Free Symantec 250-580 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 3

InSymantec Endpoint Detection and Response (SEDR), theBlock Listfeature allows administrators to manually block a specific file hash identified as malicious. By adding the hash of the malicious file to the Block List, SEDR ensures that the file cannot execute or interact with the network, preventing further harm. This manual blocking capability provides administrators with direct control over specific threats detected in their environment.

When a threat is detected within an organization’s environment, preventing its spread becomes crucial. Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) allows administrators to create Application and Device Control policies that target specific threat files to block them across the network. To block a known malicious file, the administrator should:

Identify the File MD5 Hash:The MD5 hash serves as a unique "fingerprint" for the malicious file, ensuring that the specific file version can be accurately identified across systems.

Create an Application Content Rule:Using the Application and Device Control feature, the administrator can create a content rule that targets the identified file by its MD5 hash, effectively blocking it based on its fingerprint.

Apply the Rule Across Endpoints:Once created, this rule is applied to endpoints, preventing the file from executing or spreading.

This method ensures precise blocking of the threat without impacting other files or processes.

When anIncident Responderdetermines that an endpoint is compromised, the first action to contain the threat is to use theIsolationfeature in Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response (SEDR). Isolation effectively disconnects the affected endpoint from the network, thereby preventing the malicious threat from communicating with other systems or spreading within the network environment. This feature enables the responder to contain the threat swiftly, allowing further investigation and remediation steps to be conducted without risk of lateral movement by the attacker.

TheEndpoint Communication Channel (ECC) 2.0enables Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to establish a direct connection with theSymantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM). This connection allows for:

Efficient Data Exchange:ECC 2.0 facilitates real-time communication and data exchange between SEPM and Symantec EDR.

Enhanced Endpoint Visibility:By directly connecting with SEPM, Symantec EDR can monitor endpoint activity more closely, improving threat detection and response.

Integrated Threat Management:ECC 2.0 supports coordinated efforts between SEPM and EDR, allowing for more effective containment and mitigation of threats.

This direct communication with SEPM enhances EDR’s capability to manage and protect endpoints effectively.

AnIndicator of Compromise (IOC), such asirregularities in privileged user account activity, can signal that a privileged account may be compromised and used maliciously. This can involve deviations from typical login times, unusual commands or requests, or access to resources not typically utilized by the user. Monitoring such anomalies can help detect when an attacker has gained access to a privileged account and is attempting to establish control within the environment.

To ensure that theSecurity Statuson the SEP console alerts administrators when virus definitions are out of date, theSecurity Status thresholdsshould be lowered. Adjusting these thresholds determines the point at which the system flags certain conditions as a security risk. By lowering the threshold, SEP will alert the administrator sooner when virus definitions fall behind.

How to Lower Security Status Thresholds:

In the SEP console, go toAdmin > Servers > Local Site > Configure Site Settings.

UnderSecurity Status, adjust thethreshold settingsfor virus definition status to trigger alerts when definitions are outdated by a shorter time frame.

Purpose and Effect:

Lowering thresholds is particularly useful in ensuring timely alerts and maintaining up-to-date endpoint security across the network.

Why Other Options Are Less Effective:

Raising thresholds (Option B) would delay alerts rather than enable them earlier.

Show all notifications(Option C) andAction Summary display(Option D) do not affect the alert for virus definition status.

References: This threshold adjustment is part of SEP’s alert configuration options for proactive endpoint management​.

To enhance security and prevent further attempts from the intruder after the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) has detected and blocked an attack, the administrator should enable the setting toAutomatically block an attacker's IP address. Here’s why this setting is critical:

Immediate Action Against Threats: By automatically blocking the IP address of the detected attacker, the firewall can prevent any further communication attempts from that address. This helps to mitigate the risk of subsequent attacks or reconnections.

Proactive Defense Mechanism: Enabling this feature serves as a proactive defense strategy, minimizing the chances of successful future intrusions by making it harder for the attacker to re-establish a connection to the network.

Reduction of Administrative Overhead: Automating this response allows the security team to focus on investigating and remediating the incident rather than manually tracking and blocking malicious IP addresses, thus optimizing incident response workflows.

Layered Security Approach: This setting complements other security measures, such as intrusion detection and port scan detection, creating a layered security approach that enhances overall network security.

Enabling automatic blocking of an attacker’s IP address directly addresses the immediate risk posed by the detected intrusion and reinforces the organization’s defense posture against future threats.

TheEndpoint Communication Channel (ECC) 2.0enables Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) to establish a direct connection with theSymantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM). This connection allows for:

Efficient Data Exchange:ECC 2.0 facilitates real-time communication and data exchange between SEPM and Symantec EDR.

Enhanced Endpoint Visibility:By directly connecting with SEPM, Symantec EDR can monitor endpoint activity more closely, improving threat detection and response.

Integrated Threat Management:ECC 2.0 supports coordinated efforts between SEPM and EDR, allowing for more effective containment and mitigation of threats.

This direct communication with SEPM enhances EDR’s capability to manage and protect endpoints effectively.

InIntegrated Cyber Defense Manager (ICDm), atenantcan encompass multipledomains, allowing organizations with complex structures to manage security across various groups or departments within a single tenant. Each tenant represents an overarching entity, while domains within a tenant enable separate administration and policy enforcement for different segments, providing flexibility in security management across large enterprises.

Threat Defense for Active Directory (TDAD) employsHoneypot Trapsas a primary prevention technique to detect and expose attackers. These honeypot traps act as decoys within the network, mimicking legitimate Active Directory (AD) objects or data that would attract attackers aiming to gather AD information or exploit AD weaknesses.

Honeypot Trap Functionality:

Honeypot traps are strategically placed to appear as appealing targets, such as privileged accounts or critical directories, without being part of the actual AD infrastructure.

When attackers interact with these traps, TDAD records their actions, which can then trigger alerts, allowing administrators to identify and monitor suspicious activities.

Exposure and Mitigation:

By enticing attackers to interact with fake assets, honeypot traps help expose malicious intentions and techniques. This information can be used for forensic analysis and to enhance future defenses.

This technique allows organizations to expose potential threats proactively, before any real AD resources are compromised.

References: This approach is part of Symantec’s Active Directory security strategies and utilizes honeypot mechanisms to deter and identify intruders in real-time​.