TACACS+ is a protocol that provides authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) services for network devices. Unlike RADIUS, which only supports authorization at the user level, TACACS+ supports authorization at the command level. This means that TACACS+ can verify the permissions of the network administrator for every command that is entered, and allow or deny access accordingly. This provides more granular and secure control over network resources and operations. EAPOL, SSH, and RADIUS are not protocols that can provide command-level authorization for AAA. References :=

Some possible references are:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 1: Security Concepts, Lesson 1.2: Network Security Devices and Cloud Services, Topic 1.2.3: AAA

350-701 SCOR - Cisco, Exam Topics, 1.0 Security Concepts, 1.2 Compare network security solutions, 1.2.a AAA

What Is AAA Security? | Fortinet, Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)

DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) is a technology that protects DNS from cache poisoning and spoofing attacks by digitally signing DNS data with cryptographic keys. DNSSEC ensures the integrity and authenticity of DNS responses, preventing attackers from redirecting traffic to malicious domains. Cisco Umbrella supports DNSSEC by performing validation on queries sent from Umbrella resolvers to upstream authorities. This means that Umbrella will only accept DNS responses that are signed and verified by the authoritative servers for each domain. To enable DNSSEC validation, the organization needs to configure Cisco Umbrella and use DNSSEC for domain authentication to authoritative servers. This will ensure that Umbrella resolvers will reject any forged or tampered DNS responses and provide secure DNS resolution for the organization’s network. References :=

Some possible references are:

Implementing and Operating Cisco Security Core Technologies (SCOR) v1.0, Module 2: Network Security, Lesson 2.5: Implement DNS Security

What is DNSSEC and Why Is It Important? - Cisco Umbrella

DNSSEC General Availability – Cisco Umbrella

Time synchronization is one of the features that can be configured for managed devices in the device platform settings of the Firepower Management Center (FMC). Time synchronization ensures that the FMC and its managed devices have the same date and time settings, which is important for accurate event logging and reporting. The FMC can act as a Network Time Protocol (NTP) server for its managed devices, or it can use an external NTP server as a time source1. The FMC can also synchronize its time with the system clock of the device where it is installed2. References := 1: Firepower Management Center Device Configuration Guide, 7.1 - Platform Settings 2: Firepower Management Center Configuration Guide, Version 6.6 - Device Management Basics

The WCCP-configured router identifies if the Cisco WSA is functional by exchanging periodic messages with the WSA. The WSA sends a Here-I-Am message every 10 seconds to the router, which contains information such as the WSA’s IP address, service group, and hash assignment. The router responds with an I-See-You message, which acknowledges the receipt of the Here-I-Am message and provides information such as the router’s IP address, service group, and view of the WCCP topology. These messages allow the router and the WSA to maintain a bidirectional communication and to detect any changes or failures in the WCCP network12.

Option C is the correct answer, as it describes the correct message exchange between the WCCP-configured router and the Cisco WSA. Option A is incorrect, as the router does not use ICMP ping to check the WSA’s functionality, and the traffic is not transmitted to the router, but redirected by the router. Option B is incorrect, as the router does not use ICMP ping to check the WSA’s functionality, and the traffic is not transmitted to the WSA, but redirected by the WSA. Option D is incorrect, as the router does not send a Here-I-Am message, but an I-See-You message, and the WSA does not acknowledge with an I-See-You message, but a Here-I-Am message. References: WCCP Router Configuration Example - Cisco. Cisco ASA WCCP Traffic Redirection Guide - Cisco.

Explanation

The ASA REST API gives you programmatic access to managing individual ASAs through a Representational State Transfer (REST) API. The API allows external clients to perform CRUD (Create, Read, Update, Delete) operations on ASA resources; it is based on the HTTPS protocol and REST methodology.

All API requests are sent over HTTPS to the ASA, and a response is returned.

Request Structure

Available request methods are:

GET – Retrieves data from the specified object.

PUT – Adds the supplied information to the specified object; returns a 404 Resource Not Found error if the object does not exist.

POST – Creates the object with the supplied information.

DELETE – Deletes the specified object

PATCH – Applies partial modifications to the specified object.

The W32/AutoRun worm is a type of malware that spreads through removable drives, such as USB flash drives, and modifies the autorun.inf file to execute itself when the drive is inserted. The worm also attempts to connect to a remote server and download additional malicious files. One of the features of this worm is that it generates random domain names based on the current date and time, and sends DNS requests to these domains. This is a technique to evade detection and analysis, as well as to communicate with the command and control server. The DNS requests generated by the worm have a distinctive pattern, such as the length of the domain name, the number of subdomains, and the use of redacted characters. By comparing these features to the expected behavior of normal DNS requests, security analysts can identify the presence of the worm and block its traffic. References :=

Some possible references are:

W32/AutoRun worm

DNS requests malicious attack

Four major DNS attack types and how to mitigate them

The absence of a DNS record in User Activity Search shows that the query is not reaching Cisco’s DNS-layer enforcement. Cisco documents that an Internal Domains entry sends DNS queries to local resolvers and bypasses both the roaming security component and Umbrella DNS protection. By contrast, an External Domains entry bypasses the Secure Web Gateway proxy while retaining DNS-layer protection. Cisco’s Internal and External Domain Lists guidance therefore supports adding this public domain to the External Domains list so its DNS request is evaluated by the SIA DNS category policy. HTTPS inspection is irrelevant when the DNS request itself is missing. Intelligent proxy affects selective web proxying after DNS classification. Adding the domain to the Internal Domains list would preserve the bypass and continue preventing the DNS event from appearing.

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Cisco ISE uses probes to collect endpoint attributes that are used in profiling. Probes are software modules that run on the ISE Policy Service Nodes (PSNs) and gather information about the endpoints connected to the network. Probes can use various protocols and methods to collect endpoint attributes, such as RADIUS, DHCP, SNMP, HTTP, DNS, NetFlow, NMAP, Active Directory, and Cisco pxGrid. The collected attributes are then matched to predefined or custom conditions that define the endpoint profiles. Endpoint profiling enables ISE to identify and classify the endpoints and apply the appropriate policies based on their identity, role, and context12. References: 1: Cisco ISE 2.4 Endpoint Profiling - Cisco 2: How To Create an Endpoint Profile - Cisco Community

Intra-EPG Isolation is an option to prevent physical or virtual endpoint devices that are in the same base EPG or microsegmented (uSeg) EPG from communicating with each other. By default, endpoint devices included in the same EPG are allowed to communicate with one another.

Cisco Workload Optimization Manager provides specific real-time actions that ensure workloads get the

resources they need when they need them, enabling continuous placement, resizing, and capacity decisions that can be automated, driving continuous health in the environment. You can automate the software’s decisions according to your level of comfort: recommend (view only), manual (select and apply), or automated (executed in real time by software).

Explanation

A buffer overflow (or buffer overrun) occurs when the volume of data exceeds the storage capacity of the memory buffer. As a result, the program attempting to write the data to the buffer overwrites adjacent memory locations.

Buffer overflow is a vulnerability in low level codes of C and C++. An attacker can cause the program to crash, make data corrupt, steal some private information or run his/her own code. It basically means to access any buffer outside of it’s alloted memory space. This happens quite frequently in the case of arrays.

Explanation

The TLS connections are recorded in the mail logs, along with other significant actions that are related to

messages, such as filter actions, anti-virus and anti-spam verdicts, and delivery attempts. If there is a

successful TLS connection, there will be a TLS success entry in the mail logs. Likewise, a failed TLS

connection produces a TLS failed entry. If a message does not have an associated TLS entry in the log file, that message was not delivered over a TLS connection.

Cisco DNA Center APIs are RESTful APIs that allow you to automate and operate your network at scale, using Python scripts or other tools. They are not Cisco proprietary, as they follow the OpenAPI specification and can be accessed by any client that supports HTTP requests. They do not require Postman, although Postman is a useful tool to test and explore the API endpoints. They can quickly provision new devices by applying predefined templates and workflows, and they can view the overall health of the network by retrieving metrics and alerts from various sources. References :=

Cisco DNA Center Platform - Cisco DevNet

Introduction to Cisco DNA Center REST APIs - Cisco DevNet Learning Labs

Cisco DNA Center Platform User Guide, Release 2.3.4

CoA (Change of Authorization) is a feature that allows ISE to dynamically change the authorization attributes of an endpoint after it has been authenticated. CoA can be triggered by various events, such as posture assessment, profiling, or manual intervention1. There are different types of CoA that ISE can send to the network access device (NAD) to perform different actions on the endpoint session. The CoA type that achieves the goal of forcing an endpoint to re-authenticate without disrupting its session is CoA Reauth. CoA Reauth instructs the NAD to initiate a new RADIUS authentication for the endpoint, which allows ISE to apply a new or updated policy based on the latest attributes of the endpoint2. The other CoA types do not achieve this goal, as they either disconnect the endpoint session or do not change the authorization attributes. Port Bounce causes the NAD to shut down and bring up the port where the endpoint is connected, which effectively disconnects and reconnects the endpoint session2. CoA Terminate causes the NAD to terminate the endpoint session and send an Accounting-Stop message to ISE2. CoA Session Query causes the NAD to send an Accounting-Request message to ISE with the current session information, but does not change the authorization attributes of the endpoint2. References:

Cisco Content Hub - Manage Network Devices, section “CoA Types”

Solved: COA and ISE Clarification - Cisco Community, answer by Tarik Admani

Configuring Profiler Policies [Cisco Identity Services Engine] - Cisco …, section “Change of Authorization”