156-215.81 Check Point Certified Security Administrator R81.20 Questions and Answers

 The best upgrade method when the management server is not connected to the Internet is CPUSE offline upgrade . This method allows you to download the upgrade package from another source and install it manually on the management server. The other methods require Internet connection or are not supported for R80.10. References: [R80.10 Upgrade Verification and FAQ], [Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation]

This log filter will show only the logs that have the action of “Key Install”, which means that the Security Gateway installed a new encryption key for the VPN tunnel1. It will also show only the logs that have the IP address of 1.1.1.1, which is the remote gateway that has some issues. Finally, it will show only the logs that have the Quick Mode, which is the IKE Phase 2 negotiation that establishes the agreed networks for both gateways2.

The other log filters are not correct because they either include the Main Mode, which is the IKE Phase 1 negotiation that establishes the secure channel between the gateways2, or they do not specify the IP address of the remote gateway.

• Logging and Monitoring R81.20 Administration Guide
• Remote Access VPN R81.20 Administration Guide
• Remote Access VPN R81 Administration Guide

 The answer is A because changing the Security Gateway IP-address requires re-establishing the trust with the Security Management Server by initializing the Secure Internal Communication (SIC). Changing the Security Gateway name in command line or changing the Security Management Server name or IP-address in SmartConsole does not require re-establishing the trust, but it may require updating the topology and pushing the policy.References: [Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide]

Correlation Unit is the SmartEvent component that creates events. It analyzes logs received from Security Gateways and Servers, and generates security events according to the definitions in the Consolidation Policy. References: [SmartEvent R80.40 Administration Guide], [Correlation Unit]

If a network administrator has identified a malicious host on the network and instructed you to block it, but you cannot make any firewall policy changes at this time, you can use Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM) rules to block this traffic. SAM rules are temporary rules that allow you to block or limit traffic from specific sources or destinations without modifying the security policy. SAM rules are created and managed by SmartView Monitor and are enforced by the security gateway for a specified duration. Anti-Bot protection, Anti-Malware protection, and Policy-based routing are not tools that can be used to block traffic without changing the firewall policy. References: [Check Point R81 SmartView Monitor Administration Guide]

The correct answer is D because sending API commands over an http connection using web-services is not one of the ways to communicate using the Management API’s3. The Management API’s support HTTPS protocol only, not HTTP3. The other methods are valid ways to communicate using the Management API’s3. References: Check Point Learning and Training Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

When a Security Gateway sends its logs to an IP address other than its own, it means that the deployment option is distributed. In a distributed deployment, the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on separate machines. The Security Management Server collects logs from one or more Security Gateways and manages them centrally. In a standalone deployment, the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on the same machine. The Security Gateway sends logs to its own IP address. In a bridge mode deployment, the Security Gateway acts as a transparent bridge between two network segments and does not have an IP address of its own. In a targeted deployment, the Security Gateway sends logs to a specific log server that is configured in the gateway object properties34 References: Part 4 - Installing Security Gateway, Deployment Options

The default shell of Gaia CLI is clish, which stands for Check Point command line interface shell1. It provides a user-friendly interface to configure and manage Check Point products. References: Check Point Gaia Administration Guide

The Check Point software blade that provides Application Security and identity control is Application Control3 . Application Control enables network administrators to identify, allow, block, or limit usage of thousands of applications and millions of websites3 . Therefore, the correct answer is D. Application Control

There are three types of Endpoint Identity Agents: Full, Light, and Terminal. Custom is not a valid type2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Endpoint Security Administration Guide, page 18.

Certificate based Authentication is the only authentication method available between two Security Gateway managed by the same SMS. This is because certificate based authentication provides stronger security and easier management than pre-shared secret authentication. The other options are either incorrect or irrelevant for this scenario. References: [Check Point R80.10 - Part 6 - Certificate Based Authentication]

The Application Layer Firewalls inspect traffic through the Lower layer(s) of the TCP/IP model and up to and including the Application layer. The lower layers are the Physical, Data Link, and Network layers, which deal with the transmission and routing of packets. The Application layer is the highest layer of the TCP/IP model, which provides services and protocols for specific applications such as HTTP, FTP, SMTP, etc. The Application Layer Firewalls can inspect the content and context of the traffic and enforce granular security policies based on various criteria such as user identity, application identity, content type, etc. References: [Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide]

The steps to configure the HTTPS Inspection Policy are as follows34:

• Go to Manage & Settings > Blades > HTTPS Inspection > Policy.
• Click on New HTTPS Inspection Rule or select an existing rule and click on Edit Rule.
• Define the Source, Destination, and Action for the rule. The action can be either Inspect, Bypass, or Ask.
• Click on OK and then on Install Policy to apply the changes. References: HTTPS Inspection R81 Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

Accept all encrypted traffic is the option that will match a connection regardless of its association with a VPN community2. This option allows encrypted traffic from any VPN peer, even if it is not defined in a VPN community2. References: Site to Site VPN in R80.x - Tutorial for Beginners

The way that the objects can be manipulated using the new API integration in R80 Management is JSON. JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) is a lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans and machines to read and write. The R80 Management API uses JSON as the primary data format for requests and responses. Therefore, the correct answer is B. JSON.

halt is the Gaia command that turns the server off. This command shuts down the operating system and powers off the machine. Other commands that can be used to shut down the server are shutdown and poweroff. References: [Gaia Administration Guide R80.40]

One of the major features in R80.x SmartConsole is concurrent administration, which allows multiple administrators to work on the same Security Policy at the same time12. However, only one administrator can edit a rule at a time. If AdminA and AdminB are editing the same rule at the same time, it will cause a conflict and prevent them from saving their changes12. Therefore, the correct answer is B. AdminA and AdminB are editing the same rule at the same time.

The policy type that is used to enforce bandwidth and traffic control rules is QoS. QoS stands for Quality of Service and is a software blade that allows administrators to prioritize network traffic according to various criteria such as source, destination, service, application, user, etc. QoS can also limit the bandwidth consumption of certain traffic types or guarantee a minimum bandwidth for critical applications. References: [Check Point R81 QoS Administration Guide]

The option that is used to enforce changes made to a Rule Base is Install policy. Installing policy is the process of sending the security policy and the network objects from the Security Management Server to the Security Gateway1, p. 22. Publishing database and saving changes are options that are used to save changes made to a Rule Base, but they do not enforce them on the Security Gateway2. Activating policy is not a valid option in SmartConsole. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point SmartConsole R81 Help

 A clean-up rule is a rule that is placed at the end of the security policy to drop any traffic that is not explicitly allowed by the previous rules. It is a best practice to have a clean-up rule to prevent unauthorized access and log the dropped packets for analysis12. The other options are not the purpose of a clean-up rule. References: Clean-up Rule, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

RADIUS protocol uses UDP (User Datagram Protocol) to communicate with the gateway. UDP is a connectionless protocol that does not require a handshake or acknowledgment before sending or receiving data2.

References: 2: [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide], page 14.

The default tracking option of a rule is Log3. This means that the Security Gateway will generate a log entry for every connection that matches the rule. The log entry will contain information such as source, destination, service, action, and time. Other tracking options include None, Alert, Mail, SNMP Trap, User Alert, and Accounting. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide

Logs are not automatically forwarded to a new Log Server. SmartConsole must be used to manually configure each gateway to send its logs to the server. After adding a new Log Server and establishing the SIC trust with the SMS, the administrator must use SmartConsole to assign the Log Server to each gateway in the Logs and Masters section of the gateway properties2. The other options are not correct, as gateways can send logs to both SMS and Log Server, Log Servers are not proprietary log archive servers, and gateways will not detect the new Log Server after the next policy install.

In order for changes made to policy to be enforced by a Security Gateway, an administrator must perform Install Policy3. This action transfers the policy package from the Security Management Server to the Security Gateway and activates it. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The default Gaia user that has full read/write access is admin3. The admin user is the superuser that can perform any administrative task on the Gaia system, such as configuring network settings, installing software updates, managing licenses, creating snapshots, and more. The admin user can also access the Gaia Portal, which is a web-based interface for managing Gaia settings and features. References: Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide

The scenario where it is a valid option to transfer a license from one hardware device to another is from a 4400 Appliance to a 2200 Appliance. This is because both appliances are Check Point products and have the same license type (Central License). You can transfer a license from one hardware device to another if they have the same license type and vendor3. Therefore, the correct answer is A. From a 4400 Appliance to a 2200 Appliance. 

The following is considered a “Subscription Blade”, requiring renewal every 1-3 years: IPS blade4. The IPS blade is a software blade that provides protection against network attacks and exploits by inspecting traffic and blocking malicious packets. The IPS blade requires a subscription license that includes updates for the IPS signatures and Geo Protection database. Other subscription blades include Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, URL Filtering, Application Control, Threat Emulation, and Threat Extraction. References: Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User Guide

Plug-and-play (Trial) and Evaluation licenses are considered temporary because they expire after a certain period of time3. Plug-and-play licenses are valid for 15 days, while Evaluation licenses are valid for 30 days. References: Check Point Licensing and Contract Operations User Guide

The pen-symbol in the left column means that the rules have been edited by the logged in administrator, but the policy has not been published yet. It indicates that the changes are not yet effective and can be discarded.References: Policy Editor, Publishing Changes

Gaia can be configured using the command line interface (CLI) or the WebUI. The CLI is a text-based interface that allows you to configure and manage Gaia settings using commands and scripts. The WebUI is a graphical interface that allows you to configure and manage Gaia settings using a web browser. Gaia Interface and GaiaUI are not valid terms for Gaia configuration tools.References: [Gaia Administration Guide], [Gaia Overview]

When a gateway requires user information for authentication, it queries servers for user information in the following order: first the internal user database, then the generic external user profile, and finally LDAP servers in order of priority. The internal user database is a local database that stores user information on the Security Gateway or Security Management Server. The generic external user profile is a predefined profile that allows users to authenticate with any external server that supports RADIUS or TACACS protocols. LDAP servers are external servers that use the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol to store and retrieve user information. The gateway queries LDAP servers according to the priority that is defined in the LDAP Account Unit object properties. 

Suspicious Activity Monitoring (SAM) is the utility that is used to block activities that appear to be suspicious. SAM allows administrators to block connections from specific IP addresses or network objects for a specified period of time3. Penalty Box is a feature of SAM that automatically blocks connections from sources that generate too many log entries. Drop Rule in the rulebase is a firewall action that discards packets that match certain criteria. Stealth rule is a firewall rule that prevents direct access to the Security Gateway from external sources.

The Sticky Decision Function (SDF) is required to prevent failovers in an Active-Active cluster. The SDF ensures that the same cluster member handles all connections that belong to a certain session. If the SDF is not enabled, different cluster members may handle different connections of the same session, which may cause a failover or a drop12. References: ClusterXL Administration Guide R81, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The components of Check Point Capsule are Capsule Docs, Capsule Cloud, and Capsule Workspace123. There is no Capsule Enterprise component. Capsule Docs protects business documents everywhere they go. Capsule Cloud protects mobile users outside the enterprise security perimeter. Capsule Workspace creates a secure business environment on mobile devices. References: Check Point Capsule Datasheet, Check Point Capsule Workspace Datasheet, Mobile Secure Workspace with Capsule

When logging in for the first time to a Security Management Server through SmartConsole, a fingerprint is saved to the SmartConsole cache and is available for future Security Management Server authentications. The fingerprint is a unique identifier of the Security Management Server that is used to verify its identity and prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. The SmartConsole cache is a local folder on the client machine that stores temporary files and settings.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 25-26

The three main components of Check Point security management architecture are SmartConsole, Security Management, and Security Gateway5. SmartConsole is the graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage and monitor Check Point products. Security Management is the server that stores the security policy and configuration data. Security Gateway is the device that enforces the security policy on the network traffic. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

When a policy package is installed, user and objects databases are also distributed to the target installation Security Gateways14. The user and objects databases contain information about network objects, users, groups, services, VPN domains, and more14. Therefore, the correct answer is A. User and objects databases.

 ThreatWiki is a web-based tool that provides statistics on detected threats, such as attack types, sources, destinations, and severity. It also allows the administrator to search for specific threats and view their details and mitigation methods. The other options are not tools for viewing statistics on detected threats. References: [ThreatWiki], [ThreatWiki - Threat Emulation]

The Security Management Server does not display policies and logs on the administrator’s workstation. That is the function of the SmartConsole, which is a separate component that connects to the Security Management Server. References: Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) R81.20 Course Overview, page 4.

LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) is a protocol that allows accessing and maintaining distributed directory information services over a network. User Directory integration is a feature of Identity Awareness that allows Check Point products to use LDAP servers as identity sources. When configuring LDAP with User Directory integration, changes applied to a User Directory template are reflected immediately for all users who are using that template. A User Directory template defines the settings for connecting to an LDAP server and retrieving user information3. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

The Windows Security Event that will NOT map a username to an IP address in Identity Awareness is Kerberos Ticket Timed Out. This event occurs when a Kerberos ticket expires and is not renewed, which means that the user is no longer active on the network. Identity Awareness does not use this event to map a username to an IP address, as it does not indicate a valid user session. The other events are used by Identity Awareness to map a username to an IP address, as they indicate a successful user authentication or activity on the network.

References: [Kerberos Ticket Expiration and Renewal], [Identity Awareness AD Query]

The command show cluster state is used to monitor cluster members in CLI. It displays information such as the cluster mode, the cluster members, their status, their priority, and their interfaces.References: [ClusterXL Administration Guide], [Check Point CLI Reference Card]

By default, the SIC certificates issued by R80 Management Server are based on the SHA-256 algorithm1. SHA-256 is a secure hash algorithm that produces a 256-bit digest. SHA-200, MD5, and SHA-128 are not valid algorithms for SIC certificates. References: SHA-1 and SHA-256 certificates in Check Point Internal CA (ICA)

 A security gateway is a device that enforces the security policy on the traffic that passes through it. There are three deployment options available for a security gateway: Standalone, Distributed, and Bridge Mode. Standalone means that the security gateway and the security management server are installed on the same machine. Distributed means that the security gateway and the security management server are installed on separate machines. Bridge Mode means that the security gateway acts as a transparent bridge between two network segments, without changing the IP addressing scheme1. References: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Technical Administration Guide

 The command cplic print displays the installed licenses and their expiration dates on the CLI1. References: Check Point CLI Reference Card

The reason why querying logs now are very fast is that Indexing Engine indexes logs for faster search results. Indexing Engine is a component of R81 Management that creates and maintains an index of log data, which enables quick and efficient log searches4. The other options are not related to the speed of log querying. The amount of logs being stored may vary depending on the log retention settings. New Smart-1 appliances may have improved hardware specifications, but they do not affect the log querying process directly. SmartConsole queries results from the Security Management Server, not from the Security Gateway.

References: 1: HTTPS Inspection 2: Browser-Based Authentication 3: URL Filtering 4: Indexing Engine

The command cplic print is used to verify license installation. It displays the installed licenses and their expiration dates . References: [Check Point R81 Command Line Interface Reference Guide], Check Point :: Pearson VUE

Two basic rules that Check Point recommends for building an effective security policy are Cleanup Rule and Stealth Rule. A Cleanup Rule is a rule that is placed at the end of the rule base and drops or logs any traffic that does not match any of the previous rules2. A Stealth Rule is a rule that is placed at the top of the rule base and protects the Security Gateway from direct access by unauthorized users3. The other options are not basic rules for building a security policy, but rather types or categories of rules.

CloudGuard is not a valid deployment option for R80. CloudGuard is a product name for Check Point’s cloud security solutions, not a deployment mode. The valid deployment options for R80 are all-in-one (stand-alone), distributed, and bridge mode. In an all-in-one deployment, the Security Management Server and Security Gateway are installed on the same machine. In a distributed deployment, the Security Management Server and Security Gateway are installed on separate machines. In a bridge mode deployment, the Security Gateway acts as a transparent bridge between two network segments and does not have an IP address of its own3References: CloudGuard, [Part 4 - Installing Security Gateway], [Deployment Options]

With URL Filtering, only the host portion of the URL is sent to the Check Point Online Web Service for analysis. The host portion is the part of the URL that identifies the web server, such as www.example.com.  The Check Point Online Web Service uses this information to categorize the URL and return the appropriate action to the Security Gateway3. The other options are not sent to the Check Point Online Web Service for analysis, as they may contain sensitive or irrelevant data.

Security Zones are a feature of Application Control and Identity Awareness that allow you to define groups of network objects based on their level of trust. Security Zones do not work with Manual NAT rules, because Manual NAT rules are applied before the Application Control and Identity Awareness policy is enforced1. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The options that are not tracking options are Partial log, Network log, and Full log. Tracking options are settings that determine how the Security Gateway handles traffic that matches a rule in the security policy. The valid tracking options are Log, Detailed Log, Extended Log, Alert, Mail, SNMP trap, User Defined Alert, and None. The other options are incorrect. Log is a tracking option that records basic information about the traffic, such as source, destination, service, action, etc. Detailed Log is a tracking option that records additional information about the traffic, such as NAT details, data amount, etc. Extended Log is a tracking option that records even more information about the traffic, such as matched IPS protections, application details, etc. References: [Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80 - Check Point Software]

 The correct answer is A because a pencil icon in a rule means that you have changed this rule3. The pencil icon indicates that the rule has been modified but not published yet. You can hover over the pencil icon to see who made the change and when3. The other options are not related to the pencil icon. References: Check Point Learning and Training Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

 The correct answer is A because session unique identifiers are passed to the web api using the X-chkp-sid http header option1. The X-chkp-sid header is used to authenticate and authorize API calls1. The other options are not related to session unique identifiers. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

The snapshot option would allow you to make a backup copy of the OS and Check Point configuration, without stopping Check Point processes. A snapshot is a full system backup, including network interfaces, routing tables, and Check Point products and configuration. The other options require stopping Check Point processes or do not backup the OS.

References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81, p. 15-16

 The type of Check Point license that ties the package license to the IP address of the Security Management Server is Central license. A Central license is a license that is installed on the Security Management Server and applies to all the Security Gateways that are managed by it. The Central license is based on the IP address of the Security Management Server and cannot be transferred to another Security Management Server with a different IP address.References: [Check Point R81 Licensing Guide], [Managing and Installing license via SmartUpdate]

 Identity Awareness is a blade that enables administrators to define access rules based on the identity of users and machines, rather than just IP addresses. Identity Awareness allows easy configuration for network access and auditing based on three items: network location, the identity of a user, and the identity of a machine. Network location refers to the source or destination network segment of the traffic. The identity of a user refers to the username or group membership of the user who initiates or receives the traffic. The identity of a machine refers to the hostname or certificate of the machine that initiates or receives the traffic. References: [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide]

In order to see real-time and historical graph views of Security Gateway statistics in SmartView Monitor, the Monitoring Blade feature needs to be enabled on the Security Gateway. The Monitoring Blade is a software blade that collects and displays network and security performance data from the Security Gateway, such as traffic, throughput, connections, CPU usage, memory usage, etc. The Monitoring Blade can be enabled or disabled on each Security Gateway from the SmartConsole.References: [Monitoring Blade], [SmartView Monitor]

This answer is correct because this is the recommended way to configure a VPN tunnel between two subnets and not all subnets defined in the default VPN domain of your gateway1. By creating a dedicated VPN Community, you can specify the VPN peers and the encryption settings for the VPN tunnel2. By selecting the local gateway in the Community, you can set the VPN Domain to ‘User defined’ and put in the local network that you want to include in the VPN tunnel1. This way, you can limit the VPN traffic to the subnets that you want and avoid unnecessary encryption and decryption of other traffic.

The other answers are not correct because they are either outdated or incorrect ways to configure a VPN tunnel between two subnets. Answer A and C are outdated methods that involve editing the user.def file, which is not recommended and can cause problems with the VPN configuration3. Answer D is incorrect because creating an in-line layer rule with source and destination containing the two networks used for the IKE P2 SA will not affect the VPN tunnel establishment, but only the access control policy4. The VPN column in the rule is used to specify the VPN direction, not the VPN Community name4.

• How to configure a Site-to-Site VPN with a universal tunnel
• Site to Site VPN R81 Administration Guide - Check Point Software
• How to configure a Site-to-Site VPN with a 3rd-party remote gateway
• Access Control Policy R81 Administration Guide - Check Point Software

This answer is correct because these are the two forms of Check Point licenses that are used to activate the software blades on the Security Gateways and the Security Management Servers1. A central license is a license that is attached to a Security Management Server and can be used to manage multiple Security Gateways1. A local license is a license that is attached to a specific Security Gateway and can only be used by that gateway1.

The other answers are not correct because they are either irrelevant or inaccurate options for Check Point licenses forms. Security Gateway and Security Management are not license forms, but software components that provide firewall, VPN, and other security features2. On-premise and Public Cloud are not license forms, but deployment options for Check Point products3. Access Control and Threat Prevention are not license forms, but software blades that provide different security functions.

• Check Point License Guide
• Check Point Software Blade Quick Licensing Guide
• Check Point CloudGuard Network Security
• [Check Point Software Blades]

 Security questions are not an authentication scheme used for accounts created through SmartConsole4. The available authentication schemes are Check Point password, RADIUS, TACACS, SecurID, LDAP, and Certificate. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

When an encrypted packet is decrypted, this happens in the security policy4. The security policy is a set of rules that defines how the Security Gateway inspects and secures traffic. The security policy includes VPN rules that specify which traffic should be encrypted or decrypted. The inbound and outbound chains are part of the inspection framework that processes packets according to the security policy. References: Check Point R81 VPN Administration Guide

The following cannot be configured in an Access Role Object: Time4. An Access Role Object is a way to define a group of users based on four criteria: Networks, Users, Machines, and Locations5. Networks are IP addresses or network objects that represent the source or destination of the traffic. Users are user accounts or user groups from an identity source such as LDAP or RADIUS. Machines are endpoints that are identified by MAC addresses or certificates. Locations are geographical regions based on IP addresses. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

If the NAT property ‘Translate destination on client side’ is not enabled in Global properties, nothing needs to be configured on the client side, because the Gateway takes care of all details necessary. The Gateway translates the destination IP address before sending the packet to the client, so the client does not need to know about the NAT rule or add any host route or ARP entry.

References: Check Point Security Engineering Study Guide, p. 136-137

The statement that is TRUE of anti-spoofing is that it is BEST Practice to have anti-spoofing groups in sync with the routing table. Anti-spoofing prevents attackers from sending packets with a false source IP address. Anti-spoofing groups define which IP addresses are expected on each interface of the Security Gateway. If the routing table changes, the anti-spoofing groups should be updated accordingly34. References: Check Point R81 ClusterXL Administration Guide, Network Defined by Routes: Anti-Spoofing

Permanent VPN tunnels can be set on all tunnels in the community, on all tunnels for specific gateways, or on specific tunnels in the community. This option allows the administrator to select which tunnels should be permanent and which should be established on demand. The other options are not valid, as they do not match the available choices in the VPN community settings.

References: [VPN Administration Guide], [Check Point R81.10]

 To ensure that VMAC mode is enabled, you should run the command fw ctl get int fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled on all cluster members and check that the result of the command returns the value 11. This command shows the current value of the global kernel parameter fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled, which controls whether VMAC mode is enabled or disabled. VMAC mode is a feature that associates a Virtual MAC address with each Virtual IP address of the cluster, which reduces the need for Gratuitous ARP packets and improves failover performance1. The other options are incorrect. Option A is not a valid command. Option C is a command to show the status of cluster interfaces, not VMAC mode2. Option D is a command to show the value of a different global kernel parameter, fwha_vmac_global_param_enabled, which controls whether VMAC mode is enabled for all interfaces or only for non-VLAN interfaces1. References: How to enable ClusterXL Virtual MAC (VMAC) mode, cphaprob

 The GUI tool that can be used to view and apply Check Point licenses is SmartUpdate. SmartUpdate is a centralized tool that allows you to manage licenses, software packages, and hotfixes for multiple gateways and clusters12. cpconfig, Management Command Line, and SmartConsole are not tools for license management. References: Check Point R81 SmartUpdate Administration Guide, Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation | Udemy

The Access Role object type is used to grant network access to an LDAP user group. It defines a set of users and machines that can access a specific network resource34 References: Access Role, LDAP User Group

The answer is A because an identity server uses a shared secret for user authentication. A shared secret is a passphrase that is known by both the identity server and the user. The identity server sends a challenge to the user, who encrypts it with the shared secret and sends it back. The identity server then verifies the response and authenticates the user12 References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Identity Server

According to the Check Point R81.10 SmartConsole for Windows1, to restore a backup, you need to supply the following data: Server, Protocol, Username, Password, and Path. The Server is the IP address or hostname of the Security Management Server. The Protocol is either SCP or SFTP. The Username and Password are the credentials for the Security Management Server. The Path is the location of the backup file on the Security Management Server. References: Check Point R81.10 SmartConsole for Windows

Multiple administrators can connect to a Security Management Server at the same time, and each administrator has their own username and works in a session that is independent of other administrators1. This allows concurrent administration and prevents conflicts between different administrators. The other options are incorrect. Only one administrator can be connected is false. All administrators can modify a network object at the same time is false, as only one administrator can lock and edit an object at a time. Only one has the right to write is false, as all administrators have write permissions unless they are restricted by roles or permissions. References: Security Management Server - Check Point Software

Endpoint Identity Agent and Browser-Based Authentication are the identity sources that provide the highest level of security for sensitive servers, as they require user authentication and can enforce granular access rules based on user identity. AD Query, Terminal Servers Endpoint Identity Agent, and RADIUS and Account Logon are less secure, as they rely on passive methods of identity acquisition or do not support identity-based access control12.

References: Identity Awareness R81.10 Administration Guide, Identity Awareness AD Query

 A Security Policy is created in SmartConsole, stored in the Security Management Server, and distributed to the various Security Gateways. SmartConsole is a graphical user interface that allows administrators to create and edit security policies. The Security Management Server is a central server that stores and manages the security policies. The Security Gateways are devices that enforce the security policies on the network traffic.

References: : Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 9.

From SmartConsole, go to the Log & Monitor and filter for the IP address of the tablet is the correct answer. This is because the Log & Monitor view in SmartConsole allows you to view and analyze logs and events from various sources, such as Security Gateways, Security Management Servers, and SmartEvent Servers. You can use filters to search for specific logs and events based on different criteria, such as source IP, destination IP, action, time, etc. References: [Logging and Monitoring Administration Guide R80.20]

To increase security, the administrator has modified the Core protection ‘Host Port Scan’ from ‘Medium’ to ‘High’ Predefined Sensitivity. The administrator should install the Threat Prevention Policy after Publishing the changes3. The Threat Prevention Policy defines how the Security Gateway inspects and protects against threats such as port scans, bot attacks, and zero-day exploits4. References: Check Point R81 Firewall Administration Guide, Check Point R81 Threat Prevention Administration Guide

The correct answer is D because from SecureXL perspective, the three paths of traffic flow are Firewall Path, Accelerated Path, and Medium Path3. The Firewall Path is used when SecureXL is disabled or traffic is not eligible for acceleration3. The Accelerated Path is used when SecureXL handles the entire connection and bypasses the Firewall kernel3. The Medium Path is used when SecureXL handles part of the connection and forwards packets to the Firewall kernel for further inspection3. The other options are not valid paths of traffic flow from SecureXL perspective3. References: Check Point R81 Performance Tuning Administration Guide

The difference between SSL VPN and IPSec VPN is that IPSec VPN requires installation of a resident VPN client and SSL VPN requires only an installed browser5 . IPSec VPN uses a pre-shared key or certificates to authenticate the endpoints and encrypts the data at the network layer. SSL VPN uses SSL/TLS protocols to authenticate the endpoints and encrypts the data at the application layer. References: Check Point Remote Access VPN Administration Guide R81, [Free Check Point CCSA Sample Questions and Study Guide]

By default, the WebUI listens on port 80. The WebUI is a web-based interface that allows administrators to configure and monitor Gaia OS settings and features from a web browser. The WebUI uses the HTTP protocol to communicate with the Gaia machine, which by default uses port 80 as the standard port number. The other port numbers are not used by the WebUI by default, but they can be changed by modifying the Gaia configuration file or using CLISH commands. 

The licensing feature that is used to verify licenses and activate new licenses added to the License and Contracts repository is Automatic licensing and Verification tool1, p. 8. Automatic licensing is a feature that allows the Security Management Server to automatically attach licenses to Security Gateways. Verification tool is a feature that allows the Security Management Server to verify the validity of licenses and contracts2. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point Licensing and Contract Administration Guide R81

 The two types of NAT supported by the Security Gateway are hide NAT and static NAT. Hide NAT translates many source IP addresses into one IP address, usually the external interface of the gateway. Static NAT translates one source IP address into another IP address, usually a public IP address34. The other options are not valid types of NAT. References: Network Address Translation (NAT), Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

The statement that is true regarding Gaia command line is that all configuration changes should be made in CLISH and expert-mode should be used for OS-level tasks. CLISH is the default shell of Gaia CLI that provides a limited set of commands for basic configuration and troubleshooting. Expert mode is an advanced shell that allows running Linux commands and accessing the file system. Configuration changes should not be done in expert-mode, as they may cause inconsistencies or errors in the system. The other statements are false regarding Gaia command line. 

An Access Role Object has four configuration screens: Users, Machines, Networks, and Identity Tags1, p. 27. Time is not a valid configuration screen of an Access Role Object. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation

A layer can support different combinations of blades, but the supported blades are Firewall (Network Access Control), Application & URL Filtering, and Content Awareness. These blades provide granular control over network traffic based on applications, users, content, and risk1. Mobile Access is not a supported blade in a layer2.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 101. 2: Check Point R81 Security Gateway Administration Guide, page 11.

 The BEST command to view configuration details of all interfaces in Gaia CLISH is show configuration interface3. This command displays the interface name, IP address, netmask, state, MTU, and other parameters for each interface. ifconfig -a, show interfaces, and show interfaces detail are not valid commands in Gaia CLISH. References: How to configure static routes in CLISH on Gaia OS and IPSO OS, GAIA CLISH Commands - Fir3net, Gaia Administration Guide R80 - Check Point Software, Gaia Clish commands including User Defined (Extended) commands

The three components for Check Point Capsule are Capsule Workspace, Capsule Docs, and Capsule Cloud123. Capsule Workspace provides a secure container on the mobile device that isolates business data and applications from personal data and applications2. Capsule Docs protects business documents everywhere they go with encryption and access control1. Capsule Cloud provides cloud-based security services to protect mobile users from threats3. References: Check Point Capsule, Check Point Capsule Workspace, Mobile Secure Workspace with Capsule

Browser-Based Authentication is the best method for enabling Identity Awareness on the Check Point firewalls for users who use company issued or personal laptops. Browser-Based Authentication redirects users to a web page where they enter their credentials to access the network resources. This method does not require any installation or configuration on the user’s device and supports any operating system and browser. AD Query is a method that queries Active Directory servers for user login events and maps them to IP addresses. This method does not work for personal laptops that are not joined to the domain. Identity Agents are software agents that run on Windows or macOS devices and provide user and machine identity information to the firewall. This method requires installation and management of the agents on each device, which may not be feasible for personal laptops. Terminal Servers Agent is a method that identifies users who connect to Windows Terminal Servers or Citrix servers via RDP or ICA protocols. This method does not apply to laptops that connect directly to the network910 References: Identity Awareness Reference Architecture and Best Practices, Part 10 - Identity

Smart Cloud Services is an option for deployment of Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection. It is a cloud-based service that provides advanced threat prevention for files and URLs, without requiring any on-premise infrastructure or appliances . References: [Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection], [Smart Cloud Services]

In a Distributed deployment, the Security Gateway and the Security Management software are installed on different computers or appliances2. This allows for better scalability and performance. References: Check Point Security Management Administration Guide R81

SmartLog is a unified log viewer that provides fast and easy access to logs from all Check Point components3. It allows the administrator to query for any log field, such as the IP address of the tablet, and filter the results by time, severity, blade, action, and more4. SmartView Tracker is a legacy tool that displays network activity logs from Security Gateways and other Check Point devices. It does not support remote connection to the wireless controller or querying for specific IP addresses. References: SmartLog, SmartLog Queries, [SmartView Tracker]

The ports to which the Client Authentication daemon listens on by default are 259 and 900. Client Authentication is a method that allows users to authenticate with the Security Gateway before they are allowed access to protected resources. The Client Authentication daemon (fwauthd) runs on the Security Gateway and listens for authentication requests on TCP ports 259 and 900 . References: [Check Point R81 Remote Access VPN Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Quantum Security Gateway Guide]

The statement that a Sectional Title can be used to disable multiple rules by disabling only the sectional title is false. A Sectional Title is a visual divider that helps organize and navigate large rule bases. It does not affect the rule enforcement order or the rule functionality. Disabling a Sectional Title does not disable the rules under it. To disable multiple rules, you need to select them individually or use Shift+Click or Ctrl+Click to select them in bulk, and then right-click and choose Disable Rule(s). The other statements are true. Section titles are not sent to the gateway side, they are only displayed in SmartConsole. These sections are simple visual divisions of the Rule Base and do not hinder the order of rule enforcement. Sectional Titles do not need to be created in SmartConsole, they can also be created using SmartConsole CLI or API commands.References: [Sectional Titles], [SmartConsole CLI Guide], [SmartConsole API Reference Guide]

The answer is B because bridge mode deployment adds a Security Gateway to an existing environment without changing IP routing. Bridge mode is a transparent mode that does not require assigning IP addresses to the Security Gateway interfaces. Distributed deployment is a deployment where the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on separate machines. Remote deployment is a deployment where the Security Gateway is installed on a remote site and connects to the Security Management Server over a VPN tunnel. Standalone deployment is a deployment where the Security Management Server and the Security Gateway are installed on the same machine.References: [Check Point R81 Bridge Mode], [Check Point R81 Deployment Scenarios]

 RADIUS Accounting gets identity data from requests generated by the accounting client. RADIUS Accounting is a feature that allows tracking and measuring resource usage of network services by users. The accounting client, which is usually a network access server (NAS), sends accounting requests to a RADIUS server with information about user sessions, such as start and stop times, bytes transmitted and received, IP addresses, etc. The RADIUS server records this information in a database for billing, auditing, or reporting purposes. One of the mandatory attributes that the accounting client must include in every accounting request is the User-Name attribute, which identifies the user who is accessing the network service.

 If there are two administrators logged in at the same time to the SmartConsole, and there are objects locked for editing, the administrator who locked the objects must publish or discard the session to make them available to other administrators. Publishing or discarding the session will save or discard the changes made by the administrator and unlock the objects for editing by others3.

References: 3: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 18.

Backup and restores can be accomplished through SmartConsole, WebUI, or CLI. SmartUpdate and SmartBackup are not valid options1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 

Accounting is the option in tracking that allows you to see the amount of data passed in the connection. Accounting tracks the number of bytes and packets for each connection and generates reports based on the collected data. References: Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) R81.20 Course Overview, page 14.

Application Control/URL filtering database library is known as AppWiki. AppWiki is an application classification and identification database that enables administrators to control access to thousands of applications and millions of websites. References: [Check Point R81 Application Control Administration Guide], [Check Point AppWiki]

CPUSE - Check Point Upgrade Service Engine is the tool that allows for the automatic updating of the Gaia OS and Check Point products installed on the Gaia OS. CPUSE is a web-based tool that simplifies the installation of software updates, hotfixes, and upgrade packages on Gaia OS2. The other options are not valid tools for updating Gaia OS and Check Point products.

To view the policy installation history for each gateway, an administrator would use the Installation history tool1, p. 22. The Installation history tool shows the date and time of each policy installation, the name of the administrator who installed it, and the status of the installation3. Revisions, Gateway installations, and Gateway history are not valid tools in SmartConsole. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, Check Point SmartConsole R81 Help

The command that shows the installed licenses is cplic print. This command displays the license information on a Check Point server or Security Gateway. It shows the license type, expiration date, attached blades, etc. The other options are incorrect. print cplic is not a valid command. fwlic print is not a valid command. show licenses is not a valid command. References: [How to check license status on SecurePlatform / Gaia from CLI]

 It is possible to have more than one administrator connected to a Security Management Server at once, but objects edited by one administrator will be locked for editing by others until the session is published. This feature is called concurrent administration and it allows multiple administrators to work on the same security policy at the same time. However, when one administrator edits an object, such as a gateway, a rule, or a network, that object is locked for other administrators until the change is published or discarded. The lock icon shows which objects are being edited by other administrators and prevents conflicts or overwrites.References: [Concurrent Administration], [SmartConsole Overview]

When enabling tracking on a rule, the default option is Log. This option generates a log entry for each connection that matches the rule. The log entry contains information such as the source, destination, service, action, and time of the connection.References: [Logging and Monitoring R81], [Logging and Monitoring]

 SmartUpdate is the application that is used for the central management and deployment of licenses and packages. SmartUpdate allows administrators to manage licenses, software updates, and hotfixes for multiple Security Gateways and cluster members from one central location2. SmartProvisioning is an application that enables centralized management of network devices. SmartLicense is a feature that simplifies license management by using a cloud-based portal. Deployment Agent is a component that enables automatic deployment of software packages3.

The two ordered layers that make up the Access Control Policy Layer are Network and Threat Prevention. Network layer contains rules that define how traffic is inspected and handled by the Security Gateway. Threat Prevention layer contains rules that define how traffic is inspected by the Threat Prevention Software Blades2. References: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide

 Phase 1 of the two-phase negotiation process conducted by IKE operates in Main mode or Aggressive mode12. Main mode is more secure than Aggressive mode, as it protects the identities of the peers and uses six messages to establish the IKE SA13. Authentication, Quick, and High Alert are not valid modes for IKE phase 1.

References: Understand IPsec IKEv1 Protocol, Internet Key Exchange for IPsec VPNs Configuration Guide, Internet Key Exchange

To achieve the requirement of giving the Network Operations Center administrator access to Check Point Security devices mostly for troubleshooting purposes, but not to the expert mode, and still allowing her to run tcpdump, you need to:

• Add tcpdump to CLISH using add command. This command adds a new command to the Command Line Interface Shell (CLISH) that allows running tcpdump without entering the expert mode .
• Create a new access role. This option defines a set of permissions and commands that can be assigned to a user or a group of users.
• Add tcpdump to the role. This option grants the permission to run tcpdump to the role.
• Create new user with any UID and assign role to the user. This option creates a new user account with any User ID (UID) and assigns the role that has tcpdump permission to the user.

References: [How to add a new command to CLISH], [Check Point R81 Gaia Administration Guide], [Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide]

With the User Directory Software Blade, you can create user definitions on a(n) LDAP Server2. LDAP stands for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol and is a protocol for accessing and managing user information stored in a directory service. The User Directory Software Blade enables integration with LDAP servers such as Microsoft Active Directory, Novell eDirectory, and OpenLDAP. References: Check Point R81 Identity Awareness Administration Guide

Multi-domain management server is a valid deployment option for R81, not R80. R80 supports multi-domain security management, which is a centralized management solution for large-scale, distributed environments with many different domain networks1. References: Multi-Domain Security Management Administration Guide R80

The purpose of a Stealth Rule is to drop any traffic destined for the firewall that is not otherwise explicitly allowed1, p. 32. A Stealth Rule is usually placed at the top of the rule base, before any other rule that allows traffic to the Security Gateway2, p. 13. A Stealth Rule is not used to hide a server’s IP address, to allow administrators to access SmartDashboard, or to drop any traffic that is not explicitly allowed. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test

Central licensing is the preferred licensing model because it ties the package license to the IP-address of the Security Management Server and has no dependency on the gateway. This allows for easier management and distribution of licenses across multiple gateways1.

References: 1: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 14.

 A firewall can NOT prevent a network bandwidth saturation attack, which is a type of denial-of-service (DoS) attack that aims to consume all the available bandwidth of a target network or device1, p. 9. A firewall can prevent other types of attacks, such as buffer overflow, SYN flood, and SQL injection, by inspecting packets and applying security rules2, p. 11-12. References: Check Point CCSA - R81: Practice Test & Explanation, 156-315.81 Checkpoint Exam Info and Free Practice Test

 Application Control is the software blade that enables Access Control policies to accept, drop, or limit web site access based on user, group, and/or machine. Application Control allows you to define granular rules for applications, web sites, web categories, web content types, and users. You can also use Application Control to monitor and block risky applications and web usage. References: [Application Control Administration Guide R80.40]

A standalone deployment is when the security management server and Security Gateway are installed on the same appliance. This is suitable for small or branch office environments1

SmartConsole provides a consolidated solution for everything that is necessary for the security of an organization, such as Security Policy Management and Log Analysis. Security Policy Management is the process of defining and enforcing rules that control the access and protection of network resources. Log Analysis is the process of collecting, analyzing, and reporting on log data that is generated by network devices and applications. SmartConsole is a unified graphical user interface that allows administrators to manage multiple security functions from a single console. The other options are not part of SmartConsole, but rather separate software blades or features that can be integrated with SmartConsole. 

The command add rba user roles  is used to add users to or from existing roles. RBA stands for Role-Based Administration, which is a feature that allows administrators to assign different permissions and access levels to users based on their roles2.

References: 2: Check Point R81 Security Management Administration Guide, page 20.

The default layers that are included when creating a new policy layer are Access Control, Threat Prevention, and HTTPS Inspection. Access Control is the layer that defines the basic firewall rules. Threat Prevention is the layer that enables the protection against various types of attacks, such as IPS, Anti-Virus, Anti-Bot, etc. HTTPS Inspection is the layer that allows the inspection of encrypted traffic1. The other options are not the default layers that are included when creating a new policy layer.