The correct configuration is to set the trusted host for the administrator to 10.0.1.0/24 under system admin settings and enable SSH access. This works because the trusted host feature acts as a source-based access control list for the FortiGate’s management plane, filtering all administrative protocols—including SSH, HTTPS, and ping—to only the specified IP addresses or subnets. On the Fortinet NSE 4 exam, this concept tests your understanding of management access control versus firewall policies, a common trap being that students mistakenly try to use a regular firewall policy to restrict management traffic, which does not apply to the management interface itself. Remember that trusted hosts are configured per administrator profile, not globally, and they override any other source restrictions. A useful memory tip: think of the trusted host as a “bouncer at the management door”—only IPs on the guest list (the subnet) get past the lobby to use SSH.
NSE4 System and Network Administration Practice Question
This NSE4 practice question tests your understanding of system and network administration. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An administrator needs to allow SSH access to the FortiGate's management interface from a specific management subnet (10.0.1.0/24). Which configuration achieves this?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Under system admin settings, set the trusted host for the administrator to 10.0.1.0/24 and enable SSH access
Option C is correct because the trusted host setting under system admin settings restricts administrative access (including SSH) to only the specified source IP or subnet. By setting the trusted host to 10.0.1.0/24 and enabling SSH access, the FortiGate ensures that only SSH connections originating from that management subnet can reach the management interface. This is the standard method for controlling administrative access to the FortiGate's management plane.
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.
✗
Set the administrative access profile to allow SSH from any IP
Why it's wrong here
This would allow all IPs, not just the management subnet.
✗
Configure a firewall policy to allow SSH from 10.0.1.0/24 to the FortiGate
Why it's wrong here
Firewall policies control traffic passing through the FortiGate, not management access to the FortiGate itself.
✓
Under system admin settings, set the trusted host for the administrator to 10.0.1.0/24 and enable SSH access
Why this is correct
Trusted hosts restrict the source IPs allowed to manage the device.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a local-in policy to allow SSH from 10.0.1.0/24
Why it's wrong here
Local-in policies are for advanced traffic management, but the standard method is trusted hosts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse firewall policies (which control transit traffic) with administrative access controls (which control traffic destined to the FortiGate itself), leading them to incorrectly select Option B.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The trusted host feature works by comparing the source IP of incoming administrative sessions against the configured trusted host list at the authentication stage; if the source IP does not match, the session is dropped before any authentication occurs. This provides a first line of defense that is independent of firewall policies and operates at the management plane level. In real-world deployments, combining trusted hosts with administrative access profiles (which control which protocols are enabled on each interface) gives granular control over management access without relying on firewall rules that could be accidentally misconfigured or bypassed.
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.
System and Network Administration — This question tests System and Network Administration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Under system admin settings, set the trusted host for the administrator to 10.0.1.0/24 and enable SSH access — Option C is correct because the trusted host setting under system admin settings restricts administrative access (including SSH) to only the specified source IP or subnet. By setting the trusted host to 10.0.1.0/24 and enabling SSH access, the FortiGate ensures that only SSH connections originating from that management subnet can reach the management interface. This is the standard method for controlling administrative access to the FortiGate's management plane.
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.
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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