The answer is to verify that the antivirus profile is applied to the policy and that deep inspection is enabled. This is correct because HTTPS traffic is encrypted, so the FortiGate must first decrypt the flow using a deep inspection profile before the antivirus engine can scan the payload for threats; without decryption, the antivirus scanner sees only ciphertext and cannot match signatures. On the Fortinet NSE 4 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how flow-based and proxy-based inspection modes interact with SSL/TLS decryption—a common trap is assuming a standard antivirus profile alone will scan HTTPS, when in fact the policy must explicitly invoke deep inspection. Remember the two-step rule: the antivirus profile must be applied to the policy, and the policy must have an SSL/SSH inspection profile set to deep inspection. A helpful memory tip is “Decrypt to Detect”—no decryption, no HTTPS antivirus scanning.
NSE4 Security Profiles Practice Question
This NSE4 practice question tests your understanding of security profiles. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 FortiGate administrator is troubleshooting why antivirus scanning is not working for HTTPS traffic. Which TWO steps should be verified?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Ensure the firewall policy has SSL/TLS deep inspection enabled
For antivirus to scan HTTPS traffic, deep inspection must be enabled on the firewall policy, and the antivirus profile must be configured with the appropriate inspection mode. Both are required.
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.
✗
Ensure the antivirus profile is set to proxy-based inspection
Why it's wrong here
Both flow and proxy modes can scan HTTPS with deep inspection; proxy is not mandatory.
✓
Ensure the firewall policy has SSL/TLS deep inspection enabled
Why this is correct
Without deep inspection, HTTPS traffic is encrypted and antivirus cannot see the payload.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Confirm that the web filter profile is also applied
Why it's wrong here
Web filter is not required for antivirus scanning.
✓
Verify that the antivirus profile is applied to the policy
Why this is correct
The profile must be attached to the firewall policy for scanning to occur.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Check that the FortiSandbox is online for advanced scanning
Why it's wrong here
FortiSandbox is not required for basic antivirus scanning.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 NSE4 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 NSE4 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Security Profiles — This question tests Security Profiles — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Ensure the firewall policy has SSL/TLS deep inspection enabled — For antivirus to scan HTTPS traffic, deep inspection must be enabled on the firewall policy, and the antivirus profile must be configured with the appropriate inspection mode. Both are required.
What should I do if I get this NSE4 question wrong?
Identify which NSE4 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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This NSE4 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the NSE4 exam.
Question Discussion
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