The answer is Policy 2 because it matches the destination IP and the schedule is active. FortiGate firewall policy matching follows a top-down, first-match order only when multiple policies share the same priority and all conditions match; here, Policy 1 does not match the destination 10.0.2.10, so Policy 2 is the sole matching policy. Since the schedule 'Weekdays' is valid on Wednesday at 2 PM, the action 'accept' is applied. On the Fortinet NSE 4 Network Security Professional exam, this scenario tests your understanding that schedules are evaluated as a matching condition, not a separate override—a common trap is assuming a more specific destination always wins, but FortiGate requires an exact match on all fields, including schedule, before applying the first-match rule. Remember the memory tip: "Match all fields first, then order matters."
NSE4 Firewall Policies and NAT Practice Question
This NSE4 practice question tests your understanding of firewall policies and nat. 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 FortiGate has two policies for traffic from port1 to port3: Policy 1 (destination 10.0.1.0/24, schedule always, action accept) and Policy 2 (destination 10.0.2.0/24, schedule 'Weekdays', action accept). A packet destined to 10.0.2.10 arrives on Wednesday at 2 PM. Which policy is applied?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "always"
Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. An answer using 'always' is only correct if there are genuinely no exceptions — absolute statements are often wrong in networking.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Policy 2 because it matches the destination and the schedule is active
Policy 2 is applied because it matches the destination IP (10.0.2.10) and the schedule 'Weekdays' is active on Wednesday at 2 PM. FortiGate uses a first-match approach only when multiple policies have the same priority; here, Policy 1 does not match the destination, so Policy 2 is the only matching policy. Since the schedule is valid, the action 'accept' is executed.
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.
✓
Policy 2 because it matches the destination and the schedule is active
Why this is correct
Policy 2 matches all criteria and the schedule is valid, so it is the first (and only) match.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "always" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Both policies are applied sequentially
Why it's wrong here
Only one policy is applied per session.
✗
Neither; the implicit deny applies
Why it's wrong here
Policy 2 matches, so traffic is accepted.
✗
Policy 1 because it is listed first
Why it's wrong here
Policy 1 does not match the destination, so it is not considered.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume policy order alone determines matching (Option D), but they overlook that the destination must match first, and schedules must be active for the policy to be considered.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
FortiGate evaluates policies in order of sequence number (or policy ID) but only applies the first policy whose source, destination, schedule, and other criteria all match the packet. Schedules are checked against the FortiGate's system time; 'Weekdays' is a predefined schedule that activates Monday through Friday during business hours (default 08:00–17:00), so Wednesday at 2 PM falls within that window. This behavior is defined in the FortiOS Administration Guide under policy matching logic.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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.
Firewall Policies and NAT — This question tests Firewall Policies and NAT — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Policy 2 because it matches the destination and the schedule is active — Policy 2 is applied because it matches the destination IP (10.0.2.10) and the schedule 'Weekdays' is active on Wednesday at 2 PM. FortiGate uses a first-match approach only when multiple policies have the same priority; here, Policy 1 does not match the destination, so Policy 2 is the only matching policy. Since the schedule is valid, the action 'accept' is executed.
What should I do if I get this NSE4 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "always". Absolute qualifier. An answer using 'always' is only correct if there are genuinely no exceptions — absolute statements are often wrong in networking.
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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