PCCSE Prisma Certified Cloud Security Engineer Questions and Answers

Prisma Cloud's API documentation and extensive developer resources are primarily hosted on prisma.pan.dev, which is Palo Alto Networks' developer portal. This site offers comprehensive guides, API references, and resources for developers to integrate, automate, and extend the capabilities of Prisma Cloud within their applications and workflows. While docs.paloaltonetworks.com provides official product documentation, and Prisma Cloud Administrator’s Guide offers in-depth administrative guidance, prisma.pan.dev is specifically designed to serve as the hub for API documentation and developer resources. The Live Community is another valuable resource for peer support and discussions but is not the primary source for API documentation.

https://prisma.pan.dev/api/cloud/

Based on the information available in the provided documents, specifically from the "code-to-cloud-intelligence (1).pdf", Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks offers integration with multiple cloud service providers. While the document does not explicitly mention the ability to receive new API release information for Prisma Cloud, it does list integrations with various cloud service providers such as AWS, Azure, Google Cloud (GCP), Oracle Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud. Therefore, the answer would be C: AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle, Alibaba.

To scan container images in Jenkins pipelines, two effective methods are using twistcli and the Compute Jenkins plugin. twistcli is a command-line tool provided by Prisma Cloud that allows for the scanning of container images for vulnerabilities and compliance issues directly from the CI/CD pipeline. It can be integrated into Jenkins jobs as a build or post-build step to automatically scan images as part of the build process.

The Compute Jenkins plugin is specifically designed for integration with Jenkins, providing a more seamless and automated way to include Prisma Cloud's security scanning capabilities within Jenkins pipelines. This plugin enables Jenkins to trigger image scans with Prisma Cloud directly and can fail builds based on scan results, ensuring that only secure and compliant images are pushed through the CI/CD pipeline.

Both twistcli and the Compute Jenkins plugin are designed to integrate Prisma Cloud's security capabilities into the CI/CD process, enabling DevOps teams to identify and fix security issues early in the development lifecycle.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/manage-prisma-cloud-alerts/prisma-cloud-alert-resolution-reasons

In Prisma Cloud, POLICY_UPDATED is a valid reason for the dismissal of an alert. This reason indicates that an alert can be dismissed if the policy that triggered the alert has been updated. When a policy is updated to no longer apply to certain resources or conditions, any open alerts that were generated based on the previous version of the policy may be dismissed as they are no longer relevant.

The other options, such as SNOOZED_AUTO_CLOSE, ALERT_RULE_ADDED, and USER_DELETED, are not standard reasons for the dismissal of an alert in Prisma Cloud. SNOOZED_AUTO_CLOSE refers to the temporary suspension of an alert, ALERT_RULE_ADDED is related to the creation of a new alert rule, and USER_DELETED would pertain to the removal of a user account, not directly to alert dismissal.

CloudFormation templates, used to describe and provision all the infrastructure resources in cloud environments, support various elements including resources, mappings, parameters, and outputs. However, scan support for CloudFormation templates does not currently exist for nested references, macros, or intrinsic functions (option A). These advanced CloudFormation features can introduce complexity in scanning and interpreting the templates accurately for security and compliance checks.

The correct RQL (Resource Query Language) that detected the vulnerability is:

config from cloud.resource where cloud.type = 'aws' and api.name = 'aws-iam-get-credential-report' AND json.rule = '(access_key_1_active is true and access_key_1_last_rotated != N/A and DateTime. ageInDays (access_key_1_last_rotated) > 90) or (access_key_2_active is true and access_key_2_last_rotated != N/A and _DateTime. ageInDays (access_key_2_last_rotated) > 90)'

This RQL is designed to check the age of the AWS IAM user's access keys to ensure that they are rotated within a recommended period, typically 90 days. If the access keys have not been rotated within this timeframe, it would be considered a security risk or vulnerability, as old keys may potentially be compromised. By enforcing access key rotation, it minimizes the risk of unauthorized access.

The reference for this type of policy check can be seen in cloud security best practices that advocate for regular rotation of access keys to minimize the potential impact of key compromise. CSPM tools like Prisma Cloud include such checks to automate compliance with these best practices.

https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/t5/blogs/what-is-changing-for-ci-cd-plugins/ba-p/461676

Prisma Cloud has announced changes to its CI/CD plugins due to the acquisition of Bridgecrew1. The existing IaC functionality in Prisma Cloud will be replaced by a Prisma “cloud code security” (CCS) module that delivers Bridgecrew integration in Prisma Cloud1. As part of this change, several CI/CD plugins that Prisma Cloud currently uses will either be replaced or modified1.

According to the information from the link, both Checkov and CircleCI are listed as integrations that will switch to the Prisma “cloud code security” (CCS) module1. Checkov is an open-source command-line interface (CLI) utility that includes more than 750 predefined policies and supports custom policies1. CircleCI is a continuous integration and continuous delivery platform1.

View users who enabled console access with both access keys and passwords: config from cloud.resource where api.name = 'aws-iam-get-credential-report' AND json.rule = access_key_1_active is true or access_key_2_active is true and password_enabled is true https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma- cloud/prisma-cloud-rql-reference/rql-reference/config-query/config-query-examples

In the context of DoS protection, enforcing a rate limit is a common strategy to prevent abuse and ensure service availability. The scenario described involves limiting the rate at which users can post ".tar.gz" files to five within five seconds. The correct ban configuration for this requirement would be one that specifies an average rate of 5 with a file extension match on “.tar.gz" within the Web Application and API Security (WAAS) component of a security solution like Prisma Cloud. WAAS is designed to protect web applications and APIs from various threats, including DoS attacks, by applying policies that can limit actions based on specific criteria, such as file types and request rates. This configuration ensures that any attempt to upload more than five ".tar.gz" files within a five-second window would be detected and blocked, mitigating the risk of DoS attacks targeting this particular file upload functionality.

In the context of Prisma Cloud, Build and Run policies serve distinct purposes in securing cloud environments. Build policies are designed to evaluate Infrastructure as Code (IaC) templates before deployment. These policies help identify and remediate security misconfigurations in the development phase, ensuring that vulnerabilities are addressed before the infrastructure is provisioned. This proactive approach enhances security by preventing misconfigurations from reaching production environments.

On the other hand, Run policies are applied to resources that are already deployed in the cloud. These policies continuously monitor the cloud environment, detecting and alerting on potential security issues that arise in the runtime. Run policies help maintain the security posture of cloud resources by identifying deviations from established security baselines and enabling quick remediation of identified issues.

Both Build and Run policies are integral to a comprehensive cloud security strategy, addressing security concerns at different stages of the cloud resource lifecycle—from development and deployment to ongoing operation.

In Prisma Cloud, the Defender type responsible for performing registry scanning is the Container Defender. Registry scanning is crucial for ensuring that container images stored in registries are free from vulnerabilities and compliance issues before they are deployed. Container Defenders scan images within container registries, identifying security risks and ensuring that only secure container images are used in deployment, thereby maintaining the integrity and security of containerized applications.

When configuring Single Sign-On (SSO) in Prisma Cloud, the platform acts as the Service Provider (SP). In the SSO process, the Service Provider relies on an Identity Provider (IdP) to authenticate users. Prisma Cloud, as the SP, integrates with an IdP to allow users to log in using their existing credentials managed by the IdP. This setup simplifies the authentication process, enhances security by centralizing user credentials, and provides a seamless user experience.

Prisma Cloud Data Security supports various data storage types, including AWS S3 buckets (B). AWS S3 (Simple Storage Service) is a widely used object storage service that offers scalability, data availability, security, and performance. Prisma Cloud's ability to secure S3 buckets is crucial for organizations leveraging AWS for storage needs, as it ensures that data stored within these buckets is protected against unauthorized access, data breaches, and other security threats. Prisma Cloud provides comprehensive visibility into the data stored in S3 buckets, enabling data classification, compliance monitoring, and threat detection to safeguard sensitive data effectively.

The Adoption Advisor uses four categories to measure adoption progress for Cloud Security Posture Management: Visibility, Compliance, Governance, and Threat Detection and Response. Visibility helps to identify the resources in the environment and to ensure that security controls are in place. Compliance helps to ensure that the environment is meeting regulatory and industry standards. Governance helps to ensure that the environment is secure and managed according to policy. Threat Detection and Response helps to detect and respond to threats quickly and effectively.

The Adoption Advisor in Prisma Cloud uses categories such as Visibility, Compliance, Governance, and Threat Detection and Response to measure adoption progress for Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM). These categories represent key areas of focus for effectively managing and securing cloud environments. Visibility refers to the ability to see and understand all cloud resources and their configurations. Compliance involves ensuring that cloud resources comply with regulatory standards and best practices. Governance encompasses the policies and procedures that control cloud resource usage and security. Threat Detection and Response involves identifying and mitigating security threats to the cloud environment. By measuring adoption progress across these categories, organizations can assess how well they are utilizing CSPM capabilities to secure their cloud environments.

Log into Console. / Go to Manage > Alerts > Logging. / Configure Prisma Cloud to send audit event records to syslog, stdout and Prometheus.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/audit/logging

To ingest all Console and Defender logs into Splunk within Prisma Cloud Compute, the most effective method is to enable the syslog option in the Console. This configuration allows the direct export of logs in a format compatible with Splunk, facilitating real-time log analysis and monitoring. This setup supports continuous security monitoring and advanced threat detection capabilities by utilizing Splunk's extensive data processing and visualization tools.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/vulnerability_management/vuln_explorer

The top critical CVEs (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) for deployed images in Prisma Cloud can be found in the Vulnerabilities Explorer under the Monitor tab. This is where users can input the CVE of interest and get a filtered list of images impacted by that CVE. The Vulnerability Explorer provides a comprehensive view of the vulnerabilities, allowing users to see details such as risk score, CVE risk factors, environmental risk factors, and impacted packages1. This tool is essential for identifying and managing vulnerabilities within your cloud environment, ensuring that all images pulled into deployments or test environments are properly identified and secured.

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA14u0000004MfoCAE

• POST https://api.prismacloud.io/login
• GET https://api.prismacloud.io/access_keys
• PATCH https://api.prismacloud.io/access_keys//status/

To write a script that automatically deactivates access keys that have not been used for 30 days, an administrator would need to follow an ordered sequence of API calls to the Prisma Cloud platform.

The first API call must authenticate the script with the Prisma Cloud API, which is typically done using a POST request to the login endpoint. This step is necessary to establish a session and retrieve an authentication token required for subsequent API calls.

Once the script is authenticated, the next call is a GET request to the access_keys endpoint. This retrieves a list of all access keys within the environment. The script can then parse through these keys to determine which ones have not been used within the specified timeframe of 30 days.

For each access key that meets the criteria (unused for 30 days), the script must send a PATCH request to the specific access key's endpoint, which includes the access key ID and the desired status. This request will change the status of the access key to 'inactive' or a similar status that denotes deactivation.

Following this ordered sequence ensures that the script systematically authenticates, evaluates, and updates the status of access keys based on their usage, thereby maintaining security and compliance within the Prisma Cloud environment.

The twistcli tool, part of Prisma Cloud's suite of security tools, supports various platforms for security scanning and configuration. The correct platforms supported by twistcli include:

• A. Linux: twistcli is widely used on Linux platforms for scanning container images, host vulnerabilities, and more, making it a correct choice.
• B. Windows: twistcli supports Windows, allowing users to perform security scans and checks on Windows-based systems, making it a correct choice.
• D. MacOS: twistcli is also compatible with MacOS, enabling security operations on Apple's operating system, making it a correct choice. Option C (Android) and E (Solaris) are not supported platforms for the twistcli tool, according to the available documentation on Prisma Cloud.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/configure-external-integrations-on-prisma-cloud#id24911ff9-c9ec-4503-bb3a-6cfce792a70d

The correct section of the Console that the administrator should use to review findings such as "User namespace is enabled", "An LDAP server is enabled", and "SSH root is enabled" is "Compliance".

The "Compliance" section in CSPM tools like Prisma Cloud provides an overview of the current compliance posture against various regulatory standards and best practices. It can help identify configurations that do not adhere to best practices or that may violate compliance requirements, such as enabling the user namespace, which could be a security risk, or having an LDAP server and SSH root enabled, which may not comply with certain security standards.

Reference to the use of the "Compliance" section can be found in CSPM documentation, where it details how compliance checks are used to assess the security and configuration of cloud resources against established benchmarks and standards, allowing organizations to maintain compliance and improve their security posture.

Web Application and API Security (WAAS) bot protection within the Prisma Cloud ecosystem includes various types of bots, with "User-defined bots" and "Unknown bots" being two key categories. User-defined bots refer to bots that organizations have explicitly identified and categorized based on their behavior and purpose. These can include legitimate bots such as search engine crawlers or internal automation tools, which are recognized and allowed based on predefined criteria set by the user.

Unknown bots, on the other hand, encompass bots that have not been explicitly identified or categorized by the user or the system. These can potentially include malicious bots that attempt to scrape data, perform DDoS attacks, or exploit vulnerabilities in web applications and APIs. The categorization of unknown bots is crucial for maintaining security, as it allows for the monitoring and analysis of bot behavior to identify potential threats and take appropriate actions.

In the context of Prisma Cloud and its emphasis on securing cloud-native applications, the differentiation between user-defined and unknown bots is significant. Prisma Cloud's approach to WAAS bot protection is designed to provide granular control over bot traffic, enabling organizations to distinguish between beneficial and harmful bot activities. This aligns with the broader goal of ensuring the security and integrity of web applications and APIs in a cloud environment, as highlighted in documents such as the "Prisma-Cloud-Visibility-and-Control-Qualification-Guide" and "Guide-to-CSPM-Tools-Email-Social -LP-Copy." These resources emphasize the importance of comprehensive security measures that include the management of bot traffic to protect against a wide range of web-based threats.

References:

• "Prisma-Cloud-Visibility-and-Control-Qualification-Guide" discusses the importance of visibility and control in cloud environments, including the management of bot traffic as part of a comprehensive security strategy.
• "Guide-to-CSPM-Tools-Email-Social -LP-Copy" highlights the need for advanced security tools and practices, such as WAAS bot protection, to manage and mitigate the risks associated with web applications and APIs in the cloud.

Prisma Cloud includes built-in Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) permission groups to manage user access and permissions efficiently. Among the options, Group Membership Admin and Account Group Admin are two built-in RBAC permission groups. Group Membership Admins are responsible for managing user memberships within groups, while Account Group Admins have administrative privileges over specific account groups, allowing them to manage resources and policies within those groups. These roles help in delegating administrative tasks and enforcing the principle of least privilege.

To investigate the runtime aspects of a potential data exfiltration attempt, the SecOps lead in Prisma Cloud Compute should focus on areas that provide insights into runtime activity and potential threats. C. The SecOps lead should use the Incident Explorer page and Monitor > Events > Container Audits. These sections provide detailed information on security incidents and container-level activities, enabling a thorough investigation into the runtime behavior that might indicate a security issue.

While agentless scanning in Prisma Cloud can effectively assess various risks in cloud environments, including host compliance and vulnerabilities, it does not extend to container runtime risks. To inspect risks associated with container runtimes, such as real-time threat detection, behavioral monitoring, and deep visibility into container activity, deploying Prisma Cloud Defenders is necessary. These Defenders are lightweight agents that provide an additional layer of security by monitoring containerized applications in real-time, thereby offering comprehensive protection against threats that may arise during the runtime phase of containers.

The correct command to scan the nginx:latest image for vulnerabilities and compliance issues using the Prisma Cloud twistcli tool is shown in Option D. This command uses twistcli images scan with specified parameters for the console address, username, and password, and it outputs the results to a file named scan-results.json. This allows for the scanning results to be saved and reviewed in a structured format, which aids in further analysis and tracking of vulnerabilities and compliance issues.

In AWS, the net effective permissions are calculated based on various policy types and identities. The correct choices are:

• A. AWS service control policies (SCPs): SCPs are used in AWS Organizations to manage permissions for all accounts within the organization, affecting the net effective permissions.
• B. AWS IAM group: IAM groups define a set of permissions for a collection of users, influencing their effective permissions.
• C. AWS IAM role: IAM roles provide temporary security credentials to assume a set of permissions, impacting the net effective permissions. Option D (AWS IAM User) and E (AWS IAM tag policy) also play roles in defining permissions, but A, B, and C are the primary types used in calculating net effective permissions, making them the correct choices.

When creating a Config policy in Prisma Cloud and incorporating a JSON query, the correct place to add this query is under the "Build Your Rule (Build tab)" (Option E). This section allows users to define the criteria and conditions for the policy, including specifying JSON or RQL (Resource Query Language) queries that articulate the policy's logic. The "Details" (Option A) tab is typically used for general information about the policy, such as its name and description. The "Compliance Standards" (Option B) tab is for associating the policy with specific compliance frameworks. The "Remediation" (Option C) tab provides guidance on how to remediate any issues detected by the policy. The "Build Your Rule (Run tab)" (Option D) is not a standard option in Prisma Cloud policy configuration.

• Create SNS Topic Triggers: No data security scan
• Select an S3 bucket: Forward Scan only
• Select an S3 bucket with existing files: Forward or Backward Scan
• Link an S3 logging to CloudTrail: Backward Scan only

The scanning mode for Data Security in AWS typically depends on the configuration and the desired outcomes for monitoring and protecting data within S3 buckets.

Creating SNS Topic Triggers is a configuration step that does not directly involve scanning. It is part of setting up notifications for events in S3 buckets, but on its own, it does not initiate a data security scan.

Selecting an S3 bucket without specifying existing files typically implies that you intend to scan new objects as they are added to the bucket, which is known as a Forward Scan. This mode is proactive and scans files upon their arrival in the bucket.

When you select an S3 bucket with existing files, you can perform either Forward Scanning for new files or Backward Scanning to scan all existing files in the bucket. This option provides the most comprehensive scanning coverage for both new and existing data.

Linking an S3 logging to CloudTrail is usually a step taken to monitor access and changes to S3 resources. In the context of scanning, linking S3 to CloudTrail does not initiate a scan, but the CloudTrail logs can be used to trigger a Backward Scan if configured to do so, which scans historical files in the bucket based on CloudTrail events.

The Defender type "Container Defender - Linux" in Prisma Cloud is typically deployed as a container. This deployment method allows the Defender to integrate seamlessly into containerized environments, providing runtime protection and monitoring for container activities. By running as a container, the Container Defender can leverage the native capabilities of the container orchestration platform, such as Kubernetes, to provide security features like threat detection, vulnerability management, and compliance enforcement within the containerized environment. This approach ensures that the security protections are closely aligned with the dynamic and scalable nature of containerized applications.

To authenticate to Prisma Cloud Enterprise programmatically, the use of an access key is the most suitable method among the given options. Access keys, typically consisting of an Access Key ID and Secret Access Key, are used for programmatic calls to the Prisma Cloud API. This method enables secure, authenticated API requests to Prisma Cloud services without requiring manual user intervention, which is essential for automation and integration with CI/CD pipelines.

Reference to the use of access keys for programmatic access can often be found in the API documentation of cloud security platforms like Prisma Cloud. While specific documentation from Prisma Cloud is not directly quoted here, the general practice across cloud services (AWS, Azure, GCP) supports the use of access keys for API authentication, making it a verified approach for Prisma Cloud as well.

The correct construction for scanning a container image using the TwistCLI tool in Prisma Cloud is option B. This command specifies the address of the Prisma Cloud Console and the image to be scanned, including its tag. The TwistCLI tool is part of Prisma Cloud's capabilities to integrate security into the CI/CD pipeline, allowing for the scanning of images for vulnerabilities as part of the build process, thus ensuring that only secure images are deployed​​.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/20-09/prisma-cloud-compute-edition-admin/upgrade/upgrade_process

In Prisma Cloud, roles with access to view policies include Auditor and Dev SecOps. The Auditor role is typically focused on compliance and oversight, allowing users to review configurations, policies, and compliance status without making changes. The Dev SecOps role bridges the gap between development, security, and operations, focusing on integrating security practices within the CI/CD pipeline. Both roles require access to Prisma Cloud policies to perform their functions effectively, ensuring that security and compliance are maintained throughout the cloud environment and application lifecycle.

During the creation of a custom config query in Prisma Cloud, the "api.name" field is required. This field specifies the API endpoint that the query will target, essentially defining the scope of the query within the cloud environment. The "api.name" serves as a critical identifier that allows the query to retrieve specific information or perform actions related to the chosen API endpoint. By specifying the "api.name," users can create tailored queries that address their specific security, compliance, or governance needs, enabling more precise and effective management of cloud resources and security posture.

Reference tech docs: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/continuous_integration/set_policy_ci_plugins.html

Vulnerability rules that target the build tool can allow specific vulnerabilities by creating an exception and setting the effect to 'ignore'. Block them by creating an exception and setting hte effect to 'fail'. For example, you could create a vulnerability rule that explicitly allows CVE-2018-1234 to suppress warnings in the scan results.

To fail CI jobs based on a specific CVE contained within an image, the development team should configure the policy within Prisma Cloud's Console, specifically within the Continuous Integration (CI) policy settings. By setting a specific CVE exception in the CI policy, the team can define criteria that will cause the CI process to fail if the specified CVE is detected in the scanned image. This approach allows for granular control over the build process, ensuring that images with known vulnerabilities are not promoted through the CI/CD pipeline, thereby maintaining the security posture of the deployed applications. This method is in line with best practices for integrating security into the CI/CD process, allowing for automated enforcement of security standards directly within the development pipeline.

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA14u000000oMkpCAE &lang=en_US%E2%80%A9&refURL=http%3A%2F%2Fknowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com%2FKCSArticleDetail

The runtime audit message indicating "DNS resolution of suspicious name wikipedia.com. type A" would appear as an audit because the DNS was not learned as part of the Container model or added to the DNS allow list (option A). In cloud security platforms like Prisma Cloud, runtime protection policies monitor the behavior of running containers and compare it against a learned model of expected behavior. If a container attempts to resolve a DNS name that was not observed during the learning phase or specifically allowed, it triggers an audit event to alert security teams of potentially malicious activity.

In Prisma Cloud, configuration policies are categorized to align with the different phases of the cloud security lifecycle, emphasizing a holistic approach to cloud security management. The subtypes "Build and Run" encapsulate this approach by covering both the development phase (Build) - where cloud resources and applications are designed and created, and the operational phase (Run) - where these resources and applications are deployed and actively used. This categorization ensures that security and compliance are integral throughout the lifecycle, from the initial creation of cloud infrastructure and applications to their deployment and day-to-day operation, thereby enhancing the overall security posture.

Upon enabling alarms in Prisma Cloud, two critical alarm types that are registered are Onboarded Cloud Accounts status (A) and External integrations status (D). These alarms are pivotal for maintaining the health and security of the cloud environment. The Onboarded Cloud Accounts status alarms alert administrators about the connectivity and health of cloud accounts integrated with Prisma Cloud, ensuring continuous monitoring and security coverage. The External integrations status alarms provide notifications regarding the operational status of third-party services and tools integrated with Prisma Cloud, such as SIEMs, ticketing systems, or other security tools, ensuring that these integrations function correctly to support comprehensive security and incident response workflows.

To automate vulnerability scanning for images deployed to Fargate, the customer should set up a vulnerability scanner on the container registry where the images are stored before they are deployed. By scanning the images in the registry, any vulnerabilities can be identified and addressed before the images are used to create Fargate tasks. This proactive approach to vulnerability management is crucial in cloud-native environments to ensure that deployed containers are free from known vulnerabilities​​.

Prisma Cloud supports configuring Single Sign-On (SSO) with Identity Providers (IdPs) to streamline user authentication processes. However, for all the cloud accounts monitored by Prisma Cloud, only one IdP provider can be enabled at any given time. This limitation ensures a unified authentication mechanism across the platform, reducing complexity and potential security risks associated with managing multiple IdP configurations.

The activities listed (Backdoor account access, Hijacked processes, Lateral movement, Port scanning) are categorized as incidents (option B). Incidents represent security events or patterns of activity that indicate potential security breaches or malicious behavior within the environment. Prisma Cloud identifies and classifies such activities as incidents to highlight significant security concerns that require investigation and potential remediation. This categorization helps security teams prioritize their response efforts, focusing on activities that pose a real threat to the integrity and security of the cloud environment. By distinguishing incidents from other types of security findings, Prisma Cloud enables more effective incident response and threat management processes.

1 -Create Stack

2 - Ener SNS Topic in Cloudtrail

3 - Create Cloudtrail with S3 as Storage

4 - Enter RoleARN and SNSARN

https://docs.prismacloud.io/en/classic/cspm-admin-guide/prisma-cloud-data-security/enable-data-security-module/enable-data-security-for-aws-org-account

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-rql-reference/rql-reference/event-query/event-query-examples

You can have twistcli generate a detailed report for each scan. The following procedure shows you how to scan an image with twistcli, and then retrieve the results from Console.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/tools/twistcli_scan_images

RESOURCE_DELETED Resource was deleted. USER_DISMISSED Alert was dismissed or snoozed by the Prisma Cloud administrator with role of System admin, Account Group Admin, or Account and Cloud Provisioning Admin. POLICY_UPDATED Policy was updated. This status indicates a change in the policy RQL that results in a resource not being in scope for the policy evaluation.

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA14u0000004OQ2CAM

When the Console is unreachable during upgrades, Defenders continue to alert and enforce using the policies and settings most recently cached before the upgrade (option D). This behavior ensures that security enforcement remains active and consistent, even when the central management console is temporarily unavailable. The cached policies enable Defenders to maintain the security posture based on the last known configuration, ensuring continuous protection against threats and compliance with established security policies. This approach reflects Prisma Cloud's design principle of ensuring uninterrupted security enforcement, thereby safeguarding the environment against potential vulnerabilities during maintenance periods.

Learning mode is the phase in which Prisma Cloud performs either static or dynamic analysis. Because the model depends on behavioral inputs, images stay in learning mode for 1 hour to complete the model. After this 1 hour, Prisma Cloud enters a 'dry run' period for 24 hours to ensure there are no behavioral changes and the model is complete. If during these 24 hours, behavioral changes are observed, the model goes back to Learning mode for an additional 24 hours.

To onboard an AWS account into Prisma Cloud for the purpose of monitoring resource configurations, the necessary information includes the Role ARN (Amazon Resource Name) and CloudTrail setup. The Role ARN (Option E) is crucial because Prisma Cloud requires permission to access and monitor resources within the AWS account, which is facilitated through an IAM role that Prisma Cloud can assume. This IAM role must have the necessary permissions to access AWS services and resources that Prisma Cloud needs to monitor. CloudTrail (Option A) is essential for auditing and monitoring API calls within the AWS environment, including those related to resource configurations. It provides visibility into user and resource activity by recording API calls made on the account. CloudTrail logs are used by Prisma Cloud to detect changes in resource configurations and ensure compliance with security policies. Subscription ID (Option B) and Active Directory ID (Option C) are more relevant to Azure cloud environments, not AWS. External ID (Option D) is used in a cross-account role trust relationship to prevent the "confused deputy" problem, but it's not specifically required just to onboard the account for resource configuration monitoring.

In Prisma Cloud Compute Self-Hosted Edition, images can be retrieved by first authenticating with the Prisma Cloud registry and then pulling the images from the Prisma Cloud registry. This process ensures secure access to Prisma Cloud images, as authentication is required to access the registry. By using authentication, Prisma Cloud ensures that only authorized users can retrieve and deploy Prisma Cloud images, maintaining the security and integrity of the deployment.

Configuring Single Sign-On (SSO) in Prisma Cloud requires the Identity Provider Issuer (Option B) and Certificate (Option C). The Identity Provider Issuer is a unique identifier for the SSO identity provider and is used by Prisma Cloud to establish trust and validate SSO responses. The Certificate, typically an X.509 certificate, is used to sign SSO assertions and ensure the security of the SSO communication. The Prisma Cloud Access SAML URL (Option A) is provided by Prisma Cloud to configure the SSO on the identity provider's side, not the other way around. The Identity Provider Logout URL (Option D) is used for single logout configurations but is not a required field for basic SSO configuration in Prisma Cloud.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin-compute/continuous_integration/set_policy_ci_plugins

For a runtime audit generated for a host with a message indicating a service attempting to obtain capability by executing a script, the root cause for this runtime audit is most likely related to D. Default rule that alerts on suspicious runtime behavior. This default rule is designed to flag unusual or potentially harmful activities that could indicate a security risk, prompting further investigation.

When the Compute Console in Prisma Cloud is upgraded to a newer major release, while the Defenders and the Twistcli tool remain on the older version, the system is designed to ensure backward compatibility to a certain extent. As a result, both Defenders and Twistcli will continue to operate despite the version discrepancy. The Defenders will remain connected, continuing their monitoring and protection duties, and the Twistcli tool will keep functioning, allowing for continued scanning and other CLI-based operations. This design ensures that the security and functionality of the environment are not abruptly interrupted due to the upgrade process, providing administrators with a window to plan and execute the upgrade of Defenders and Twistcli without immediate pressure.

In Prisma Cloud, assigning an administrative user to an account group is a way to implement the principle of least privilege by restricting the user's access to a specific subset of resources and data. Account groups are logical collections of cloud accounts, and by associating an administrative user with a particular account group, their access is limited to only those resources and data associated with the cloud accounts within that group. This mechanism ensures that users have access only to the information and resources necessary for their role or tasks, enhancing security by minimizing the potential for unauthorized access or actions within the cloud environment.

In Prisma Cloud, the list of people who are receiving e-mails for alerts is managed within the configuration of individual Alert Rules.

• Option D: Set Alert Notification section within an Alert Rule is where administrators can specify the e-mail recipients for alerts generated by Prisma Cloud. This section allows for the customization of alert notifications, including the selection of recipients who should receive email notifications when an alert is triggered. This granularity ensures that the right stakeholders are informed about specific security incidents or compliance violations, facilitating timely and appropriate responses.

References:

• Prisma Cloud Alert Configuration Documentation: Details the process of setting up alert rules in Prisma Cloud, including how to configure notification settings and specify recipients for email alerts.
• Alert Management Best Practices: Offers insights into effective alert management strategies, highlighting the importance of targeted alert notifications in ensuring that critical security information reaches the relevant parties promptly.

To detect and alert on activities performed by a root account, an audit event policy should be used. An audit event policy is a type of policy that can be used to detect suspicious activities or events that may be related to security threats. This type of policy will allow the administrator to monitor and alert on any activities performed by a root account.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/prisma-cloud-policies/prisma-cloud-threat-detection

The correct policy type to use in order to detect and alert on any activities performed by a root account is an "audit event" policy. An audit event policy is designed to monitor and record a series of chronological events in the order they occur, typically used to track user activities and changes within the system. When a root account performs any actions, an audit event policy will log these events, allowing the administrator to review and potentially set up alerts if suspicious or unauthorized activities are detected. This type of policy is crucial for security and compliance purposes as it helps ensure that all actions performed with root privileges are legitimate and authorized.

Reference to this can be found in most cloud security platforms that offer CSPM (Cloud Security Posture Management) solutions. For example, within Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks, audit events are a part of the Activity Monitoring features, which track user activities and system changes to facilitate investigations into suspicious or unauthorized actions.

You can define up to 5 CLI commands in a sequence for a multi-step automatic remediation workflow. Add the commands in the sequence you want them to execute and separate the commands with a semi colon. If any CLI command included in the sequence fails, the execution stops at that point.

The Prisma Cloud platform allows administrators to define up to 5 CLI commands in a sequence for a multi-step automatic remediation workflow. These commands should be added in the order they are intended to be executed and must be separated by a semicolon. If any CLI command in the sequence fails during execution, the process stops at that point. This feature enables administrators to automate the remediation process efficiently and effectively, ensuring that actions are taken in a specific order to address alerts or compliance issues.

This capability is detailed in the Prisma Cloud documentation under the section for configuring Prisma Cloud to automatically remediate alerts. It’s an important feature for maintaining security and compliance in cloud environments, as it allows for quick and automated responses to identified issues.

To restrict any container from resolving the name www.evil-url.com , the administrator should set www.evil-url.com as a blocklisted DNS name in the default Container policy and set the effect to prevent. This configuration in Prisma Cloud, or similar CSPM tools, ensures that any attempt to resolve the specified blocklisted DNS name within any container will be prevented, thus enhancing security by proactively blocking potential communication with known malicious domains.

Reference to this feature can be found in the documentation of CSPM tools that offer runtime protection for containers. These tools allow administrators to define security policies that can include DNS-based controls to prevent containers from accessing known malicious or undesirable URLs, thereby preventing potential data exfiltration, malware communication, or other security threats

The audit trail section of an asset's detail view in Prisma Cloud typically includes a log of configuration changes and alert and vulnerability events associated with the asset. These elements are crucial for tracking the history of modifications to an asset's configuration and the security incidents that have affected it. This information is instrumental in understanding the security posture of the asset over time and in conducting thorough investigations after a security event has been detected.

In the SecOps dashboard of a cloud security platform like Prisma Cloud, filters such as Time range and Account Groups are essential for narrowing down the data or security alerts based on specific time periods or organizational structures. The Time range filter allows users to view incidents or compliance data for a particular timeframe, facilitating trend analysis and focusing on recent events. The Account Groups filter enables the segregation of data based on different cloud accounts or organizational units, making it easier for security teams to manage and prioritize security tasks according to the business structure or cloud architecture.

Prisma Cloud Code Security is designed to integrate security into the DevOps process by scanning infrastructure as code (IaC) templates and configurations for potential security issues. This proactive approach allows developers and security teams to address misconfigurations and vulnerabilities in the code itself, before they are deployed into the cloud environment and become more challenging to resolve. By identifying and rectifying these issues early in the development lifecycle, organizations can reduce the risk of alerts and incidents arising from misconfigurations in their cloud infrastructure, leading to a more secure and compliant cloud environment.

Prisma Cloud Compute Compliance enforcement for hosts covers several aspects to ensure a secure and compliant host environment, particularly within containerized environments. These include:

• Docker daemon configuration files: Ensuring that Docker daemon configuration files are set up according to best security practices is crucial. These files contain various settings that control the behavior of the Docker daemon, and misconfigurations can lead to security vulnerabilities.
• Docker daemon configuration: Beyond just the configuration files, the overall configuration of the Docker daemon itself is critical. This encompasses runtime settings and command-line options that determine how Docker containers are executed and managed on the host.
• Host configuration: The security of the underlying host on which Docker and other container runtimes are installed is paramount. This includes the configuration of the host's operating system, network settings, file permissions, and other system-level settings that can impact the security of the containerized applications running on top.

By focusing on these areas, Prisma Cloud ensures that not just the containers but also the environment they run in is secure, adhering to compliance standards and best practices to mitigate risks associated with containerized deployments.

1. click on compliance standard.

2. add custom compliance standard.

3. edit policies.

4. add compliance standard from drop-down menu

https://docs.prismacloudcompute.com/docs/enterprise_edition/compliance/custom_compliance_checks.html#creating-a-new-custom-check

The process of mapping a policy to a custom compliance standard in a security platform like Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks involves several specific steps. Firstly, one must access the compliance standards, which is typically done by clicking on the "Compliance Standards" section within the platform's interface. This is where all standards, including custom and predefined ones, are listed.

Next, if the custom compliance standard does not already exist, it must be created. This step involves defining the criteria and controls that make up the standard, tailored to the organization's specific requirements.

Once the custom compliance standard is in place, the policy in question needs to be edited. This editing process would involve configuring the policy to align with the compliance controls outlined in the custom standard, ensuring that the policy will enforce or check for the necessary requirements as defined by the standard.

Finally, the last step is to formally associate or map the edited policy with the custom compliance standard. This is typically done by adding the policy to the standard, which may involve selecting the custom compliance standard from a drop-down menu within the policy settings, confirming that this particular policy should be enforced as part of the compliance checks for that standard.

This ordered process ensures that policies are properly aligned with the organization's compliance goals and can be enforced and reported on accurately within the security platform.

Prisma Cloud supports several serverless runtimes for vulnerability and compliance scans, including Python, Java, and Node.js. These runtimes are widely used in the development of serverless applications, which are designed to run in stateless compute containers that are event-triggered and fully managed by cloud services. By providing vulnerability and compliance scans for these serverless runtimes, Prisma Cloud helps organizations identify and remediate security issues within their serverless applications, ensuring that they adhere to security best practices and compliance standards. This capability is crucial for maintaining the security and integrity of serverless architectures, where traditional security approaches may not be applicable.

Using the Prisma Cloud API, users can fetch various attributes of policies, including the policy label (Option A) and policy mode (Option C). The policy label helps in categorizing and organizing policies, while the policy mode determines how the policy is enforced (e.g., alert, enforce). The policy signature (Option B) is not a standard attribute exposed via the API for fetching, as it relates more to the internal identification and handling of policies. The policy violation (Option D) is an outcome or event resulting from a policy breach, not an attribute of the policy itself that can be fetched via the API.

bat --> Data Classification

apk --> Malware Scanning

vb --> Data Classification

py --> Data Classification

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-cloud/prisma-cloud-admin/prisma-cloud-data-security/monitor-data-security-scan-prisma-cloud/supported-file-extensions

Prisma Cloud Data Security (PCDS) supports various file types for malware scanning, including .apk files, which are Android Package files used for installing applications on Android operating systems. This support is crucial for ensuring that applications deployed on or distributed through Android devices are free from malware and safe for user installation.

Retrieving Prisma Cloud Console images involves accessing a specific registry provided by Palo Alto Networks and authenticating using basic authentication with 'docker login'. Once authenticated, the user can pull the Prisma Cloud Console images using the 'docker pull' command. This process is part of the initial setup for deploying Prisma Cloud Console in an environment, allowing users to obtain the necessary images to run the Console, which serves as the central management interface for Prisma Cloud. The detailed steps, including the specific registry URL and authentication method, are typically provided in the Prisma Cloud documentation, ensuring that users have the information needed to successfully retrieve and deploy Console images.

Outbound notifications in Prisma Cloud refer to the integration with external systems or services for the purpose of alerting or incident management.

• Option D: PagerDuty is an example of an outbound notification within Prisma Cloud. PagerDuty is a popular incident response and alerting service that teams use to manage, track, and respond to incidents in real-time. Prisma Cloud's integration with PagerDuty allows organizations to automatically forward alerts from Prisma Cloud to PagerDuty, enabling streamlined incident management and response workflows.

References:

• Prisma Cloud Integration Documentation: Provides instructions for integrating Prisma Cloud with various external services, including PagerDuty, to enhance alerting and incident management capabilities.
• Incident Management Best Practices: Discusses strategies for effective incident management, highlighting the role of integrations with external alerting services like PagerDuty in improving response times and incident resolution.