2026 Actual Cisco 300-220 Dumps, Updated Exam Questions for Guaranteed Pass

300-220 free sample questions and answers

Cisco 300-220 practice quiz with correct answers for search indexing.

1. Question 1

   A mature SOC notices that several incidents over the past year involved attackers abusing legitimate administrative tools rather than deploying custom malware. Leadership asks the threat hunting team to improve detection coverage in a way that increases attacker cost rather than relying on easily replaceable indicators. Which detection strategy best aligns with this objective?

   ABlocking known malicious file hashes at the endpoint
   

   BCorrelating attacker behavior across multiple MITRE ATT&CK techniques
   

   CIngesting additional commercial threat intelligence feeds
   

   DCreating alerts for newly registered domains
   

   Correct answer: B

   The correct answer is correlating attacker behavior across multiple MITRE ATT&CK techniques. This approach focuses on behavioral detection, which is the cornerstone of effective threat hunting and advanced security operations.

   Attackers who abuse legitimate administrative tools---often referred to as living-off-the-land techniques---intentionally avoid malware-based detections. File hashes, signatures, and known indicators provide minimal value because there may be no malicious files at all. Options A and D sit at the lowest levels of the Pyramid of Pain, making them easy for adversaries to evade.

   By correlating behavior across multiple ATT&CK techniques---such as credential access, lateral movement, privilege escalation, and command execution---defenders detect how the attacker operates rather than what tools they use. This forces adversaries to fundamentally change tradecraft, which is costly, risky, and time-consuming.

   Option C improves visibility but does not inherently raise attacker cost. Threat intelligence feeds are reactive and often lag behind active campaigns.

   From a professional threat hunting perspective, correlating multiple low-signal behaviors into a high-confidence attack pattern is how mature SOCs detect stealthy intrusions. This method also supports scalable detection engineering, improved alert fidelity, and reduced false positives.

   This strategy directly aligns with higher tiers of the Threat Hunting Maturity Model and the top of the Pyramid of Pain, making option B the correct answer.

   
   

2. Question 2

   While investigating multiple incidents using Cisco telemetry, analysts notice that attackers consistently use valid credentials, avoid malware, and rely on remote management protocols. Why is this information valuable for attribution?

   AIt identifies the attacker's malware toolkit
   

   BIt reveals the attacker's infrastructure providers
   

   CIt exposes consistent attacker tradecraft
   

   DIt confirms exploitation of a zero-day vulnerability
   

   Correct answer: C

   The correct answer is it exposes consistent attacker tradecraft. Attribution relies on identifying how attackers behave, not just what tools or infrastructure they use.

   Using valid credentials, avoiding malware, and abusing remote management protocols represent intentional operational choices. These behaviors are difficult to change and often persist across campaigns.

   Option A and B focus on artifacts that attackers frequently rotate. Option D assumes exploitation, which may not be present at all.

   Cisco-aligned threat hunting emphasizes:

   MITRE ATT&CK technique mapping

   Behavioral consistency

   Operational patterns

   This information enables analysts to compare activity against known adversary profiles maintained by Cisco Talos and other intelligence sources.

   Thus, Option C is the correct answer.

   
   

3. Question 3

   After a multi-week threat hunting exercise, a security team confirms that an attacker gained access using valid credentials, moved laterally, and exfiltrated data without deploying malware. Senior leadership asks how the hunting program reduced organizational risk. Which outcome BEST demonstrates the value of threat hunting?

   AIdentification of the attacker's IP addresses and domains
   

   BDiscovery of unknown attacker behaviors and closure of detection gaps
   

   CRemoval of malicious files from compromised hosts
   

   DResetting credentials for affected users
   

   Correct answer: B

   The correct answer is Discovery of unknown attacker behaviors and closure of detection gaps. This outcome best reflects the strategic value of threat hunting beyond incident response.

   Threat hunting is not primarily about cleanup actions such as credential resets or file removal---those are incident response tasks. The real value of hunting lies in uncovering previously undetected attacker behaviors, understanding how adversaries bypass controls, and translating those findings into improved detection and prevention.

   Option A represents low-value indicators that attackers can easily change. Option C assumes malware was involved, which is not the case. Option D is necessary but tactical, not strategic.

   By identifying credential misuse patterns, lateral movement paths, and data exfiltration techniques, the team can:

   Create new SIEM and EDR detections

   Harden identity and access controls

   Reduce dwell time for future intrusions

   Force attackers higher up the Pyramid of Pain

   This demonstrates organizational resilience, not just containment. Mature security programs measure success by how effectively they eliminate blind spots, not how many alerts they close.

   Thus, option B is the correct answer.

   
   

4. Question 4

   A threat hunter completes a structured hunt and confirms malicious lateral movement within the environment. Which action BEST ensures the hunt contributes to long-term defensive improvement?

   AEscalating the incident to executive leadership
   

   BResetting credentials for all affected users
   

   CDocumenting findings and updating detection logic
   

   DContinuing to monitor the activity for additional evidence
   

   Correct answer: C

   The correct answer is documenting findings and updating detection logic. Threat hunting delivers long-term value only when discoveries are operationalized.

   Options A and B are necessary incident response actions but do not improve future detection. Option D delays remediation and risks further damage.

   Within the CBRTHD threat hunting lifecycle, confirmed malicious activity should result in:

   Detailed documentation of attacker techniques

   Identification of detection gaps

   Creation or refinement of SIEM, EDR, or NDR rules

   This process ensures that similar behavior will be detected automatically in the future, reducing reliance on manual hunts. It also increases organizational maturity by institutionalizing knowledge.

   Cisco emphasizes this feedback loop as a core principle of effective threat hunting. Without it, SOC teams repeatedly rediscover the same threats.

   Thus, Option C is the correct and professionally validated answer.

   
   

5. Question 5

   A SOC team using Cisco security technologies wants to distinguish Indicators of Attack (IOAs) from Indicators of Compromise (IOCs) during threat hunting. Which scenario BEST represents an IOA rather than an IOC?

   ADetection of a known malicious file hash on an endpoint
   

   BIdentification of a domain listed in a threat intelligence feed
   

   CObservation of repeated failed logins followed by a successful login from a new location
   

   DBlocking an IP address associated with previous malware campaigns
   

   Correct answer: C

   The correct answer is Observation of repeated failed logins followed by a successful login from a new location. This scenario represents an Indicator of Attack (IOA) because it reflects attacker behavior in progress, not confirmed compromise.

   IOAs focus on patterns of malicious intent, such as credential abuse, reconnaissance, or lateral movement, even when no malware or known indicators are present. In this case, the sequence of failed authentication attempts followed by a successful login from an unusual location strongly suggests password spraying or credential stuffing, both common initial access techniques.

   Options A, B, and D are classic Indicators of Compromise (IOCs). Hashes, domains, and IP addresses are static artifacts that indicate a system has already been compromised. These indicators sit low on the Pyramid of Pain and are easy for attackers to change.

   Cisco's CBRTHD blueprint emphasizes hunting for IOAs because they enable:

   Earlier detection

   Reduced dwell time

   Higher attacker cost

   Cisco tools such as Secure Network Analytics, Secure Endpoint, and SIEM platforms are designed to correlate behavioral signals like authentication anomalies rather than relying solely on known bad indicators.

   Therefore, Option C is the correct and Cisco-aligned answer.