CheckPoint 156-587 Practice Exam Questions & Answers
7 Free Questions
· Last reviewed: October 26, 2026
· Prepared & Reviewed by the ValidExamDumps Editorial Team
Exam Facts
CheckPoint 156-587 Exam Details
Key details for this exam, checked against the published exam outline
109
Practice Questions (Our Bank)
90 minutes
Exam Duration
70%
Passing Score
- Exam Code
- 156-587
- Full Name
- Check Point Certified Troubleshooting Expert - R81.20
- Issuing Body
- Check Point Software Technologies
- Question Format (Our Bank)
- Multiple Choice
- Delivery
- Online proctored or at a Pearson VUE test centre
Practice Questions
Free 156-587 Practice Questions
Each question shows the correct answer and an explanation of why it is right
VA
ValidExamDumps Editorial Team
Every question and its answer is checked by our 156-587 exam
preparation team, who also write the explanation shown with each one.
How we research and review these pages
You receive reports from multiple users that they cannot browse Upon further discovery you identify that Identity Awareness cannot identify the users properly and apply the configuredAccess Roles
What commands you can use to troubleshoot all identity collectors and identity providers from the command line?
Correct Answer:
A
Explanation
To troubleshoot Identity Awareness issues related to user identification and Access Role application, you need to enable debugging for both Identity Collectors (IDC) and Identity Providers (IDP). The command pdp debug set IDC all IDP all on the gateway achieves this.
Here's why this is the correct answer and why the others are not:
A . on the gateway: pdp debug set IDC all IDP all: This correctly enables debugging for all Identity Collectors and Identity Providers, allowing you to see detailed logs and messages related to user identification and Access Role assignment. This helps pinpoint issues with user mapping, authentication, or authorization.
B . on the gateway: pdp debug set AD all and IDC all: This command only enables debugging for Active Directory (AD) as an Identity Provider and all Identity Collectors. It might miss issues related to other Identity Providers if they are in use.
C . on the management: pdp debug on IDC all: This command has two issues. First, it should be executed on the gateway, not the management server, as the gateway is responsible for user identification and policy enforcement. Second, it only enables debugging for Identity Collectors, not Identity Providers.
D . on the management: pdp debug set all: While this command might seem to enable debugging for everything, it's not specific enough for Identity Awareness troubleshooting. It might generate excessive logs unrelated to the issue and make it harder to find the relevant information.
Check Point Troubleshooting Reference:
Check Point Identity Awareness Administration Guide: This guide provides detailed information about Identity Awareness components, configuration, and troubleshooting.
Check Point sk113963: This article explains how to troubleshoot Identity Awareness issues using debug commands and logs.
Check Point R81.20 Security Administration Guide: This guide covers general troubleshooting and debugging techniques, including the use of pdp debug commands.
User defined URLS and HTTPS inspection User defined URLs on the Security Gateway are stored in which database file?
Correct Answer:
B
Explanation
The fw.log file growing in size is normal behavior. The gateway logs all connections and sessions to this file as part of its logging function. This is expected and not an issue that needs to be resolved. If the file is growing too large for storage, you would manage it through log rotation settings, but the growth itself indicates the system is working as designed.
The Check Point Firewall Kernel is the core component of the Gaia operating system and an integral part of traffic inspection process. There are two procedures available for debugging the firewall kernel. Which procedure/command is used for detailed troubleshooting and needs more resources?
Correct Answer:
C
Explanation
The Identity Collector uses the Windows API to connect to Windows Server systems. This API connection allows it to query Active Directory and retrieve user and computer information needed for identity awareness. The Windows API is the native interface for this communication, making it the reliable and supported method for integration with Windows environments.
What command is usually used for general firewall kernel debugging and what is the size of the buffer that is automatically enabled when using the command?
Correct Answer:
D
Explanation
The Context Management Infrastructure consists of the CMI Loader and Pattern Matcher components. The CMI Loader is responsible for loading context information, while the Pattern Matcher applies patterns to identify and match relevant context data. These two components work together to enable identity awareness capabilities in Check Point systems.
What command(s) will turn off all vpn debug collection?
Correct Answer:
D
Explanation
The CLOB (Check Point Large OBject) is part of the Classifiers component in the packet processing infrastructure. The CLOB contains all the information about a packet that the security system needs to make access control and filtering decisions. This includes details like source and destination, protocols, and other packet attributes that the firewall kernel uses during packet processing.
What command is used to find out which port Multi-Portal has assigned to the Mobile Access Portal?
Correct Answer:
A
Explanation
Observer is not part of the Unified Policy Manager. The Unified Policy Manager includes components like the Policy Compiler, Access Control Manager, and other policy-related modules. Observer is a separate component used for monitoring and reporting rather than policy management. The other options are all actual components of Unified Policy Manager.
You need to run a kernel debug over a longer period of time as the problem occurs only once or twice a week Therefore you need to add a timestamp to the kernel debug and write the output to a file. What is the correct syntax for this?
Correct Answer:
B
Explanation
Troubleshooting VPN establishment requires using both vpn debug to capture protocol-level information and IKEview to visualize the IKE handshake process. The vpn debug command logs the negotiation steps and any errors that occur. IKEview displays this information in a graphical format showing the key exchange phases. Together these tools give you the complete picture of what's happening during VPN connection establishment.
Full Access
Get the complete 156-587 question set
- 109 questions covering all exam domains
- Correct answers with explanations, like the free questions above
- PDF and online practice test
- 90 days of free updates
Domain 1: Introduction to Advanced Troubleshooting
Measures skills of Check Point Network Security Engineers. Covers foundational concepts of advanced troubleshooting techniques and introduces methodologies and approaches for identifying and resolving complex network issues.
Domain 2: Advanced Management Server Troubleshooting
Focuses on troubleshooting management servers with emphasis on understanding server architecture and diagnosing performance and connectivity issues.
Sample question from this domain above:
Q6
Domain 3: Advanced Troubleshooting with Logs and Events
Covers the analysis of logs and events for troubleshooting. Teaches candidates to interpret log data to identify issues and security threats effectively.
Sample question from this domain above:
Q2
Domain 4: Advanced Gateway Troubleshooting
Addresses troubleshooting techniques specific to gateways. Includes methods for diagnosing connectivity issues and optimizing gateway performance.
Domain 5: Advanced Firewall Kernel Debugging:
Focuses on kernel-level debugging for firewalls. Teaches candidates to analyze kernel logs and troubleshoot firewall-related issues at a deeper level.
Sample questions from this domain above:
Q4Q5
Domain 6: Advanced Access Control Troubleshooting
Demonstrates expertise in troubleshooting access control mechanisms. Involves understanding user permissions and resolving authentication issues.
Domain 7: Advanced Identity Awareness Troubleshooting:
Measures skills of Check Point Security Consultants. Focuses on troubleshooting identity awareness systems.
Sample questions from this domain above:
Q1Q3
Domain 8: Advanced Site-to-Site VPN Troubleshooting
Measures skills of Check Point System Administrators. Covers troubleshooting site-to-site VPN connections and resolving connectivity issues.
Sample question from this domain above:
Q7
Domain 9: Advanced Client-to-Site VPN Troubleshooting
Measures skills of Check Point System Administrators. Covers troubleshooting site-to-site VPN connections and resolving connectivity issues.
FAQ
156-587 Exam FAQ
Common questions about the exam itself
How difficult is the 156-587 CCTE exam compared to other Check Point certifications?
The CCTE R81.20 is an advanced-level exam that builds on Check Point security fundamentals. It demands hands-on experience with troubleshooting in production environments and tests depth of knowledge in areas like kernel debugging and VPN diagnostics.
What background do I need before attempting the 156-587 exam?
You should have solid experience with Check Point security environments. Most candidates have already earned the CCSA or have several years of working with Check Point gateways and management servers in real deployments.
Which domain in 156-587 is typically the hardest and how should I prepare?
Advanced Firewall Kernel Debugging challenges most candidates because it requires understanding low-level system operations. Hands-on practice with kernel logs, packet inspection tools, and real traffic analysis is essential. Lab environments where you can troubleshoot actual issues beat theoretical study.
How long does realistic preparation for 156-587 take?
Most people spend 4 to 8 weeks preparing if they already have Check Point experience. The exact time depends on your familiarity with advanced troubleshooting tools and kernel-level debugging. Active labwork typically takes longer than study materials alone.
What happens on exam day for the 156-587 certification?
You will answer 75 multiple-choice questions in 90 minutes at a Pearson VUE test centre or through an online proctored session. You need to score 70 percent or higher to pass. The exam covers real-world troubleshooting scenarios.
What are the retake and rescheduling rules for 156-587?
Check Point's certification program allows you to retake exams, though specific wait periods or limits may apply. Contact your exam provider or check Check Point's certification FAQ for current rescheduling policies and any time restrictions between attempts.
How long does the CCTE certification stay valid?
Check Point certification validity terms vary by program. Contact Check Point directly or consult their certification FAQ at checkpoint.com to confirm whether CCTE R81.20 requires renewal and what recertification entails.
What job roles does the CCTE R81.20 certification map to?
The CCTE is designed for Check Point Security Consultants, Network Security Engineers, and System Administrators who need to diagnose and resolve complex security issues. It qualifies you for senior support roles and consultant positions.
How does 156-587 relate to other Check Point troubleshooting exams in the track?
The CCTE R81.20 sits above the CCTA (Check Point Certified Troubleshooting Administrator, 156-582) in the troubleshooting path. CCTA covers fundamental troubleshooting while CCTE focuses on advanced scenarios, kernel-level debugging, and complex multi-domain environments.
Can I use 156-587 to progress toward higher Check Point certifications?
The CCTE is part of Check Point's Infinity Specializations. Earning CCTE along with other Infinity Specialization exams counts toward the Check Point Certified Security Master (CCSM) and CCSM Elite credentials.
