IDP CrowdStrike Certified Identity Specialist(CCIS) Exam Questions and Answers

In Falcon Identity Protection,default insightsare prebuilt analytical views provided by CrowdStrike to immediately highlight common and high-impact identity risks across the environment. These default insights are automatically available in theRisk AnalysisandInsightsareas and are designed to surface well-known identity exposure patterns without requiring customization.

Examples ofdefault insightsincludeUsing Unmanaged Endpoints,GPO Exposed Password, andCompromised Password. These insights are natively provided because they represent frequent and high-risk identity attack vectors such as credential exposure, unmanaged authentication sources, and password compromise, all of which directly contribute to elevated identity risk scores.

Poorly Protected Accounts with SPN (Service Principal Name), however, isnot provided as a default insight. While Falcon Identity Protection does collect and analyze SPN-related risk signals—such as Kerberoasting exposure and weak service account protections—this specific grouping must be created by administrators usingcustom insight filters. Custom insights allow teams to define precise conditions, combine attributes (privilege level, SPN presence, password age, MFA status), and tailor risk visibility to their organization’s threat model.

This distinction is emphasized in the CCIS curriculum, which explains thatcustom insights extend beyond default coverage, enabling deeper, organization-specific identity risk analysis. Therefore,Option Dis the correct answer.

Within Falcon Identity Protection,Predefined Reportsallow administrators to generate standardized reports based on specific data subjects. TheSubject dropdowndetermines the type of data the report will be built from, such as identity risks, authentication activity, or endpoint-related telemetry.

The category associated withendpointsin the Subject dropdown isEvents. Endpoint-related data—such as authentication attempts, logons, protocol usage, and domain controller–observed activity—is captured and represented aseventswithin Falcon. These events form the foundational telemetry used for identity detections, investigations, and reporting.

By contrast:

Insightsrepresent aggregated analytical findings derived from events.

Incidentsgroup multiple detections into a single investigative narrative.

Accountsfocus on identity entities such as users and service accounts.

Endpoint visibility in reporting is therefore tied directly toEvents, as events reflect the raw and enriched activity observed on endpoints and domain controllers. This structure aligns with Falcon’s identity-first security model, where endpoint-observed authentication behavior feeds identity risk scoring and Zero Trust decisions.

The CCIS curriculum explicitly associatesendpoint-related reportingwith theEventssubject, makingOption Bthe correct and verified answer.

A modern Zero Trust security architecture fundamentally differs from the traditional wall-and-moat model byeliminating implicit trust based on network location. As defined inNIST SP 800-207and reinforced in the CCIS curriculum, Zero Trust requirescontinuous authentication and authorization of all entities, regardless of whether they originate from inside or outside the network.

Traditional perimeter-based security assumes that users and devices inside the network are trusted, focusing defenses at the boundary. This approach fails in modern environments where cloud access, remote work, and compromised credentials allow attackers to operate internally without triggering perimeter controls.

Zero Trust replaces this assumption with continuous validation using identity, behavior, device posture, and risk signals. Falcon Identity Protection operationalizes this concept by continuously inspecting authentication traffic and reassessing trust throughout a session, not just at login time.

Because Zero Trust applies universally and continuously,Option Dis the correct and verified answer.

In Falcon Identity Protection, theDomainspage is where administrators can view themonitoring and health status of domain controllers. The CCIS curriculum explains that this page provides visibility into which domain controllers are actively reporting authentication traffic, their inspection status, and whether Authentication Traffic Inspection (ATI) is enabled.

This view is essential for validating coverage and ensuring that Falcon Identity Protection has sufficient visibility into domain authentication activity. Administrators can quickly identify gaps, such as domain controllers that are not reporting or are misconfigured, and take corrective action.

The other options serve different purposes:

Settingsmanage general configuration.

System Notificationsdisplay alerts and messages.

Connectorsmanage integrations such as MFA and IDaaS.

Because domain controller visibility and monitoring health are managed at the domain level,Option C (Domains)is the correct and verified answer.

In Falcon Identity Protection, theExploresection of the Falcon menu is used to investigate analytical views such as theEvent Analysis dashboard. This aligns with the CCIS framework, which defines Explore as the primary area forinteractive investigation, analytics, and risk explorationacross identity data.

The Event Analysis dashboard is designed to help administrators analyzeidentity-related authentication events, behavioral patterns, and anomalous activity derived from domain traffic inspection and domain controller telemetry. These analytical capabilities are intentionally placed underExplorebecause this menu category supports hypothesis-driven investigation rather than enforcement or configuration actions.

By contrast:

Enforceis used to apply policy rules and automated controls.

Threat Hunteris focused on proactive hunting using queries and detection pivots.

Configureis used to manage settings, connectors, policies, and integrations.

The CCIS documentation explicitly associates dashboards such asRisk AnalysisandEvent Analysiswith the Explore menu, emphasizing its role in understandingwhyrisk exists before taking action. Therefore,Option C (Explore)is the correct and verified answer.

In Falcon Identity Protection, auser baselineis established by observing consistent and repeatable behavior over time, including authentication patterns, endpoint associations, and usage context. According to the CCIS curriculum, one of the strongest indicators that a user has an established baseline is the presence ofendpoints for which the user is identified as an owner.

Endpoint ownership is determined through historical authentication behavior and usage frequency. When Falcon identifies that a user consistently logs into specific endpoints over time, those endpoints are marked asowned, which signifies that sufficient historical data exists to confidently model the user’s normal behavior. This ownership relationship is only created after Falcon has observed the user long enough to establish a reliable baseline.

The other options do not definitively indicate a baseline:

Logging into multiple endpoints may occur during initial discovery or anomalous activity.

A risk score reflects current risk posture, not baseline maturity.

Recent logon activity alone does not imply historical consistency.

Becauseendpoint ownership requires sustained, predictable behavior over time, it is the clearest indicator that Falcon has successfully established a user baseline. Therefore,Option Bis the correct and verified answer.

Falcon Identity Protection identifiesstale endpointsas systems that have not authenticated or shown activity for an extended period and then suddenly become active. According to the CCIS curriculum, an endpoint that has been inactive for90 daysand then resumes activity will trigger aUse of Stale Endpointdetection.

This detection is important because attackers frequently exploit dormant or forgotten systems to re-enter environments, evade monitoring, or move laterally. A long period of inactivity followed by sudden authentication activity is considered a strong identity risk signal.

The 90-day threshold is used to establish a reliable inactivity baseline while minimizing false positives. Shorter timeframes could incorrectly flag normal usage patterns, while longer timeframes could delay detection of genuine threats.

Because Falcon explicitly defines stale endpoint activity using a90-day inactivity window,Option Bis the correct answer.

Falcon Identity Protection automatically differentiateshuman and programmatic accountsby analyzingauthentication traffic patterns. According to the CCIS curriculum, the platform uses behavioral analytics to observe how accounts authenticate, including frequency, protocol usage, timing, and access patterns.

Human users typically authenticate interactively and exhibit variable behavior, while programmatic or service accounts authenticate predictably and non-interactively. Falcon leverages these differences to automatically classify account types without requiring manual tagging or administrative input.

This classification is critical for accurate risk scoring, privilege analysis, and detection logic. Programmatic accounts often carry elevated privileges and long-lived credentials, making them attractive targets for attackers. Automatically identifying them allows Falcon to apply appropriate risk models and detections.

Because Falcon usesauthentication traffic analysisto classify account types,Option Cis the correct and verified answer.

Falcon Identity Threat Detection (ITD) providesvisibility, analytics, and detectionof identity-based threats but doesnot include enforcement capabilities. According to the CCIS curriculum, ITD customers have access to investigative and analytical features such asEvent Analysis,Privileged Identities, and relevantSettingsfor visibility and monitoring.

Policy Rules, however, are part ofIdentity Threat Protection (ITP)and reside in theEnforcesection of the Falcon console. Policy Rules enable automated responses and enforcement actions, such as blocking access or enforcing MFA, which are not available under ITD-only subscriptions.

This distinction is critical in the CCIS material:

ITD = Detect and analyze identity threats

ITP = Detect + enforce policy actions

Because ITD does not include enforcement functionality,Policy Rules are not available, makingOption Dthe correct answer.

To interact with Falcon Identity Protection using GraphQL, the API client must be created with the appropriatepermission scopes. According to the CCIS curriculum, theIdentity Protection GraphQLscope withWrite permissionsmust be enabled prior to using the Identity Protection API.

This scope allows the API client to execute GraphQL queries and mutations related to identity detections, incidents, users, and risk data. Even when performing read-only operations, CrowdStrike requires the GraphQL Write scope to authorize GraphQL query execution within the Falcon platform.

The other options are incorrect because:

Identity Protection Assessment and Health are read-only data scopes.

The statement that Write permissions are not required is explicitly false per CCIS documentation.

Because GraphQL access requires theIdentity Protection GraphQL (Write)scope,Option Dis the correct and verified answer.

Falcon Identity Protection is designed to address the growing threat ofidentity brokers, which act as intermediaries that abuse identity infrastructure to facilitate lateral movement, privilege escalation, and persistent access. The CCIS curriculum emphasizes that Falcon Identity Protection providesproactive identity risk mitigationrather than reactive session monitoring or password vaulting.

The platform continuously inspects authentication traffic and identity behavior across Active Directory and Azure AD environments, building behavioral baselines and identifying abnormal activity associated with brokered identity attacks. ThroughPolicy Rules, organizations can automatically enforce controls such as blocking risky authentications, enforcing MFA, or triggering remediation workflows when identity abuse is detected.

The incorrect options describe capabilities associated withPrivileged Access Management (PAM)orIAM middleware, which are not the focus of Falcon Identity Protection. Falcon does not record interactive sessions, act as an HRIS bridge, or store delegated credentials. Instead, it protects identity infrastructure bydetecting and preventing identity misuse in real time.

This proactive enforcement model aligns directly with Zero Trust principles and makes Falcon Identity Protection a strong solution against identity broker activity. Therefore,Option Cis the correct and verified answer.

In Falcon Identity Protection,Informationaldetections represent low-impact events that provide context but do not indicate elevated identity risk. According to the CCIS curriculum,Informational events are excluded by defaultfrom standard detection views to reduce noise and allow analysts to focus on higher-risk activity.

By default,Low, Medium, and High severity detections remain visible, as these contribute directly to identity risk scoring, incident formation, and investigative workflows. Informational detections can still be viewed if filters are adjusted, but they are intentionally hidden in default views.

This design supports efficient threat triage by prioritizing detections that are more likely to represent real security concerns. The other options listed are not valid detection severity classifications within Falcon Identity Protection.

Because Informational events are excluded by default while higher-severity detections remain visible,Option Ais the correct and verified answer.

Falcon Identity Protection integrates withIdentity-as-a-Service (IDaaS)providers to ingest cloud authentication activity and enforce identity-based policies. According to the CCIS curriculum,Okta SSOis a supported IDaaS connector that enables Falcon to ingestcloud authentication eventswhile also applyingSingle Sign-On (SSO) policies.

Okta SSO provides rich identity telemetry, including login attempts, device context, and authentication outcomes. This data allows Falcon Identity Protection to correlate on-premises and cloud-based identity activity, extending identity risk analysis beyond Active Directory.

The other options are incorrect:

ADFSis an on-premises federation service, not a cloud IDaaS.

Azure NPSis used for RADIUS-based MFA, not SSO ingestion.

SAMLis a protocol, not an IDaaS connector.

Because Okta SSO provides both cloud activity ingestion and SSO enforcement,Option Bis the correct and verified answer.

Falcon Identity Protection establishes auser baselineby observing authentication behavior over time, including login frequency, endpoints used, access patterns, and protocol usage. According to the CCIS curriculum, Falcon typically requiresapproximately one weekof consistent activity to develop an initial, reliable baseline for a user.

This baseline allows Falcon to distinguish normal behavior from anomalies and to calculate accurate risk scores. While the baseline continues to mature over time and becomes more precise with additional data, the first usable behavioral model is generally formed within a week.

Longer timeframes such as one or three months are not required to begin detecting abnormal behavior. Conversely, periods shorter than a week may not provide sufficient behavioral data to accurately model normal usage patterns.

Because Falcon can rapidly establish a functional baseline while continuously refining it,Option C (One week)is the correct and verified answer.