hardMultiple SelectObjective-mapped
PCNSA Practice Question: Is configuring a Palo Alto Networks firewall to…
A security engineer is configuring a Palo Alto Networks firewall to protect a web server. The engineer wants to ensure that only HTTP and HTTPS traffic is allowed to the server, and that the traffic is inspected for threats. Which TWO actions should the engineer take?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse decryption policies (Option B) with security policies, or think that blocking all non-matching traffic (Option D) is sufficient without an explicit allow rule, but the PCNSA emphasizes that explicit allow rules are required for permitted 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
✓
Create a Security policy rule that allows traffic from any source to the web server on destination ports 80 and 443.
A Security policy rule explicitly allowing traffic to destination ports 80 and 443 ensures only HTTP and HTTPS traffic reaches the web server, aligning with the requirement to restrict allowed traffic. This rule uses port-based matching to permit only the specified services, which is a foundational step in controlling access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a Security policy rule that allows traffic from any source to the web server on destination ports 80 and 443.
Why this is correct
This permits HTTP and HTTPS traffic.
- ✗
Configure an SSL Forward Proxy decryption policy to decrypt HTTPS traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Decryption is not required for threat inspection on standard ports; the firewall can inspect without decryption.
- ✗
Create a Security policy rule that allows all traffic to the web server and relies on Application ID to filter.
Why it's wrong here
Allowing all traffic would permit non-HTTP/HTTPS protocols.
- ✗
Create a Security policy rule that blocks all traffic not matching the web-browsing and ssl applications.
Why it's wrong here
This would block the intended traffic as well.
- ✓
Attach a Vulnerability Protection profile to the Security policy rule.
Why this is correct
This inspects traffic for threats.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This PCNSA question is part of Courseiva's 516-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.