This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of decryption and monitoring. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Exhibit
admin@PA-3020> show running decryption policy
Decryption Policy:
# Name Source Zone Dest Zone Source User Destination Service Action
1 No-Decrypt-Int internal external any any any no-decrypt
2 Decrypt-Corp internal external corp-users any service-https decrypt
3 Decrypt-All external internal any any service-https decrypt
4 Block-No-Decrypt internal external any any any block
Refer to the exhibit. A security analyst wants to ensure that all HTTPS traffic from internal users to the internet is decrypted for inspection. However, traffic from the 'corp-users' group is being blocked instead of decrypted. Which configuration change should be made?
Exhibit
admin@PA-3020> show running decryption policy
Decryption Policy:
# Name Source Zone Dest Zone Source User Destination Service Action
1 No-Decrypt-Int internal external any any any no-decrypt
2 Decrypt-Corp internal external corp-users any service-https decrypt
3 Decrypt-All external internal any any service-https decrypt
4 Block-No-Decrypt internal external any any any block
A
Add a new rule above rule 1 to decrypt corp-users traffic.
Why wrong: Option A is incorrect because adding a new rule is unnecessary; simply reordering the existing rules achieves the goal without adding complexity.
B
Move rule 2 above rule 1.
Currently rule 1 (no-decrypt) is first and matches all internal to external traffic, so traffic from corp-users matches rule 1 and is not decrypted. Then rule 4 blocks undecrypted traffic. Moving rule 2 above rule 1 ensures that corp-users traffic matches the decrypt rule first.
C
Change rule 4 to 'allow' instead of 'block'.
Why wrong: This would allow undecrypted traffic, defeating the purpose of decryption.
D
Change rule 2 to use 'any' for source user.
Why wrong: This would decrypt all internal users, but the issue is that traffic is being blocked, not that it's not matching.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Move rule 2 above rule 1.
Option B is correct because in a Palo Alto Networks firewall, decryption policies are evaluated in order from top to bottom, and the first matching rule is applied. Since rule 1 (which blocks corp-users traffic) is above rule 2 (which decrypts traffic), the block action is taken before the decryption rule can be evaluated. Moving rule 2 above rule 1 ensures that decryption is applied first to corp-users traffic, allowing inspection before any blocking action.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Add a new rule above rule 1 to decrypt corp-users traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Option A is incorrect because adding a new rule is unnecessary; simply reordering the existing rules achieves the goal without adding complexity.
✓
Move rule 2 above rule 1.
Why this is correct
Currently rule 1 (no-decrypt) is first and matches all internal to external traffic, so traffic from corp-users matches rule 1 and is not decrypted. Then rule 4 blocks undecrypted traffic. Moving rule 2 above rule 1 ensures that corp-users traffic matches the decrypt rule first.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change rule 4 to 'allow' instead of 'block'.
Why it's wrong here
This would allow undecrypted traffic, defeating the purpose of decryption.
✗
Change rule 2 to use 'any' for source user.
Why it's wrong here
This would decrypt all internal users, but the issue is that traffic is being blocked, not that it's not matching.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Palo Alto Networks often tests the concept that policy order matters in decryption and security rules, and the trap here is that candidates may focus on the action (block vs. decrypt) rather than the rule sequence, leading them to incorrectly choose to modify the block rule's action instead of reordering the rules.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Palo Alto Networks firewalls process decryption policies in a sequential, first-match manner, similar to security policies. The decryption policy is used to determine whether traffic should be decrypted (e.g., using SSL Forward Proxy) before it reaches the security policy for inspection. If a decryption rule is placed after a block rule that matches the same traffic, the block action is applied first, preventing decryption. In real-world scenarios, administrators must ensure that decryption rules are placed above any rules that might block or restrict traffic to guarantee that SSL/TLS inspection occurs, especially for compliance with data loss prevention (DLP) or threat prevention requirements.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PCNSA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Decryption and Monitoring — This question tests Decryption and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Move rule 2 above rule 1. — Option B is correct because in a Palo Alto Networks firewall, decryption policies are evaluated in order from top to bottom, and the first matching rule is applied. Since rule 1 (which blocks corp-users traffic) is above rule 2 (which decrypts traffic), the block action is taken before the decryption rule can be evaluated. Moving rule 2 above rule 1 ensures that decryption is applied first to corp-users traffic, allowing inspection before any blocking action.
What should I do if I get this PCNSA question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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