Palo Alto Networks Security Operations Professional — Information & Free Practice

About Palo Alto Networks Security Operations Professional

Palo Alto Networks Security Operations Professional · US

Key exam facts

Provider

Pearson Professional Assessments; in-person Pearson VUE test centers

Format

English; multiple-choice questions; computer-scored

Time limit

90 minutes; default 30-minute ESL extension in non-English-speaking countries

Passing score

860 on a scaled-score range of 300 to 1000

Exam fee

USD 200; price may vary by country and additional taxes or fees may apply

Topics covered

• Security Operations Fundamentals (25%)

  • Explain the function of users, roles, log management, compliance, and data protection in Cortex XDR
  • Explain the process of creating and managing reports and dashboards in Cortex products
  • Explain the common components and functions of a security operations center (SOC)
  • Differentiate between AI and machine learning (ML) in security operations

• Threat Intelligence and Incident / Case Response (16%)

  • Identify and explain the steps of the NIST Incident Response Plan
  • Explain the concept of incident management and response
  • Explain the role of threat intelligence in incident response
  • Explain the function of case categorization and prioritization
  • Explain how file, IP address, domain, and URL indicator types are used in Cortex products
  • Compare and contrast WildFire, Unit 42 intelligence, and VirusTotal
  • Evaluate false positive, false negative, and true positive security cases
  • Conduct basic threat hunting based on a common indicator types

• Cortex XDR (23%)

  • Identify and explain the use of key Cortex XDR elements
  • Explain the process of agent management and deployment, including cloud workloads
  • Identify use cases in which an organization would benefit from Cortex XDR compared to an endpoint detection and response (EDR) solution

• Cortex XSOAR (16%)

  • Explain the features and functionality of Cortex XSOAR
  • Differentiate between scripts and jobs in Cortex XSOAR

• Cortex XSIAM (20%)

  • Explain the function of key Cortex XSIAM components
  • Explain Cortex XSIAM processes, capabilities, use cases, and rules

How to prepare

Work through the topics, read the explanation after each answer, and revisit the areas where you miss questions. Use the official outline and reference materials below to guide your study.

These independent practice questions are not actual exam items and do not guarantee a passing result.

Frequently asked questions

Official sources and references

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 4, Recommended Preparation, second paragraph

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 2, Blueprint paragraph

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 3, domain 1 heading

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 3, domain 2 heading

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 3, domain 3 heading

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 3, domain 4 heading

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 4, domain 5 heading

• Palo Alto Networks Certification Examinations at Pearson

  Palo Alto Networks Certification Exams Preparation

• Palo Alto Networks Certification Handbook

  PDF p. 5, What Is a Scaled Score?

• Palo Alto Networks Certification Handbook

  PDF p. 5, Exam Scoring and Official Score Report

• Palo Alto Networks Certification Handbook

  PDF p. 4, Pretest Questions

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 2, introduction and embedded Exam Details sidebar; page image scope-page-2.png visually read against this fixed original

• Palo Alto Networks Certification Handbook

  PDF p. 3, How to Schedule Your Exam with Pearson

• Important Update: Enhancing the Value of Your Palo Alto Networks’ Certification

  Official announcement, delivery-transition paragraph

• Palo Alto Networks Certification Examinations at Pearson

  How To Register For An Exam

• Security Operations Professional Datasheet

  PDF p. 4, English as a Second Language (ESL) Accommodation

Confirm current exam arrangements with the exam provider.