- A
Create a firewall policy from WAN to LAN with HTTPS service and set action to ACCEPT.
Why wrong: This would allow HTTPS traffic through the FortiGate to internal servers, not to the FortiGate itself.
- B
Enable SSH access on the WAN interface instead of HTTPS.
Why wrong: SSH is not HTTPS; the question specifies HTTPS.
- C
Enable HTTPS access on the WAN interface and create a firewall policy allowing inbound HTTPS from any to the FortiGate's IP.
This allows HTTPS management from the internet by enabling the service on the interface and permitting traffic.
- D
Configure a port forwarding rule to redirect HTTPS from WAN to the internal management IP.
Why wrong: Port forwarding would forward traffic to another internal host, not to the FortiGate's own management interface.
Quick Answer
The correct configuration step is to enable HTTPS access on the WAN interface and create a firewall policy allowing inbound HTTPS from any to the FortiGate's IP. This two-part requirement exists because enabling HTTPS on the interface only tells the FortiGate to listen for management traffic, but without an explicit firewall policy, the implicit deny rule will still drop all incoming HTTPS packets from the internet. On the Fortinet NSE 4 exam, this question tests your understanding that interface-level service control and firewall policies are independent layers of security; a common trap is assuming that enabling HTTPS on the WAN interface alone is sufficient. Remember the memory tip: “Listen on the interface, allow through the policy”—the interface opens the door, but the policy lets traffic walk through.
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 configure a FortiGate to allow remote management via HTTPS from the internet. Which configuration step is required?
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
Enable HTTPS access on the WAN interface and create a firewall policy allowing inbound HTTPS from any to the FortiGate's IP.
Option C is correct because remote HTTPS management of a FortiGate from the internet requires two steps: enabling HTTPS access on the WAN interface (under config system interface) and creating a firewall policy that allows inbound HTTPS traffic (TCP/443) from any source to the FortiGate's own IP address. Without the explicit policy, the traffic is dropped by the implicit deny rule, even if the interface is configured to listen for HTTPS.
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.
- ✗
Create a firewall policy from WAN to LAN with HTTPS service and set action to ACCEPT.
Why it's wrong here
This would allow HTTPS traffic through the FortiGate to internal servers, not to the FortiGate itself.
- ✗
Enable SSH access on the WAN interface instead of HTTPS.
- ✓
Enable HTTPS access on the WAN interface and create a firewall policy allowing inbound HTTPS from any to the FortiGate's IP.
Why this is correct
This allows HTTPS management from the internet by enabling the service on the interface and permitting traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure a port forwarding rule to redirect HTTPS from WAN to the internal management IP.
Why it's wrong here
Port forwarding would forward traffic to another internal host, not to the FortiGate's own management interface.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume enabling HTTPS on the interface alone is sufficient, forgetting that FortiGate still requires an explicit firewall policy to permit inbound traffic to its own IP, as the implicit deny rule blocks all traffic not matched by a policy.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the FortiGate's HTTPS daemon binds to the IP address of any interface where 'set allowaccess https' is configured. The firewall policy must explicitly permit traffic destined to the FortiGate's own IP (not to a subnet behind it) using a policy with destination set to 'FGT1' or the specific interface IP. In real-world deployments, administrators often restrict source IPs to trusted ranges and enable administrative access logging to audit management sessions.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
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 — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
System and Network Administration practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All NSE4 questions
1,000 questions across all exam domains
- →
Fortinet NSE 4 Network Security Professional NSE4 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
NSE4 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related NSE4 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
System and Network Administration practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to System and Network Administration.
Firewall Policies and NAT practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to Firewall Policies and NAT.
Authentication and VPN practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to Authentication and VPN.
Security Profiles practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to Security Profiles.
High Availability and Diagnostics practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to High Availability and Diagnostics.
NSE4 fundamentals practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to NSE4 fundamentals.
NSE4 scenario practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to NSE4 scenario.
NSE4 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise NSE4 questions linked to NSE4 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free NSE4 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this NSE4 question test?
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: Enable HTTPS access on the WAN interface and create a firewall policy allowing inbound HTTPS from any to the FortiGate's IP. — Option C is correct because remote HTTPS management of a FortiGate from the internet requires two steps: enabling HTTPS access on the WAN interface (under config system interface) and creating a firewall policy that allows inbound HTTPS traffic (TCP/443) from any source to the FortiGate's own IP address. Without the explicit policy, the traffic is dropped by the implicit deny rule, even if the interface is configured to listen for HTTPS.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on NSE4
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A FortiGate administrator needs to allow remote management of a FortiGate from the internet. Which administrative access protocols should be enabled on the WAN interface? (Choose the best single answer.)
easy- A.Ping and SNMP
- B.HTTP and Telnet
- C.FTP and TFTP
- ✓ D.HTTPS and SSH
Why D: HTTPS (port 443) and SSH (port 22) are the only secure administrative access protocols that provide encrypted communication for remote management over the internet. HTTP and Telnet transmit credentials and data in plaintext, making them unsuitable for WAN-facing interfaces. FortiGate best practices mandate disabling all insecure protocols on external interfaces and enabling only HTTPS and SSH for administrative access.
Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.