Quick Answer
The answer is that header policies in FortiManager are evaluated before other policies in the same policy package. This precedence is critical because header policies enforce mandatory rules—such as blocking specific traffic or applying global inspection—that must be processed first, ensuring they cannot be bypassed by more specific policies later in the sequence. On the Fortinet NSE 7 Advanced Security NSE7 exam, this concept tests your understanding of policy evaluation order within a FortiManager policy package, often appearing in questions that contrast header policies with footer policies or standard rules. A common trap is assuming header policies are optional or that they apply only to certain traffic types; in reality, they are always evaluated first, regardless of the policy package’s content. To remember this, think of a “header” as the top of a document—what comes first cannot be skipped.
This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of enterprise firewall and vdoms. 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.
A FortiGate admin configures a policy package with header and footer policies in FortiManager. What is the purpose of header policies?
They are used for NAT policies only
Why wrong: Header policies can be any type.
They provide default logging for all traffic
Why wrong: Logging can be configured in any policy, not just header.
They apply only to the root VDOM
Why wrong: Header policies are per policy package, not per VDOM.
They are evaluated before other policies in the same policy package
Header policies have higher priority and are evaluated first.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
They are evaluated before other policies in the same policy package
Header policies in FortiManager are evaluated before any other policies in the same policy package. This allows administrators to enforce mandatory rules—such as blocking specific traffic or applying global inspection—that must be processed first, ensuring they are not bypassed by more specific policies later in the sequence.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
They are used for NAT policies only
Why it's wrong here
Header policies can be any type.
They provide default logging for all traffic
Why it's wrong here
Logging can be configured in any policy, not just header.
They apply only to the root VDOM
Why it's wrong here
Header policies are per policy package, not per VDOM.
They are evaluated before other policies in the same policy package
Why this is correct
Header policies have higher priority and are evaluated first.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse header policies with global policies or default settings, assuming they apply only to NAT or root VDOMs, when in fact they are simply policies that are evaluated first within a specific policy package.
Detailed technical explanation
In FortiManager, policy packages are processed in a top-down order, and header policies are inserted at the top of the policy list. This ensures that critical rules—such as blocking known malicious IPs or enforcing compliance checks—are evaluated first, regardless of other policies. A common real-world use case is applying a header policy to drop traffic from high-risk countries before any allow rules are evaluated, reducing attack surface without manual reordering.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
Enterprise Firewall and VDOMs — This question tests Enterprise Firewall and VDOMs — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: They are evaluated before other policies in the same policy package — Header policies in FortiManager are evaluated before any other policies in the same policy package. This allows administrators to enforce mandatory rules—such as blocking specific traffic or applying global inspection—that must be processed first, ensuring they are not bypassed by more specific policies later in the sequence.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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