PCNSA Decryption and Monitoring Practice Question
A Palo Alto firewall administrator wants to monitor SSL decryption efficiency. Which log type provides the most detailed information about decryption actions and reasons for not decrypting?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse Traffic logs (which show a decryption flag) with Decryption logs (which provide the detailed reason), leading them to choose Traffic logs as the most detailed source when Decryption logs are the correct answer.
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
✓
Decryption logs
Decryption logs are specifically designed to record detailed information about SSL decryption actions, including whether traffic was decrypted, not decrypted, or bypassed, along with the exact reason (e.g., unsupported cipher, certificate mismatch, excluded category). This granularity is essential for monitoring decryption efficiency and troubleshooting decryption policies.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
System logs
Why it's wrong here
System logs cover firewall system events, not decryption-specific details.
- ✓
Decryption logs
Why this is correct
Decryption logs provide comprehensive data including decryption reason, certificate info, and cipher details.
- ✗
Traffic logs
Why it's wrong here
Traffic logs show decryption action (decrypt, no-decrypt) but lack detailed reasons like certificate validation errors.
- ✗
Threat logs
Why it's wrong here
Threat logs capture threats and vulnerabilities, not decryption statistics.
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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.