Splunk Certified Cybersecurity Defense Engineer SPLK-5002 Exam Practice Test

Answer : B

Understanding Data Indexing in Splunk

In Splunk Enterprise Security (ES) and Splunk SOAR, data indexing is a fundamental process that enables efficient storage, retrieval, and searching of data.

Why is Data Indexing Important?

Stores raw machine data (logs, events, metrics) in a structured manner.

Enables fast searching through optimized data storage techniques.

Uses an indexer to process, compress, and store data efficiently.

Why the Correct Answer is B?

Splunk indexes data to store it efficiently while ensuring fast retrieval for searches, correlation searches, and analytics.

It assigns metadata to indexed events, allowing SOC analysts to quickly filter and search logs.

Incorrect Answers & Explanations

A . To ensure data normalization Splunk normalizes data using Common Information Model (CIM), not indexing.

C . To secure data from unauthorized access Splunk uses RBAC (Role-Based Access Control) and encryption for security, not indexing.

D . To visualize data using dashboards Dashboards use indexed data for visualization, but indexing itself is focused on data storage and retrieval.

Additional Resources:

Splunk Data Indexing Documentation

Splunk Architecture & Indexing Guide

Answer : A, C

Why is Asset and Identity Information Important in Correlation Searches?

Correlation searches in Splunk Enterprise Security (ES) analyze security events to detect anomalies, threats, and suspicious behaviors. Adding asset and identity information significantly improves security detection and response by:

1 Enhancing the Context of Detections -- (Answer A)

Helps analysts understand the impact of an event by associating security alerts with specific assets and users.

Example: If a failed login attempt happens on a critical server, it's more serious than one on a guest user account.

2 Prioritizing Incidents Based on Asset Value -- (Answer C)

High-value assets (CEO's laptop, production databases) need higher priority investigations.

Example: If malware is detected on a critical finance server, the SOC team prioritizes it over a low-impact system.

Why Not the Other Options?

B. Reducing the volume of raw data indexed -- Asset and identity enrichment adds more metadata; it doesn't reduce indexed data. D. Accelerating data ingestion rates -- Adding asset identity doesn't speed up ingestion; it actually introduces more processing.

Reference & Learning Resources

Splunk ES Asset & Identity Framework: https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/ES/latest/Admin/Assetsandidentitymanagement Correlation Searches in Splunk ES: https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/ES/latest/Admin/Correlationsearches

Answer : B, C

Effective documentation ensures that security teams can standardize response procedures, reduce incident response time, and improve compliance.

1. Visual Workflow Diagrams (B)

Helps map out security processes in an easy-to-understand format.

Useful for SOC analysts, engineers, and auditors to understand incident escalation procedures.

Example:

Incident flow diagrams showing escalation from Tier 1 SOC analysts Threat hunters Incident response teams.

2. Incident Response Playbooks (C)

Defines step-by-step response actions for security incidents.

Standardizes how teams should detect, analyze, contain, and remediate threats.

Example:

A SOAR playbook for handling phishing emails (e.g., extract indicators, check sandbox results, quarantine email).

Incorrect Answers:

A . Detailed event logs Logs are essential for investigations but do not constitute process documentation.

D . Customer satisfaction surveys Not relevant to security process documentation.

Additional Resources:

NIST Cybersecurity Framework - Incident Response

Splunk SOAR Playbook Documentation

Answer : A, B, D

The sourcetype in Splunk defines how incoming machine data is interpreted, structured, and stored. Proper sourcetype configurations ensure accurate event parsing, indexing, and searching.

1. Event Breaking Rules (A)

Determines how Splunk splits raw logs into individual events.

If misconfigured, a single event may be broken into multiple fragments or multiple log lines may be combined incorrectly.

Controlled using LINE_BREAKER and BREAK_ONLY_BEFORE settings.

2. Timestamp Extraction (B)

Extracts and assigns timestamps to events during ingestion.

Incorrect timestamp configuration leads to misplaced events in time-based searches.

Uses TIME_PREFIX, MAX_TIMESTAMP_LOOKAHEAD, and TIME_FORMAT settings.

3. Line Merging Rules (D)

Controls whether multiline events should be combined into a single event.

Useful for logs like stack traces or multi-line syslog messages.

Uses SHOULD_LINEMERGE and LINE_BREAKER settings.

Incorrect Answer:

C . Data Retention Policies

Affects storage and deletion, not data ingestion itself.

Additional Resources:

Splunk Sourcetype Configuration Guide

Event Breaking and Line Merging

Answer : A

MITRE ATT&CK is a threat intelligence framework that helps security teams map attack techniques to detection rules.

1. Develop Custom Detection Rules Based on Attack Techniques (A)

Maps Splunk correlation searches to MITRE ATT&CK techniques to detect adversary behaviors.

Example:

To detect T1078 (Valid Accounts):

index=auth_logs action=failed | stats count by user, src_ip

If an account logs in from anomalous locations, trigger an alert.

Incorrect Answers:

B . Use it only for reporting after incidents MITRE ATT&CK should be used proactively for threat detection.

C . Rely solely on vendor-provided threat intelligence Custom rules tailored to an organization's threat landscape are more effective.

D . Deploy it as a replacement for current detection systems MITRE ATT&CK complements existing SIEM/EDR tools, not replaces them.

Additional Resources:

MITRE ATT&CK & Splunk

Using MITRE ATT&CK in SIEMs

Answer : C

Automating case management workflows in Splunk streamlines incident response and reduces manual overhead, allowing analysts to focus on higher-value tasks.

Main Benefits of Automating Case Management:

Reduces Response Times (C)

Automatically assigns cases to analysts based on predefined rules.

Triggers playbooks and workflows in Splunk SOAR to handle common incidents.

Improves Analyst Productivity (C)

Reduces time spent on manual case creation and updates.

Provides integrated case tracking across Splunk and ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Jira).

Incorrect Answers: A. Eliminating the need for manual alerts -- Alerts still require analyst verification and triage. B. Enabling dynamic storage allocation -- Case management does not impact Splunk storage. D. Minimizing the use of correlation searches -- Correlation searches remain essential for detection, even with automation.

Splunk Case Management Best Practices

Automating Incident Response with Splunk SOAR

Answer : A, B, D

Effective security reporting helps SOC teams, executives, and compliance officers make informed decisions.

1. Automating Report Generation (A)

Saves time by scheduling reports for regular distribution.

Reduces manual effort and ensures timely insights.

Example:

A weekly phishing attack report sent to SOC analysts.

2. Customizing Reports for Different Audiences (B)

Technical reports for SOC teams include detailed event logs.

Executive summaries provide risk assessments and trends.

Example:

SOC analysts see incident logs, while executives get a risk summary.

3. Providing Actionable Recommendations (D)

Reports should not just show data but suggest actions.

Example:

If failed login attempts increase, recommend MFA enforcement.

Incorrect Answers:

C . Including unrelated historical data for context Reports should be concise and relevant.

E . Using dynamic filters for better analysis Useful in dashboards, but not a primary factor in reporting effectiveness.

Additional Resources:

Splunk Security Reporting Guide

Best Practices for Security Metrics