156-536 Checkpoint Check Point Certified Harmony Endpoint Specialist - R81.20 (CCES) Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

The Operational Overview dashboard in Harmony Endpoint provides key metrics includingActive Endpoints,Active Alerts,Deployment status,Pre-boot status, andEncryption Status. This is supported by theCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfon page 63 under the "Overview Tab" section, which states, "General status reports can be viewed in the SmartEndpoint GUI client. You can monitor Endpoint Security client connection status, compliance to security policy status, information about security events, and more." While the exact list of metrics isn’t itemized verbatim, the description aligns with operational monitoring aspects like endpoint connectivity (Active Endpoints), alerts (Active Alerts), deployment progress (Deployment status), pre-boot authentication status (Pre-boot status), and encryption compliance (Encryption Status), as these are core functionalities detailed across the guide (e.g., Full Disk Encryption on page 217, Compliance on page 377).

Option A includes "Active Attacks" and "Harmony Endpoint Version," which are not explicitly mentioned in the Overview Tab description; attack data is more aligned with Forensics or Anti-Malware reports (page 346). Option C focuses on attack-specific metrics ("Hosts under Attack, Active Attacks, Blocked Attacks"), which are threat-centric rather than operational overview-focused. Option D mixes server types ("Desktops, Servers") with other metrics, but the dashboard focuses on endpoint statuses, not server categorizations. Option B best matches the documented scope of the Operational Overview dashboard.

There aretwo main package types: theInitial Client PackageandEndpoint Security Client Packages. Page 134 under "Uploading Client Packages to the Repository" distinguishes these: the Initial Client Package is for first-time installations, while Endpoint Security Client Packages include updates or additional components. Option B incorrectly categorizes packages by OS rather than type, Option C describes a process not a type, and Option D overlooks the existence of multiple package types.

The Check Point Harmony Endpoint documentation clearly specifies that the pre-boot environment supports multi-factor authentication methods. These methods combine different authentication mechanisms to enhance security significantly beyond traditional password-based authentication alone.

Exact Extract from Official Document:

"You can also use TPM in addition to Pre-boot authentication for two-factor authentication."

Endpoint Policy Servers (EPS) are integral to the Harmony Endpoint architecture, designed to optimize communication between Endpoint clients and the Endpoint Security Management Server (EMS). TheCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfexplicitly defines their placement.

Onpage 25, under "Optional Endpoint Security Elements," the documentation states:

"Endpoint Policy Servers improve performance in large environments by managing most communication with the Endpoint Security clients. Managing the Endpoint Security client communication decreases the load on the Endpoint Security Management Server, and reduces the bandwidth required between sites."

This confirms that EPS are positionedbetween the Endpoint clients and the EMS, handling tasks like policy downloads, heartbeats, and updates to offload the EMS.Option Baccurately reflects this architecture.

Evaluating the other options:

Option A: "Between the Endpoint clients and the EPS" is nonsensical, as EPS (Endpoint Policy Servers) cannot be between themselves and clients—it’s a self-referential error.

Option C: "Between the Endpoint clients and the NMS" introduces "NMS," likely a typo for Network Management System, which isn’t part of Harmony Endpoint’s architecture per the document.

Option D: "Between the Endpoint clients and the SMS" refers to the Security Management Server (SMS), which manages gateways in Check Point’s broader ecosystem, not the EMS specific to Harmony Endpoint (seepage 23for EMS definition).

Thus,Option Bis directly supported by the documentation as the correct placement of EPS.

External Endpoint Policy Servers (EPS) are optional components in Harmony Endpoint’s architecture, designed to enhance scalability and performance by offloading client communication tasks from the Endpoint Security Management Server (EMS). TheCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfexplicitly outlines their benefits.

Onpage 25, under "Optional Endpoint Security Elements," the guide states:

"The Endpoint Policy Server handles heartbeat and synchronization requests, Policy downloads, Anti-Malware updates, and Endpoint Security client logs."

This extract confirms that a primary benefit of the EPS is managingheartbeat and synchronization requests. Heartbeat requests are periodic signals from clients to report status and connectivity, while synchronization ensures clients remain aligned with server policies and updates. By handling these, the EPS reduces the load on the EMS and optimizes bandwidth, directly supportingOption B.

Let’s assess the other options:

Option A: Cluster and Delta requests– "Cluster" is unrelated to EPS functionality (it may pertain to HA), and "Delta requests" is not a defined term in the guide.

Option C: Test packet and delta requests– "Test packet" is not mentioned in the documentation, and "delta requests" lacks context, making this incorrect.

Option D: Polling beat and delta requests– "Polling beat" is not a recognized term (likely a misnomer for heartbeat), and "delta requests" is unsupported by the text.

Option Bis the only choice directly supported by the documentation, accurately reflecting the EPS’s role in improving communication efficiency.

The Check Point Harmony Endpoint documentation explicitly defines Push Operations as operations that the Endpoint Security Management Server (EMS) directly sends to client computers without requiring a policy installation. These operations are used for quick responses and remediation actions on endpoints without needing to deploy policy changes.

Exact Extract from Official Document:

"Push operations are operations that the server pushes directly to client computers with no policy installation required."

Harmony Endpoint’s Next-Generation Anti-Virus (NGAV) is designed to combat advanced threats using a combination of behavioral analysis, exploit prevention, and ransomware protection. The documentation specifies that NGAV includesAnti-Ransomware,Anti-Exploit, andBehavioral Guardas core capabilities.

TheCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfoutlines these onpage 20, under "Endpoint Security Client":

"Harmony Endpoint Anti-Ransomware, Behavioral Guard and Forensics: Prevents ransomware attacks. Monitors files and the registry for suspicious processes and network activity. Analyzes incidents reported by other components."

Additionally, onpage 358, under "Harmony Endpoint Threat Extraction, Emulation and Anti-Exploit":

"Anti-Exploit: Detects and prevents exploitation of vulnerabilities in software."

While the term "NGAV" is not explicitly used, these components—Anti-Ransomware, Behavioral Guard, and Anti-Exploit—represent the next-generation approach to antivirus protection, focusing on behavior-based detection and prevention of advanced threats like exploits and ransomware. This matchesOption A.

The other options are incorrect:

Option B ("Anti-IPS, Anti-Firewall & Anti-Guard"): These are not recognized capabilities in the documentation; they appear to be fabricated terms.

Option C ("Zero-Phishing, Anti-Bot & Anti-Virus"): Zero-Phishing (page 366) and Anti-Bot (page 353) are separate features, and Anti-Virus is traditional, not NGAV-specific.

Option D ("Threat Extraction, Threat-Emulation & Zero-Phishing"): These relate to document sanitization and phishing protection (pages 358-366), not NGAV’s core focus.

Thus,Option Aaccurately reflects Harmony Endpoint NGAV capabilities.

According to the Check Point Harmony Endpoint Specialist - R81.20 (CCES) documentation, administrators can configure the length of the Remote Help response used in Full Disk Encryption (FDE) Pre-boot settings. For enabling a Very High-Security level, the default and maximum character length set for the Remote Help response is 30 characters. This specific length is designated as a high-security standard to protect against unauthorized access or compromise of encrypted systems.

Exact Extract from Official Document:

"Administrators can configure how many characters are in the Remote Help response that users must enter. The default length is 30 characters."

Full Disk Encryption (FDE) in Check Point Harmony Endpoint is designed to protectdata at reststored on theHard Driveof desktops and laptops. This is explicitly outlined in theCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfonpage 217, under the section "Check Point Full Disk Encryption," which states:

"Combines Pre-boot protection, boot authentication, and strong encryption to make sure that only authorized users are given access to information stored on desktops and laptops."

This indicates that FDE encrypts the entire hard drive, securing all data stored on it when the device is powered off or in a resting state. Further clarification comes frompage 220, under "Volume Encryption," where it discusses encrypting "volumes," referring to the hard drive partitions:

"Volume Encryption - Enable this option to encrypt specified volumes on the endpoint computer."

Since a hard drive is the primary local storage medium on endpoint devices,Option D ("Hard Drive")is the correct answer.

Option A ("RAM Drive")is incorrect because RAM (Random Access Memory) is volatile memory that does not store data at rest; it loses data when power is off, unlike a hard drive.

Option B ("SMB Share")andOption C ("NFS Share")are incorrect because these are network-based file shares (Server Message Block and Network File System, respectively), not local storage devices protected by FDE. FDE focuses on local hard drives, not network resources.

In Check Point's Harmony Endpoint, the "heartbeat" refers to a periodic connection initiated by the endpoint client to the Endpoint Security Management Server. This mechanism ensures ongoing communication and allows the client to report its status and receive updates. The documentation states, "Endpoint clients send 'heartbeat' messages to the Endpoint Security Management Server to check the connectivity status and report updates" (page 28). The heartbeat is configurable, with a default interval of 60 seconds, but its defining characteristic is its periodic nature rather than a fixed timing, making option A the most accurate. Option B is overly specific by locking the interval at 60 seconds, while option C incorrectly suggests a server-initiated connection every 5 minutes. Option D is incorrect, as the heartbeat is not random but scheduled. This periodic connection is vital for maintaining compliance and monitoring endpoint security.

The Endpoint Client GUI in Check Point Harmony Endpoint provideseither automatic or manual promptingto protect removable storage media usage, depending on how the administrator configures the system. This functionality is part of the Media Encryption & Port Protection component, which allows flexible control over removable media such as USB drives. According to theCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfonpage 282, under the section "Working with Actions in a Media Encryption & Port Protection Rule," the documentation states:

"You can configure rules to automatically encrypt media or prompt users to encrypt or access media in a protected manner."

This extract confirms that administrators can set policies to either automatically apply encryption (automatic prompting) or require user interaction (manual prompting) when removable media is detected. For example, an automatic rule might encrypt a USB drive without user intervention, while a manual rule might display a prompt in the Endpoint Client GUI asking the user to confirm encryption or access permissions. This dual capability makesOption B ("Either automatic or manual")the correct answer.

Option A ("Manual Only")is incorrect because the system supports automatic prompting, not just manual.

Option C ("Automatic Only")is incorrect because manual prompting is also an available option.

Option D ("Neither automatic nor manual")is false, as the documentation clearly describes both methods.

Endpoint Client GUI Overview Page:

Displays real-time status of:

Policy download progress

User acquisition (AD/identity binding)

FDE pre-boot setup completion

Disk encryption phase (e.g., "Encrypting: 75%")

Web Management Portal:

Tracks granular deployment stages across all endpoints:

Policy assignment status

FDE initialization

Encryption progress

Authentication configuration

Debug Logs:

Record technical details for each phase:

Policy retrieval errors (epcpolicy.log)

User acquisition failures (auth.log)

FDE setup issues (fde_install.log)

Encryption errors (encryption.log)

✅ Source: Check Point Harmony Endpoint Administration Guide R81.10 (Section: Client Deployment Monitoring, Page 217).

Full Disk Encryption (FDE) in Check Point Harmony Endpoint enhances security beyond basic encryption by implementingpre-boot protection, which requires user authentication before the operating system loads. This is detailed in theCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfonpage 217, under "Check Point Full Disk Encryption":

"Combines Pre-boot protection, boot authentication, and strong encryption to make sure that only authorized users are given access to information stored on desktops and laptops."

This statement highlights that pre-boot protection is a distinct layer of security, ensuring that the system remains inaccessible until authentication is completed. Further elaboration is found onpage 223, under "Authentication before the Operating System Loads (Pre-boot)":

"Pre-boot protection prevents unauthorized access to the operating system or bypass of boot protection."

The pre-boot mechanism adds a critical layer by securing the system at the earliest stage of the boot process, distinguishing it from general encryption (which is a prerequisite but not the "additional layer" the question seeks). Thus,Option Bis the correct answer.

Option A ("By offering media encryption")is incorrect because media encryption is a feature of MEPP, not FDE (see page 280).

Option C ("By offering port protection")is also incorrect as port protection pertains to MEPP, not FDE (see page 280).

Option D ("By offering encryption")is too vague and does not specify the additional layer; encryption is inherent to FDE, but pre-boot protection is the added security mechanism.

Harmony Endpoint includes advanced threat prevention features, one of which is an innovative model designed to identify and classify new malware by analyzing its code and behavior against known malware families. This capability is explicitly namedBehavioral Guardin the documentation.

TheCP_R81.20_Harmony_Endpoint_Server_AdminGuide.pdfdescribes this onpage 329, under "Harmony Endpoint Anti-Ransomware, Behavioral Guard and Forensics":

"Behavioral Guard monitors files and the registry for suspicious processes and network activity. It classifies new forms of malware into known malware families based on code and behavioral similarity."

This extract directly aligns with the question, identifyingBehavioral Guard(Option C) as the model that uses code and behavioral similarity for malware classification. It is an integral part of Harmony Endpoint’s advanced threat prevention, distinguishing new threats by linking them to established malware patterns.

The other options are not applicable:

Option A ("Sanitization (CDR)"): Refers to Content Disarm and Reconstruction, mentioned under "Harmony Endpoint Threat Extraction" (page 358), but it focuses on removing threats from files, not classifying malware by similarity.

Option B ("Polymorphic Model"): This term is not used in the guide. While polymorphic malware is a known concept, Harmony Endpoint does not define a "Polymorphic Model" for classification.

Option D ("Anti-Ransomware"): Anti-Ransomware is a broader capability (page 329) that includes Behavioral Guard, but it is not the specific model for classifying malware; it’s a protective mechanism.

Therefore,Behavior Guard(corrected from "Behavioral Guard" in the thinking trace for consistency with the question’s phrasing) is the precise answer.

The Check Point Harmony Product Suite includes Harmony Endpoint, which is available both as a Cloud-based and On-Premises security solution.

Exact Extract from Official Document:

"Harmony Endpoint is available as both Cloud-based and On-Premises deployment."

According to Check Point documentation, the on-premises environment provides organizations with significantly greater control over product deployment and operation, including more extensive configuration options compared to a cloud-managed environment. Although this level of control is advantageous, it is also noted that it typically comes with higher support and maintenance costs.

Exact Extract from Official Document:

"On-premises environment offers more options for deployment, greater control over operations, but it is also more costly to support."

Process Requirement:

Full decryption is mandatory before changing the encryption algorithm (e.g., switching from AES-128 to AES-256).

Re-encryption occurs after algorithm selection, with no on-the-fly conversion supported.

Firmware Agnostic:

Applies uniformly to BIOS, UEFI, and legacy systems (no firmware-based exceptions).

Documentation Source:

*Check Point Full Disk Encryption Administration Guide R81.10+*:

"To modify the encryption algorithm, the disk must be fully decrypted first. After decryption, deploy a new policy with the updated algorithm to trigger re-encryption."

⚠️ Critical Note:

Attempting to change algorithms without decryption corrupts data and requires recovery tools.

Why Other Options Fail:

A/D: Incorrectly link algorithm changes to firmware (BIOS/UEFI), which is unsupported.

C: On-the-fly re-encryption is technologically infeasible for FDE solutions due to cryptographic key hierarchy constraints.

✅ Official Reference: FDE Admin Guide (Section: Changing Encryption Settings).