SPLK-5001 Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Analyst Questions and Answers

In Splunk Enterprise Security, theRisk Event Timelineprovides a chronological view of risk events associated with a particular Risk Object, such as a user or device. This timeline helps analysts visualize and understand the sequence and nature of risk events over time, aiding in the investigation of security incidents.

Risk Event Timeline:

The Risk Event Timeline is accessible by clicking the risk event count associated with a Risk Object in the Incident Review dashboard. This action opens up the timeline view, which provides a detailed chronological perspective on how risk events have unfolded.

This feature is particularly useful for tracking the progression of threats and understanding the context of incidents.

Incorrect Options:

A. Running the Risk Analysis Adaptive Response action within the Notable Event:This option pertains to running a response action rather than visualizing risk events over time.

B. Via a workflow action for the Risk Investigation dashboard:Although workflow actions can lead to various dashboards, the specific visualization described is accessed via the Risk Event Timeline.

C. Via the Risk Analysis dashboard under the Security Intelligence tab in Enterprise Security:While this dashboard provides valuable insights into risk data, the specific chronological visualization is found in the Risk Event Timeline.

Splunk Documentation:Risk Event Timeline in Splunk Enterprise Security provides step-by-step details on how to access and interpret the timeline.

References:

The log entry indicates aPOST /cgi-bin/shutdown/request, which suggests that a command was sent to shut down the server via a CGI script. This kind of activity is indicative of aDenial of Service (DoS) attackbecause it involves sending a specific command that causes the server to stop functioning or shut down. This is different from a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack, which typically involves overwhelming the server with traffic rather than exploiting a specific command.

In Splunk, field extractions are essential for transforming raw log data into structured fields that are easier to work with during analysis. When the question refers to an analyst identifying helpful information in the raw logs that assists them in determining suspicious activity, the most effective way to streamline this process is throughfield extraction. This allows the Splunk system to automatically parse and tag the necessary data, making it more accessible for searches, dashboards, and alerts.

Let’s break down whyoption A: Create a field extraction for this informationis the best approach:

Field Extraction Overview:

Field extraction is a process within Splunk that takes unstructured log data and converts it into structured fields.

This makes it possible to directly query and display these fields, allowing analysts to quickly find and use relevant data in their investigations.

For example, if the logs contain IP addresses, user IDs, file names, or activity types, extracting these fields enables the analyst to filter and correlate data much more effectively without manually scanning the raw logs.

Why Field Extraction?

In this case, the question suggests that the raw logs contain information that helps determine whether activity is malicious. By creating field extractions for the relevant data points, analysts can use those structured fields to build queries and visualizations, drastically speeding up analysis time.

Analysts can write custom Splunk queries to isolate events that meet specific conditions, such as matching specific cloud sharing activities associated with risk notables.

Field extraction improves not only real-time analysis but also supports retrospective analysis and incident correlation across multiple events.

Comparison to Other Options:

Option B: Add this information to the risk message– While adding more context to a risk message could be useful for reviewing individual alerts, it doesn’t improve the efficiency of log analysis. The analyst still would need to go back and manually inspect raw logs for more detailed data.

Option C: Create another detection for this information– Creating additional detections adds more rules, but doesn't solve the fundamental issue of having raw logs that aren’t easily searchable. You can only build effective detections when you have structured data available.

Option D: Allowlist more events based on this information– Allowlisting is generally used to reduce noise or irrelevant logs, but it doesn't help extract the necessary details for analysis. It may reduce unnecessary alerts, but won’t help analyze the suspicious events that do arise.

Cybersecurity Defense Analyst Best Practices:

Field extractionsshould be created for any important log source or data point, especially when handling complex or multi-part log entries (e.g., cloud sharing logs). This ensures logs are searchable and actionable, allowing for faster identification of anomalies and malicious activity.

Analysts should collaborate with engineers to ensure these extractions are tuned and validated. The extraction should be tailored to isolate the fields most relevant for identifying suspicious activity.

Once fields are extracted, analysts can create dashboards, real-time alerts, or retrospective searches based on the structured data for more effective incident response.

References:

Splunk Documentation: Field Extraction in Splunk

Cybersecurity defense techniques emphasize the importance of making log data actionable, which aligns with common practices in Incident Detection & Response (IDR) environments. Structured data is key to this effort, and field extraction is a critical part of transforming raw logs into useful intelligence

Tactical intelligenceprovides insights into the specific behaviors, tools, and techniques used by threat actors. When a Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) team produces a report detailing a threat actor’s typical behaviors and intent, they are delivering tactical intelligence. This type of intelligence is actionable and directly supports defenders in identifying, mitigating, and responding to threats in a timely manner.

Tactical Intelligence:

Focuses on the specific, detailed activities of threat actors, such as the Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) they employ.

This intelligence helps in creating defensive strategies, such as refining detection rules, improving incident response plans, and enhancing threat hunting efforts.

Incorrect Options:

A. Operational:Operational intelligence involves real-time information and insights that support ongoing operations, often within a narrow timeframe.

B. Executive:Executive intelligence is high-level and strategic, intended for decision-makers and typically involves summaries rather than detailed technical information.

D. Strategic:Strategic intelligence is long-term and broad in scope, focusing on overall trends and the geopolitical context, rather than specific TTPs.

CTI Frameworks:Standards such as the MITRE ATT&CK framework, which classify tactical intelligence within the spectrum of threat intelligence.

References:

In Splunk’s Risk-Based Alerting (RBA) framework, aRisk Objectrefers to the specific entity (such as a user account, IP address, or host) that is associated with risk observations. When auser account generates multiple risk observations, it is labeled as a Risk Object, allowing security teams to track and manage risk more effectively.

Risk Object:

The Risk Object is central to Splunk’s RBA approach, which aggregates and evaluates risk across entities within an environment. This allows for a focused response to high-risk entities based on the accumulation of risk events.

Incorrect Options:

A. Risk Factor:This might refer to specific criteria or conditions that contribute to risk but does not denote the entity itself.

B. Risk Index:Could refer to a collection of risk-related data, not the specific entity.

C. Risk Analysis:Refers to the process of analyzing risk, not the entity under observation.

Splunk RBA Documentation:Detailed descriptions of how Risk Objects function within the Risk-Based Alerting framework.

References:

Splunk Answersis a community-driven Q&A platform where users can ask questions and share knowledge about Splunk. It is known for providing community-sourced answers to a wide rangeof questions, including SPL (Search Processing Language) queries, configuration issues, and general best practices. Users can contribute by answering questions based on their own experiences, making it a valuable resource for troubleshooting and learning.

B. Splunk Lantern:This is a resource for best practices, how-tos, and use case guides, but it’s not a community-sourced Q&A platform.

C. Splunk Guidebook:This is not a known resource in the context of community-sourced answers.

D. Splunk Documentation:While highly detailed and official, it is not community-sourced but rather maintained by Splunk's own teams.

Splunk Answers Platform:Splunk Answers

Incorrect Options:References:

A briefing delivered by a Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) team to a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) detailing the overall threat landscape is an example ofStrategicThreat Intelligence. Strategic intelligence focuses on high-level analysis of broader trends, threat actors, and potential risks to the organization over time. It is designed to inform senior leadership and influence long-term security strategies and policies. This contrasts withTacticalintelligence, which deals with immediate threats and actionable information, andOperationalintelligence, which is more focused on the details of specific threat actors or campaigns.

In the context of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), determining whether an event is a True Negative, True Positive, False Negative, or False Positive depends on the system's detection and the reality of the situation.

Let's break down the scenario:

IDS Signature Explanation:

The IDS is set to detect and alert on logins to a server, but only if they happen during a specific time window, from 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM.

The question states that no alerts occur during this time frame, but the IDS signature is known to be correct.

Understanding Detection Terms:

True Positive: The IDS correctly detects an intrusion or suspicious activity that is actually happening.

True Negative: The IDS does not detect any activity because no suspicious or malicious activity is occurring, and this lack of detection is correct.

False Positive: The IDS detects an intrusion or activity, but it is a false alarm (i.e., there is no real threat).

False Negative: The IDS fails to detect a real intrusion or activity when it should have, missing a legitimate alert.

Applying the Scenario:

In this case, no IDS alerts occurred during the specified time frame. If there were no actual logins during this period and the signature was designed correctly, then the absence of alerts is expected and appropriate.

Since no suspicious logins occurred, and the IDS did not trigger any alerts, this situation represents a True Negative—the system correctly identified that there was no suspicious activity to alert on.

Why the Answer is "True Negative":

The IDS signature is working as expected.

The condition that would trigger an alert (logins during the specified time) did not happen, so the lack of alerts is a correct response.

Therefore, this is classified as a True Negative because no malicious activity took place, and the IDS correctly refrained from raising an alert.

Comparison to Other Options:

B. True Positive – This would indicate that an alert occurred because of actual suspicious activity, but in this case, no alerts occurred.

C. False Negative – This would mean that suspicious activity occurred, but the IDS failed to detect it. In this case, there was no activity to detect, so this option is not correct.

D. False Positive – This would suggest the IDS raised an alert when no suspicious activity happened, but again, no alerts occurred, so this doesn’t apply.

References:

Cybersecurity analysts working with IDS systems frequently use concepts like True Negative and False Positive in evaluating the effectiveness of their detection tools.

The correct handling of such detection cases is critical to minimizing unnecessary alerts (False Positives) and ensuring real threats are not missed (avoiding False Negatives).

Thecoalescefunction in Splunk is used to return the first non-null value from a list of fields. The SPL| eval src = coalesce(src,machine_name)allows the analyst to dynamically populate thesrcfield with the value frommachine_nameifsrcis empty. This is a useful technique when dealing with inconsistent data sources or during field extraction issues, ensuring that the analyst can continue their investigation without missing critical events.

AnIntrusion Detection System (IDS)typically sits at the network perimeter and is designed to detect suspicious traffic, including command and control (C2) traffic and other potentially malicious activities.

Intrusion Detection Systems:

IDS are deployed at strategic points within the network, often at the perimeter, to monitor incoming and outgoing traffic for signs of malicious activity.

These systems are configured to detect various types of threats, including C2 traffic, which is a key indicator of compromised systems communicating with an attacker-controlled server.

Incorrect Options:

A. Host-based firewall:This is more focused on controlling traffic at the endpoint level, not at the network perimeter.

B. Web proxy:Primarily used for controlling and filtering web traffic, but not specifically designed to detect C2 traffic.

C. Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR):Focuses on endpoint protection rather than monitoring network perimeter traffic.

Network Security Practices:IDS implementation is a standard practice for perimeter security to detect early signs of network intrusion.

The MITRE ATT&CK framework categorizes Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) used by attackers. It is a globally accessible knowledge base of adversarial tactics and techniques based on real-world observations, and it is widely used by cybersecurity professionals to understand and defend against various cyber threats.

Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs):

Tactics:The high-level goals that attackers aim to achieve during an attack. For example, gaining initial access to a network.

Techniques:The specific methods used to achieve these tactics, such as phishing or exploiting a vulnerability.

Procedures:The detailed steps and tools that attackers use to implement a technique.

MITRE ATT&CK Framework:MITRE ATT&CK organizes these TTPs into a matrix that reflects different stages of an attack lifecycle, from initial access to exfiltration. The framework helps security teams by:

Mapping Detection and Defense:Organizations can map their existing detection capabilities against the ATT&CK matrix to identify gaps.

Threat Hunting:Security teams use the framework to guide their threat-hunting activities, focusing on specific techniques associated with known adversaries.

Incident Response:During incident response, analysts can use the ATT&CK framework to understand the behaviors exhibited by an attacker, which helps in creating effective containment and eradication strategies.

Why MITRE ATT&CK:Unlike compliance-focused frameworks like NIST 800-53 or ISO 27000, which provide security controls and best practices, MITRE ATT&CK is specifically focused on the behavior of adversaries. This focus makes it an invaluable resource for understanding how attacks unfold and how to counteract them.

MITRE ATT&CK Website:The official site provides detailed information on each tactic and technique, along with examples of how they have been used in real-world attacks.

Threat Intelligence Platforms:Many platforms integrate with MITRE ATT&CK, providing enhanced detection and response capabilities by mapping security events to the framework.

Security Research Papers:Numerous papers and reports analyze specific attacks using the ATT&CK framework, offering insights into its practical applications in cybersecurity defense.

References:MITRE ATT&CK is a foundational tool in modern cybersecurity, providing a detailed and actionable understanding of adversary behaviors that can be directly applied to enhance an organization's defensive posture.

The primary difference between a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack and a Denial of Service (DoS) attack is in the source of the attack. ADDoSattack involves multiple compromised systems (often part of a botnet) attacking a single target, overwhelming it with traffic or requests. In contrast, aDoSattack typically involves a single source attacking the target. The goal of both attacks is to make a service unavailable, but DDoS attacks are usually more difficult to defend against because of their distributed nature.

This scenario is an example of aFalse Negativebecause the detection mechanisms failed to generate alerts for a brute-force attack due to a misconfiguration—specifically, the exclusion of Linux data from the detection searches. A False Negative occurs when a security control fails to detect an actual malicious activity that it is supposed to catch, leading to undetected attacks and potential breaches.

According to Splunk CIM (Common Information Model) documentation, thesrc_userfield in the Authentication Data Model represents the user who initiated an action, including privilege escalation. This field is used to track the source user responsible for generating an authentication event, which is critical in understanding and responding to potential security incidents involving privilege escalation. The other fields likedest_userorusernamehave different roles, focusing on the target of the action or the general username involved.

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In Splunk, therexcommand is used to extract fields from raw event data using regular expressions. This command allows analysts to dynamically extract additional fields as part of a search pipeline, which is crucial for creating new fields during search time based on specific patterns found in the log data. Therexcommand is highly flexible and powerful, making it essential for refining and manipulating data in a Splunk environment. The other options (fields,regex,eval) have their uses, butrexis specifically designed for dynamic field extraction.

Splunk SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) playbooks are designed to automate security tasks, makingtaking containment action on a compromised hostthe best-suited use case. A SOAR playbook can automate the response actions such as isolating a host, blocking IPs, or disabling accounts, based on predefined criteria. This reduces response time and minimizes the impact of security incidents. The other options, like forming hypotheses for threat hunting or visualizing datasets, are more manual processes and less suited for automation via a playbook.