PCNSA Securing Traffic Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. admin@PA-500> show running security-policy Rules: 1. name: allow-http-from-trust-to-untrust source: 10.0.0.0/8 destination: any application: http action: allow 2. name: deny-all-from-trust-to-untrust source: 10.0.0.0/8 destination: any application: any action: deny 3. name: allow-dns-from-trust-to-untrust source: 10.0.0.0/8 destination: any application: dns action: allow Note: There are no other security rules.
A user at source IP 10.1.1.1 initiates an HTTPS connection to a web server on the internet. Which rule will the traffic match?
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
✓
Rule 2: deny-all-from-trust-to-untrust (deny)
The traffic is HTTPS, which uses the SSL application, not HTTP. Rule 1 only matches HTTP, so it does not match. Rule 2 is a deny-all rule that applies to all traffic from the trust zone to the untrust zone, so it matches and denies the HTTPS traffic. Rule 3 only matches DNS, and the implicit deny is not reached because Rule 2 explicitly denies the traffic. Therefore, the correct rule is Rule 2 (deny-all-from-trust-to-untrust).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Rule 1: allow-http-from-trust-to-untrust (allow)
Why it's wrong here
Rule 1 only matches HTTP, not HTTPS.
- ✗
Rule 3: allow-dns-from-trust-to-untrust (allow)
Why it's wrong here
Rule 3 only matches DNS.
- ✓
Rule 2: deny-all-from-trust-to-untrust (deny)
Why this is correct
Since HTTPS is not HTTP, rule 1 fails; rule 2 matches any application and denies.
- ✗
No rule matches; implicit deny will block the traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Rule 2 matches, so implicit deny is not reached.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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