NSE7 Advanced VPN and Zero Trust Practice Question
A FortiGate administrator is configuring a site-to-site IPsec VPN with IKEv2. The remote peer supports multiple proposals. The administrator wants to ensure that the VPN tunnel uses AES256-GCM for encryption and SHA256 for integrity. Which configuration setting should be used to enforce this preference?
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 'proposal' list with AES256-GCM and SHA256 as the first entry
In IKEv2, the proposal order determines the preference. The first matching proposal is used. To enforce AES256-GCM and SHA256, the administrator should set those as the first proposal in the phase1 and phase2 configuration.
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 'proposal' list with AES256-GCM and SHA256 as the first entry
Why this is correct
The order of proposals defines priority; the first matching proposal is selected. Placing AES256-GCM/SHA256 first ensures it is preferred.
- ✗
Enable 'set proposal-mode strict'
Why it's wrong here
There is no 'proposal-mode' setting in FortiOS; the order is the only priority mechanism.
- ✗
Use IKEv2 rekey to change the proposal after initial handshake
Why it's wrong here
Rekey uses the same proposals as the initial negotiation; it cannot change the algorithm selection method.
- ✗
Configure a phase2 selectors with the exact traffic of interest
Why it's wrong here
Phase2 selectors define the traffic to be encrypted, not the encryption algorithm.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every NSE7 question from scratch — 940 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This NSE7 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 NSE7 exam.