This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of advanced threat protection. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 runs the following CLI output: 'diagnose sys session filter dport 443' and sees 'proto=6 proto_state=01 duration=3600 expire=3599'. Which statement BEST describes the session?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The session is established and has been active for one hour
The session shows 'proto=6' (TCP), 'proto_state=01' (TCP_ESTABLISHED), and 'duration=3600' seconds, which equals one hour. The 'expire=3599' indicates the session has 3599 seconds left before timeout, confirming it is active and established. Option B correctly identifies this as an established session that has been active for one hour.
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.
✗
The session is in the process of being torn down
Why it's wrong here
Teardown states have different proto_state codes (e.g., 04 for FIN-WAIT).
✓
The session is established and has been active for one hour
Why this is correct
proto_state=01 indicates an established TCP session; duration=3600 seconds equals one hour.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The session is a UDP session incorrectly classified as TCP
SYN-SENT state is represented by different proto_state values (e.g., 09).
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may misinterpret 'proto_state=01' as a starting state or teardown state, when in Fortinet's session table it specifically represents TCP_ESTABLISHED, and the combination of duration and expire values confirms the session is active and not in transition.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
proto=6 is TCP; UDP would show proto=17.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In FortiOS, 'diagnose sys session filter dport 443' filters sessions by destination port 443 (HTTPS), and the output shows session details including protocol number (6 for TCP), state (01 for established), duration in seconds, and expiry time. The 'proto_state' field uses Fortinet's internal state codes where 01 maps to TCP_ESTABLISHED, meaning the session has completed the SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK handshake and is actively passing data. This is critical for troubleshooting persistent connections like HTTPS keep-alive, where a long duration (3600s) with a high expiry value indicates a healthy, long-lived session.
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 practitioner preparing for the NSE7 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
Advanced Threat Protection — This question tests Advanced Threat Protection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The session is established and has been active for one hour — The session shows 'proto=6' (TCP), 'proto_state=01' (TCP_ESTABLISHED), and 'duration=3600' seconds, which equals one hour. The 'expire=3599' indicates the session has 3599 seconds left before timeout, confirming it is active and established. Option B correctly identifies this as an established session that has been active for one hour.
What should I do if I get this NSE7 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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 →
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.
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.
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.