The answer is to use the 'capture' command with the trace option on Cisco FTD. This command is the definitive tool for troubleshooting packet drops because it maps the exact packet flow through the firewall’s data pipeline, revealing where the traffic is silently discarded even when the access control policy permits it. The trace output shows each inspection phase—ingress, routing, access control, NAT, and egress—and explicitly states the drop reason, such as an intrusion prevention action, URL filtering block, or security intelligence hit. On the Cisco SCOR 350-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the FTD packet processing order and the limitations of relying solely on access control rules; a common trap is assuming a permit rule guarantees passage, ignoring deeper inspections. A useful memory tip: think of the trace as a "packet GPS" that shows every turn and where the packet crashes, not just the allowed route.
350-701 Security Concepts Practice Question
This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of security concepts. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
An engineer is troubleshooting traffic drops on a Cisco Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) device. The traffic is allowed by the access control policy but is being dropped. Which feature should the engineer check to identify the cause of the drop?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use the 'capture' command with trace option to see packet flow and drop reason.
Option C is correct because the 'capture' command with the 'trace' option on Cisco FTD provides a detailed, packet-level analysis of how traffic is processed through the firewall pipeline. It shows each step (e.g., ingress, routing, access control, NAT, egress) and explicitly states the drop reason, such as 'action-drop' due to intrusion prevention, URL filtering, or security intelligence, even when the access control policy appears to allow the traffic. This is the only option that directly identifies the specific cause of a drop in the data path.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Check the 'show access-list' output for the hit count.
Why it's wrong here
Shows if the ACL matches, but not where drops occur.
✗
Check the 'show route' output for routing issues.
Why it's wrong here
Routing issues may cause drops, but not the only cause.
✓
Use the 'capture' command with trace option to see packet flow and drop reason.
Why this is correct
Captures packets and shows the disposition, including drops.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Check the 'show conn' output for the connection state.
Why it's wrong here
Shows active connections, not drops.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that 'show access-list hit counts' or 'show conn' can diagnose drops, but the trap here is that FTD has multiple inspection layers (prefilter, SSL, intrusion, file, etc.) beyond the basic access control policy, and only a packet trace can pinpoint which layer caused the drop.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Shows if the ACL matches, but not where drops occur.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'capture trace' command on FTD leverages the underlying Snort inspection engine to simulate packet processing through the Lina (fast path) and Snort (slow path) components. It outputs a detailed trace showing each 'prefilter', 'access-list', 'nat', 'inspect', and 'egress' step, with explicit drop reasons like 'drop-reason: (acl-drop)' or 'drop-reason: (intrusion-block)'. In real-world scenarios, a common subtlety is that traffic allowed by the access control policy can still be dropped by the 'Security Intelligence' feature (based on IP reputation) or by an 'Intrusion Policy' that blocks a specific signature, which only the trace will reveal.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Security Concepts — This question tests Security Concepts — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the 'capture' command with trace option to see packet flow and drop reason. — Option C is correct because the 'capture' command with the 'trace' option on Cisco FTD provides a detailed, packet-level analysis of how traffic is processed through the firewall pipeline. It shows each step (e.g., ingress, routing, access control, NAT, egress) and explicitly states the drop reason, such as 'action-drop' due to intrusion prevention, URL filtering, or security intelligence, even when the access control policy appears to allow the traffic. This is the only option that directly identifies the specific cause of a drop in the data path.
What should I do if I get this 350-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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