250-580 Symantec Endpoint Security Complete - R2 Technical Specialist Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

In Symantec Endpoint Security (SES), when an administrator edits and saves an existing policy, the system creates a new version.All previous versions of the policy are added to the policy archive list. This allows administrators to retain a historical record of policy configurations, which can be referenced or reactivated if needed.

Purpose of Policy Versioning and Archiving:

The policy archive provides an organized history of policy changes, enabling administrators to track adjustments over time or roll back to a previous version if necessary.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

Dormant until reactivated(Option A) implies temporary inactivity but does not match the archival system in SES.

Deleted after 30 days(Option B) would result in loss of policy history.

Active and assignable(Option C) is incorrect as only the latest version is typically active for assignments.

References: The SES advanced policy versioning system archives previous versions for historical reference and policy management​.

When a devicefails a Host Integrity checkin Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP), it isquarantined. This means that the device’s access to network resources may be restricted to prevent potential security risks from spreading within the network. Quarantine helps contain devices that do not meet the configured security standards, protecting the overall network integrity.

Purpose of Quarantine on Host Integrity Failure:

Host Integrity checks ensure that endpoint devices comply with security policies, such as having up-to-date antivirus signatures or required patches.

If a device fails this check, quarantine limits its network connectivity, enabling remediation actions without exposing the network to possible risks from the non-compliant device.

Why Other Options Are Less Suitable:

Antimalware scans(Option A) anddevice restarts(Option B) are not default responses to integrity check failures.

Administrative notifications(Option D) may be logged but do not provide containment as quarantine does.

References: Quarantining non-compliant devices is a standard response to Host Integrity check failures, ensuring network protection while remediation occurs​.

In Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), theEntity Dumpfeature provides detailed activity recorder data related to a specific file hash. This data is essential for understanding the behavior and origin of a suspicious file, as well as tracking its activity across endpoints. Here’s how it works:

Hash-Based Search:The EDR solution allows the administrator to search by file hash, which helps retrieve a history of the file's interactions and activities.

Entity Dump Retrieval:Selecting the Entity Dump option provides comprehensive data, including process execution, file modification, network connections, and other endpoint interactions related to the file.

Enhanced Threat Analysis:By analyzing this information, the administrator gains insights into how the threat may have propagated, aiding in containment and mitigation efforts.

The Entity Dump is thus a vital tool in forensic analysis, providing detailed endpoint activity data for specified file hashes.

During theRecovery phaseof an incident response, it is critical for an Incident Responder to copy malicious files to theSEDR file storeor create an image of the infected system. This action preserves evidence associated with the incident, allowing for thorough investigation and analysis. By securing a copy of the malicious files or system state, responders maintain a record of the incident that can be analyzed for root cause assessment, used for potential legal proceedings, or retained for post-incident review. Documenting and preserving evidence ensures that key information is available for future reference or audits.

Application Controlin Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) provides the SEP team with the ability to control and monitor the behavior of applications. This technology enables administrators to set policies that restrict or allow specific application behaviors, effectively controlling the environment and reducing risk from unauthorized or harmful applications. Here’s how it works:

Policy-Based Controls:Administrators can create policies that define which applications are allowed or restricted, preventing unauthorized applications from executing.

Behavior Monitoring:Application Control can monitor application actions, detecting unusual or potentially harmful behaviors and alerting administrators.

Enhanced Security:By controlling application behavior, SEP helps mitigate threats by preventing suspicious applications from affecting the environment, which is particularly valuable in post-outbreak recovery and ongoing health checks.

Application Control thus strengthens endpoint defenses by enabling real-time management of application behaviors.

When Symantec Endpoint Protection Manager (SEPM) is enrolled in the Integrated Cyber Defense Manager (ICDm), theNetwork Intrusion Preventionpolicy is exclusively managed from the cloud. This setup enables:

Centralized Policy Management:By managing Network Intrusion Prevention in the cloud, ICDm ensures that policy updates and threat intelligence can be applied across all endpoints efficiently.

Real-Time Policy Updates:Cloud-based management allows immediate adjustments to intrusion prevention settings, improving responsiveness to new threats.

Consistent Security Posture:Managing Network Intrusion Prevention from the cloud ensures that all endpoints maintain a unified defense strategy against network-based attacks.

Cloud management of this policy provides flexibility and enhances security across hybrid environments.

In Symantec Endpoint Detection and Response (SEDR), thetimeout for the file deletion commandis set to72 hours (3 days). This means that once a deletion command is issued, it remains active for 72 hours, allowing sufficient time for the command to execute, especially in scenarios where the endpoint may not immediately respond due to network issues or system unavailability.

References: This configuration aligns with Symantec’s endpoint response protocols for command timeout windows in SEDR systems​.

To identify devices on a Mac, administrators can use theGatherSymantecInfotool when the device is connected. This tool collects system information and diagnostic data specific to Symantec Endpoint Protection, helping administrators accurately identify and troubleshoot devices. Using GatherSymantecInfo ensures comprehensive data gathering, which is crucial for managing and supporting endpoints in a Mac environment.

Before downloading a file from theIntegrated Cyber Defense Manager (ICDm), thehashof the file must be entered. The hash serves as a unique identifier for the file, ensuring that the correct file is downloaded and verifying its integrity. Here’s why this is necessary:

File Verification:By entering the hash, users confirm they are accessing the correct file, which prevents accidental downloads of unrelated or potentially harmful files.

Security Measure:The hash requirement adds an additional layer of security, helping to prevent unauthorized downloads or distribution of sensitive files.

This practice ensures accurate and secure file management within ICDm.

In the MITRE ATT&CK framework, theExecutionphase encompasses techniques that attackers use to run malicious code on a target system. This includes methods forexploiting software vulnerabilities to tamper directly with system memory, often by triggering unintended behaviors such as arbitrary code execution or modifying memory contents to inject malware.

Execution Phase Overview:

The Execution phase is specifically focused on methods that enable an attacker torun unauthorized code. This might involve exploiting software faults to manipulate memory and bypass defenses.

Memory Exploit Relevance:

Memory exploits, such as buffer overflows or code injections, fall into this phase as they allow attackers to gain control over system processes by tampering with memory.

These exploits can directly manipulate memory, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary instructions, thereby gaining unauthorized control over the application or even the operating system.

Why Other Phases Are Incorrect:

Defense Evasioninvolves hiding malicious activities rather than direct execution.

Exfiltrationpertains to the theft of data from a system.

Discoveryis focused on gathering information about the system or network, not executing code.

References: This answer is based on theMITRE ATT&CK framework’s definition of the Execution phase, which encompasses memory exploitation techniques as a means to execute unauthorized code​.

To effectively protect againstRansomware attacks, an administrator should enable the following Symantec Endpoint Protection (SEP) technologies:

IPS (Intrusion Prevention System):IPS detects and blocks network-based ransomware attacks, preventing exploitation attempts before they reach the endpoint.

SONAR (Symantec Online Network for Advanced Response):SONAR provides real-time behavioral analysis, identifying suspicious activity characteristic of ransomware, such as unauthorized file modifications.

Download Insight:This technology helps prevent ransomware by evaluating the reputation of files downloaded from the internet, blocking those with a high risk of infection.

Together, these technologies offer comprehensive protection against ransomware by covering network, behavior, and download-based threat vectors.

Cynicis a feature of Symantec Endpoint Security that providescloud sandboxingcapabilities. Cloud sandboxing allows Cynic to analyze suspicious files and behaviors in a secure, isolated cloud environment, identifying potential threats without risking harm to the internal network. Here’s how it works:

File Submission to the Cloud:Suspicious files are sent to the cloud-based sandbox for deeper analysis.

Behavioral Analysis:Within the cloud environment, Cynic simulates various conditions to observe the behavior of the file, effectively detecting malware or other harmful actions.

Real-Time Threat Intelligence:Findings are quickly reported back, allowing Symantec Endpoint Protection to take prompt action based on the analysis.

Cloud sandboxing in Cynic provides a scalable, secure, and highly effective approach to advanced threat detection.

To minimize I/O impact when LiveUpdate occurs, theLiveUpdate scheduleshould be adjusted. Here’s why this solution is effective:

Reduced System Impact During Peak Hours:By scheduling LiveUpdate during off-peak times, system resources are freed up during high-usage periods, reducing the likelihood of performance issues.

Efficient Resource Allocation:Adjusting the schedule allows LiveUpdate to run at times when endpoint resources are less likely to be needed for user activities, minimizing its impact on performance.

Maintaining Regular Updates:This approach ensures that updates still occur regularly without impacting endpoint performance during work hours.

This method is optimal for managing resource load and maintaining smooth performance during scheduled updates.

ThePush Discoveryprocess in Symantec Endpoint Protection requires theLocalAccountTokenFilterPolicyregistry value to be configured on Windows endpoints. This registry setting enables remote management and discovery operations by allowing administrator credentials to pass correctly when discovering and deploying SEP clients.

Purpose of LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy:

By adding this value to the Windows registry, administrators ensure that SEP can discover endpoints on the network and initiate installations or other management tasks without being blocked by local account filtering.

How to Configure the Registry:

The administrator should addLocalAccountTokenFilterPolicyin the Windows Registry underHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System and set it to 1.

This configuration allows for remote actions essential forPush Discovery.

Reasoning Against Other Options:

Push EnrollmentandDevice Enrollmentare distinct processes and do not require this registry setting.

Auto Discoverypassively finds systems and does not rely on registry changes for remote access.

References: Configuring theLocalAccountTokenFilterPolicyregistry value is necessary for enabling remote management functions during the Push Discovery process in SEP​.

To calculate theretention ratein Symantec Endpoint Security (SES), the following information is required:

Number of Endpoints:Determines the total scope of data generation.

EAR Data per Endpoint per Day:This is the Endpoint Activity Recorder data size generated daily by each endpoint.

Number of Days to Retain:Defines the retention period for data storage, impacting the total data volume.

Number of Endpoint Dumps and Dump Size:These parameters contribute to overall storage needs for log data and event tracking.

This data allows administrators to accurately project storage requirements and ensure adequate capacity for data retention.

When adding device control rules,General "catch all" rulesshould be placed at the bottom of the rule list. This approach ensures that:

Specificity Precedes Generality:Specific rules (like those for device type or model) are applied first, allowing fine-grained control over device access.

Efficient Rule Processing:Placing general rules last prevents them from inadvertently overriding more specific rules, which could lead to unintended access restrictions or allowances.

This ordering helps maintain effective and targeted control over devices, while still providing a fallback catch-all rule to manage unspecified devices.

LiveShellis a Symantec tool available across multiple platforms, includingWindows, Linux, and Mac. It enables administrators to open a live command-line shell on endpoints, providing remote troubleshooting and response capabilities regardless of the operating system.

Cross-Platform Availability:

LiveShell’s cross-platform support ensures that administrators can respond to incidents, troubleshoot issues, and run commands on endpoints running Windows, Linux, or macOS.

Use Cases for LiveShell:

This tool is useful for incident response teams needing quick access to endpoints for commands or scripts, which helps to manage and mitigate threats across diverse environments.

References: LiveShell’s availability on all major platforms enhances Symantec’s endpoint management and response capabilities across heterogeneous environments​.

A singleSymantec Endpoint Detection and Response (SEDR) Managercan support up to100,000 endpoints. This maximum capacity allows the SEDR Manager to handle endpoint data processing, monitoring, and response for large-scale environments.

Scalability and Management:

SEDR Manager is designed to manage endpoint security for extensive networks efficiently. Supporting up to 100,000 endpoints provides enterprises with a centralized solution for comprehensive threat detection and response.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

200,000endpoints (Option A) exceeds the designed capacity.

25,000and50,000endpoints (Options B and D) are below the actual maximum capacity for a single SEDR Manager.

References: This endpoint capacity aligns with Symantec’s specifications for SEDR’s scalability in enterprise deployments​.

Symantec Insight usesPrevalenceandAgeas two primary criteria to evaluate binary executables. These metrics help determine the likelihood that a file is either benign or malicious based on its behavior across a broad user base:

Prevalence:This metric assesses how widely a file is used across Symantec’s global community. Files with higher prevalence are generally more likely to be safe, while rare files may pose higher risks.

Age:The age of a file is also considered. Older files with a stable reputation are less likely to be malicious, whereas newer, unverified files are scrutinized more closely.

Using these criteria, Symantec Insight provides reliable reputation ratings for binary files, enhancing endpoint security by preemptively identifying potential threats.