The answer is to change the policy action from 'Passthrough' to 'Decrypt'. This is correct because a Cisco WSA decryption policy with an action of 'Passthrough' explicitly tells the proxy to forward HTTPS traffic without intercepting the TLS handshake, meaning no inspection occurs and users see no warning. Only a 'Decrypt' action forces the WSA to terminate the TLS connection, decrypt the payload, and apply security policies like URL filtering or malware scanning. On the Cisco SCOR 350-701 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of HTTPS proxy actions and the difference between transparent and explicit decryption modes. A common trap is assuming any policy with decryption rules will automatically inspect traffic, but the action field is the key control. Remember the mnemonic: "To decrypt, you must select Decrypt—Passthrough just passes through."
350-701 Content Security Practice Question
This 350-701 practice question tests your understanding of content security. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Cisco WSA to proxy web traffic. After configuring a decryption policy to inspect HTTPS traffic to a specific external site, users report they can still access the site without any warning or interruption. Which action should the administrator take to ensure HTTPS inspection is applied?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Change the policy action from 'Passthrough' to 'Decrypt'
Option C is correct because the decryption policy must have an action of 'Decrypt' to actually perform HTTPS inspection. If the policy action is set to 'Passthrough', the WSA forwards the traffic without decrypting it, so users experience no warning or interruption. Changing the action to 'Decrypt' forces the WSA to intercept the TLS handshake, decrypt the traffic, and apply security policies.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Add the site to the 'HTTPS Bypass' list
Why it's wrong here
Adding to bypass would defeat inspection.
✗
Import the WSA root CA certificate into client browsers
Why it's wrong here
This is needed for decryption to work without warnings, but the policy action must first be decrypt.
✓
Change the policy action from 'Passthrough' to 'Decrypt'
Why this is correct
The decryption policy must have the action set to 'Decrypt' to inspect HTTPS traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Move the decryption policy to the top of the list
Why it's wrong here
Policy order matters but if the policy is already matched, order is not the issue.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between policy configuration (action) and trust infrastructure (CA certificate), leading candidates to mistakenly choose importing the root CA when the real issue is the policy action not being set to 'Decrypt'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the WSA performs a man-in-the-middle (MITM) TLS interception by generating a certificate signed by its own root CA for the target site. The policy action determines whether the WSA completes the TLS handshake with the client and server (Decrypt) or simply forwards the encrypted traffic (Passthrough). In real-world scenarios, administrators often forget to change the default action from 'Passthrough' to 'Decrypt' after creating a decryption rule, leading to the exact symptom described.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 350-701 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Content Security — This question tests Content Security — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the policy action from 'Passthrough' to 'Decrypt' — Option C is correct because the decryption policy must have an action of 'Decrypt' to actually perform HTTPS inspection. If the policy action is set to 'Passthrough', the WSA forwards the traffic without decrypting it, so users experience no warning or interruption. Changing the action to 'Decrypt' forces the WSA to intercept the TLS handshake, decrypt the traffic, and apply security policies.
What should I do if I get this 350-701 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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