SAUTO Hard Questions — 25 Difficult Questions

Question 1

You are writing a script that interacts with Cisco DNA Center. You need to keep the session alive after authentication. Which token is commonly used for subsequent API calls?

Accepted Answer

X-Auth-Token. Cisco DNA Center's REST API uses a token-based authentication scheme where the client first authenticates via POST to /dna/system/api/v1/auth/token with Basic Auth credentials, and the response contains a token. Subsequent API calls must include this token in the X-Auth-Token HTTP header to maintain the session. This is the standard mechanism documented by Cisco for DNA Center automation.

Answer

OAuth Refresh Token

Answer

Session ID

Answer

Basic Auth Header

Question 2

In the context of NETCONF, which capability allows a client to explicitly lock the datastore to prevent other users from making changes?

Accepted Answer

urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:candidate:1.0. The :candidate capability allows the use of the <lock> operation to ensure exclusive configuration access.

Answer

urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:rollback

Answer

urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:exclusive-access

Answer

urn:ietf:params:netconf:capability:write-only

Question 3

Which TWO statements accurately describe the behavior of the NETCONF 'candidate' data store?

Accepted Answer

The candidate store can be discarded if the proposed changes are incorrect.. Option A is correct because the NETCONF candidate datastore is a scratchpad where configuration changes can be staged and then thrown away with the operation if the proposed edits are wrong, leaving the running configuration untouched. Option E is correct because the candidate datastore is not active until the client issues a operation, which copies the candidate configuration into the running datastore so it takes effect on the device. Option B is wrong because NETCONF candidate edits are serialized under a lock (candidate lock or partial lock); concurrent edits are not automatically merged, and a second user must wait or use separate candidate instances. Option C is wrong because changes in the candidate store are not immediately active — they only become active after a successful commit to the running store. Option D is wrong because XML encoding is the standard NETCONF encoding for all datastores (running, candidate, startup), not a feature unique to the candidate store.

Answer

The candidate store supports multiple users making concurrent edits that are merged.

Answer

Changes applied to the candidate store are immediately active on the device.

Answer

The candidate store is the only store that supports XML encoding.

Question 4

In Threat Grid, what is the purpose of the 'Tags' field in an analysis report submission?

Accepted Answer

To label and categorize reports. The 'Tags' field in a Threat Grid analysis report submission is used to label and categorize reports. Tags allow analysts to organize, search, and filter submissions based on custom keywords or categories, facilitating threat intelligence management and correlation.

Answer

To set the infection vector

Answer

To specify the sandbox OS

Answer

To define the analysis priority

Question 5

You are automating the blocking of a specific URL on a Cisco WSA. You have verified the API reachability, but the rule is not being applied. What is the most common reason?

Accepted Answer

The configuration change was not committed. On Cisco WSA, API-driven configuration changes are staged and do not take effect until a commit is performed. If the API call succeeds but the change is not committed, the rule will not be applied to live traffic — this is the most common reason for 'API reachable but rule not applied' scenarios.

Answer

The URL is already in the global whitelist

Answer

The WSA needs a reboot

Answer

The API user does not have 'Admin' privileges

Question 6

Which THREE components are required to configure an API client for Cisco SecureX?

Accepted Answer

API Scope. To configure an API client for Cisco SecureX, you must supply the OAuth 2.0 credentials that SecureX generates when the client is created: the Client ID (E), which uniquely identifies the API client, the Client Secret (D), which authenticates that client, and the API Scope (C), which defines the specific permissions or resources the client may access. These three values are used together in the token request to obtain an access token for calling SecureX APIs. A Device Serial Number (A) is not part of API client authentication; it is hardware-identifying information used for device licensing and support, not for OAuth client credentials. A User Password (B) is likewise not required, because SecureX API clients authenticate with the generated client credentials rather than a user's account password.

Answer

Device Serial Number

Answer

User Password

Question 7

When using the Umbrella API to create a new 'Domain' block rule, you need to specify the 'type'. Which of the following is a valid type?

Accepted Answer

domain. In the Umbrella API, when creating a block rule for a domain, the 'type' field must be set to 'domain'. This indicates that the rule applies to a specific domain name, such as 'example.com'. Other types like 'url' or 'ip_address' are not valid for domain-based rules; they would be used for different rule categories. The 'category' type is used for content category rules, not for individual domain blocks.

Answer

url

Answer

category

Answer

ip_address

Question 8

Which THREE of the following are core principles of Secure Network Design when using APIs?

Accepted Answer

Principle of Least Privilege. Option A (Principle of Least Privilege) is correct because secure API design requires that each API consumer, service account, or token be granted only the minimum scopes, roles, and permissions needed to perform its function, limiting the blast radius of a compromised credential. Option B (Use of TLS for all API communication) is correct because APIs frequently carry authentication tokens, session data, and sensitive payloads, so transport encryption via TLS (ideally TLS 1.2/1.3 with strong cipher suites) prevents eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle interception. Option C (Audit logging for all API transactions) is correct because recording who called which endpoint, when, from where, and with what result provides the traceability needed for intrusion detection, incident response, and compliance. Option D is not a core secure design principle because exposing all API endpoints directly to the public internet unnecessarily enlarges the attack surface; secure designs use gateways, WAFs, private endpoints, or network segmentation instead. Option E is not a secure principle because default vendor API credentials are widely known and must be changed or rotated immediately; relying on them invites unauthorized access.

Answer

Public internet exposure of all API endpoints

Answer

Use of default vendor API credentials

Question 9

You are automating the retrieval of blocked file hashes from Cisco Secure Email (ESA). Which API object provides the most granular view of file-based security events?

Accepted Answer

Message Tracking API. The Message Tracking API in Cisco Secure Email (ESA) provides the most granular, per-message view of mail flow and security events, including details about attachments and file hashes associated with blocked messages. When you need to retrieve blocked file hashes, Message Tracking exposes the message-level metadata (sender, recipient, verdict, attachment SHA-256) that Reporting and System Health APIs do not. This makes it the correct object for file-based security event granularity.

Answer

System Health API

Answer

Reporting API

Answer

Configuration API

Question 10

When parsing a complex JSON response from a Cisco Stealthwatch API call, you need to extract the value associated with a key nested deep within the hierarchy. Which Python approach is most idiomatic and robust for this task?

Accepted Answer

Load the response into a dictionary using json.loads() and access the keys using a chain of square brackets.. The most idiomatic and robust way to extract a nested value from a JSON response in Python is to parse it with json.loads() into a dictionary and then navigate using a chain of square brackets (e.g., data['a']['b']['c']). This leverages Python's native dictionary access and is clear, efficient, and standard practice. It also allows for error handling with try/except or using .get() for safer access.

Answer

Convert the JSON to XML and use XPath to navigate the structure.

Answer

Use string slicing with find() to locate the key.

Answer

Use regex patterns to extract the value directly from the raw string.

Question 11

Which THREE features are provided by the Cisco SecureX API documentation?

Accepted Answer

Request examples. The Cisco SecureX API documentation is designed to let developers integrate with SecureX services, so it includes request examples (A) that show exactly how to format calls to the API, including HTTP methods, URLs, headers, and sample payloads. It also provides schema definitions (B), which describe the data models and structures of request and response bodies so developers know the expected fields and types. Endpoint definitions (D) are likewise included, listing the available API endpoints and their operations so consumers know which URLs to call for each function. Pricing information (C) is a commercial/billing matter and is not part of API reference documentation, and hardware installation guides (E) are physical deployment documents unrelated to the SecureX API documentation.

Answer

Pricing information

Answer

Hardware installation guides

Question 12

When working with NETCONF, what is the role of the <edit-config> operation?

Accepted Answer

It changes the running configuration of the device.. The NETCONF operation is used to modify the configuration datastore on a device — it can create, merge, replace, or delete configuration nodes within a target datastore such as . It is the standard way to push configuration changes via NETCONF, as defined in RFC 6241.

Answer

It retrieves the entire configuration from the device.

Answer

It deletes the entire configuration.

Answer

It creates a new session on the device.

Question 13

You are automating threat response using Cisco Threat Response. You want to retrieve a list of verdicts for a specific observable (e.g., an IP address). Which API provides this capability?

Accepted Answer

Cisco Threat Response (CTR) API. The Cisco Threat Response API (often integrated via the 'private cloud' or 'public cloud' API endpoints) allows querying indicators and verdicts for specific observables.

Answer

Cisco Security Services Exchange (SSE) API

Answer

Cisco Firepower Management Center API

Answer

Cisco ISE pxGrid API

Question 14

You are developing a Python script that uses the ncclient library to configure a Cisco IOS-XE device via NETCONF. You need to send a <edit-config> operation that merges a new interface configuration. Which NETCONF operation and default-operation value should you use to ensure that only the specified configuration is merged without affecting other interfaces?

Accepted Answer

Use with default-operation='merge'.. The operation with default-operation='merge' is the standard way to merge configuration changes without affecting other parts of the configuration. It modifies only the specified nodes. The 'replace' option would overwrite the entire configuration, while 'none' requires explicit operation attributes. is for full datastore replacement.

Answer

Use <edit-config> with default-operation='replace'.

Answer

Use <copy-config> with the running configuration as the target.

Answer

Use <edit-config> with default-operation='none'.

Question 15

You are automating the 'App Firewall' in Cisco Cloudlock. You want to change an OAuth app's status from 'Approved' to 'Revoked'. Which object structure must be sent in the request body?

Accepted Answer

{"status": "revoked"}. The Cloudlock App Firewall API expects a JSON body where the 'status' field is set to the desired state of the OAuth application. To revoke an app that is currently 'Approved', you send {"status": "revoked"}. The API uses the 'status' key (not 'state' or 'action') and the value 'revoked' to transition the app's lifecycle state.

Answer

{"type": "oauth", "state": "blocked"}

Answer

{"action": "delete"}

Answer

{"user_id": "all", "action": "revoke"}

Question 16

You are automating the extraction of SaaS security incidents from Cloudlock. You observe that incidents are being missed by your script. What is the most likely cause if your script is calling the API every 60 seconds?

Accepted Answer

The script is not using a 'start_time' parameter to track the last retrieved event. Cloudlock's incident API returns events based on a time window, and without a 'start_time' parameter the script may repeatedly fetch the same default window or miss events outside it. To reliably retrieve all incidents, the script must track the last retrieved timestamp and pass it as 'start_time' on each poll. Polling every 60 seconds is fine, but without time-based pagination, incidents can be skipped.

Answer

The incidents have been deleted by the user

Answer

The API is offline

Answer

The script uses POST instead of GET

Question 17

You are writing a script to automate firewall rules. When using the 'pyang' tool, what is the primary purpose of the '--format' option?

Accepted Answer

To translate the YANG model into a specific output format.. The --format option in pyang is used to specify the output format, such as tree, json, or xsd, for a given YANG model.

Answer

To set the recursion depth of the model tree.

Answer

To define the input file encoding.

Answer

To specify the YANG module version.

Question 18

In a Cisco REST API implementation using Python, you receive a '429 Too Many Requests' error. What is the appropriate programmatic response?

Accepted Answer

Implement an exponential backoff strategy.. A 429 Too Many Requests status code indicates that the client has exceeded the rate limit imposed by the API server. The correct programmatic response is to implement an exponential backoff strategy, where the client waits progressively longer intervals between retries (e.g., 1s, 2s, 4s, 8s) to reduce the request rate and avoid overwhelming the server. This approach is a standard best practice for handling rate limiting in REST APIs, including Cisco's, and is often recommended in Cisco DevNet and automation certifications.

Answer

Switch the request method from GET to POST.

Answer

Disable SSL verification for subsequent calls.

Answer

Increase the timeout duration of the request.

Question 19

Your team runs a Cisco Secure Email Gateway (AsyncOS) and wants to automate message tracking lookups for incident response. A script authenticates with a valid session and queries /esa/api/v2.0/message-tracking/messages. The API returns HTTP 404 for every query even though messages exist. Which configuration issue is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The ESA API feature is disabled or the wrong API version is enabled in the gateway configuration.. HTTP 404 from an AsyncOS API endpoint usually means the requested path is not exposed. The API feature must be enabled on the gateway, and the endpoint version in the URL must match the enabled version. Authentication failures produce 401, and empty data produces 200 with an empty result, so those do not fit the symptom.

Answer

The OAuth 2.0 token has expired and must be refreshed before retrying.

Answer

The message tracking database has been purged and no messages remain to query.

Answer

The API account lacks the Administrator or Operator role required for message tracking.

Question 20

Which THREE of the following are best practices for managing API keys? (Choose three)

Accepted Answer

Rotate keys regularly. Option A (Rotate keys regularly) is correct because periodic rotation limits the window of exposure if a key is leaked or compromised, and it supports compliance requirements such as those in PCI DSS and NIST guidelines. Option B (Use least privilege access for keys) is correct because scoping each key to only the permissions and resources it needs reduces the blast radius of a compromised key, following the principle of least privilege. Option C (Never hardcode keys in scripts) is correct because hardcoded keys end up in source control, logs, and build artifacts, where they are easily exposed; instead, keys should be stored in a secrets manager or injected via environment variables at runtime. Option D is wrong because reusing one key across every project violates least privilege and isolation, so a single leak compromises all projects and makes auditing impossible. Option E is wrong because email is unencrypted in transit and at rest on many servers, so sharing keys that way exposes them to interception and unauthorized access; keys should be distributed through a secure secrets management system.

Answer

Use the same key for every project

Answer

Share keys via email with the team