156-315.81 Checkpoint Check Point Certified Security Expert R81.20 Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

 Check Point Mobile Web Portal is a Mobile Access Application that allows a secure container on mobile devices to give users access to internal websites, file shares and emails. The Mobile Web Portal is a web-based application that can be accessed from any browser on any device. It provides a user-friendly interface to access various resources on the corporate network without requiring a VPN client or additional software installation. The Mobile Web Portal supports authentication methods such as user name and password, certificate, one-time password (OTP), etc. The Mobile Web Portal also supports security features such as encryption, data leakage prevention (DLP), threat prevention, etc. References: R81 Mobile Access Administration Guide

At least 20GB is the recommended size of the root partition when installing a dedicated R81 SmartEvent server. The root partition is the primary partition that contains the operating system files and other essential files for booting and running the system. The SmartEvent server requires at least 20GB of free space on the root partition to install and operate properly. If the root partition size is less than 20GB, you may encounter errors or performance issues with SmartEvent. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, SmartEvent Administration Guide

Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection offers flexibility in implementation to meet individual business needs. One of the deployment options for Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection is:

Smart Cloud Services (Option A): Smart Cloud Services allow organizations to leverage cloud-based threat intelligence and protection services provided by Check Point.

The other options, Load Sharing Mode Services (Option B), Threat Agent Solution (Option C), and Public Cloud Services (Option D), may also be components of a security strategy, but they are not specific deployment options for Check Point SandBlast Zero-Day Protection.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 training materials and documentation.

 To add the company logo to reports, you would save the logo as a PNG file with the name ‘cover-company-logo.png’ and then copy that image file to the $RTDIR/smartview/conf directory on the SmartEvent server. The $RTDIR is an environment variable that points to the runtime directory of the SmartEvent server, which is usually /opt/CPrt-R81. The smartview/conf directory contains the configuration files for SmartView, which is a web-based interface for viewing reports and dashboards generated by SmartEvent. References: SmartEvent Administration Guide, SK120193 - How to add a company logo to SmartView reports

In the context of Check Point remote access clients and Office Mode, the correct answer is:

A. SecuRemote: SecuRemote is a Check Point remote access client that does not provide an Office-Mode Address. Office Mode is a feature that assigns a unique IP address from a designated IP pool to remote users when they connect to the corporate network. SecuRemote does not support this feature.

B. Endpoint Security Suite, C. Endpoint Security VPN, and D. Check Point Mobile are remote access clients that support Office Mode and can provide an Office-Mode Address to remote users.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer as it correctly identifies a remote access client that does not provide an Office-Mode Address.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

When Dynamic Dispatcher is enabled, it dynamically assigns connections, but there are exceptions. The exception mentioned in the question is:

VoIP (Option D): VoIP connections are an exception when Dynamic Dispatcher is enabled. They are not assigned dynamically but follow a different rule set to ensure quality and reliability for VoIP traffic.

The other options, Threat Emulation (Option A), HTTPS (Option B), and QoS (Option C), are dynamically assigned when Dynamic Dispatcher is enabled.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 training materials and documentation.

The correct command to verify the CPUSE (Check Point Update Service Engine) version is:

Option B is incorrect because it uses the "[Expert@HostName:0]#" prompt, which is typically used for expert mode commands, but the CPUSE version can be checked using the "show installer status build" command in standard mode.

Option C is incorrect because it uses the "[Expert@HostName:0]#" prompt, and while it includes the "build" parameter, it's not the standard command to check the CPUSE version.

Option D is incorrect because it uses the "HostName:0>" prompt, but it lacks the "show" command and uses "build" instead of "status build."

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 documentation

The command "fw tab -s" is used to display information about the state of various kernel tables in a Check Point firewall. It provides a perspective on the number and status of these tables, which can be helpful for troubleshooting and monitoring firewall performance.

Option B correctly identifies the command that gives a perspective of the number of kernel tables, making it the verified answer.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

SmartView Monitor is a GUI client that is supported in R81. It allows you to monitor the network and security performance of your Security Gateways and devices5. You can use it to view real-time statistics, alerts, logs, reports, and graphs6. The other GUI clients are not supported in R81 because:

A. SmartProvisioning was replaced by SmartLSM in R80.20 and later versions7. SmartLSM is a unified solution for managing large-scale deployments of Security Gateways8.

B. SmartView Tracker was replaced by SmartLog in R80 and later versions9. SmartLog is a powerful log analysis tool that enables fast and easy access to log data from multiple Security Gateways10.

D. SmartLog is not a GUI client, but a web-based application that runs on the Security Management Server or Log Server10. You can access it from any web browser or from SmartConsole.

References: SmartView Monitor R81 Help, SmartView Monitor R81 Administration Guide, What’s New in Check Point R80.20, SmartLSM R81 Help, What’s New in Check Point R80, SmartLog R81 Help

 In the Check Point Firewall Kernel Module, each kernel is associated with a key, which specifies the type of traffic applicable to the chain module. For Wire Mode configuration, chain modules marked with 1 will not apply, as they are related to NAT, VPN, or other features that are not supported in Wire Mode. Wire Mode is a mode of operation that allows transparent traffic forwarding without any inspection or modification by the firewall. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Wire Mode Configuration Guide

 The main stages of a policy installation are Verification & Compilation, Transfer and Commit. Verification & Compilation is the stage where the Security Management Server checks the validity and consistency of the policy and compiles it into a binary format. Transfer is the stage where the compiled policy is sent to the Security Gateways over a secure channel. Commit is the stage where the Security Gateways activate the new policy and update their connections table accordingly. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, Policy Installation Process

Dynamic Dispatch is a feature that enhances CoreXL performance by dynamically assigning new connections to CoreXL FW instances based on their CPU utilization1. To enable Dynamic Dispatch on Security Gateway without enabling Firewall Priority Queues (FPQ), you need to run the command fw ctl multik set_mode 4 in Expert mode and reboot2. This command will set the CoreXL mode to Dynamic Dispatcher without FPQ. The other options are not correct because:

A. fw ctl Dyn_Dispatch on: This command does not exist and will return an error message.

B. fw ctl Dyn_Dispatch enable: This command does not exist and will return an error message.

D. fw ctl multik set_mode 1: This command will set the CoreXL mode to Static Dispatcher without FPQ, which is the default mode2. This mode will use a static hash function to assign new connections to CoreXL FW instances based on their IP addresses and protocol.

References: CoreXL Dynamic Dispatcher, To fully enable Dynamic Dispatcher on a Security Gateway, Running Dynamic Dispatch / Dynamic Split / Dynamic Balancing on VSEC/IaaS in Vmware, Dynamic Balancing for CoreXL

Check Point's SecureXL technology, which is responsible for acceleration, has certain limitations and conditions under which acceleration may not occur. In this context, the question is asking about factors that will NOT affect acceleration.

Option B, "A 5-tuple match," will not affect acceleration. A 5-tuple match refers to the matching of source IP, source port, destination IP, destination port, and protocol. SecureXL can accelerate traffic that matches these criteria, but it's not a factor that hinders acceleration.

Options A, C, and D can all affect acceleration:

Option A mentions "Connections destined to or originated from the Security gateway," which implies that SecureXL acceleration can apply to these connections.

Option C mentions "Multicast packets," and SecureXL may have limitations in handling multicast traffic efficiently.

Option D mentions "Connections that have a Handler (ICMP, FTP, H.323, etc.)," and certain protocols (such as FTP) may require special handling and might not be fully accelerated by SecureXL.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 Study Guide

For Management High Availability, the valid synchronization status options are:

A. Collision

B. Down

C. Lagging

D. Never been synchronized

In this context, "Down" indicates that the synchronization is not functioning correctly or that the standby management server is not reachable. This is a valid synchronization status, so the answer is not B.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

Capsule Connect and Capsule Workspace are both components of Check Point's remote access solution, but they serve different purposes and have distinct features:

A. Capsule Connect provides a Layer 3 VPN, which allows remote users to connect securely to their corporate network. It typically provides network-level access, allowing users to access resources on the corporate network. On the other hand, Capsule Workspace provides a secure workspace environment, including a virtual desktop with usable applications. It is more focused on providing application-level access to users in a secure manner.

B. This statement is partially true. Capsule Workspace is designed to provide secure access to a wide range of applications and resources, not limited to specific applications.

C. Capsule Connect does provide business data isolation by creating a secure VPN tunnel for remote users, ensuring that their network traffic is isolated from the public internet.

D. Capsule Connect usually requires an installed application or VPN client on the client device to establish a secure connection to the corporate network. This statement is not entirely accurate because an installed application or client is typically required.

Therefore, option A is the correct answer as it accurately distinguishes between Capsule Connect and Capsule Workspace based on their primary functionalities.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

The secure application for Mail/Calendar for mobile devices in Check Point is called "Capsule Workspace." Capsule Workspace provides secure access to email and calendar data on mobile devices while maintaining security policies and controls.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 documentation and learning resources.

When traffic from source 192.168.1.1 is going to www.google.com, and the Application Control Blade on the gateway is inspecting the traffic with acceleration enabled, it is handled by the Slow Path.

A. Slow Path

The Slow Path is responsible for handling traffic that requires full inspection by various security blades, including the Application Control Blade. Acceleration may offload some processing to the Medium Path or Fast Path, but the Slow Path is still involved in deeper inspection.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 Study Guide, Check Point documentation on traffic acceleration and processing paths.

The directory /opt/CPsuite-R81/fw1/log contains the log files for the Security Gateway, such as firewall, VPN, IPS, and anti-virus logs1. These log files can be viewed and analyzed using SmartConsole or SmartView2. The other directories are not correct because:

A. The directory /opt/CPSmartlog-R81/log contains the log files for the SmartLog server, which is a separate component that indexes and searches the logs from multiple Security Gateways3.

B. The directory /opt/CPshrd-R81/log contains the log files for the shared components of the Check Point suite, such as cpwd, cpca, cpd, and cpwatchdog4.

D. The directory /opt/CPsuite-R81/log does not exist by default and is not used for logging purposes.

References: Logging and Monitoring R81 Administration Guide, SmartConsole R81 Help, SmartLog R81 Help, Check Point Processes and Daemons

The configuration file that contains the structure of the Security Server showing the port numbers, corresponding protocol name, and status is $FWDIR/conf/fwauthd.conf. This file is used for configuring authentication services in Check Point Security Servers.

References: Check Point documentation or training materials related to Security Server configuration.

The Correlation Unit in SmartEvent architecture has the function of analyzing each log entry as it arrives at the log server according to the Event Policy. When it identifies a threat pattern, it forwards an event to the SmartEvent Server. This is an essential function in threat detection and analysis, as it helps in identifying and alerting about security threats based on the configured policies.

Option A correctly describes the function of the Correlation Unit, making it the verified answer.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

SandBlast appliances can be deployed in the following modes:

C. Inline/prevent or detect

SandBlast appliances can be deployed in an inline mode where they actively inspect and prevent or detect malicious traffic. In this mode, the appliance sits in the network traffic path and can take actions to block or detect threats in real-time.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 Study Guide, Check Point documentation on SandBlast.

To see the cluster status in CLI expert mode, you can use the command cphaprob stat. This command displays the status of the Check Point High Availability cluster. It provides information about the state of the cluster members, such as "Active," "Standby," or "Collision."

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE) R81 documentation and learning resources.

The main difference between SSL VPN (Secure Sockets Layer Virtual Private Network) and IPSec VPN (Internet Protocol Security Virtual Private Network) is in the way they operate:

SSL VPN typically does not require the installation of a resident VPN client. It often relies on a web browser to establish the VPN connection, making it more convenient for remote users who may not want to install dedicated VPN software.

IPSec VPN, on the other hand, often requires the installation of a resident VPN client on the user's device to establish the VPN connection. This client software is necessary for configuring and managing the VPN connection.

Option C, stating that SSL VPN and IPSec VPN are the same, is incorrect because they have distinct characteristics as described above.

Option A is incorrect because it inaccurately suggests that IPSec VPN does not require a resident VPN client, which is not true in most cases.

Option B is incorrect because it wrongly claims that SSL VPN requires the installation of a resident VPN client.

References: Check Point Certified Security Expert R81 Study Guide

 A best practice before starting to troubleshoot using the fw monitor tool is to disable SecureXL. SecureXL is a performance acceleration solution that optimizes the packet flow through the Security Gateway. However, SecureXL can also bypass some inspection points and cause some packets to be invisible to fw monitor. Therefore, disabling SecureXL can ensure that fw monitor captures all the relevant packets for troubleshooting purposes. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, fw monitor, SecureXL

SecureXL is a technology that improves the performance of Security Gateway by offloading the processing of some packets from the Firewall kernel to the SecureXL device driver1. SecureXL can handle packets in three different paths, depending on the type and state of the packet2:

Firewall Path: This is the slowest path, where packets are processed by the Firewall kernel and all the inspection blades. This path is used for packets that require full inspection, such as the first packet of a connection, packets that match a rule with a UTM blade, or packets that are not eligible for acceleration.

Accelerated Path: This is the fastest path, where packets are processed by the SecureXL device driver and bypass the Firewall kernel. This path is used for packets that belong to an established connection that is marked for acceleration, and do not require any further inspection by the Firewall or other blades.

Medium Path: This is a hybrid path, where packets are processed by both the SecureXL device driver and the Firewall kernel, but skip some inspection steps. This path is used for packets that belong to an established connection that is not marked for acceleration, but do not require full inspection by all the blades.

The other options are not correct because:

A. Initial Path; Medium Path; Accelerated Path: There is no such thing as Initial Path in SecureXL terminology. The initial packet of a connection is always handled by the Firewall Path.

B. Layer Path; Blade Path; Rule Path: These are not paths of traffic flow, but components of the unified policy in R80 and above versions. The Layer Path refers to the order of layers in the policy, the Blade Path refers to the order of blades within a layer, and the Rule Path refers to the order of rules within a blade3.

C. Firewall Path; Accept Path; Drop Path: These are not paths of traffic flow, but possible actions that the Firewall can take on a packet. The Firewall Path is one of the paths of traffic flow, but the Accept Path and Drop Path are not. The Accept Path means that the packet is allowed to pass through the Firewall, and the Drop Path means that the packet is blocked by the Firewall4.

References: Part 3 - SecureXL, What is CoreXL & SecureXL, SecureXL Fast Accelerator (fw fast_accel) for R80.20 and above, QUANTUM 7000 SECURITY GATEWAY

 User-mode processes are processes that run in the user space of the operating system, as opposed to kernel-mode processes that run in the kernel space. User-mode processes are usually less privileged and have less access to system resources than kernel-mode processes. Check Point products use both user-mode and kernel-mode processes to provide various functionalities and services.

The following are some of the user-mode processes that can be seen on the management server and gateway:

fwd: This process is responsible for policy installation, logging, and communication with other Check Point components. It runs on both the management server and gateway.

cpd: This process is responsible for licensing, certificate management, and communication with SmartConsole. It runs on both the management server and gateway.

cpwd: This process is responsible for monitoring and restarting other processes. It runs on both the management server and gateway.

The following is a user-mode process that can only be seen on the management server:

fwm: This process is responsible for managing the security policy database, compiling the security policy, and generating reports. It runs only on the management server.

Therefore, the correct answer is B.

References: Check Point Processes and Daemons, Check Point Processes Cheat Sheet, Check Point Firewall Security Solution

The component of R81 Management that is used for indexing is SOLR. SOLR is an open-source enterprise search platform that provides fast and scalable indexing and searching capabilities. SOLR is used by SmartConsole to index the objects and rules in the security policy, as well as the logs and events in SmartLog and SmartEvent. SOLR enables quick and easy access to the relevant information in the management database. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, SOLR Troubleshooting

 CPUSE offline upgrade is the best upgrade method when the management server is not connected to the Internet. CPUSE (Check Point Upgrade Service Engine) is a tool that automates the process of upgrading and installing software packages on Check Point devices. CPUSE can work in online mode or offline mode. Online mode requires an Internet connection to download the packages from Check Point servers. Offline mode allows you to download the packages manually from another device and transfer them to the management server using a USB drive or SCP. References: Check Point Security Expert R81 Course, CPUSE Administration Guide