The answer is a false positive in the antivirus profile blocking encrypted HTTPS traffic. This occurs because FortiGate’s antivirus engine performs deep inspection on HTTPS sessions—decrypting the traffic, scanning the content against its signature database, then re-encrypting it. If a benign element, like a common JavaScript library or image, matches a malware signature incorrectly, the AV profile denies the connection, even though the website is legitimate. On the Fortinet NSE 7 Advanced Security NSE7 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how antivirus interacts with SSL inspection; a common trap is blaming the web filter or IPS profile when the log explicitly shows the AV profile as the denying component. Remember that false positives in encrypted traffic are a classic exam pitfall—always check which security profile logged the block. Memory tip: “AV decrypts, scans, and sometimes cries wolf—verify the log source before blaming the site.”
NSE7 Advanced Threat Protection Practice Question
This NSE7 practice question tests your understanding of advanced threat protection. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
config firewall policy
edit 1
set name "Web Access"
set srcintf "port1"
set dstintf "port2"
set srcaddr "10.0.1.0/24"
set dstaddr "10.0.2.0/24"
set action accept
set schedule "always"
set service "HTTP" "HTTPS"
set utm-status enable
set profile-protocol-options "default"
set ssl-ssh-profile "deep-inspection"
set av-profile "default"
set ips-profile "default"
set application-list "default"
next
end
Refer to the exhibit. A user reports that accessing a legitimate HTTPS website is blocked. The FortiGate logs show that the connection was denied by the antivirus profile. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Refer to the exhibit.
config firewall policy
edit 1
set name "Web Access"
set srcintf "port1"
set dstintf "port2"
set srcaddr "10.0.1.0/24"
set dstaddr "10.0.2.0/24"
set action accept
set schedule "always"
set service "HTTP" "HTTPS"
set utm-status enable
set profile-protocol-options "default"
set ssl-ssh-profile "deep-inspection"
set av-profile "default"
set ips-profile "default"
set application-list "default"
next
end
A
The antivirus profile detected a false positive in the encrypted traffic
Deep inspection decrypts traffic, and antivirus may incorrectly flag legitimate content.
B
The application list blocked the HTTPS application
Why wrong: Application control does not block individual websites unless the app is blocked.
C
The IPS profile blocked a vulnerability in the website
Why wrong: IPS would block exploit attempts, not normal access.
D
The protocol options profile blocked the SSL handshake
Why wrong: Protocol options control protocol behavior, not block websites.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The antivirus profile detected a false positive in the encrypted traffic
Option A is correct because the antivirus (AV) profile on FortiGate performs deep inspection of HTTPS traffic by decrypting it, scanning the content, and re-encrypting it. If the AV signature database contains a false positive for a legitimate website's content (e.g., a benign JavaScript file matching a malware signature), the connection will be denied. The log explicitly states the denial was by the AV profile, not by any other security profile, making a false positive in encrypted traffic the most likely cause.
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 antivirus profile detected a false positive in the encrypted traffic
Why this is correct
Deep inspection decrypts traffic, and antivirus may incorrectly flag legitimate content.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The application list blocked the HTTPS application
Why it's wrong here
Application control does not block individual websites unless the app is blocked.
✗
The IPS profile blocked a vulnerability in the website
Why it's wrong here
IPS would block exploit attempts, not normal access.
✗
The protocol options profile blocked the SSL handshake
Why it's wrong here
Protocol options control protocol behavior, not block websites.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the security profile that generated the log entry (antivirus) with other profiles (application control, IPS, protocol options) that could also block HTTPS traffic, but the log's explicit attribution to the AV profile eliminates those possibilities.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
FortiGate's antivirus profile can inspect HTTPS traffic only when SSL inspection (deep or full) is enabled, which decrypts the traffic, scans it against AV signatures, and re-encrypts it. A false positive occurs when an AV signature matches benign content, such as a common web framework library or a legitimate executable, due to heuristic or generic detection rules. In real-world scenarios, this is often resolved by adding the URL or file hash to an AV exemption list or updating the AV signatures.
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.
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 antivirus profile detected a false positive in the encrypted traffic — Option A is correct because the antivirus (AV) profile on FortiGate performs deep inspection of HTTPS traffic by decrypting it, scanning the content, and re-encrypting it. If the AV signature database contains a false positive for a legitimate website's content (e.g., a benign JavaScript file matching a malware signature), the connection will be denied. The log explicitly states the denial was by the AV profile, not by any other security profile, making a false positive in encrypted traffic the most likely cause.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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