hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
350-701 Practice Question: An administrator configures Cisco Email Security…
An administrator configures Cisco Email Security Appliance (ESA) with an outbreak filter to handle a new ransomware variant. The outbreak filter is set to 'Quarantine' for messages with a threat score above 70. After deployment, some legitimate emails with a threat score of 75 are quarantined. The administrator wants to reduce false positives without compromising security. Which configuration change should be made?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between outbreak filter actions (Quarantine, Analyze, Deliver) and the misconception that content filters can override outbreak filter verdicts, when in reality outbreak filters are evaluated first and content filters cannot bypass them.
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
✓
Configure the outbreak filter to 'Analyze' instead of 'Quarantine' for scores between 70 and 80.
It allows the administrator to apply a graduated response: messages with threat scores between 70 and 80 are analyzed (e.g., delivered with a warning or delayed) rather than quarantined, reducing false positives while still providing security. The outbreak filter in Cisco ESA supports multiple actions per score range, enabling a tiered policy that avoids an all-or-nothing approach. This maintains protection against truly high-risk messages (score >80) while sparing borderline legitimate traffic.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Disable the outbreak filter temporarily to allow all emails.
Why it's wrong here
This would increase risk of malware infection.
- ✗
Increase the threat score threshold to 80 or higher.
Why it's wrong here
Increasing the threshold may miss real threats and does not address the false positive mechanism.
- ✗
Create a content filter to bypass outbreak filtering for known good senders.
Why it's wrong here
This could help but may not cover all legitimate emails and adds complexity.
- ✓
Configure the outbreak filter to 'Analyze' instead of 'Quarantine' for scores between 70 and 80.
Why this is correct
Analysis allows the ESA to gather more intelligence and possibly release the email if it's determined safe, reducing false positives.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This 350-701 question is part of Courseiva's 978-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.