NSE7 Advanced Threat Protection Practice Question
An administrator configures a custom IPS signature to detect traffic to a specific malicious domain. Which syntax is correct for a custom IPS signature in FortiGate?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates familiar with open-source IDS/IPS systems like Snort or Suricata may mistakenly apply their syntax (Option A) to FortiGate, not realizing that FortiGate uses its own F-SBID syntax for custom IPS signatures.
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
✓
F-SBID( --name "malicious_domain"; --pattern "example.com"; --service HTTP; )
FortiGate custom IPS signatures use the F-SBID (Fortinet Signature-Based IDentification) syntax, which requires the --name and --pattern keywords to define the signature name and the malicious pattern to match. This syntax is specific to FortiGate's IPS engine and is not based on Snort or Suricata rule syntax.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
config ips custom signature edit "malicious_domain" set signature "alert tcp any any -> any any (msg:"malicious"; content:"example.com";)" end
Why it's wrong here
That is Snort syntax, not FortiGate custom IPS format.
- ✗
config firewall policy edit 1 set ips-filter "malicious_domain" end
Why it's wrong here
IPS filters are not the same as custom signatures.
- ✗
set ips-sensor custom-signature "malicious_domain" pattern "example.com"
Why it's wrong here
Not a valid FortiGate command; custom signatures use F-SBID.
- ✓
F-SBID( --name "malicious_domain"; --pattern "example.com"; --service HTTP; )
Why this is correct
This is the correct FortiGate custom IPS signature syntax using F-SBID.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This NSE7 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet 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 NSE7 exam.