NetSec-Architect Practice Question: NGFW And Cloud Delivered Security Services Architecture
An enterprise architect is planning the deployment of Cortex Data Lake and Logging Service integration with on-premises Palo Alto Networks NGFWs. The design requires that firewall logs are securely transmitted to the cloud without exposing management traffic to interception. Which protocol and port mechanism does PAN-OS use to communicate with Cortex Data Lake?
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
✓
Outbound HTTPS (TCP port 443) using mutual certificate authentication.
PAN-OS firewalls securely forward logs to Cortex Data Lake utilizing outbound SSL/TLS connections over TCP port 443.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Inbound SNMP traps (UDP port 162) polled by cloud collectors.
Why it's wrong here
SNMP is used for device monitoring, not log forwarding to Cortex Data Lake.
- ✗
Unencrypted Syslog over UDP port 514 terminating at public cloud load balancers.
Why it's wrong here
Syslog over UDP is insecure and not used for Cortex Data Lake integration.
- ✗
Direct database replication via Microsoft SQL Server port 1433.
Why it's wrong here
Palo Alto Networks does not use direct SQL replication for cloud logging.
- ✓
Outbound HTTPS (TCP port 443) using mutual certificate authentication.
Why this is correct
Cortex Data Lake communication relies on secure, outbound HTTPS connections over port 443.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official Palo Alto Networks exam blueprint
This NetSec-Architect practice question is part of Courseiva's free Palo Alto Networks 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 NetSec-Architect exam.