156-215.81.20 Security Policy and NAT Practice Question
Exhibit
NAT Rule 1: Src: Internal_Net, Dst: Any, Srv: Any, XlateSrc: External_IP, XlateDst: Original NAT Rule 2: Src: Internal_Net, Dst: Server_Farm, Srv: Any, XlateSrc: Original, XlateDst: Public_Server_IP
Refer to the exhibit. An administrator notices that traffic from Internal_Net to Server_Farm is being translated by Rule 1 instead of Rule 2. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers often assume NAT rules match like standard routing tables based on specificity, forgetting that Check Point evaluates manual NAT rules strictly top-down.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Rule 1 is processed before Rule 2 due to rule order.
NAT rules are processed in order from top to bottom. If Rule 1 matches the traffic first, the gateway applies that rule and stops processing subsequent rules. In this case, Rule 1 is too broad ('Dst: Any'), causing it to 'shadow' or override Rule 2. Administrators must order rules from most specific to least specific to ensure the correct NAT translation is applied to targeted traffic flows.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rule 2 is disabled by default.
Why it's wrong here
Rules are enabled by default unless specifically toggled off by the administrator. Even if Rule 2 were disabled, Rule 1's presence would still cause the logic error due to order of operations. The core issue is the rule ordering and the scope of the destination field in the first rule.
- ✓
Rule 1 is processed before Rule 2 due to rule order.
Why this is correct
The NAT policy is processed linearly. Because Rule 1 contains a destination of 'Any', it encompasses the Server_Farm destination, causing the gateway to match and apply Rule 1 before it ever reaches Rule 2. Reordering the rules so that the specific rule (Rule 2) comes first will resolve this conflict.
- ✗
The gateway requires a reboot to update the NAT rule base.
Why it's wrong here
Policy changes in Check Point are pushed to the gateways and take effect immediately after a successful installation. A reboot is never required for NAT rule updates. This is a common misconception; the issue here is purely a logical rule conflict that must be addressed by reordering the rules.
- ✗
The object 'Server_Farm' is not defined correctly.
Why it's wrong here
If the object were defined incorrectly, the rule simply wouldn't match. However, the traffic is being translated by Rule 1, which proves that the traffic is hitting the gateway and being processed by the NAT engine. The issue is that the traffic is matching the wrong rule, not the object's definition.
Visual reference
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Check Point exam blueprint
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