- A
Increase the spam threshold to catch lower-scoring emails.
Why wrong: Raising the threshold may increase false positives and might still miss highly tailored emails with low scores.
- B
Enable graymail filtering to categorize these emails as bulk suspicious.
Why wrong: Graymail filtering targets subscription-based emails, not targeted phishing from compromised domains.
- C
Create a content filter that detects the domain 'example-bank.com' in the envelope sender and sets the action to 'drop'.
This directly blocks emails from the known malicious domain without affecting other domains, minimizing false positives.
- D
Implement DMARC with a quarantine policy for the domain.
Why wrong: DMARC protects against domain spoofing, but the emails are from the actual domain, so DMARC would not block them.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to create a content filter that detects the domain 'example-bank.com' in the envelope sender and sets the action to 'drop'. This works because the Cisco ESA content filter inspects the SMTP envelope sender (MAIL FROM) before the message body is processed, allowing you to block phishing emails from a compromised domain even when they pass the spam filter due to valid DKIM signatures and low spam scores. On the Cisco SCOR 350-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of layered email security controls, specifically how content filters provide granular, rule-based blocking that bypasses reputation and spam-threshold limitations. A common trap is choosing DMARC quarantine, but that only protects against domain spoofing, not legitimate-but-compromised domains. Remember the memory tip: "Envelope sender, content filter, drop—when the domain is legit but the sender is not."
350-701 Content Security Practice Question
This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of content security. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A large enterprise recently migrated to Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) for inbound email filtering. The security team notices an increasing number of phishing emails that bypass the spam filter. Analysis shows that these emails originate from a legitimate but compromised domain (example-bank.com), use valid DKIM signatures, and have low spam scores due to carefully crafted benign text and embedded images. The team already has SenderBase enabled and uses the default spam threshold. The CEO received a convincing phishing email that led to a credential leak. Which course of action should the security team take to best mitigate this threat without causing significant false positives?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Create a content filter that detects the domain 'example-bank.com' in the envelope sender and sets the action to 'drop'.
Option B is correct because creating a content filter to detect the specific malicious domain in the envelope sender (MAIL FROM) and applying a 'drop' action directly blocks emails from that domain. This is a targeted approach that does not affect other domains. Option A is incorrect because graymail filtering is for newsletters and bulk mail, not for targeted phishing. Option C is incorrect because increasing the spam threshold may cause more false positives and may still not catch these low-scoring emails. Option D is incorrect because DMARC with quarantine would only help if the domain is being spoofed, but the emails are actually coming from the legitimate domain which is compromised.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Increase the spam threshold to catch lower-scoring emails.
Why it's wrong here
Raising the threshold may increase false positives and might still miss highly tailored emails with low scores.
- ✗
Enable graymail filtering to categorize these emails as bulk suspicious.
Why it's wrong here
Graymail filtering targets subscription-based emails, not targeted phishing from compromised domains.
- ✓
Create a content filter that detects the domain 'example-bank.com' in the envelope sender and sets the action to 'drop'.
Why this is correct
This directly blocks emails from the known malicious domain without affecting other domains, minimizing false positives.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- ✗
Implement DMARC with a quarantine policy for the domain.
Why it's wrong here
DMARC protects against domain spoofing, but the emails are from the actual domain, so DMARC would not block them.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 350-701 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
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Content Security — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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Content Security practice questions
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Cisco SCOR / CCNP Security Core 350-701 study guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 350-701 question test?
Content Security — This question tests Content Security — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a content filter that detects the domain 'example-bank.com' in the envelope sender and sets the action to 'drop'. — Option B is correct because creating a content filter to detect the specific malicious domain in the envelope sender (MAIL FROM) and applying a 'drop' action directly blocks emails from that domain. This is a targeted approach that does not affect other domains. Option A is incorrect because graymail filtering is for newsletters and bulk mail, not for targeted phishing. Option C is incorrect because increasing the spam threshold may cause more false positives and may still not catch these low-scoring emails. Option D is incorrect because DMARC with quarantine would only help if the domain is being spoofed, but the emails are actually coming from the legitimate domain which is compromised.
What should I do if I get this 350-701 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 350-701 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This 350-701 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-701 exam.
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