XDR-Analyst Palo Alto Networks XDR Analyst Questions and Answers

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

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

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

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

To save a custom XQL query to the Widget Library, you need to click on “Save to Widget Library” in the dashboard and you will be prompted to give the query a name and description. This will allow you to reuse the query in other dashboards or reports. You cannot save a query to the Widget Library by clicking the three dots on the widget, as this will only give you options to edit, delete, or clone the widget. You also cannot save a query to the Action Center, as this is a different feature that allows you to create alerts or remediation actions based on the query results. You do not have to exit the dashboard and go into the Widget Library first to create a query, as you can do it directly from the dashboard. References:

Cortex XDR Pro Admin Guide: Save a Custom Query to the Widget Library

Cortex XDR Pro Admin Guide: Create a Dashboard

 When selecting multiple incidents at a time, the options that are available from the menu when a user right-clicks the incidents are: Assign incidents to an analyst in bulk and Change the status of multiple incidents. These options allow the user to perform bulk actions on the selected incidents, such as assigning them to a specific analyst or changing their status to open, in progress, resolved, or closed. These options can help the user to manage and prioritize the incidents more efficiently and effectively. To use these options, the user needs to select the incidents from the incident table, right-click on them, and choose the desired option from the menu. The user can also use keyboard shortcuts to perform these actions, such as Ctrl+A to select all incidents, Ctrl+Shift+A to assign incidents to an analyst, and Ctrl+Shift+S to change the status of incidents12

The correct statement regarding the Cortex XDR Analytics module is D, it interferes with the pattern as soon as it is observed on the endpoint. The Cortex XDR Analytics module is a feature of Cortex XDR that uses machine learning and behavioral analytics to detect and prevent network-based attacks on endpoints. The Cortex XDR Analytics module analyzes the network traffic and activity on the endpoint, and compares it with the attack patterns defined by Palo Alto Networks threat research team. The Cortex XDR Analytics module interferes with the attack pattern as soon as it is observed on the endpoint, by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. This way, the Cortex XDR Analytics module can stop the attack before it causes any damage or compromise.

The other statements are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does interfere with the attack pattern on the endpoint, by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not rely on the firewall or any other network device to stop the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the interference.

B is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does not interfere with the attack pattern as soon as it is observed by the firewall. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not depend on the firewall or any other network device to detect or prevent the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the analysis and interference. The firewall may not be able to observe or block the attack pattern if it is encrypted, obfuscated, or bypassed by the attacker.

C is incorrect because the Cortex XDR Analytics module does need to interfere with the attack pattern to prevent the attack. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not only detect the attack pattern, but also prevents it from succeeding by blocking the malicious network connection, process, or file. The Cortex XDR Analytics module does not rely on any other response mechanism or human intervention to stop the attack, but rather uses the Cortex XDR agent installed on the endpoint to perform the interference.

 To automatically convert leads into alerts after investigating a lead, you should create IOC rules based on the set of the collected attribute-value pairs over the affected entities concluded during the lead hunting. IOC rules are used to detect known threats based on indicators of compromise (IOCs) such as file hashes, IP addresses, domain names, etc. By creating IOC rules from the leads, you can prevent future occurrences of the same threats and generate alerts for them. References:

PCDRA Study Guide, page 25

Cortex XDR 3: Handling Cortex XDR Alerts, section 3.2

Cortex XDR Documentation, section “Create IOC Rules”

 To view the WildFire report in an incident, you need to go to the incident details page and look for the relevant key artifacts that are related to the WildFire analysis. A key artifact is a piece of evidence that is associated with an alert or an incident, such as a file hash, a registry key, an IP address, a domain name, or a full path. If a key artifact is related to a WildFire analysis, you will see a WildFire icon next to it, indicating that there is a WildFire report available for that artifact. You can click on the WildFire icon to view the report, which will show you the detailed information about the artifact, such as the verdict, the behavior, the severity, the signatures, and the screenshots12.

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

B. under Response --> Action Center: This is not the correct answer. The Action Center is a feature that allows you to create and manage actions that you can perform on your endpoints, such as isolating, scanning, collecting files, or executing scripts. The Action Center does not show you the WildFire reports for the incidents, but it can help you to remediate the incidents by applying the appropriate actions3.

C. under the gear icon --> Agent Audit Logs: This is not the correct answer. The Agent Audit Logs are logs that show you the activities and events that occurred on the Cortex XDR agents, such as installation, upgrade, connection, policy update, or prevention. The Agent Audit Logs do not show you the WildFire reports for the incidents, but they can help you to troubleshoot the agent issues or verify the agent status4.

D. on the HUB page at apps.paloaltonetworks.com: This is not the correct answer. The HUB page is a web portal that allows you to access and manage your Palo Alto Networks applications, such as Cortex XDR, Cortex XSOAR, Prisma Cloud, or AutoFocus. The HUB page does not show you the WildFire reports for the incidents, but it can help you to navigate to the different applications or view the notifications and alerts5.

In conclusion, to view the WildFire report in an incident, you need to go to the incident details page and look for the relevant key artifacts that are related to the WildFire analysis. By viewing the WildFire report, you can gain more insights and context about the incident and the artifact.

The report output shows the number of endpoints that have forensic inventory data collection enabled, which is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows the collection of detailed information about the endpoint’s hardware, software, and network configuration. This feature helps analysts to investigate and respond to incidents more effectively by providing a comprehensive view of the endpoint’s state and activity. Forensic inventory data collection can be enabled or disabled per policy in Cortex XDR. References:

Forensic Inventory Data Collection

Cortex XDR 3: Getting Started with Endpoint Protection

Remediation Suggestions is a feature of Cortex XDR that provides you with recommended actions to remediate the root cause and impact of an incident. Remediation Suggestions are based on the analysis of the causality chain, the behavior of the malicious files or processes, and the best practices for incident response. Remediation Suggestions can help you to quickly and effectively contain and resolve an incident, as well as prevent future recurrence.

To activate Remediation Suggestions, you need to follow these steps:

In the Cortex XDR management console, go to Incidents and select an incident that you want to remediate.

Click Causality View to see the graphical representation of the causality chain of the incident.

Click Actions and select Remediation Suggestions. This will open a new window that shows the suggested actions for each node in the causality chain.

Review the suggested actions and select the ones that you want to apply. You can also edit or delete the suggested actions, or add your own custom actions.

Click Apply to execute the selected actions on the affected endpoints. You can also schedule the actions to run at a later time or date.

 A logical schema in an XQL query is a field, which is a named attribute of a dataset. A field can have a data type, such as string, integer, boolean, or array. A field can also have a modifier, such as bin or expand, that transforms the field value in the query output. A field can be used in the select, where, group by, order by, or having clauses of an XQL query. References:

XQL Syntax

XQL Data Types

XQL Field Modifiers

 A common sequence of cyber-attack tactics is based on the Cyber Kill Chain model, which describes the stages of a cyber intrusion from the perspective of the attacker. The Cyber Kill Chain model consists of seven phases: reconnaissance, weaponization, delivery, exploitation, installation, command and control, and actions on the objective. These phases are briefly explained below:

Reconnaissance: The attacker gathers information about the target, such as its network, systems, vulnerabilities, employees, and business operations. The attacker may use various methods, such as scanning, phishing, or searching open sources, to collect data that can help them plan the attack.

Weaponization: The attacker creates or obtains a malicious payload, such as malware, exploit, or script, that can be used to compromise the target. The attacker may also embed the payload into a delivery mechanism, such as an email attachment, a web link, or a removable media.

Delivery: The attacker sends or delivers the weaponized payload to the target, either directly or indirectly. The attacker may use various channels, such as email, web, or physical access, to reach the target’s network or system.

Exploitation: The attacker exploits a vulnerability or weakness in the target’s network or system to execute the payload. The vulnerability may be technical, such as a software flaw, or human, such as a social engineering trick.

Installation: The attacker installs or drops additional malware or tools on the target’s network or system to establish a foothold and maintain persistence. The attacker may use various techniques, such as registry modification, file manipulation, or process injection, to hide their presence and evade detection.

Command and Control: The attacker establishes a communication channel between the compromised target and a remote server or controller. The attacker may use various protocols, such as HTTP, DNS, or IRC, to send commands and receive data from the target.

Actions on the objective: The attacker performs the final actions that achieve their goal, such as stealing data, destroying files, encrypting systems, or disrupting services. The attacker may also try to move laterally within the target’s network or system to access more resources or data.

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

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

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

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

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

The Managed Threat Hunting (MTH) team is a group of security experts who proactively hunt for threats in the Cortex XDR tenant and generate a report with the findings. The MTH team uses advanced queries and investigative actions to identify and analyze potential threats, such as zero-day exploits, that may have bypassed the prevention and detection capabilities of Cortex XDR. The MTH team also provides recommendations and best practices to help customers remediate the threats and improve their security posture. References:

Managed Threat Hunting Service

Managed Threat Hunting Report

The outcome of creating and implementing an alert exclusion is that the Cortex XDR console will hide those alerts that match the exclusion criteria. An alert exclusion is a policy that allows you to filter out alerts that are not relevant, false positives, or low priority, and focus on the alerts that require your attention. When you create an alert exclusion, you can specify the criteria that define which alerts you want to exclude, such as alert name, severity, source, or endpoint. After you create an alert exclusion, Cortex XDR will hide any future alerts that match the criteria, and exclude them from incidents and search query results. However, the alert exclusion does not affect the behavior of the Cortex XDR agent or the security policy on the endpoint. The Cortex XDR agent will still create an alert for the event and apply the appropriate action, such as blocking or quarantining, according to the security policy. The alert exclusion only affects the visibility of the alert on the Cortex XDR console, not the actual protection of the endpoint. Therefore, the correct answer is B, the Cortex XDR console will hide those alerts12

The File Search and Destroy feature is a capability of Cortex XDR that allows you to search for and delete malicious or unwanted files across your endpoints. You can use this feature to quickly respond to incidents, remediate threats, and enforce compliance policies. To use the File Search and Destroy feature, you need to specify the file name and the file hash of the file you want to search for and delete. The file hash is a unique identifier of the file that is generated by a cryptographic hash function. The file hash ensures that you are targeting the exact file you want, and not a file with a similar name or a different version. The File Search and Destroy feature supports the SHA256 hash type, which is a secure hash algorithm that produces a 256-bit (32-byte) hash value. The SHA256 hash type is widely used for file integrity verification and digital signatures. The File Search and Destroy feature does not support other hash types, such as AES256, MD5, or SHA1, which are either encryption algorithms or less secure hash algorithms. Therefore, the correct answer is A, SHA256 hash of the file1234

 The output shows the top 10 hosts with the most malware in the last 30 days, based on the Cortex XDR data. The output is sorted by the number of incidents, with the host with the most incidents at the top. The output also shows the number of alerts, the number of endpoints, and the percentage of endpoints for each host. The output is generated by using the ACC (Application Command Center) feature of Cortex XDR, which provides a graphical representation of the network activity and threat landscape. The ACC allows you to view and analyze various widgets, such as the Top 10 hosts with the most malware, the Top 10 applications by bandwidth, the Top 10 threats by count, and more .

 The first protection module that is checked in the Cortex XDR Windows agent malware protection flow is the Hash Verdict Determination. This module compares the hash of the executable file that is about to run on the endpoint with a list of known malicious hashes stored in the Cortex XDR cloud. If the hash matches a malicious hash, the agent blocks the execution and generates an alert. If the hash does not match a malicious hash, the agent proceeds to the next protection module, which is the Restriction Policy1.

The Hash Verdict Determination module is the first line of defense against malware, as it can quickly and efficiently prevent known threats from running on the endpoint. However, this module cannot protect against unknown or zero-day threats, which have no known hash signature. Therefore, the Cortex XDR agent relies on other protection modules, such as Behavioral Threat Protection, Child Process Protection, and Exploit Protection, to detect and block malicious behaviors and exploits that may occur during the execution of the file1.

 If all alerts contained in a Cortex XDR incident have exclusions, the Cortex XDR console will automatically mark the incident as Resolved – False Positive. This means that the incident was not a real threat, but a benign or legitimate activity that triggered an alert. By marking the incident as Resolved – False Positive, the Cortex XDR console removes the incident from the list of unresolved incidents and does not count it towards the incident statistics. This helps the analyst to focus on the true positive incidents that require further investigation and response1.

An exclusion is a rule that hides an alert from the Cortex XDR console, based on certain criteria, such as the alert source, type, severity, or description. An exclusion does not change the security policy or prevent the alert from firing, it only suppresses the alert from the console. An exclusion is useful when the analyst wants to reduce the noise of false positive alerts that are not relevant or important2.

An exception, on the other hand, is a rule that overrides the security policy and allows or blocks a process or file from running on an endpoint, based on certain attributes, such as the file hash, path, name, or signer. An exception is useful when the analyst wants to prevent false negative alerts that are caused by malicious or unwanted files or processes that are not detected by the security policy3.

A BIOC rule is a rule that creates an alert based on a custom XQL query that defines a specific behavior of interest or concern. A BIOC rule is useful when the analyst wants to detect and alert on anomalous or suspicious activities that are not covered by the default Cortex XDR rules4.

Cortex XDR allows you to define IOC rules based on various types of indicators of compromise (IOC) that you can use to detect and respond to threats in your network. One of the types of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR is destination IP address, which is the IP address of the remote host that a local endpoint is communicating with. You can use this type of IOC to identify malicious network activity, such as connections to command and control servers, phishing sites, or malware distribution hosts. You can also specify the direction of the network traffic (inbound or outbound) and the protocol (TCP or UDP) for the destination IP address IOC. References:

Cortex XDR documentation portal

Is there a possibility to create an IOC list to employ it in a query?

Cortex XDR Datasheet

 The correct answer is D. Dylib Hijacking. Dylib Hijacking, also known as Dynamic Library Hijacking, is a technique used by attackers to load malicious dynamic libraries on macOS from an unsecure location. This technique takes advantage of the way macOS searches for dynamic libraries to load when an application is executed. To prevent such attacks, Palo Alto Networks offers the Dylib Hijacking prevention capability as part of their Cortex XDR platform. This capability is designed to detect and block attempts to load dynamic libraries from unauthorized or unsecure locations1.

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

A. DDL Security: This is not the correct answer. DDL Security is not specifically designed to prevent dynamic library loading attacks on macOS. DDL Security is focused on protecting against DLL (Dynamic Link Library) hijacking on Windows systems2.

B. Hot Patch Protection: Hot Patch Protection is not directly related to preventing dynamic library loading attacks. It is a security feature that protects against runtime patching or modification of code in memory, often used by advanced attackers to bypass security measures3. While Hot Patch Protection is a valuable security feature, it is not directly relevant to the scenario described.

C. Kernel Integrity Monitor (KIM): Kernel Integrity Monitor is also not the correct answer. KIM is a module in Cortex XDR that focuses on monitoring and protecting the integrity of the macOS kernel. It detects and prevents unauthorized modifications to critical kernel components4. While KIM plays an essential role in overall macOS security, it does not specifically address the prevention of dynamic library loading attacks.

In conclusion, Dylib Hijacking is the Cortex XDR module that specifically addresses the prevention of attackers loading dynamic libraries from unsecure locations on macOS. By leveraging this module, organizations can enhance their security posture and protect against this specific attack vector.

 The function that describes the removal of a specific file from its location on a local or removable drive to a protected folder to prevent the file from being executed is quarantine. Quarantine is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows you to isolate malicious or suspicious files from the endpoint and prevent them from running or spreading. You can quarantine files manually from the Cortex XDR console, or automatically based on the malware analysis profile or the remediation suggestions. When you quarantine a file, the Cortex XDR agent encrypts the file and moves it to a hidden folder under the agent installation directory. The file is also renamed with a random string and a .quarantine extension. You can view, restore, or delete the quarantined files from the Cortex XDR console. References:

Quarantine Files

Manage Quarantined Files

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

Local File Threat Examination Exceptions

Create a Local File Threat Examination Exception

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Local Analysis is a feature of Cortex XDR that allows the agent to evaluate files locally on the endpoint, without sending them to WildFire for analysis. Local Analysis is evoked when the following conditions are met:

The endpoint is disconnected from the internet or the Cortex XDR management console, and therefore cannot communicate with WildFire.

The verdict from WildFire is of a type unknown, meaning that WildFire has not yet analyzed the file or has not reached a conclusive verdict.

Local Analysis uses machine learning models to assess the behavior and characteristics of the file and assign it a verdict of either benign, malware, or grayware. If the verdict is malware or grayware, the agent will block the file from running and report it to the Cortex XDR management console. If the verdict is benign, the agent will allow the file to run and report it to the Cortex XDR management console. References:

Local Analysis

WildFire File Verdicts

The “assigned to” field value of a new incident that was just reported to Cortex is “Unassigned”. This means that the incident has not been assigned to any analyst or group yet, and it is waiting for someone to take ownership of it. The “assigned to” field is one of the default fields that are displayed in the incident layout, and it can be used to filter and sort incidents in the incident list. The “assigned to” field can be changed manually by an analyst, or automatically by a playbook or a rule12.

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

A. Pending: This is not the correct answer. Pending is not a valid value for the “assigned to” field. Pending is a possible value for the “status” field, which indicates the current state of the incident. The status field can have values such as “New”, “Active”, “Done”, “Closed”, or "Pending"3.

B. It is blank: This is not the correct answer. The “assigned to” field is never blank for any incident. It always has a default value of “Unassigned” for new incidents, unless a playbook or a rule assigns it to a specific analyst or group12.

D. New: This is not the correct answer. New is not a valid value for the “assigned to” field. New is a possible value for the “status” field, which indicates the current state of the incident. The status field can have values such as “New”, “Active”, “Done”, “Closed”, or "Pending"3.

In conclusion, the “assigned to” field value of a new incident that was just reported to Cortex is “Unassigned”. This field can be used to manage the ownership and responsibility of incidents, and it can be changed manually or automatically.