If the second playbook starts executing before the first one completes, it indicates that synchronous execution was not configured for the playbooks. Without synchronous execution, playbooks will execute independently of each other's completion status, leading to potential overlaps in execution. This behavior can be controlled by properly configuring the playbook execution settings to ensure that dependent playbooks complete their tasks in the desired order.

When building a playbook in Splunk SOAR, if the desired artifact value does not appear in the auto-populated list of input parameters for an action, users have the option to manually enter the Common Event Format (CEF) datapath for that value. This allows for greater flexibility and customization in playbook design, ensuring that specific data points can be targeted even if they're not immediately visible in the interface. This manual entry of CEF datapaths allows users to directly reference the necessary data within artifacts, bypassing limitations of the auto-populated list. Options B, C, and D suggest alternative methods that are not typically used for this purpose, making option A the correct and most direct approach to entering an unlisted artifact value in a playbook action.

When assigning an input parameter to an action while building a playbook, a user can use the auto-populated list of artifact values that match the expected data type for the parameter. The auto-populated list is based on the contains parameter of the action inputs and outputs, which enables contextual actions in the SOAR user interface. However, the auto-populated list may not include all the possible artifact values that can be used as parameters, especially if the artifact values are nested or have uncommon data types. In that case, the user can type the CEF datapath in manually, using the syntax artifact.., where field is the name of the artifact field, such as cef, and key is the name of the subfield within the artifact field, such as sourceAddress. Typing the CEF datapath in manually allows the user to enter the unlisted artifact value as an input parameter to the action. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it states how it is possible to enter the unlisted artifact value. Option B is incorrect, because deleting and recreating the artifact is not a way to enter the unlisted artifact value, but rather a way to lose the existing artifact data. Option C is incorrect, because editing the artifact to enable the List as Parameter option for the CEF value is not a way to enter the unlisted artifact value, but rather a way to make the artifact value appear in the auto-populated list. Option D is incorrect, because editing the container to allow CEF parameters is not a way to enter the unlisted artifact value, but rather a way to modify the container properties, which are not related to the action parameters.

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Creating smaller and more focused playbooks in Splunk SOAR is considered good design practice for several reasons:

•B: It reduces complexity, making playbooks easier to maintain. Large, complex playbooks can become unwieldy and difficult to troubleshoot or update.

•C: Encourages code reuse, as smaller playbooks can be designed to handle specific tasks that can be reused across different scenarios.

•D: Avoids duplication of code, as common functionalities can be centralized within specific playbooks, rather than having the same code replicated across multiple playbooks.

This approach has several benefits, such as:

•Reducing large complex playbooks which become difficult to maintain. Smaller playbooks are easier to read, debug, and update1.

•Encouraging code reuse in a more compartmentalized form. Smaller playbooks can be used as building blocks for multiple scenarios, reducing the need to write duplicate code12.

•Improving performance and scalability. Smaller playbooks can run faster and consume less resources than larger playbooks2.

The other options are not valid reasons for creating smaller and more focused playbooks. Reducing the amount of playbook data stored in each repo is not a significant benefit, as the playbook data is not very large compared to other types of data in Splunk SOAR. Avoiding duplication of code across multiple playbooks is a consequence of code reuse, not a separate goal.

The default log level for system health debug logs in Splunk SOAR is typically set to INFO. This log level provides a balance between verbosity and relevance, offering insights into the operational status of the system without the detailed granularity of DEBUG or the limited scope of WARN and ERROR levels.

The default log level for system health debug logs is INFO. This means that only informational messages and higher severity messages (such as WARN, ERROR, or CRITICAL) are written to the log files. You can adjust the logging level for each daemon running in Splunk SOAR to help debug or troubleshoot issues. For more details, see Configure the logging levels for Splunk SOAR (On-premises) daemons.

Configuring Splunk SOAR to use an external Splunk server provides several benefits, one of which is the ability to run more complex reports on SOAR activities. Splunk’s powerful search and reporting capabilities allow for deeper analysis and more sophisticated reporting on the data generated by SOAR activities, beyond what is possible with the built-in SOAR search engine.

Creating a new role in Splunk SOAR is often done to define a set of users who have specific access rights, such as access to a special label. Labels in SOAR can be used to categorize data and control access. By assigning a role with access to a particular label, administrators can ensure that only a specific group of users can view or interact with containers, events, or artifacts that have been tagged with that label, thus maintaining control over sensitive data or operations.

Cases and events are two types of containers in Phantom. Cases are incidents with a known violation and a plan for correction, such as a malware infection, a phishing attack, or a data breach. Events are occurrences in the system that may require a response, such as an alert, a log entry, or an email. Cases and events can contain both high-level and low-level incident artifacts, such as IP addresses, URLs, files, or users. Cases do not contain a collection of containers, but rather a collection of artifacts, tasks, notes, and comments. Events are not necessarily potential threats, but rather indicators of potential threats. In the context of Splunk Phantom, cases and events serve different purposes. Cases are structured to manage and respond to incidents with known violations and typically have a plan for correction. They often involve a coordinated response and may include various artifacts, notes, tasks, and evidence that need to be managed collectively. Events, on the other hand, are occurrences or alerts within the system that may require a response. They can be considered as individual pieces of information or incidents that may be part of a larger case. Events are the building blocks that can be aggregated into cases if they are related and require a consolidated approach to incident response and investigation.

DECIDED process is a core component of the SOAR automation engine that handles the execution of playbooks and actions. The DECIDED process can be restarted by restarting the automation service, which can be done from the command line using the service phantom restart command2. Restarting the automation service also restarts the playbook daemon, which is another core component of the SOAR automation engine that handles the loading and unloading of playbooks3. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, as it restarts both the DECIDED process and the playbook daemon. Option A is incorrect, because restarting the playbook daemon alone does not restart the DECIDED process. Option B is incorrect, because the System Health page does not provide an option to restart the DECIDED process or the automation service. Option C is incorrect, because the Administration > Server Settings page does not provide an option to restart the DECIDED process or the automation service.

In Splunk SOAR, if the DECIDED process, which is responsible for playbook execution, needs to be restarted, this can typically be done by restarting the automation (or phantom) service. This service manages the automation processes, including playbook execution. Restarting it can reset the DECIDED process, resolving issues related to playbook execution or process hangs.

Custom CEF fields can be created with a name and a data type. The name must be unique and the data type must be one of the following: string, int, float, bool, or list. The severity is not a valid option for custom CEF fields. See Creating custom CEF fields for more details. When creating Custom Common Event Format (CEF) fields in Splunk SOAR (formerly Phantom), the essential values you need to specify are the "Name" of the field and the "Data Type." The "Name" is the identifier for the field, while the "Data Type" specifies the kind of data the field will hold, such as string, integer, IP address, etc. This combination allows for the structured and accurate representation of data within SOAR, ensuring that custom fields are compatible with the platform's data processing and analysis mechanisms.

 The primary system requirement that should be increased with heavy usage of the file vault is the amount of storage. The file vault is a secure repository for storing files on Phantom. The more files are stored, the more storage space is needed. The other options are not directly related to the file vault usage. See [File vault] for more information.

Heavy usage of the file vault in Splunk SOAR necessitates an increase in the amount of storage available. The file vault is used to securely store files associated with cases, such as malware samples, logs, and other artifacts relevant to an investigation. As the volume of files and the size of stored data grow, ensuring sufficient storage capacity becomes critical to maintain performance and ensure that all necessary data is retained for analysis and evidence.

On the Investigation page in Splunk SOAR, users have the ability to edit or delete comments associated with an event or a container. Comments are generally used for collaboration and to provide additional context to an investigation. While action results, approval records, and artifact values are typically not editable or deletable to maintain the integrity of the investigative data, comments are more flexible and can be managed by users to reflect the current state of the investigation.

Investigation page allows you to view and edit various information and data related to an event or a case. One of the things that you can edit or delete in the Investigation page is the comments that you or other users have added to the activity feed. Comments are a way of communicating and collaborating with other users during the investigation process. You can edit or delete your own comments by clicking on the three-dot menu icon next to the comment and selecting the appropriate option. You can also reply to other users’ comments by clicking on the reply icon. Therefore, option B is the correct answer, as it is the only option that can be edited or deleted in the Investigation page. Option A is incorrect, because action results are the outputs of the actions or playbooks that have been run on the event or case, and they cannot be edited or deleted in the Investigation page. Option C is incorrect, because approval records are the logs of the approval requests and responses that have been made for certain actions or playbooks, and they cannot be edited or deleted in the Investigation page. Option D is incorrect, because artifact values are the data that has been collected or generated by the event or case, and they cannot be edited or deleted in the Investigation page.

1: Start with Investigation in Splunk SOAR (Cloud)

System Health Display is a dashboard that shows the status and performance of the SOAR processes and components, such as the automation service, the playbook daemon, the DECIDED process, and the REST API. Some of the metrics that can be seen from the System Health Display are:

•Memory Usage: The percentage of memory used by the system and the processes.

•Disk Usage: The percentage of disk space used by the system and the processes.

•Load Average: The average number of processes in the run queue or waiting for disk I/O over a period of time.

Therefore, options B, C, and D are the correct answers, as they are the metrics that can be seen from the System Health Display. Option A is incorrect, because Playbook Usage is not a metric that can be seen from the System Health Display, but rather a metric that can be seen from the Playbook Usage dashboard, which shows the number of playbooks and actions run over a period of time.

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The System Health Display in Splunk SOAR provides several metrics to help monitor and manage the health of the system. These typically include:

•B: Memory Usage - This metric shows the amount of memory being used by the SOAR platform, which is important for ensuring that the system does not exceed available resources.

•C: Disk Usage - This metric indicates the amount of storage space being utilized, which is crucial for maintaining adequate storage resources and for planning capacity.

•D: Load Average - This metric provides an indication of the overall load on the system over a period of time, which helps in understanding the system's performance and in identifying potential bottlenecks or issues.

Playbook Usage is generally not a metric displayed on the System Health page; instead, it's more related to the usage analytics of playbooks rather than system health metrics.