SPLK-5002 Exam Dumps - Splunk Cybersecurity Defense Analyst Questions and Answers

Splunk SOAR (Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response) improves security operations by automating routine tasks.

✅1. Faster Incident Resolution (A)

SOAR playbooks reduce response time from hours to minutes.

Example:

A malicious IP is automatically blocked in the firewall after detection.

✅2. Scaling Manual Efforts (C)

Automation allows security teams to handle more incidents without increasing headcount.

Example:

Instead of manually reviewing phishing emails, SOAR triages them automatically.

✅3. Consistent Task Execution (D)

Ensures standardized responses to security incidents.

Example:

Every malware alert follows the same containment process.

❌Incorrect Answers:

B. Reducing false positives → SOAR automates response but does not inherently reduce false positives (SIEM tuning does).

E. Eliminating all human intervention → Human analysts are still needed for decision-making.

????Additional Resources:

Splunk SOAR Automation Guide

Best Practices for SOAR Implementation

Building Effective Dashboards for Program Analytics

Well-designed dashboards help SOC teams visualize security trends, performance metrics, and compliance adherence efficiently.

✅1. Applying Accelerated Data Models for Better Performance (B)

Speeds up dashboard loading times by using pre-aggregated datasets.

Improves SIEM performance when analyzing large volumes of security logs.

Example:

Instead of running a full search, an accelerated data model pre-indexes event counts by severity level.

❌Incorrect Answers:

A. Using predefined templates without modification → Dashboards should be customized for security needs.

C. Avoiding the use of filters and tokens → Filters improve usability by allowing analysts to refine searches.

D. Limiting the number of visualizations → Dashboards should balance performance and visibility rather than limit insights.

????Additional Resources:

Splunk Accelerated Data Models

Building Fast and Efficient Dashboards

Splunk allows dynamic field extraction to enhance data analysis without modifying raw indexed data.

Search-Time Field Extraction:

Extracts fields on-demand when running searches.

Uses Splunk’s Field Extraction Engine (rex,spath, or automatic field discovery).

Minimizes indexing overhead by keeping the raw data unchanged.

Why Use Data Models in Dashboards?

SplunkData Modelsallow dashboards toretrieve structured, normalized data quickly, improving search performance and accuracy.

????How Data Models Help in Dashboards?(AnswerB)✅Standardized Field Naming– Ensures that queries always useconsistent field names(e.g.,src_ipinstead ofsource_ip).✅Faster Searches– Data models allow dashboards torun structured searches instead of raw log queries.✅Example:ASOC dashboard for user activity monitoringuses a CIM-compliantAuthentication Data Model, ensuring that querieswork across different log sources.

Why Not the Other Options?

❌A. To store raw data for compliance purposes– Raw data is stored in indexes,not data models.❌C. To compress indexed data– Data modelsstructuredata but donot perform compression.❌D. To reduce storage usage on Splunk instances– Data modelshelp with search performance, not storage reduction.

References & Learning Resources

????Splunk Data Models for Dashboard Optimization: https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/latest/Knowledge/Aboutdatamodels ????Building Efficient Dashboards Using Data Models: https://splunkbase.splunk.com ????Using CIM-Compliant Data Models for Security Analytics: https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/tips-and-tricks

How to Improve Dashboard Accuracy in Splunk?

????1. Using Accelerated Data Models (Answer A)✅Increases search speedand ensuresdashboards load faster.✅Provides pre-processed structured dataforreal-time analysis.✅Example:ASOC dashboard tracking failed loginsuses an accelerated authentication data model forfaster rendering.

????2. Performing Regular Data Validation (Answer C)✅Ensures that the indexed data is accurate and complete.✅Prevents misleading dashboardscaused by incomplete logs or incorrect field extractions.✅Example:If afirewall log source stops sending data, regular validation detects missing logsbefore analysts rely on incorrect dashboards.

Why Not the Other Options?

❌B. Avoiding token-based filters– Tokensimprovedashboard flexibility; avoiding themreduces usability.❌D. Disabling drill-down features– Drill-downsenhance insightsby allowing analysts to investigate details easily.

References & Learning Resources

????Splunk Dashboard Performance Optimization: https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/Splunk/latest/Viz/Dashboards ????Using Data Models for Fast and Accurate Dashboards: https://splunkbase.splunk.com ????Regular Data Validation for SOC Dashboards: https://www.splunk.com/en_us/blog/security

If there is a delay in data being indexed from a remote location, even though the Universal Forwarder (UF) is correctly configured, the issue is likely a queue blockage or network latency.

Steps to Diagnose and Fix Forwarder Delays:

Check Forwarder Logs (splunkd.log) for Queue Issues (A)

Look for messages likeTcpOutAutoLoadBalancedorQueue is full.

If queues are full, events are stuck at the forwarder and not reaching the indexer.

Monitor Forwarder Health Usingmetrics.log

Useindex=_internal source=*metrics.log* group=queueto check queue performance.

How to Improve Splunk’s Automation Efficiency?

Splunk's automation capabilities rely on efficient data ingestion, optimized searches, and automated response workflows. The following methods help improve Splunk’s automation:

????1. Using Modular Inputs (Answer A)

Modular inputs allow Splunk to ingest third-party data efficiently (e.g., APIs, cloud services, or security tools).

Benefit: Improves automation by enabling real-time data collection for security workflows.

Example: Using a modular input to ingest threat intelligence feeds and trigger automatic responses.

????2. Optimizing Correlation Search Queries (Answer B)

Well-optimized correlation searches reduce query time and false positives.

Benefit: Faster detections → Triggers automated actions in SOAR with minimal delay.

Example: Usingtstatsinstead of raw searches for efficient event detection.

????3. Employing Prebuilt SOAR Playbooks (Answer E)

SOAR playbooks automate security responses based on predefined workflows.

Benefit: Reduces manual effort in phishing response, malware containment, etc.

Example: Automating phishing email analysis using a SOAR playbook that extracts attachments, checks URLs, and blocks malicious senders.

Why Not the Other Options?

❌C. Leveraging saved search acceleration – Helps with dashboard performance, but doesn’t directly improve automation.❌D. Implementing low-latency indexing – Reduces indexing lag but is not a core automation feature.

References & Learning Resources

????Splunk SOAR Automation Guide: https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/SOAR ????Optimizing Correlation Searches in Splunk ES: https://docs.splunk.com/Documentation/ES ????Prebuilt SOAR Playbooks for Security Automation: https://splunkbase.splunk.com

Methods to Improve Dashboard Usability in Security Analytics

A well-designed Splunk security dashboard helps SOC teams quickly identify, analyze, and respond to security threats.

✅1. Using Drill-Down Options for Detailed Views (A)

Allows analysts to click on high-level metrics and drill down into event details.

Helps teams pivot from summary statistics to specific security logs.

Example:

Clicking on a failed login trend chart reveals specific failed login attempts per user.

✅2. Standardizing Color Coding for Alerts (B)

Consistent color usage enhances readability and priority identification.

Example:

Red → Critical incidents

Yellow → Medium-risk alerts

Green → Resolved issues

✅3. Adding Context-Sensitive Filters (D)

Filters allow users to focus on specific security events without running new searches.

Example:

A dropdown filter for "Event Severity" lets analysts view only high-risk events.

❌Incorrect Answers:

C. Limiting the number of panels on the dashboard → Dashboards should be optimized, not restricted.

E. Avoiding performance optimization → Performance tuning is essential for responsive dashboards.

????Additional Resources:

Splunk Dashboard Design Best Practices

Optimizing Security Dashboards in Splunk

Updating the SOP for Handling Phishing Incidents

AStandard Operating Procedure (SOP)should focus onprevention, detection, and response.

✅1. Documenting Steps for User Awareness Training (C)

Training employeeshelps prevent phishing incidents.

Example:

Teach users toidentify phishing emails and report them via a Splunk SOAR playbook.

❌Incorrect Answers:

A. Ensuring all reports are manually verified by analysts→Automation(via SOAR) should be used forinitial triage.

B. Automating the isolation of suspected phishing emails→ Automation is useful, butuser education prevents incidents.

D. Reporting incidents to the executive board immediately→Only major security breachesshould beescalated to executives.

????Additional Resources:

NIST Incident Response Guide

Splunk Phishing Detection Playbooks

Splunk prevents duplicate data from being indexed through event parsing, which occurs during the data ingestion process.

How Event Parsing Prevents Duplicate Data:

Splunk’s indexer parses incoming data and assigns unique timestamps, metadata, and event IDs to prevent reindexing duplicate logs.

CRC Checks (Cyclic Redundancy Checks) are applied to avoid duplicate event ingestion.

Index-time filtering and transformation rules help detect and drop repeated data before indexing.