hardMultiple Choice
200-201 Uses Cisco AMP for Endpoints Practice Question
An organization uses Cisco AMP for Endpoints. A file with a low prevalence score is executed on multiple endpoints, and AMP identifies it as malicious after behavioral analysis. The analyst needs to ensure that all endpoints are protected from this file. Which action should be taken?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between reactive containment (isolation) and proactive prevention (outbreak policies), leading candidates to choose isolation because it seems immediate, but the question asks for ensuring all endpoints are protected, which requires a policy-based push, not just isolating affected systems.
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 custom IOC for the file hash and apply it to an outbreak policy.
Creating a custom IOC for the file hash and applying it to an outbreak policy is correct because Cisco AMP for Endpoints uses outbreak policies to rapidly deploy protections across all endpoints. Once behavioral analysis identifies the file as malicious, the IOC (based on the file's SHA-256 hash) can be pushed via an outbreak policy to block execution, quarantine, or remediate the file on every endpoint, regardless of prior prevalence. This ensures immediate, global protection without waiting for cloud signature updates.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a custom IOC for the file hash and apply it to an outbreak policy.
Why this is correct
A custom IOC containing the file's SHA-256 hash lets the outbreak policy block or quarantine that exact file across all endpoints, regardless of cloud prevalence verdicts. This enforces protection immediately without waiting for a signature update.
- ✗
Isolate all endpoints that executed the file.
Why it's wrong here
Isolation contains infected hosts but does not prevent the file executing on endpoints that have not yet run it, leaving them unprotected. It is tempting because isolation stops lateral spread from compromised machines, yet the requirement is blocking the file itself, which a custom detection or outbreak control accomplishes.
- ✗
Disable cloud connectivity for AMP to prevent recurrence.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling cloud connectivity severs AMP's cloud lookups and behavioural verdict sharing, weakening protection and preventing the newly identified file from being blocked elsewhere. It is tempting as a way to stop recurrence, but the correct response is pushing a custom detection or adding the file's SHA-256 to a blocklist.
- ✗
Run a scan on each endpoint using the local AMP engine.
Why it's wrong here
A local scan uses the on-endpoint engine and signature set, which already missed this low-prevalence file before behavioural analysis flagged it, so it will not block future executions. It is tempting because scanning feels thorough, but the correct action distributes the cloud verdict as a custom detection to all endpoints.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-201 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 200-201 exam.