Monthly Archives: July 2021

Networking

How to restore Cisco ASA Firewall to factory default?

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Restoring the Cisco ASA Firewall to default settings is quite easier, there are two ways to do this. In this post, lets see how we can do this using the Cisco IOS Command

config factory-default

Step 1

Connect the console cable to the console port of an ASA Firewall and to the serial port of your laptop or desktop

Step 2

Connect to the Cisco ASA Firewall using your favourite terminal client  ( I am using Secure CRT ) with the following serial setting

Baud rate9600
Data Bit8
ParityNone
Stop bits1
ASA - Reset1

Step 3

After login to Cisco ASA Firewall through the console port enter to enable mode

ASA - Reset2

Step 4

Enter to Config mode and enter the following Cisco IOS command and press enter

config factory-default

ASA - Reset4

You could see the Cisco ASA Firewall is configured to the factory default setting, reload the Cisco ASA Firewall with an IOS command

reload save-config noconfirm

By following the above steps one can reset the Cisco ASA Firewall to factory default settings, now you are free to access the firewall using either a console port or ASDM using the default IP address of 192.168.1.1, provided that you are connected to the Cisco ASA firewall on an ethernet or management port, this depends on the model please do check the datasheet of your firewall, in my case its a Cisco 5540 Firewall and the IP address is assigned to the management interface and the DHCP pool is also configured.

ASA - Reset7

The moment I connect my laptop to the management port of the Cisco ASA Firewall  I will get an IP address from the DHCP server of the ASA Firewall as shown below

ASA - Reset5

I could log in to Cisco ASA Firewall using my browser and I can manage the Cisco ASA Firewall by downloading the ASDM as shown below

ASA - Reset6
Networking

How to ace Check Point Certified Security Administrator exam?

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Recently I was successful in passing Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) exam and now I am a Check Point Certified Security Administrator. Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) exam is a pretty straightforward exam that addresses the following topics and one need to score 70% to pass the exam.

  • Check Point Technology Overview
  • Deployment Platforms and Security Policies
  • Monitoring Traffic and Connections
  • Network Address Translations
  • User Management and Authentication
  • Using SmartUpdate
  • Implementing Identity Awareness
  • Configuring VPN tunnels
  • Resolving security administration issues

When it comes to exam preparations often needs to depend upon their experience along with either official training or self-study materials. In my case, I relied more on hands-on experience and Check Point CCSA GAiA 156-215.76  CBT nuggets by @KeithBarkerCCIE . This video series is really quite good as @KeithBarkerCCIE walks through the topics of the CCSA exam in a quite interesting way and simultaneously he builds a virtual lab and demonstrates what he is teaching, by this way one can certainly grasp the topics quite easily. I build a virtual lab and practised what I was learning by watching Check Point CCSA GAiA 156-215.76  CBT nuggets.  The video series is quite helpful for those, who just started their Checkpoint journey, as Keith explains the concepts and history of Checkpoint in less than 35 minutes in a most effective way.

The great things about CBT Nuggets are that you can avail their coaching facilities known as “Accountability Coaching” By availing this facility you are ensured that your progress is tracked and a dedicated coach will help you to determine your goals and set deadlines.  I was lucky to work with Megan Flores as she helped me build my goals and the objective behind this certification. She was a great mentor and I am thankful to her for the follow-ups and the motivation calls she made. It’s really helpful to set deadlines and be held accountable for those deadlines.

To summarize one with a good understanding of networks and firewalls can take this course and prepare well for the Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) exam. I believe Check Point CCSA GAiA 156-215.76  CBT nuggets by @KeithBarkerCCIE  is a great tool to ace the exam.