Question 720 of 1,000

System and Network Administration →mediumMultiple SelectObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is to configure the interface allowaccess setting to HTTPS and SSH, and then define the trusted host on the administrator account as 192.168.100.0/24. This is correct because the interface-level allowaccess command controls which management protocols are enabled on that port, while the trusted host setting on the administrator account acts as a source IP filter, restricting logins to only those originating from the specified subnet. On the Fortinet NSE 4 Network Security Professional NSE4 exam, this question tests your understanding of the layered security model for administrative access—a common trap is to think that setting the trusted host alone is sufficient, but the interface must also explicitly permit the protocols. Remember the two-step rule: “Interface allows the protocol, account restricts the source.” A helpful memory tip is to think of the interface as the door (it must be unlocked for HTTPS/SSH) and the trusted host as the bouncer (only letting in IPs from 192.168.100.0/24).

NSE4 System and Network Administration Practice Question

This NSE4 practice question tests your understanding of system and network administration. 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.

An administrator wants to allow only HTTPS and SSH administrative access to the FortiGate from a specific management subnet 192.168.100.0/24. Which TWO steps must be taken on the FortiGate?

Question 1mediummulti select

Review the full subnetting walkthrough →

A
Set the trusted host(s) on the administrator account to 192.168.100.0/24
This restricts which IPs can access the FortiGate via those protocols.
B
Create a local-in policy to allow traffic from 192.168.100.0/24
Why wrong: Local-in policies are for advanced traffic control, not typically used for basic management access restriction.
C
Enable HTTPS and SSH globally under system global
Why wrong: Global settings enable the protocols system-wide but do not restrict to specific interfaces.
D
Configure a firewall policy to permit HTTPS and SSH from the management subnet to the FortiGate
Why wrong: Management access is controlled by the interface allowaccess setting, not by firewall policies.
E
On the interface, set allowaccess to https and ssh
This enables those protocols on the interface.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Set the trusted host(s) on the administrator account to 192.168.100.0/24

Option A is correct because setting the trusted host(s) on an administrator account restricts administrative logins to only those originating from the specified subnet (192.168.100.0/24). This is a per-account access control that works in conjunction with interface-level allowaccess settings to enforce administrative source IP restrictions.

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 trusted host(s) on the administrator account to 192.168.100.0/24
Why this is correct
This restricts which IPs can access the FortiGate via those protocols.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create a local-in policy to allow traffic from 192.168.100.0/24
Why it's wrong here
Local-in policies are for advanced traffic control, not typically used for basic management access restriction.
✗
Enable HTTPS and SSH globally under system global
Why it's wrong here
Global settings enable the protocols system-wide but do not restrict to specific interfaces.
✗
Configure a firewall policy to permit HTTPS and SSH from the management subnet to the FortiGate
Why it's wrong here
Management access is controlled by the interface allowaccess setting, not by firewall policies.
✓
On the interface, set allowaccess to https and ssh
Why this is correct
This enables those protocols on the interface.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often confuse firewall policies (which control forwarded traffic) with local-in policies or interface allowaccess settings (which control traffic destined to the FortiGate itself), leading them to incorrectly select option D.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

The trusted host feature on administrator accounts implements source-based access control at the authentication layer, checking the source IP against the configured subnet before allowing any administrative session. This is separate from the interface-level allowaccess setting, which controls which services (HTTPS, SSH, etc.) are enabled on that interface; both must be configured correctly to restrict administrative access to a specific subnet. In real-world deployments, failing to set trusted hosts can leave the FortiGate accessible from any IP on the allowed interface, creating a security risk.

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.

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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: Set the trusted host(s) on the administrator account to 192.168.100.0/24 — Option A is correct because setting the trusted host(s) on an administrator account restricts administrative logins to only those originating from the specified subnet (192.168.100.0/24). This is a per-account access control that works in conjunction with interface-level allowaccess settings to enforce administrative source IP restrictions.

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

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Same concept, more angles

2 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 network administrator needs to configure a FortiGate to allow HTTPS access to the GUI from the internal network. Which two steps must be performed?

easy

✓ A.Create a firewall policy that permits HTTPS traffic from internal to the FortiGate interface IP.
✓ B.Enable HTTPS administrative access on the internal interface.
C.Disable HTTP administrative access on the internal interface.
D.Enable SSH administrative access on the internal interface.

Why A: Option A is correct because a firewall policy must explicitly permit HTTPS traffic (TCP/443) from the internal network to the FortiGate's interface IP to allow GUI access. Option B is correct because HTTPS administrative access must be enabled on the internal interface via the CLI or GUI; without this, the FortiGate will not listen for HTTPS connections on that interface, even if a firewall policy exists.

Variation 2. An administrator is configuring a new FortiGate and wants to allow management access from the internal network via HTTPS. The internal interface is port2 with IP 192.168.1.1/24. Which CLI command correctly enables HTTPS administrative access on port2?

medium

A.config firewall policy edit 1 set allowaccess https end
✓ B.config system interface edit port2 set allowaccess https end
C.config system admin edit admin set https enable end
D.config system global set admin-https enable end

Why B: Option B is correct because the `config system interface` command is the proper context to set the `allowaccess` parameter, which controls the administrative protocols (such as HTTPS) permitted on a specific FortiGate interface. By editing port2 and setting `allowaccess https`, the administrator enables HTTPS management access on that interface, allowing internal users to reach the FortiGate's web GUI via 192.168.1.1.

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