C1000-156 IBM Security QRadar SIEM V7.5 Administration Questions and Answers

When exporting a list of events to a CSV file in IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5, the default columns included in the search result typically are:

Log Source: The origin of the log data.

Event Count: The number of events.

High Level Category: The broad classification of the event.

Related Offense: The associated offense ID or description.

These columns provide a comprehensive overview of the events, helping analysts quickly understand the context and significance of the data.

ReferencesIBM QRadar SIEM documentation provides details on the default columns included in search results and their significance in event analysis.

The primary site for downloading software updates for IBM QRadar is IBM Fix Central. Here’s how it works:

IBM Fix Central: A centralized platform for downloading fixes, updates, and patches for IBM software products.

Accessing Updates: Administrators can log in to IBM Fix Central, select QRadar from the list of products, and download the necessary updates.

Regular Updates: Keeping QRadar updated with the latest fixes and patches ensures optimal performance and security.

ReferencesIBM QRadar SIEM documentation and support resources direct users to IBM Fix Central for downloading and applying software updates.

In IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5, Anomaly Detection Engine rules that test events or flows for volume changes occurring in regular patterns are known asAnomaly Rules. Here’s how they function:

Detection: Anomaly rules are designed to identify deviations from normal behavior by analyzing patterns in the data.

Volume Changes: These rules specifically look for unusual increases or decreases in event or flow volumes that might indicate potential security incidents.

Regular Patterns: By understanding regular patterns in network traffic and event logs, anomaly rules can highlight significant outliers that warrant further investigation.

ReferencesThe functionality and configuration of anomaly rules are covered extensively in the IBMQRadar SIEM administration guide, providing administrators with the tools to effectively detect and respond to abnormal network activities.

TACACS (Terminal Access Controller Access-Control System) authentication is a protocol used in IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5 for authenticating users by forwarding their credentials to an external server. Here’s how it works:

Encryption: TACACS encrypts the entire payload of the authentication packet, including the username and password, ensuring secure transmission.

Forwarding Credentials: After encryption, the credentials are forwarded to an external TACACS server, which performs the actual authentication.

Authentication Process: The external server checks the credentials against its database and sends a response back to QRadar indicating whether the authentication is successful or not.

ReferencesIBM QRadar SIEM documentation explains TACACS authentication in detail, highlighting its secure encryption and external server verification process.

The primary method used by IBM QRadar to install and manage applications created using the GUI Application Framework Software Development Kit (SDK) is through the REST API interface:

API Endpoint:/api/gui_app_framework

Functionality: This endpoint allows administrators to manage the lifecycle of applications, including installation, updates, and removal.

Integration: Provides seamless integration with the GUI Application Framework, enabling the development and deployment of custom applications within QRadar.

ReferencesThe IBM QRadar API documentation provides details on the/api/gui_app_frameworkendpoint and its usage for managing GUI applications.

In IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5, the default value for the maximum number of active offenses is set to 2500. This limit is in place to manage system performance and ensure efficient processing of security incidents. Here’s the detailed information:

Default Setting: The default setting for the maximum number of active offenses is 2500.

Impact: If this limit is reached, QRadar will not generate new offenses until some of the existing offenses are closed or archived.

Configuration: Administrators can adjust this setting based on their organizational needs, but the default value is 2500.

ReferencesThis information is detailed in the QRadar SIEM configuration and tuning guides, which specify default settings and provide instructions for modifying the maximum number of active offenses if necessary.

A lazy search in IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5 is designed to optimize the performance of search queries by limiting the amount of data retrieved and processed at any given time. This is particularly beneficial in environments with large datasets. Here’s a detailed explanation:

Limited Results: Lazy searches limit the search results to a specific range, allowing users to get manageable chunks of data without overwhelming the system.

Performance Optimization: By reducing the amount of data processed in a single search, lazy searches improve query performance and reduce resource usage.

Incremental Data Retrieval: Users can incrementally retrieve more data as needed, making it easier to handle and analyze large datasets without performance degradation.

ReferencesThe functionality and benefits of lazy searches are detailed in the IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5 user guides, which explain how to configure and use lazy searches for efficient data retrieval and analysis.

In IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5, the accumulator process must complete data aggregation within a specific timeframe to be deemed successful:

Timeframe: 60 seconds

Aggregation Process: The accumulator aggregates events and flows for reporting and analysis. If it cannot complete this task within 60 seconds, it is considered unsuccessful.

Impact: Failure to aggregate within the specified timeframe can result in missing data points in reports and dashboards, affecting the accuracy and completeness of the information presented.

ReferencesThe QRadar SIEM administration guides detail the accumulator process and the importance of completing data aggregation within 60 seconds to ensure accurate reporting.

To verify disk usage levels in a Linux environment, thedf -hcommand is used. This command provides an overview of the disk space usage, displaying the available and used space in a human-readable format.

Open the terminal or CLI on the system.

Typedf -hand press Enter.

Review the output, which will show the filesystem, size, used space, available space, and usage percentage for all mounted filesystems.

ReferencesIBM QRadar SIEM V7.5 Administration documentation.

To track network bandwidth violations by any application coming from your network source and report on all applications that create traffic along with the amount of data from each IP address, you need to store the IP address, the application, and the amount of data in a reference data collection. The appropriate type of reference data collection for this use case is a "Reference map." Here is why:

Reference Map: A reference map allows you to store key-value pairs where each key is unique. In this context, the key can be the combination of the IP address and the application, and the value can be the amount of data (total bytes).

Data Structure: This structure enables efficient lookups and updates, which is ideal for tracking and reporting bandwidth usage per application per IP address.

Use Case Suitability: The reference map is suitable for scenarios where you need to store and retrieve values based on a specific key, and it supports storing complex data structures efficiently.

This type of reference data collection supports the use case by allowing the storage and retrieval of detailed network traffic information per application and IP address.

ReferencesIBM Security QRadar SIEM and IBM Security QRadar EDR integration.pdf​

When using the DSM (Device Support Module) Editor in IBM QRadar to map an event to an OID (Object Identifier), the Event ID field is mandatory. The Event ID uniquely identifies the event within QRadar and is essential for ensuring that the correct event data is associated with the appropriate OID. This mapping process allows QRadar to properly categorize and handle events based on their unique identifiers.

ReferencesQRadar SIEM V7.5 Administration Guide - Chapter on DSM Editor and Event Mapping

Administrators can configure a rule response in QRadar to add event data to a reference set by using the "add to reference set" rule response. This is a predefined responseaction in QRadar that allows specific event data to be added to a reference set when the rule conditions are met.

Navigate to the "Offenses" tab in the QRadar console.

Select "Rules" from the navigation pane.

Create a new rule or edit an existing rule.

In the "Rule Response" section, add a new response.

Select the "Add to Reference Set" response.

Specify the reference set and the data to be added.

Save and deploy the rule.

ReferencesIBM QRadar SIEM V7.5 Administration documentation

The default user role defined in QRadar is "QRadar Users". Here’s a detailed explanation:

User Roles in QRadar: QRadar has a role-based access control system to manage user permissions and access levels. This ensures that users can only access and perform actions within their assigned roles.

Default Role - QRadar Users: The "QRadar Users" role is the default role assigned to new users. This role typically includes basic permissions needed to access and use QRadar features without administrative privileges.

Permissions: Users with the "QRadar Users" role can view and analyze security data, but they might have limited access to configuration settings and administrative functions.

Assigning default roles helps streamline user management and ensures that new users have the necessary access to perform their tasks.

ReferencesIBM Security QRadar SIEM and IBM Security QRadar EDR integration.pdf​

The Report wizard in IBM QRadar SIEM provides a structured approach to designing, scheduling, and generating reports. The three key elements used by the Report wizard to help you create a report are:

Content: This element involves selecting the specific data and metrics you want to include in the report. It can include various log sources, events, and other relevant security data.

Format: This element defines how the data will be presented in the report. It includes selecting the type of report (e.g., tabular, graphical) and the specific visualizations that will best represent the data.

Layout: This element refers to the overall structure and design of the report, including the arrangement of content and visual elements to ensure the report is easily readable and professionally formatted.

These elements together ensure that the reports generated are comprehensive, visually appealing, and tailored to the specific needs of the organization.

ReferencesIBM QRadar SIEM documentation

To quickly check the disk space for all managed hosts in IBM QRadar SIEM V7.5, the administrator uses the following command:

Command:/opt/qradar/support/all_servers.sh -C -k 'df -Th'

Function: This command checks the disk space across all managed hosts, providing detailed information about the filesystem types and disk usage.

Parameters:

-C: Executes the command on all managed hosts.

-k: Keeps the output in a human-readable format.

'df -Th': The specific command to display the disk space usage in a tabular format with human-readable file sizes.

ReferencesThe IBM QRadar SIEM documentation provides a comprehensive list of commands for system administration, including those for checking disk space on managed hosts.