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Cortex XDR Analytics is a feature of Cortex XDR that leverages machine learning and behavioral analytics to detect and alert on malicious activity across the network and endpoint layers. Cortex XDR Analytics can alert when detecting activity matching the following MITRE ATT&CKTM techniques: Exfiltration, Command and Control, Lateral Movement, Execution, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, Defense Evasion, Credential Access, Discovery, and Collection. However, among the options given in the question, the correct answer is D, Exfiltration, Command and Control, Lateral Movement. These are three of the most critical techniques that indicate an advanced and persistent threat (APT) in the environment. Exfiltration refers to the technique of transferring data or information from the compromised system or network to an external location controlled by the adversary. Command and Control refers to the technique of communicating with the compromised system or network to provide instructions, receive data, or update malware. Lateral Movement refers to the technique of moving from one system or network to another within the same environment, usually to gain access to more resources or data. Cortex XDR Analytics can alert on these techniques by analyzing various data sources, such as network traffic, firewall logs, endpoint events, and threat intelligence, and applying behavioral models, anomaly detection, and correlation rules. Cortex XDR Analytics can also map the alerts to the corresponding MITRE ATT&CKTM techniques and provide additional context and visibility into the attack chain1234

References:

Cortex XDR Analytics

MITRE ATT&CKTM

Cortex XDR Analytics MITRE ATT&CKTM Techniques

Cortex XDR Analytics Alert Categories

The best action to delete the file on the Linux endpoint is to initiate Remediation Suggestions from the Cortex XDR console. Remediation Suggestions are a feature of Cortex XDR that provide you with recommended actions to undo the effects of malicious activity on your endpoints. You can view the remediation suggestions for each alert or incident in the Cortex XDR console, and decide whether to apply them or not. Remediation Suggestions can help you restore the endpoint to its original state, remove malicious files or processes, or fix registry or system settings. Remediation Suggestions are based on the forensic data collected by the Cortex XDR agent and the analysis performed by Cortex XDR.

The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:

A is incorrect because manually remediating the problem on the endpoint is not a convenient or efficient way to delete the file. Manually remediating the problem would require you to access the endpoint directly, log in as root, locate the file, and delete it. This would also require you to have the necessary permissions and credentials to access the endpoint, and to know the exact path and name of the file. Manually remediating the problem would also not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

B is incorrect because opening X2go from the Cortex XDR console is not a supported or secure way to delete the file. X2go is a third-party remote desktop software that allows you to access Linux endpoints from a graphical user interface. However, X2go is not integrated with Cortex XDR, and using it would require you to install and configure it on both the Cortex XDR console and the endpoint. Using X2go would also expose the endpoint to potential network attacks or unauthorized access, and would not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

D is incorrect because opening an NFS connection from the Cortex XDR console is not a feasible or reliable way to delete the file. NFS is a network file system protocol that allows you to access files on remote servers as if they were local. However, NFS is not integrated with Cortex XDR, and using it would require you to set up and maintain an NFS server and client on both the Cortex XDR console and the endpoint. Using NFS would also depend on the network availability and performance, and would not provide you with any audit trail or confirmation of the deletion.

References:

Remediation Suggestions

Apply Remediation Suggestions

The “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains” feature in a Cortex XDR Windows Malware profile allows the agent to take automatic actions against network connections and processes that are involved in malicious activity on the endpoint. The feature has two modes: Block IP Address and Kill Process1.

The two purposes of “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains” in a Cortex XDR Windows Malware profile are:

Automatically kill the processes involved in malicious activity. This can help to stop the malware from spreading or doing any further damage.

Automatically block the IP addresses involved in malicious traffic. This can help to prevent the malware from communicating with its command and control server or other malicious hosts.

The other two options, automatically close the connections involved in malicious traffic and automatically terminate the threads involved in malicious activity, are not specific to “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains”. They are general security measures that the agent can perform regardless of the feature.

References:

Cortex XDR Agent Security Profiles

Cortex XDR Agent 7.5 Release Notes

PCDRA: What are purposes of “Respond to Malicious Causality Chains” in …

 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

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.

References:

Cortex XDR Analytics Module

Cortex XDR Analytics Module Detection and Prevention

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 Agent Installer and Content Caching applet of the Broker VM is used to download and cache the Cortex XDR agent installation packages and content updates from Palo Alto Networks servers. This applet also acts as a proxy server for the Cortex XDR agents to communicate with the Cortex Data Lake and the Cortex XDR management console. To ensure secure communication between the Broker VM and the Cortex XDR agents, you are required to install a strong cipher SHA256-based SSL certificate on the Broker VM. The SSL certificate must have a common name or subject alternative name that matches the Broker VM FQDN or IP address. The SSL certificate must also be trusted by the Cortex XDR agents, either by using a certificate signed by a public CA or by manually installing the certificate on the endpoints. References:

Agent Installer and Content Caching

Install an SSL Certificate on the Broker VM

 When creating a scheduled report in Cortex XDR, the option to run quarterly on a certain day and time is not available. You can only schedule reports to run daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also specify the start and end dates, the time zone, and the recipients of the report. Scheduled reports are useful for generating regular reports on the security events, incidents, alerts, or endpoints in your network. You can create scheduled reports from the Reports page in the Cortex XDR console, or from the Query Center by saving a query as a report. References:

Run or Schedule Reports

Create a Scheduled Report

Cortex XDR allows you to define IOCs based on various criteria, such as file hashes, registry keys, IP addresses, domain names, and full paths. A full path IOC is a specific location of a file or folder on an endpoint, such as C:\Windows\System32\calc.exe. You can use full path IOCs to detect and respond to malicious files or folders that are located in known locations on your endpoints12.

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

A. destination port: This is not the correct answer. Destination port is not a type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. Destination port is a network attribute that indicates the port number to which a packet is sent. Cortex XDR does not support defining IOCs based on destination ports, but you can use XQL queries to filter network events by destination ports3.

B. e-mail address: This is not the correct answer. E-mail address is not a type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. E-mail address is an identifier that is used to send and receive e-mails. Cortex XDR does not support defining IOCs based on e-mail addresses, but you can use the Cortex XDR - IOC integration with Cortex XSOAR to ingest IOCs from various sources, including e-mail addresses4.

D. App-ID: This is not the correct answer. App-ID is not a type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. App-ID is a feature of Palo Alto Networks firewalls that identifies and controls applications on the network. Cortex XDR does not support defining IOCs based on App-IDs, but you can use the Cortex XDR Analytics app to create custom rules that use App-IDs as part of the rule logic5.

In conclusion, full path is the type of IOC that you can define in Cortex XDR. By using full path IOCs, you can enhance your detection and response capabilities and protect your endpoints from malicious files or folders.

References:

Create an IOC Rule

XQL Reference Guide: Network Events Schema

Cortex XDR - IOC

Cortex XDR Analytics App

PCDRA: Which Type of IOC can define in Cortex XDR?

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.

References:

Remediate Changes from Malicious Activity: This document explains how to use Remediation Suggestions to remediate the root cause and impact of an incident.

Causality View: This document describes how to use Causality View to investigate the causality chain of an incident.