PCNSA App-ID and Content-ID Practice Question
A company wants to block all traffic from the application 'facebook-base' but allow 'facebook-chat'. Which type of security rule is most appropriate?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers think a single security rule can have mixed actions (deny and allow) for different applications, but in Palo Alto Networks, you must use an application filter to achieve this granularity, as a security rule applies a single action to all matched traffic.
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
✓
Application filter in security policy
An Application filter in a security policy allows you to specify which applications are allowed or denied based on the App-ID. By creating a rule that denies 'facebook-base' while allowing 'facebook-chat', you can precisely control traffic at the application layer, even when both applications share the same underlying protocol (e.g., TCP/443). This granularity is a core feature of App-ID, enabling you to block the broader Facebook base application while permitting the specific chat sub-application.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Application filter in security policy
Why this is correct
Application filters allow precise allow/deny for specific applications.
- ✗
File Blocking profile
Why it's wrong here
File Blocking controls file transfers, not application access.
- ✗
URL Filtering profile
Why it's wrong here
URL filtering controls web access, not application identification.
- ✗
Security rule with 'facebook-base' as deny and 'facebook-chat' as allow
Why it's wrong here
Simple block may not handle dependencies properly; application filter is better.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This PCNSA 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 PCNSA exam.