0% found this document useful (0 votes)
39 views7 pages

Cybersecurity Apprentice Exam Guide

The Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Apprentice exam is aimed at individuals seeking entry-level positions in cybersecurity, validating foundational knowledge in various cybersecurity domains. The datasheet outlines the exam's target audience, required skills, and detailed topics covered, including cybersecurity concepts, network fundamentals, and security operations. It also emphasizes the importance of using official resources for exam preparation and provides information on ESL accommodations.

Uploaded by

asishhmondal2002
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
39 views7 pages

Cybersecurity Apprentice Exam Guide

The Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Apprentice exam is aimed at individuals seeking entry-level positions in cybersecurity, validating foundational knowledge in various cybersecurity domains. The datasheet outlines the exam's target audience, required skills, and detailed topics covered, including cybersecurity concepts, network fundamentals, and security operations. It also emphasizes the importance of using official resources for exam preparation and provides information on ESL accommodations.

Uploaded by

asishhmondal2002
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Palo Alto Networks

Cybersecurity Apprentice

Datasheet
July 2024

Palo Alto Networks | Cybersecurity Apprentice | Datasheet 1


The Palo Alto Networks Certified Cybersecurity Apprentice exam is
for individuals entering or transitioning to a career in cybersecurity.
The exam is designed to provide those seeking an entry-level
cybersecurity position or those with non-technical roles (e.g.,
marketing, sales, program management, general, administrative) the
opportunity to demonstrate their networking and cybersecurity
knowledge. It will validate a candidate’s foundational-level knowledge
and understanding in the areas of cybersecurity concepts, network
fundamentals, endpoint security, security operations, network
security, and cloud security.
Exam registration: Pearson VUE
The purpose of this document is to help you prepare for the exam
and attain the certification. Please note that this document is
intended to help identify the topics covered and to provide
resources and references for understanding those topics. It is not
intended to be used as the sole document to prepare for the
Cybersecurity Apprentice exam.

Audience and Qualifications


Target Audience
● Individuals who want to validate their foundational knowledge and understanding of cybersecurity
concepts
● An emergent workforce that includes high school, college, and university students
● Individuals who want to transition into a cybersecurity career
● Technical and non-technical IT professionals
Skills Required
Basic knowledge of:
● networking concepts, models, and protocols
● endpoint security components, standards, and protection
● cloud security concepts, models, and services
● security operations concepts and functions
● cybersecurity lifecycle, threats, identification methods, and prevention methods
● current and emergent trends in information security (e.g., artificial intelligence, machine learning,
and crowdsourced intelligence)

Blueprint
The blueprint table lists the domains covered and includes domain weighting. The percentage weights
represent the portion of the exam score that is attributed to each domain. Many candidates find the
table provides focus for studies during exam preparation. Also included in the blueprint table are the
more specific tasks associated with each domain. Pay particular attention to these tasks, as they
provide more targeted areas of study within the domains.

Palo Alto Networks | Cybersecurity Apprentice | Datasheet 2


1. Cybersecurity 20%

1.1 Differentiate between vulnerabilities and exploits

1.2 Describe the stages of the cyber attack lifecycle


1.2.1 Reconnaissance
1.2.2 Weaponization and Delivery
1.2.3 Exploitation
1.2.4 Installation
1.2.5 Command-and-control (C2)
1.2.6 Actions on the Objective

1.3 Describe common attack types


1.3.1 Malware
1.3.2 Spyware
1.3.3 Trojan
1.3.4 Ransomware
1.3.5 Meddler-in-the-middle (MITM)
1.3.6 DDoS

1.4 Describe common threat detection systems


1.4.1 Intrusion detection system (IDS)
1.4.2 Host-based intrusion detection system (HIDS)
1.4.3 Network-based intrusion detection system (NIDS)

1.5 Describe threat prevention systems and practices


1.5.1 End user awareness
1.5.2 Security updates
1.5.3 Antivirus
1.5.4 Intrusion prevention system (IPS)
1.5.5 Firewalls

1.6 Identify the purpose of a demilitarized zone (DMZ)

1.7 Identify the purpose of Zero Trust

Palo Alto Networks | Cybersecurity Apprentice | Datasheet 3


2. Network Fundamentals 19%

2.1 Differentiate between types of area networks


2.1.1 WAN
2.1.2 LAN
2.1.3 SD-WAN

2.2 Describe external (north-south) and internal (east-west) traffic flow patterns for
environments

2.3 Explain the function of a default gateway

2.4 Explain the function of NAT

2.5 Explain the function of DNS

2.6 Explain the function of DHCP

2.7 Differentiate between static routing protocols and dynamic routing protocols

2.8 Differentiate between routed protocols and routing protocols

2.9 Differentiate between TCP/IP models and OSI models

2.10 Identify devices that operate in Layer 1 through Layer 4 of the OSI model

3. Network Security 17%

3.1 Differentiate between network segmentation methods


3.1.1 IP subnetting
3.1.2 VLANs
3.1.3 Zones

3.2 Differentiate between stateful firewalls and next-generation firewalls (NGFWs)

3.3 Explain the function of URL filtering

3.4 Explain the function of a VPN

3.5 Explain the function of a proxy

3.6 Differentiate between tunneling protocols


3.6.1 SSH
3.6.2 TLS
3.6.3 IKE
3.7 Explain the function of data loss prevention (DLP)

Palo Alto Networks | Cybersecurity Apprentice | Datasheet 4


4. Endpoint Security 15%

4.1 Differentiate between internet of things (IoT) devices and endpoints

4.2 Differentiate between endpoint security and network security

4.3 Explain the objectives of endpoint security

4.4 Identify endpoint security components


4.4.1 Security updates
4.4.2 Antivirus
4.4.3 Host-based firewalls
4.5 Differentiate between single-factor authentication and multi-factor authentication

4.6 Describe identity and access management (IAM)

5. Cloud Security 14%

5.1 Identify the four cloud-computing deployment models

5.2 Describe common cloud service models


5.2.1 Software as a service (SaaS)
5.2.2 Platform as a service (PaaS)
5.2.3 Infrastructure as a service (IaaS)
5.2.4 Network as a service (NaaS)
5.3 Describe the cloud shared responsibility model

5.4 Identify the four Cs of cloud native security


5.4.1 Cloud
5.4.2 Clusters
5.4.3 Containers
5.4.4 Code
5.5 Define common cloud terms
5.5.1 Hosted
5.5.2 Virtualization
5.5.3 Virtual machine (VM)
5.5.4 Container
5.5.5 Orchestration
5.5.6 API
5.6 Describe the cloud native security platform (CNSP)

5.7 Explain the function of continuous integration and continuous delivery / deployment
(CI/CD)

Palo Alto Networks | Cybersecurity Apprentice | Datasheet 5


6. Security Operations 15%
6.1 Explain security operations functions
6.1.1 Identify / Detect
6.1.2 Investigate
6.1.3 Mitigate
6.1.4 Improve

6.2 Describe the pillars of effective security operations


6.2.1 Business
6.2.2 People
6.2.3 Interfaces
6.2.4 Visibility
6.2.5 Technology
6.2.6 Processes

6.3 Define common security operations terms


6.3.1 Event
6.3.2 Alert
6.3.3 Security operations center (SOC)
6.3.4 DevSecOps
6.3.5 Incident response (IR) plan
6.3.6 Disaster recovery plan

6.4 Explain the concepts of false positive alerts and false negative alerts

6.5 Explain the function of syslog

6.6 Explain the following security operations technologies


6.6.1 Security orchestration, automation, and response (SOAR)
6.6.2 Security information and event management (SIEM)

6.7 Describe AI as it relates to alert analysis

Palo Alto Networks | Cybersecurity Apprentice | Datasheet 6


Learning Path
External candidates are strongly encouraged to use official Palo Alto Networks resources only to prepare
for the exam. The complete Palo Alto Networks recommended learning path can be found here.

References
Palo Alto Networks certification exam items are referenced to various publicly available technical or
scholarly sources. The following list includes several sources that may have been referenced during the
exam item development process.

● Palo Alto Networks TechDocs

● Palo Alto Networks Resource Center

● Palo Alto Networks Cyberpedia

● Palo Alto Networks Knowledge Base

● Palo Alto Networks Unit 42

English as a Second Language (ESL) Accommodation


The ESL accommodation provides a 30-minute time extension for exams delivered in English in
non-English speaking countries where a localized version of the exam is not available. When registering
for exams at Pearson VUE, the ESL 30-minute extension is automatically granted to candidates in
eligible countries based upon candidate address.

Palo Alto Networks | Cybersecurity Apprentice | Datasheet 7

Common questions

Powered by AI

Vulnerabilities are weaknesses in a system that can be exploited by threats to gain unauthorized access to or perform unauthorized actions on a computer system. Exploits take advantage of these vulnerabilities to execute an attack, often leading to unauthorized actions such as theft or damage. Understanding these differences is crucial for risk assessment and threat mitigation .

Endpoint security focuses on protecting individual devices from threats by implementing antivirus software, firewalls, and security updates directly on each device. Network security, on the other hand, secures the interconnections between devices, using mechanisms like firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection systems to protect data flowing across the network. Combining both approaches ensures that not only are the data and communication pathways secure, but that the devices themselves are protected from advanced threats, forming a holistic security strategy .

SIEM technology supports security operations by aggregating and analyzing security data from across an organization's IT infrastructure to detect, alert, and respond to security incidents. It provides insights through real-time monitoring and historical analysis. However, SIEM systems can be complex to configure and manage, and they require constant tuning to avoid false positives and negatives. Additionally, they may struggle with large volumes of data without proper scaling and optimization .

A demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a physical or logical subnetwork that contains an organization's external-facing services and connects them to the internet while keeping them isolated from the internal network. The purpose of the DMZ is to add an additional layer of security between an organization's internal network and external entities, preventing direct access to sensitive internal data while allowing public access to necessary services like web and email servers .

AI in analyzing security alerts enhances the capability to quickly identify and prioritize threats based on behavioral analysis and known attack patterns, reducing response times and improving the efficiency of security operations. The benefits include increased accuracy in threat detection and the reduction of false positives. However, challenges include managing AI model biases, ensuring data privacy, and the need for human oversight to verify AI-generated findings, as well as the potential increase in sophistication of attacks leveraging AI .

By understanding and mapping the stages of the cyber attack lifecycle—reconnaissance, weaponization and delivery, exploitation, installation, command-and-control, and actions on the objective—organizations can build strategies to detect and mitigate threats at each stage. For instance, implementing network monitoring can identify reconnaissance efforts, while robust endpoint security can prevent exploitation and installation, thereby disrupting the attack process and minimizing damage .

The shared responsibility model in cloud security delineates the division of security responsibilities between cloud service providers and users. Typically, the provider manages the security of the cloud infrastructure, while users are responsible for the security of their data within the cloud. Understanding this model is critical for users to establish adequate security measures, ensure compliance, and protect sensitive data from unauthorized access or breaches in shared environments .

Zero Trust principles dramatically reshape cybersecurity strategies by eliminating the concept of trusted and untrusted networks. Instead, under Zero Trust, every access request is thoroughly verified regardless of its origin, assumed breach is addressed using micro-segmentation, and the principle of least privilege is enforced across all access points. This helps in significantly reducing the risk of insider threats and external cyber attacks by ensuring that minimal access is given and every user or device is continuously verified .

Static routing protocols require manual setup of paths which remain constant until manually changed, offering stability but lacking in flexibility. Dynamic routing protocols, like OSPF and BGP, automatically adjust routes based on network topology and conditions, providing flexibility and adaptability to changes such as node failures or congestion. This adaptability can enhance network performance but may introduce complexity and potential for configuration errors .

Network Address Translation (NAT) allows multiple devices on a local network to be mapped to a single public IP address, conserving the number of global IP addresses required and enhancing security by masking internal IP addresses from external scans. DHCP automates the IP address assignment process, dynamically allocating IP addresses to devices on a network to ensure unique addressing without manual configuration. Both are crucial for network management efficiency and security .

You might also like