350-701 Content Security Practice Question
Which Cisco ESA feature uses SHA-256 cloud lookups to detect malware in email attachments?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between cloud-based file reputation (AMP) and heuristic/rule-based outbreak detection (Outbreak Filters), leading candidates to confuse Outbreak Filters as the answer because both deal with malware outbreaks.
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
✓
AMP for Email
Cisco ESA's AMP for Email (Advanced Malware Protection) leverages SHA-256 cloud lookups to compare file hashes of email attachments against Talos threat intelligence. When an attachment is processed, its SHA-256 hash is computed and sent to the AMP cloud for real-time verdict (malicious, clean, or unknown). This is distinct from signature-based detection, as it relies on cloud-based file reputation analysis.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
AMP for Email
Why this is correct
AMP for Email performs SHA-256 lookup and sandboxing.
- ✗
Outbreak Filters
Why it's wrong here
Outbreak filters use TALOS intelligence, not SHA-256 cloud lookup.
- ✗
DLP Policies
Why it's wrong here
DLP scans for data patterns, not malware.
- ✗
Anti-spam (SenderBase)
Why it's wrong here
SenderBase is for reputation, not malware.
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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.