What users are included in a new installation of SOAR?

1. A. The admin and automation users are included by default.
2. B. The admin, power, and user users are included by default.
3. C. Only the admin user is included by default.
4. D. No users are included by default.

Correct Answer: A
The admin and automation users are included by default. Comprehensive Explanation and References of Correct Answer:: According to the Splunk SOAR (On-premises) default credentials, script options, and sample configuration files documentation1, the default credentials on a new installation of Splunk SOAR (On-premises) are:
Web Interface Username: soar_local_admin password: password
On Splunk SOAR (On-premises) deployments which have been upgraded from earlier releases the user account admin becomes a normal user account with the Administrator role.
The automation user is a special user account that is used by Splunk SOAR (On-premises) to run actions and playbooks. It has the Automation role, which grants it full access to all objects and data in Splunk SOAR (On-premises).
The other options are incorrect because they either omit the automation user or include users that are not created by default. For example, option B includes the power and user users, which are not part of the default installation. Option C only includes the admin user, which ignores the automation user. Option D claims that no users are included by default, which is false.
In a new installation of Splunk SOAR, two default user accounts are typically created: admin and automation. The admin account is intended for system administration tasks, providing full access to all features and settings within the SOAR platform. The automation user is a special account used for automated processes and scripts that interact with the SOAR platform, often without requiring direct human intervention. This user has specific permissions that can be tailored for automated tasks. Options B, C, and D do not accurately represent the default user accounts included in a new SOAR installation, making option A the correct answer.

Configuring Phantom search to use an external Splunk server provides which of the following benefits?

1. A. The ability to run more complex reports on Phantom activities.
2. B. The ability to ingest Splunk notable events into Phantom.
3. C. The ability to automate Splunk searches within Phantom.
4. D. The ability to display results as Splunk dashboards within Phantom.

Correct Answer: C
The correct answer is C because configuring Phantom search to use an external Splunk server allows you to automate Splunk searches within Phantom using the run query action. This action can be used to run any Splunk search command on the external Splunk server and return the results to Phantom. You can also use the format results action to parse the results and use them in other blocks. See Splunk SOAR Documentation for more details.
Configuring Phantom (now known as Splunk SOAR) to use an external Splunk server enhances the automation capabilities within Phantom by allowing the execution of Splunk searches as part of the automation and orchestration processes. This integration facilitates the automation of tasks that involve querying data from Splunk, thereby streamlining security operations and incident response workflows. Splunk SOAR's ability to integrate with over 300 third-party tools, including Splunk, supports a wide range of automatable actions, thus enabling a more efficient and effective security operations center (SOC) by reducing the time to respond to threats and by making repetitive tasks more manageable
https://www.splunk.com/en_us/products/splunk-security-orchestration-and-automation- features.html

When assigning an input parameter to an action while building a playbook, a user notices the artifact value they are looking for does not appear in the auto-populated list.
How is it possible to enter the unlisted artifact value?

1. A. Type the CEF datapath in manually.
2. B. Delete and recreate the artifact.
3. C. Edit the artifact to enable the List as Parameter option for the CEF value.
4. D. Edit the container to allow CEF parameters.

Correct Answer: A
When building a playbook in Splunk SOAR, if the desired artifact value does not appear in the auto-populated list of input parameters for an action, users have the option to manually enter the Common Event Format (CEF) datapath for that value. This allows for greater flexibility and customization in playbook design, ensuring that specific data points can be targeted even if they're not immediately visible in the interface. This manual entry of CEF datapaths allows users to directly reference the necessary data within artifacts, bypassing limitations of the auto-populated list. Options B, C, and D suggest alternative methods that are not typically used for this purpose, making option A the correct and most direct approach to entering an unlisted artifact value in a playbook action.
When assigning an input parameter to an action while building a playbook, a user can use the auto-populated list of artifact values that match the expected data type for the parameter. The auto-populated list is based on the contains parameter of the action inputs and outputs, which enables contextual actions in the SOAR user interface. However, the auto-populated list may not include all the possible artifact values that can be used as parameters, especially if the artifact values are nested or have uncommon data types. In that case, the user can type the CEF datapath in manually, using the syntax artifact.<field>.<key>, where field is the name of the artifact field, such as cef, and key is the name of the subfield within the artifact field, such as sourceAddress. Typing the CEF datapath in manually allows the user to enter the unlisted artifact value as an input parameter to the action. Therefore, option A is the correct answer, as it states how it is possible to enter the unlisted artifact value. Option B is incorrect, because deleting and recreating the artifact is not a way to enter the unlisted artifact value, but rather a way to lose the existing artifact data. Option C is incorrect, because editing the artifact to enable the List as Parameter option for the CEF value is not a way to enter the unlisted artifact value, but rather a way to make the artifact value appear in the auto-populated list. Option D is incorrect, because editing the container to allow CEF parameters is not a way to enter the unlisted artifact value, but rather a way to modify the container properties, which are not related to the action parameters.
1: Web search results from search_web(query="Splunk SOAR Automation Developer input parameter to an action")

When is using decision blocks most useful?

1. A. When selecting one (or zero) possible paths in the playbook.
2. B. When processing different data in parallel.
3. C. When evaluating complex, multi-value results or artifacts.
4. D. When modifying downstream data hi one or more paths in the playbook.

Correct Answer: A
Decision blocks are most useful when selecting one (or zero) possible paths in the playbook. Decision blocks allow the user to define one or more conditions based on action results, artifacts, or custom expressions, and execute the corresponding path if the condition is met. If none of the conditions are met, the playbook execution ends. Decision blocks are not used for processing different data in parallel, evaluating complex, multi-value results or artifacts, or modifying downstream data in one or more paths in the playbook. Decision blocks within Splunk Phantom playbooks are used to control the flow of execution based on certain criteria. They are most useful when you need to select one or potentially no paths for the playbook to follow, based on the evaluation of specified conditions. This is akin to an if-else or switch-case logic in programming where depending on the conditions met, a particular path is chosen for further actions. Decision blocks evaluate the data and direct the playbook to different paths accordingly, making them a fundamental component for creating dynamic and responsive automation workflows.