PSE-Cortex-Pro-24 Palo Alto Networks Systems Engineer Professional - Cortex Questions and Answers

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/ cortex/cortex-xdr/cortex-xdr-pro-admin/investigation-and-response/cortex-xdr-indicators/working-with-biocs/create-a-bioc-rule.html

The Cortex XSOAR Starter Edition has a more limited capacity compared to Cortex XSOAR (SOAR + TIM). It includes up to 5 active threat intelligence feeds and a maximum of 100 indicators per fetch. In contrast, the SOAR + TIM version typically provides more extensive threat intelligence capabilities.

When integrating Cortex XSIAM or Cortex XDR with other Palo Alto Networks products, a XDR/XSIAM Broker VM is required. This Broker VM facilitates secure communication between the Cortex platform and other products, enabling proper integration and data exchange.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex/cortex-xdr/cortex-xdr-pro-admin/cortex-xdr-overview/cortex-xdr-licenses/migrate-your-cortex-xdr-license

The REST API allows a customer to integrate Cortex Xpanse with third-party applications, services, assets, and IP ranges while leveraging its investigation capabilities. The REST API provides programmatic access to Cortex Xpanse's features, enabling seamless integration with external systems for enhanced data exchange and analysis.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex/cortex-xdr/cortex-xdr-pro-admin/get-started-with-cortex-xdr-pro/use-cortex-xdr/manage-tables.html

The primary mechanism for the attribution of attack surface data in Cortex Xpanse is scanning from public internet data sources. Cortex Xpanse continuously scans the internet to identify assets that are potentially exposed or vulnerable, providing a comprehensive view of an organization's attack surface based on public-facing data.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cortex/cortex-data-lake/cortex-data-lake-getting-started/get -started-with-cortex-data-lake/set-log-storage-quota

Cortex Xpanse provides visibility over remote workforce risks by identifying customer assets on residential networks. This allows organizations to monitor and secure assets that are outside of the traditional corporate network, which is particularly important as more employees work remotely and connect from various locations.

Before deploying Cortex XSOAR, it’s important to consider whether communication with internal or external applications is required. This ensures that integrations and data flows between Cortex XSOAR and other tools or systems in the environment can be properly configured, enabling seamless automation and orchestration of security operations.

The Release Notes are the resource where the customer can access information about upcoming product updates and the new features included. Release Notes provide detailed descriptions of new features, improvements, bug fixes, and any other important changes to the product.

Cortex XSOAR provides automation and orchestration capabilities to help streamline security operations and enhance threat detection by integrating with existing security tools and automating responses.

Cortex XDR offers advanced detection and response across endpoints, networks, and cloud, helping to correlate security data, detect threats, and respond effectively, especially when dealing with diverse security data sources.

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As a Palo Alto Cortex Professional, I’ll provide a detailed explanation for Question 118: What must a customer deploy prior to collecting endpoint data in Cortex XSIAM? along with the reasoning and references based on Palo Alto Networks' official documentation and product knowledge.

Correct Answer: C. XDR Agent

Cortex XSIAM (Extended Security Intelligence and Automation Management) is an AI-driven security operations platform designed to centralize and automate security operations across an enterprise, including endpoint, network, cloud, and identity data. To collect endpoint data specifically, Cortex XSIAM relies on the Cortex XDR Agent, which is a lightweight software component installed on endpoints (such as laptops, desktops, or servers). This agent is responsible for gathering telemetry data, monitoring endpoint activity, and enforcing security policies, which are then sent to the Cortex XSIAM cloud for analysis, detection, and response.

Here’s why the XDR Agent is the correct choice and why the other options do not apply:

Option A: Playbook

Explanation: A playbook in Cortex XSIAM (or its predecessor, Cortex XSOAR) is a predefined workflow that automates incident response tasks, such as investigating alerts or remediating threats. While playbooks are critical for automation and orchestration, they are not involved in the initial collection of endpoint data. Playbooks operate on data that has already been collected and ingested into the system. Therefore, deploying a playbook is not a prerequisite for collecting endpoint data.

Conclusion: Incorrect.

Option B: Broker VM

Explanation: The Broker VM is an optional component in the Cortex ecosystem that can be deployed to enhance connectivity and functionality, such as acting as a proxy for endpoints to communicate with the Cortex cloud, collecting logs, or running additional services. While it can facilitate data forwarding or log collection in certain scenarios (e.g., from third-party sources), it is not a mandatory requirement for collecting endpoint data directly from devices managed by Cortex XSIAM. The XDR Agent can communicate with the Cortex cloud independently without a Broker VM.

Conclusion: Incorrect.

Option C: XDR Agent

Explanation: The Cortex XDR Agent is the core component required to collect endpoint data in Cortex XSIAM. It is installed on supported endpoints (e.g., Windows, macOS, Linux, or Android devices) and performs several key functions:

Data Collection: Gathers detailed telemetry, including process execution, file activity, network connections, and system events.

Prevention: Blocks exploits, malware, and fileless attacks using AI-driven techniques.

Detection and Response: Provides real-time data to the Cortex cloud for advanced analytics and incident investigation. Without the XDR Agent deployed on endpoints, Cortex XSIAM cannot collect the necessary data to monitor, detect, or respond to endpoint-based threats. This makes it the essential prerequisite for endpoint data collection.

Conclusion: Correct.

Option D: External Dynamic List (EDL)

Explanation: An External Dynamic List (EDL) is a feature in Palo Alto Networks’ ecosystem used to import and manage dynamic lists of indicators (e.g., IP addresses, URLs, or domains) for use in security policies or threat intelligence. While EDLs can enhance threat detection by providing additional context, they are not involved in the process of collecting endpoint data. They are a supplementary tool rather than a requirement for data collection.

Conclusion: Incorrect.

References from Palo Alto Networks:

Cortex XSIAM Datasheet (Palo Alto Networks):

"Cortex XSIAM unifies best-in-class security operations functions, including Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)... The platform leverages the Cortex XDR Agent to prevent endpoint attacks and collect full telemetry for detection and response."

This highlights the XDR Agent’s role as the mechanism for endpoint data collection.

Cortex XSIAM Solution Brief (Palo Alto Networks):

"XSIAM requires the deployment of the XSIAM Endpoint Agent to appropriate and compatible endpoints to collect telemetry and enforce security."

This directly ties the agent to the data collection process.

Cortex XDR Agent Documentation (Palo Alto Networks Cortex Documentation Portal):

The agent is described as "a lightweight agent that stops threats with Behavioral Threat Protection, AI, and cloud-based analysis while collecting endpoint telemetry for extended detection and response."

Available at: docs-cortex.paloaltonetworks.com.

What is Cortex XSIAM? (Palo Alto Networks Website):

"Endpoint Protection Platform (EPP): Prevents endpoint attacks with a proven endpoint agent that blocks exploits, malware, and fileless attacks and collects full telemetry for detection and response."

This reinforces the agent’s foundational role in endpoint data collection.

The Causality View in Cortex XSIAM provides an entire picture of an attack, including the originating process or delivery point. It allows security teams to visualize and understand the full sequence of events leading to an attack, helping to identify root causes and mitigate future risks.

The Palo Alto Networks Status Page provides real-time information about the uptime and operational status of Cortex XSIAM. It can be used by customers to validate whether there are any ongoing service interruptions or issues affecting their access to the tenant.

Cortex Data Lake (now known as Strata Logging Service in some contexts, but still referred to as Cortex Data Lake for XDR purposes) is the cloud-based storage solution that supports Cortex XDR by storing endpoint telemetry, logs, and analytics data. The customer’s storage needs depend on the number of Cortex XDR clients, the subset forwarding data, the retention period, and the type of data stored (e.g., higher fidelity logs for advanced analytics). Let’s break down the problem step-by-step to determine the new storage requirement.

Initial Configuration:

Total Cortex XDR Clients: 300

Clients Forwarding Cortex XDR Data: 300 (all clients are forwarding data)

Retention Period: 30 days

Additional Requirement: Storage for higher fidelity logs to support Cortex XDR advanced analytics

Initial Storage Ordered: 2 TB

This configuration implies that 2 TB was sufficient to support 300 clients, all forwarding data, with a 30-day retention period, including the additional storage needed for advanced analytics logs.

New Configuration:

Total Cortex XDR Clients: 1,000

Clients Forwarding Cortex XDR Data: 300 (unchanged from the initial setup)

Retention Period: 30 days (unchanged)

Additional Requirement: Storage for higher fidelity logs to support Cortex XDR advanced analytics (unchanged)

The key change is the increase in total Cortex XDR clients from 300 to 1,000, but the number of clients forwarding data remains 300, and the retention period and analytics requirements are unchanged. We need to determine how this affects the storage requirement.

Cortex Data Lake Storage Sizing for Cortex XDR:

Palo Alto Networks provides sizing guidelines for Cortex Data Lake based on the number of endpoints forwarding data, the retention period, and the type of data stored. The storage requirement is primarily driven by:

Clients Forwarding Data: Only the endpoints actively sending telemetry to Cortex Data Lake (e.g., Cortex XDR Pro endpoints with enhanced data collection) contribute significantly to storage needs.

Retention Period: The number of days data is retained directly scales the storage requirement.

Data Type: Higher fidelity logs for advanced analytics (e.g., XDR Pro features like behavioral analytics) increase storage per endpoint compared to basic logs.

Cortex XDR Prevent: Provides basic endpoint protection with minimal data forwarding (e.g., alerts only), typically included in a 30-day retention baseline with minimal storage impact.

Cortex XDR Pro: Includes enhanced endpoint data collection (e.g., process execution, network activity) for advanced analytics, significantly increasing storage needs when enabled.

The problem states that all 300 initial clients were forwarding data, and the same 300 continue to do so in the new setup, with support for advanced analytics. This suggests these are likely Cortex XDR Pro clients, as Pro is required for full telemetry and analytics capabilities.

Storage Calculation:

Palo Alto Networks doesn’t publish exact per-endpoint storage figures publicly, but we can infer the requirement from the initial configuration and industry benchmarks:

Initial Setup (300 Clients, 30 Days, 2 TB):

2 TB supports 300 clients forwarding data for 30 days with advanced analytics.

Per client, this approximates to:2 TB÷300 clients=0.00667 TB/client2 \, \text{TB} \div 300 \, \text{clients} = 0.00667 \, \text{TB/client} 2TB÷300clients=0.00667TB/client or 6.67 GB per client for 30 days with higher fidelity logs.

This aligns with typical XDR Pro storage estimates, where enhanced data collection (e.g., 5-10 GB per endpoint per 30 days) is common depending on activity levels and analytics features.

New Setup (1,000 Total Clients, 300 Forwarding, 30 Days):

Clients Forwarding Data: Still 300, unchanged.

Retention: Still 30 days, unchanged.

Analytics Logs: Still required, unchanged.

Storage is driven by the 300 clients forwarding data, not the total number of clients. The additional 700 clients (1,000 - 300 = 700) are not forwarding data, suggesting they might be on Cortex XDR Prevent licenses or not fully activated for data collection, contributing negligible storage (e.g., only alerts, which are minimal).

Thus, the storage requirement remains:

300clients×6.67GB/client=2,001GB≈2TB

The recommended first step in planning a Cortex XDR deployment is to conduct an assessment and identify critical assets and endpoints within the environment. This ensures that the deployment is targeted and effective, focusing on the most critical parts of the infrastructure that are most likely to be attacked or compromised.

Cortex Xpanse ingests public IP addresses from XDR endpoints. This allows the platform to monitor and track internet-facing assets, providing visibility into exposed assets and potential attack surfaces across the network.

The Data Ingestion Health page provides visibility into the normal patterns of log collection and highlights any deviations, which helps identify issues early on.

he Cortex XSIAM Command Center dashboard displays a red icon when there is an issue with a data source, providing a quick visual indication of ingestion problems.

Documenting notes from the Proof of Value (POV) is crucial for the post-sales handoff because it helps ensure that implementation teams understand the customer use cases and priorities. This documentation provides context for the customer's specific needs, enabling a smoother and more tailored implementation process.

Premium Success is the offering from Palo Alto Networks that provides phone support for customers who have purchased Cortex XDR. This service includes access to technical support for critical issues and offers enhanced services to ensure smooth product usage and problem resolution.