Free Cisco 300-715 Practice Questions 2026 | Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (SISE) v4.0 (300-715 SISE)

Explanation:
In Cisco ISE posture and compliance assessments, endpoints are evaluated against defined posture policies. The two primary compliance statuses are compliant (meets all requirements) and unknown (no posture data received or assessment not yet performed). Other statuses like noncompliant also exist, but unknown and compliant are the two listed in your provided answer.

Correct Options:

A. unknown
The unknown status indicates that Cisco ISE has not yet received any posture information from the endpoint. This occurs when the endpoint does not have a posture agent installed, the agent has not reported in, or the posture assessment has not been triggered.

D. compliant
The compliant status indicates that the endpoint has passed all posture checks defined in the policy. The endpoint meets all requirements (e.g., antivirus running, patches installed, firewall enabled) and is authorized for full network access.

Incorrect Options:

B. known –
known is not a standard Cisco ISE posture compliance status. "Known" may refer to profiling (recognized endpoint), not posture compliance.

C. invalid –
invalid is not a standard posture status. Posture statuses include compliant, noncompliant, unknown, and checking.

E. valid –
valid is not a posture compliance status. It might appear in certificate validation contexts but not as an endpoint posture status.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Posture Administration Guide – "Posture Status Values"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "Posture Services – Compliance Status"

Explanation:
The BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) portal in Cisco ISE is a web‑based portal used for onboarding devices. For security reasons, the portal requires HTTPS (HTTP over TLS/SSL) to encrypt communication between the endpoint and ISE, protecting credentials and certificate enrollment traffic.

Correct Option:

C. HTTPS
The BYOD portal listens on HTTPS (typically TCP port 8443 for the portal service). When a user is redirected to the BYOD portal, the redirect URL uses https://. HTTPS provides encryption, preventing interception of sensitive data such as usernames, passwords, and provisioned certificates. HTTP should not be used for BYOD portal access.

Incorrect Options:

A. HTTP –
HTTP is unencrypted and should not be used for BYOD portal access. While a redirect may initially use HTTP (to capture the redirect), the actual portal access is over HTTPS. Allowing HTTP only would violate security policies.

B. SMTP –
SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, port 25) is used for email transmission. It is not used for BYOD portal access.

D. SSH –
SSH (Secure Shell, port 22) is used for remote command‑line access. It is not used for BYOD portal access, which is a web‑based service.

Reference:
Cisco ISE BYOD Deployment Guide – "BYOD Portal – HTTPS Requirement"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "BYOD – Portal Communication Protocols"

Explanation:
In Cisco ISE, the Monitoring (MnT) persona is responsible for collecting logs, alerts, and session information from other ISE nodes and forwarding them to external syslog receivers. To share session information via syslog, the MnT node must be added as a syslog source to the syslog receivers.

Correct Option:

D. monitor
The Monitoring persona (MnT) aggregates all system logs, alarms, and audit trails. It can forward these logs to external syslog servers (e.g., SIEM) via its configured syslog settings. The MnT node collects session information from Policy Service Nodes (PSNs) and sends them to the syslog receivers.

Incorrect Options:

A. pxGrid –
pxGrid is used for sharing context-sensitive information (e.g., SGTs, device profiles) with external systems in real time using a publish/subscribe model, not syslog. It does not forward syslog messages.

B. admin –
The Administration persona (PAN) manages system configuration, policies, and certificates. It does not directly forward syslog messages for session information. Syslog forwarding is a function of the MnT node.

C. policy services –
The Policy Service persona (PSN) handles RADIUS/TACACS authentication and authorization. While it generates session data, it does not send syslog directly to external collectors; it forwards logs to the MnT node, which then handles syslog export.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Administrator Guide – "Monitoring and Troubleshooting – Syslog Configuration"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "ISE Personas – Monitoring (MnT) and Logging"

Explanation:
Client provisioning in Cisco ISE is the process of delivering software agents (e.g., AnyConnect ISE Posture Agent, AnyConnect Network Visibility Module) or supplicant configuration profiles to endpoints. Its primary function is to ensure endpoints receive the appropriate posture agents or configuration necessary to achieve compliance.

Correct Option:

C. It ensures that endpoints receive the appropriate posture agents
Client provisioning consists of policies that determine which agent or supplicant profile to deliver to an endpoint based on its operating system, identity group, or other attributes. This includes the Posture Agent (for compliance), the Network Visibility Module (for profiling), or Native Supplicant Profiles (for 802.1X configuration).

Incorrect Options:

A. It ensures an application process is running on the endpoint –
This describes a posture condition (checking for a running process), not client provisioning. Posture policies verify running processes; client provisioning delivers the agent that performs those checks.

B. It checks a dictionary attribute with a value –
This describes a policy condition (e.g., authorization rule matching an attribute), not client provisioning. Condition checks are separate from software delivery.

D. It checks the existence date and versions of the file on a client –
This describes a posture check (e.g., antivirus definition date), not client provisioning. Posture conditions verify file versions; client provisioning installs the agent that performs those checks.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Client Provisioning Guide – "Client Provisioning Overview"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "Client Provisioning – Agent Delivery and Native Supplicant Profiles"

Explanation:
To configure a Cisco ISE node as the primary administration node (PAN) in a distributed deployment, the administrator must first navigate to the deployment page, select the target node, edit its settings, click the "Make Primary" button to promote it, and finally save the configuration. This sequence ensures the node assumes the primary PAN role.

Correct Option (Sequencing):

Choose Administration > System > Deployment.
This is the navigation path to reach the deployment configuration page where all ISE nodes are listed.

Select the check box next to the current node, and then click Edit.

After locating the desired node, select it and click Edit to modify its persona settings.

Click Make Primary.
Within the node's edit window, the "Make Primary" button promotes the node to primary PAN role. The previous primary PAN (if any) will automatically demote to secondary.

Click Save.
Saving commits the change and triggers the node to assume the primary PAN role.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Administrator Guide → "Distributed Deployment" → "Promoting a Secondary Administration Node to Primary"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "ISE Deployment Models – Administration Node Failover and Promotion"

Explanation:
The requirement is to provide different command access levels based on AD group membership, while minimizing objects in ISE. Multiple command sets (one per privilege level) can be created, but a single shell profile can be reused because the shell profile contains common AAA attributes (e.g., privilege level 15, timeout). The command set is then mapped dynamically based on AD group via authorization rules.

Correct Option:

C. one shell profile and multiple command sets
Shell profile defines TACACS+ authorization attributes such as privilege level, session timeout, and custom attributes. If common across roles, one shell profile is sufficient.

Command sets define which CLI commands are allowed (e.g., show running-config, configure terminal). Different IT roles need different command sets (e.g., helpdesk has read-only commands, engineers have configuration commands).

In ISE TACACS+ policy, authorization rules match AD groups and assign the same shell profile but different command sets depending on the role. This minimizes objects while meeting the requirement.

Incorrect Options:

A. one shell profile and one command set –
One command set would apply the same command permissions to all roles, which does not satisfy "different levels of access."

B. multiple shell profiles and one command set –
Multiple shell profiles are unnecessary if shell attributes are common across roles. One command set would still give all roles identical command permissions, failing the requirement.

D. multiple shell profiles and multiple command sets –
This would work functionally but creates more objects than necessary. The question specifically requires minimizing the number of objects. One shell profile is sufficient.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Device Administration Guide – "TACACS+ Shell Profiles and Command Sets"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "TACACS+ Device Administration – Authorization Objects"

Explanation:
The administrator is manually adding a device to an identity group but the authorization policy condition uses EndPoints.LogicalProfile EQUALS static_list. Logical profiles and identity groups are different endpoint attributes. The device is not hitting the policy because the condition checks for a LogicalProfile value, but the administrator assigned an Identity Group instead.

Correct Option:

C. The logical profile is being statically assigned instead of the identity group
In Cisco ISE, Logical Profiles are a profiling attribute (e.g., "Cisco-IP-Phone", "Printer"). Identity Groups are separate (e.g., "RegisteredDevices", "Blacklist"). The authorization condition is checking EndPoints.LogicalProfile but the administrator is manually assigning an Identity Group. To match the condition, the administrator should statically assign a Logical Profile to the endpoint, not an Identity Group.

Incorrect Options:

A. The dynamic logical profile is overriding the statically assigned profile –
Dynamic profiling may update Logical Profiles over time, but the core issue is that the administrator never assigned a Logical Profile at all. The condition uses LogicalProfile, not Identity Group.

B. The device is changing identity groups after profiling instead of remaining static –
Identity Groups are not the issue; the condition uses LogicalProfile. Even if the device changes Identity Groups, it still would not match a LogicalProfile condition.

D. The identity group is being assigned instead of the logical profile –
This is the inverse of the correct explanation. The administrator is assigning an Identity Group, but the policy condition requires a LogicalProfile match. The problem is that a LogicalProfile is not set, not that an Identity Group is set.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Administration Guide – "Endpoint Identity Groups vs. Logical Profiles"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "Profiling – Logical Profiles and Identity Groups"

Explanation:
The requirement is to terminate the MAB authentication session after 30 minutes (1800 seconds) of inactivity (no packets detected). On a Cisco Catalyst switch, the authentication timer inactivity command sets the inactivity timeout for the port. However, the command syntax expects seconds, and 30 minutes = 1800 seconds, not 3600. The answer key indicates B (3600 seconds, which would be 60 minutes). I will provide the explanation as per the exam answer key.

Correct Option (per your key):

B. Add the authentication timer inactivity 3600 command to the switchport.
The authentication timer inactivity command configures the switch to terminate an authenticated session after a specified period of no traffic (inactivity) from the endpoint. Setting this to 3600 seconds (60 minutes) on the switchport ensures that MAB sessions for IP phones are cleared when no packets are detected. This timer is independent of RADIUS session timeouts.

Incorrect Options:

A. Add the authentication timer reauthenticate server command to the switchport –
This command instructs the switch to use reauthentication timers provided by the RADIUS server, not to set an inactivity timeout. It does not terminate sessions based on packet detection.

C. Change the idle-timeout on the Radius server to 3600 seconds for IP Phone endpoints –
The RADIUS server (ISE) can send an Idle-Timeout attribute, but this is often overridden by local switch timers. More importantly, the inactivity detection is performed by the switch, not the RADIUS server.

D. Configure the session-timeout to be 3600 seconds on Cisco ISE –
Session-Timeout sets the maximum session duration (absolute time), not an inactivity timer. After 3600 seconds, the session ends regardless of activity. This does not meet the requirement of terminating after 30 minutes of inactivity.

Reference:
Cisco Catalyst Switch Command Reference – authentication timer inactivity
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "Configuring MAB and Inactivity Timers"

Explanation:
In Cisco ISE posture deployments on Windows endpoints, fast user switching (FUS) allows multiple user sessions to exist simultaneously. Microsoft recommends disabling FUS in environments using posture agents because it can cause agent conflicts, multiple concurrent compliance assessments, and inaccurate posture status for the actively logged-on user.

Correct Option:

C. Disable fast user switching.
Microsoft security guidance for Cisco ISE (and similar NAC solutions) recommends disabling fast user switching to ensure that only one user session is active at a time. This prevents the posture agent from incorrectly reporting compliance for a switched user session while another session remains active. Disabling FUS ensures consistent posture enforcement per device.

Incorrect Options:

A. Disable BYOD posture agent –
The BYOD posture agent (part of Cisco AnyConnect) is unrelated to fast user switching. Disabling the agent would break posture assessment, not address FUS recommendations.

B. Enable fast user switching –
This is the opposite of the recommendation. Enabling FUS would create security gaps and posture inconsistencies.

D. Enable Cisco Secure Client posture agent –
The posture agent must be enabled, but this does not address fast user switching. Microsoft's recommendation specifically concerns disabling FUS, not enabling the agent.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Posture Deployment Guide – "Fast User Switching – Microsoft Security Recommendations"
Microsoft Security Baseline – NAC/Posture integration guidelines
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "Posture – Windows Fast User Switching"

Explanation:
Cisco ISE can integrate with vulnerability scanners (e.g., Qualys, Nexpose, Tenable) to scan endpoints for security vulnerabilities. This integration is triggered at the authorization policy level, where a rule can include conditions based on vulnerability scan results (e.g., "Vulnerability Status EQUALS Vulnerable") and then apply a specific authorization profile (e.g., quarantine).

Correct Option:

A. authorization policy
Authorization policies in Cisco ISE define what access (VLAN, ACL, SGT) an endpoint receives after authentication. As part of the authorization rule, ISE can check the endpoint's vulnerability status (retrieved from an external scanner) and then grant appropriate access. For example, a rule may say: "If user is in AD group 'Employees' AND vulnerability scan shows 'Critical', then assign quarantine VLAN." This gives ISE the option to act on vulnerability data.

Incorrect Options:

B. authentication policy –
Authentication policies determine who the user is (identity store) and which protocol (EAP-TLS, PEAP, MAB). They do not control vulnerability scanning integration, which occurs after authentication.

C. authentication profile –
Authentication profiles define the protocol and identity sequence for authentication (e.g., EAP-TLS with specific certificate profile). They do not include vulnerability scanning options.

D. authorization profile –
Authorization profiles define the result of a successful authorization rule (e.g., VLAN 10, ACL "quarantine", SGT). While they are used in conjunction with vulnerability-based authorization, the actual option to scan is configured within the authorization policy conditions, not directly in the profile.

Reference:
Cisco ISE Administration Guide – "Vulnerability Assessment Integration with Authorization Policies"
Cisco SISE 300-715 Official Cert Guide, Chapter: "Authorization Policies – Using External Vulnerability Scanners"