PCNSA Decryption and Monitoring Practice Question
A security administrator wants to inspect decrypted traffic for threats. What is the minimum set of features required?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates think SSL Decryption alone is sufficient for security, forgetting that decryption is just an enabler and not a security feature itself, or they assume URL Filtering can inspect content, which it cannot.
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
✓
SSL Decryption and Threat Prevention
To inspect decrypted traffic for threats, you must first decrypt the traffic using SSL Decryption, which terminates the SSL/TLS session and allows the firewall to examine the plaintext payload. Then, Threat Prevention (which includes IPS, antivirus, and anti-spyware signatures) can analyze that decrypted content for malicious patterns. Without SSL Decryption, Threat Prevention only sees encrypted traffic and cannot inspect the payload; without Threat Prevention, SSL Decryption alone provides no threat detection. Therefore, both features are required.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
SSL Decryption and Threat Prevention
Why this is correct
Both are needed: decryption to see the content, threat prevention to detect threats.
- ✗
Threat Prevention only
Why it's wrong here
Threat Prevention alone cannot inspect encrypted traffic without decryption.
- ✗
SSL Decryption only
Why it's wrong here
SSL Decryption alone only decrypts traffic but does not inspect for threats.
- ✗
SSL Decryption and URL Filtering
Why it's wrong here
URL Filtering does not inspect for threats; it only categorizes URLs.
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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.