Netskope Certified Cloud Security Administrator (NCCSA) Questions and Answers
You want to prevent Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks on an encrypted website or application. In this scenario, which method would you use?
Options:
Use a stronger encryption algorithm.
Use certificate pinning.
Use a proxy for the connection.
Use a weaker encryption algorithm.
Answer:
BExplanation:
To prevent Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks on an encrypted website or application, one method that you can use is certificate pinning. Certificate pinning is a technique that restricts which certificates are considered valid for a particular website or application, limiting risk. Instead of allowing any trusted certificate to be used, operators "pin" the certificate authority (CA) issuer(s), public keys or even end-entity certificates of their choice. Certificate pinning helps to prevent MITM attacks by validating the server certificates against a hardcoded list of certificates in the website or application. If an attacker tries to intercept or modify the traffic using a fraudulent or compromised certificate, it will be rejected by the website or application as invalid, even if it is signed by a trusted CA. References: Certificate pinning - IBMCertificate and Public Key Pinning | OWASP Foundation
Which three technologies describe the primary cloud service models as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)? (Choose three.)
Options:
Cloud Service Provider (CSP)
Identity as a Service (IDaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Infrastructure as a Service (laaS)
Answer:
C, D, EExplanation:
The three technologies that describe the primary cloud service models as defined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) are Platform as a Service (PaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). These service models are based on the type of computing capability that is provided by the cloud provider to the cloud consumer over a network. According to NIST, these service models have the following definitions:
- Platform as a Service (PaaS): The capability provided to the consumer is to deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquired applications created using programming languages, libraries, services, and tools supported by the provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, or storage, but has control over the deployed applications and possibly configuration settings for the application-hosting environment.
- Software as a Service (SaaS): The capability provided to the consumer is to use the provider’s applications running on a cloud infrastructure. The applications are accessible from various client devices through either a thin client interface, such as a web browser (e.g., web-based email), or a program interface. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exception of limited user-specific application configuration settings.
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): The capability provided to the consumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and other fundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy and run arbitrary software, which can include operating systems and applications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage, and deployed applications; and possibly limited control of select networking components (e.g., host firewalls).
References: The NIST Definition of Cloud ComputingNIST Cloud Computing Program
You are required to mitigate malicious scripts from being downloaded into your corporate devices every time a user goes to a website. Users need to access websites from a variety of categories, including new websites.
Which two actions would help you accomplish this task while allowing the user to work? (Choose two.)
Options:
Allow the user to browse uncategorized domains but restrict edit activities.
Block malware detected on download activity for all remaining categories.
Block known bad websites and enable RBI to uncategorized domains.
Allow a limited amount of domains and block everything else.
Answer:
B, CExplanation:
To mitigate malicious scripts from being downloaded into your corporate devices every time a user goes to a website, you need to use Netskope’s threat protection features to block or isolate potentially harmful web traffic. Two actions that would help you accomplish this task while allowing the user to work are: block malware detected on download activity for all remaining categories and block known bad websites and enable RBI to uncategorized domains. The first action will prevent any files that contain malware from being downloaded to your devices from any website category, except those that are explicitly allowed or excluded by your policies. The second action will prevent any websites that are classified as malicious or phishing by Netskope from being accessed by your users and enable Remote Browser Isolation (RBI) to uncategorized domains, which are domains that have not been assigned a category by Netskope. RBI is a feature that allows users to browse websites in a virtual browser hosted in the cloud, without exposing their devices to any scripts or content from the website. Allowing the user to browse uncategorized domains but restrict edit activities or allowing a limited amount of domains and block everything else are not effective actions, as they may either limit the user’s productivity or expose them to unknown risks. References: [Netskope Threat Protection], [Netskope Remote Browser Isolation].
What is a benefit that Netskope instance awareness provides?
Options:
It prevents movement of corporate sensitive data to a personal Dropbox account.
It prevents the user from copying information from a corporate email and pasting the information into a GitHub repository.
It differentiates between an IT managed Google Drive instance versus a personal Dropbox account.
It differentiates between an IT managed Google Drive instance versus a personal Google Drive instance.
Answer:
DExplanation:
A benefit that Netskope instance awareness provides is that it differentiates between an IT managed Google Drive instance versus a personal Google Drive instance. Instance awareness is a feature in the Netskope platform that allows you to define and identify different instances of the same cloud application based on the domain name or URL. For example, you can define an instance for your IT managed Google Drive instance (such as drive.google.com/a/yourcompany.com) and another instance for your personal Google Drive instance (such as drive.google.com). This way, you can differentiate between them and apply different policies and actions based on the instance. This can help you prevent data leakage, enforce compliance, or improve visibility for your cloud application activities. Preventing movement of corporate sensitive data to a personal Dropbox account, preventing the user from copying information from a corporate email and pasting it into a GitHub repository, or differentiating between an IT managed Google Drive instance versus an IT managed Box instance are not benefits that Netskope instance awareness provides, as they are either unrelated or irrelevant to the instance awareness feature. References: Netskope Security Cloud Operation & Administration (NSCO&A) - Classroom Course, Module 5: Real-Time Policies, Lesson 4: App Instances.
Which two common security frameworks are used today to assess and validate a vendor's security practices? (Choose two.)
Options:
Data Science Council of America
Building Security in Maturity Model
ISO 27001
NIST Cybersecurity Framework
Answer:
B, CExplanation:
The Building Security in Maturity Model (BSIMM) is a framework that measures and compares the security activities of different organizations. It helps organizations to assess their current security practices and identify areas for improvement. ISO 27001 is an international standard that specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving aninformation security management system. It helps organizations to manage their information security risks and demonstrate their compliance with best practices. Data Science Council of America (DASCA) is not a security framework, but a credentialing body for data science professionals. NIST Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF) is a security framework, but it is not commonly used to assess and validate a vendor’s security practices, as it is more focused on improving the cybersecurity of critical infrastructure sectors in the United States. References: [BSIMM], [ISO 27001], [DASCA], [NIST CSF].
Your department is asked to report on GDPR data publicly exposed in Microsoft 365, Salesforce. and Slack-sanctioned cloud applications. Which deployment model would you use to discover this data?
Options:
reverse proxy
on-premises appliance
API-enabled protection
inline protection
Answer:
CExplanation:
To discover GDPR data publicly exposed in Microsoft 365, Salesforce, and Slack-sanctioned cloud applications, you need to use a deployment model that allows Netskope to access and scan the data stored in these applications using out-of-band API connections. The deployment model that would match this requirement is API-enabled protection, which is a feature in the Netskope platform that allows you to connect your sanctioned cloud applications to Netskope using API connectors. This enables you to discover sensitive data, enforce near real-time policy controls, and quarantine malware in your cloud applications without affecting user experience or performance. You can use Netskope’s data loss prevention (DLP) engine to scan for GDPR data in your cloud applications and identify any public exposure or sharing settings that may violate the regulation. A reverse proxy, an on-premises appliance, or an inline protection are not deployment models that would help you discover GDPR data publicly exposed in your sanctioned cloud applications, as they are more suitable for inline modes that rely on intercepting traffic to and from these applications in real time, rather than accessing data stored in these applications using APIs. References: [Netskope SaaS API-enabled Protection], [Netskope Data Loss Prevention].
Which two controls are covered by Netskope's security platform? (Choose two.)
Options:
ZTNA
VPN
CASB
EDR
Answer:
A, CExplanation:
Netskope’s security platform covers two controls: ZTNA and CASB. ZTNA stands for Zero Trust Network Access, which is a solution that provides secure and granular access to private applications without exposing them to the internet or requiring VPNs. CASB stands for Cloud Access Security Broker, which is a solution that provides visibility and control over cloud services and web traffic, as well as data and threat protection for cloud users and devices. References: Netskope PlatformNetskope ZTNANetskope CASB
Why would you want to define an App Instance?
Options:
to create an API Data Protection Policy for a personal Box instance
to differentiate between an enterprise Google Drive instance vs. a personal Google Drive instance
to enable the instance_id attribute in the advanced search field when using query mode
to differentiate between an enterprise Google Drive instance vs. an enterprise Box instance
Answer:
BExplanation:
An App Instance is a feature in the Netskope platform that allows you to define and identify different instances of the same cloud application based on the domain name or URL. For example, you can define an App Instance for your enterprise Google Drive instance (such as drive.google.com/a/yourcompany.com) and another App Instance for your personal Google Drive instance (such as drive.google.com). This way, you can differentiate between them and apply different policies and actions based on the App Instance. You would want to define an App Instance to achieve this level of granularity and control over your cloud application activities. Creating an API Data Protection Policy for a personal Box instance, enabling the instance_id attribute in the advanced search field, or differentiating between an enterprise Google Drive instance vs. an enterprise Box instance are not valid reasons to define an App Instance, as they are either unrelated or irrelevant to the App Instance feature. References: Netskope Security Cloud Operation & Administration (NSCO&A) - Classroom Course, Module 5: Real-Time Policies, Lesson 4: App Instances.
A company is attempting to steer traffic to Netskope using GRE tunnels. They notice that after the initial configuration, users cannot access external websites from their browsers.
What are three probable causes for this issue? (Choose three.)
Options:
The pre-shared key for the GRE tunnel is incorrect.
The configured GRE peer in the Netskope platform is incorrect.
The corporate firewall might be blocking GRE traffic.
The route map was applied to the wrong router interface.
Netskope does not support GRE tunnels.
Answer:
B, C, DExplanation:
In this scenario, there are three probable causes for the issue of users not being able to access external websites from their browsers after attempting to steer traffic to Netskope using GRE tunnels. One cause is that the configured GRE peer in the Netskope platform is incorrect, which means that the Netskope POP that is supposed to receive the GRE traffic from the customer’s network is not matching the IP address of the customer’s router that is sending the GRE traffic. This will result in a failure to establish a GRE tunnel between the customer and Netskope. Another cause is that the corporate firewall might be blocking GRE traffic, which means that the firewall rules are not allowing the GRE protocol (IP protocol number 47) or the UDP port 4789 (for VXLAN encapsulation) to pass through. This will result in a failure to send or receive GRE packets between the customer and Netskope. A third cause is that the route map was applied to the wrong router interface, which means that the configuration that specifies which traffic should be steered to Netskope using GRE tunnels was not applied to the correct interface on the customer’s router. This will result in a failure to steer the desired traffic to Netskope. The pre-shared key for the GRE tunnel is incorrect is not a probable cause for this issue, as GRE tunnels do not use pre-shared keys for authentication or encryption. Netskope does support GRE tunnels, so this is not a cause for this issue either. References: [Netskope Secure Forwarder], Netskope Security Cloud Operation & Administration (NSCO&A) - Classroom Course, Module 3: Steering Configuration, Lesson 3: Secure Forwarder.
There is a DLP violation on a file in your sanctioned Google Drive instance. The file is in a deleted state. You need to locate information pertaining to this DLP violation using Netskope. In this scenario, which statement is correct?
Options:
You can find DLP violations under Forensic profiles.
DLP incidents for a file are not visible when the file is deleted.
You can find DLP violations under the Incidents dashboard.
You must create a forensic profile so that an incident is created.
Answer:
CExplanation:
To locate information pertaining to a DLP violation on a file in your sanctioned Google Drive instance, you can use the Incidents dashboard in Netskope. The Incidents dashboard provides a comprehensive view of all the incidents that have occurred in your cloud environment, such as DLP violations, malware infections, anomalous activities, etc. You can filter the incidents by various criteria, such as app name, incident type, severity, user name, etc. You can also drill down into each incident to see more details, such as file name, file path, file owner, file size, file type, etc. The Incidents dashboard can show DLP violations for files that are in a deleted state, as long as they are still recoverable from the trash bin of the app. If the file is permanently deleted from the app, then the incident will not be visible in the dashboard. References: Netskope Incidents Dashboard
Which two technologies form a part of Netskope's Threat Protection module? (Choose two.)
Options:
log parser
DLP
sandbox
heuristics
Answer:
C, DExplanation:
To protect your users from malicious scripts that may be downloaded from websites, you need to use technologies that can detect and prevent malware, ransomware, phishing, and other advanced threats in web traffic. Two technologies that form a part of Netskope’s Threat Protection module, which is a feature in the Netskope platform that provides these capabilities, are sandbox and heuristics. Sandbox is a technology that allows Netskope to analyze suspicious files or URLs in a virtual environment isolated from the rest of the network. It simulates the execution of the files or URLs and observes their behavior and impact on the system. It then generates a verdict based on the analysis and blocks any malicious files or URLs from reaching your users or devices. Heuristics is a technology that allows Netskope to identify unknown or emerging threats based on their characteristics or patterns, rather than relying on predefined signatures or rules. It uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to analyze various attributes of files or URLs, such as file type, size, entropy, metadata, code structure, etc., and assigns a risk score based on the analysis. It then blocks any files or URLs that exceed a certain risk threshold from reaching your users or devices. A log parser or DLP are not technologies that form a part of Netskope’s Threat Protection module, as they are more related to discovering cloud applications or protecting sensitive data. References: [Netskope Threat Protection], Netskope Security Cloud Operation & Administration (NSCO&A) - Classroom Course, Module 9: Threat Protection.
Which two statements describe a website categorized as a domain generated algorithm (DGA)? (Choose two.)
Options:
The website is used for domain registration.
The domain contains malicious algorithms.
The website is used to hide a command-and-control server.
The domain was created by a program.
Answer:
C, DExplanation:
Two statements that describe a website categorized as a domain generated algorithm (DGA) are: The website is used to hide a command-and-control server and the domain was created by a program. A domain generated algorithm (DGA) is a technique used by cyber attackers to generate new domain names and IP addresses for malware’s command and control servers. Executed in a manner that seems random, it makes it nearly impossible for threat hunters to detect and contain the attack. A command-and-control server is a server that communicates with malware installed on infected machines and sends commands or updates to them. A program is a piece of software that performs a specific task or function. A domain generated algorithm is implemented by a program that runs on the attacker’s machine or the malware itself, and produces a large number of domain names based on some logic, such as date, time, seed, dictionary, etc. References: Domain generation algorithmAmong cyber-attack techniques, what is a DGA?
When would an administrator need to use a tombstone file?
Options:
You use a tombstone file when a policy causes a file download to be blocked.
You use a tombstone file when a policy causes a publicly shared file to be encrypted.
You use a tombstone file when the policy causes a file to be moved to quarantine.
You use a tombstone file when a policy causes a file to be moved to legal hold.
Answer:
CExplanation:
A tombstone file is a placeholder file that replaces the original file when it is moved to quarantine by a Netskope policy. The tombstone file contains information about the original file, such as its name, size, type, owner, and the reason why it was quarantined. The tombstone file also provides a link to the Netskope UI where the administrator or the file owner can view more details about the incident and take appropriate actions, such as restoring or deleting the file. The purpose of using a tombstone file is to preserve the metadata and location of the original file, as well as to notify the users about the quarantine action and how to access the file if needed. References: Threat Protection - Netskope Knowledge PortalNetskope threat protection - Netskope
Which two cloud security and infrastructure enablement technologies does Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) combine into its unified platform? (Choose two.)
Options:
Distributed Denial of Service Protection (DDoS)
Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
Unified Threat Management (UTM)
Answer:
B, CExplanation:
Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a cloud-based architecture that combines various cloud security and infrastructure enablement technologies into a unified platform that delivers security and networking services from the edge of the network. Two of these technologies are Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) and Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB). ZTNA is a technology that provides secure access to private applications without exposing them to the internet or using VPNs. It uses identity-based policies and encryption to grant granular access to authorized users and devices, regardless of their location or network. CASB is a technology that provides visibility and control over cloud applications (SaaS) used by users and devices. It uses API connections or inline proxies to inspect and enforce policies on data and activities in cloud applications, such as data loss prevention, threat protection, or compliance. Distributed Denial of Service Protection (DDoS) and Unified Threat Management (UTM) are not technologies that SASE combines into its unified platform, although they may be related or integrated with some of its components. References: [SASE], [ZTNA], [CASB].
You investigate a suspected malware incident and confirm that it was a false alarm.
Options:
In this scenario, how would you prevent the same file from triggering another incident?
Quarantine the file. Look up the hash at the VirusTotal website.
Export the packet capture to a pcap file.
Add the hash to the file filter.
Answer:
DExplanation:
A file filter is a list of file hashes that you can use to exclude files from inspection by Netskope. By adding the hash of the file that triggered a false alarm to the file filter, you can prevent it from being scanned again by Netskope and avoid generating another incident. Quarantining the file, exporting the packet capture, or looking up the hash at VirusTotal are not effective ways to prevent the same file from triggering another incident, as they do not affect how Netskope handles the file. References: Netskope Security Cloud Operation & Administration (NSCO&A) - Classroom Course, Module 6: Data Loss Prevention, Lesson 2: File Filters.
When using an out-of-band API connection with your sanctioned cloud service, what are two capabilities available to the administrator? (Choose two.)
Options:
to quarantine malware
to find sensitive content
to block uploads
to allow real-time access
Answer:
A, BExplanation:
When using an out-of-band API connection with your sanctioned cloud service, two capabilities available to the administrator are: to quarantine malware and to find sensitive content. An out-of-band API connection is a method of integrating Netskope with your cloud service provider using the APIs exposed by the cloud service. This allows Netskope to access the data that is already stored in the cloud service and perform retrospective inspection and enforcement of policies. One capability that the administrator can use with an out-of-band API connection is to quarantine malware. This means that Netskope can scan the files in the cloud service for malware, ransomware, phishing, and other threats, and move them to a quarantine folder or delete them if they are found to be malicious. Another capability that the administrator can use with an out-of-band API connection is to find sensitive content. This means that Netskope can scan the files in the cloud service for sensitive data, such as personal information, intellectual property, or regulated data, and apply data loss prevention (DLP) policies to protect them. For example, Netskope can encrypt, redact, or watermark the files that contain sensitive content, or notify the administrator or the file owner about the exposure. References: Netskope API ProtectionReal-time Control and Data Protection via Out-of-Band API
Which three security controls are offered by the Netskope Cloud platform? (Choose three.)
Options:
identity lifecycle management
data loss prevention for SMTP
cloud security posture management
endpoint anti-malware
threat protection
Answer:
B, C, EExplanation:
Three security controls that are offered by the Netskope Cloud platform are: C. cloud security posture management, E. threat protection, and B. data loss prevention for SMTP.
- Cloud security posture management is a service that provides continuous assessment and remediation of public cloud deployments for risks, threats, and compliance issues. Netskope CSPM leverages the APIs available from cloud service providers such as AWS, Azure, and GCP to scan the cloud infrastructure for misconfigurations, such as insecure permissions, open ports, unencrypted data, etc. Netskope CSPM also provides security posture policies, profiles, and rules that can be customized to match the security standards and best practices of the organization or industry.
- Threat protection is a capability to detect and block malware, ransomware, phishing, and other cyber threats that may compromise cloud data or users. Netskope threat protection uses advanced techniques such as machine learning, sandboxing, threat intelligence, and behavioral analysis to identify and prevent malicious activities in real time.Netskope threat protection also integrates with third-party solutions such as antivirus engines, firewalls, SIEMs, etc., to provide comprehensive defense across the cloud and web1.
- Data loss prevention for SMTP is a feature that allows you to protect sensitive data that is sent or received via email. Netskope DLP for SMTP can scan email messages and attachments for predefined or custom data patterns, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, health records, etc., and apply appropriate actions, such as block, quarantine, encrypt, notify, etc., based on the DLP policies.Netskope DLP for SMTP can also support multiple email domains and routing rules for different groups of users2.
What are two fundamental differences between the inline and API implementation of the Netskope platform? (Choose two.)
Options:
The API implementation can be used with both sanctioned and unsanctioned applications.
The API implementation can only be used with sanctioned applications.
The inline implementation can effectively block a transaction in both sanctioned and unsanctioned applications.
The inline implementation can only effectively block a transaction in sanctioned applications.
Answer:
B, CExplanation:
The inline and API implementation of the Netskope platform are two different ways of connecting cloud applications to Netskope for inspection and policy enforcement. Two fundamental differences between them are: The API implementation can only be used with sanctioned applications, which are applications that are approved and authorized by the organization for business use. The API implementation relies on using out-of-band API connections to access data and events from these applications and apply near real-time policies. The inline implementation can effectively block a transaction in both sanctioned and unsanctioned applications, which are applications that are not approved or authorized by the organization for business use. The inline implementation relies on using in-band proxy or reverse-proxy connections to intercept traffic to and from these applications and apply real-time policies. The API implementation can be used with both sanctioned and unsanctioned applications and the inline implementation can only effectively block a transaction in sanctioned applications are not true statements, as they contradict the actual capabilities and limitations of each implementation method. References: [Netskope SaaS API-enabled Protection], [Netskope Inline CASB].