PCNSA Policy Evaluation and Management Practice Question
This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of policy evaluation and management. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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
Refer to the exhibit.
admin@PA-5020> show running security-policy
Set application-default
rule id name from to source destination application service action
--- --- --------------------------- ----------- ------------ ------------- ------------ ------------ ---------- -------
1 Allow-Sales-to-App Sales App-Servers 10.10.1.0/24 10.20.1.100 any tcp/80 allow
2 Allow-Any-Web any any any any web-browsing tcp/80 allow
3 Block-Restricted-Apps any any any any bittorrent any deny
4 Allow-DNS any any any any dns udp/53 allow
Refer to the exhibit. A user on the Sales subnet (10.10.1.50) attempts to browse to an external website using HTTP (port 80) to download a legitimate file. The website's IP is 203.0.113.50. Which rule will match this traffic?
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
admin@PA-5020> show running security-policy
Set application-default
rule id name from to source destination application service action
--- --- --------------------------- ----------- ------------ ------------- ------------ ------------ ---------- -------
1 Allow-Sales-to-App Sales App-Servers 10.10.1.0/24 10.20.1.100 any tcp/80 allow
2 Allow-Any-Web any any any any web-browsing tcp/80 allow
3 Block-Restricted-Apps any any any any bittorrent any deny
4 Allow-DNS any any any any dns udp/53 allow
A
Rule 4 (Allow-DNS)
Why wrong: Rule 4 matches DNS traffic on udp/53, not HTTP on tcp/80.
B
Rule 3 (Block-Restricted-Apps)
Why wrong: Rule 3 denies bittorrent, which is not the application used.
C
Rule 2 (Allow-Any-Web)
Rule 2 matches any source and destination, with application web-browsing and service tcp/80, so it matches this HTTP traffic.
D
Rule 1 (Allow-Sales-to-App)
Why wrong: Rule 1's destination is 10.20.1.100, not the external IP 203.0.113.50, so it does not match.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Rule 2 (Allow-Any-Web)
Rule 2 (Allow-Any-Web) is correct because it is a broad rule that permits HTTP (port 80) traffic from any source to any destination, which matches the user's attempt to browse to an external website. The traffic originates from the Sales subnet (10.10.1.50) and targets IP 203.0.113.50 on port 80, and since no more specific rule (like Rule 1) matches the destination, Rule 2 applies as the first general web access rule.
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.
✗
Rule 4 (Allow-DNS)
Why it's wrong here
Rule 4 matches DNS traffic on udp/53, not HTTP on tcp/80.
✗
Rule 3 (Block-Restricted-Apps)
Why it's wrong here
Rule 3 denies bittorrent, which is not the application used.
✓
Rule 2 (Allow-Any-Web)
Why this is correct
Rule 2 matches any source and destination, with application web-browsing and service tcp/80, so it matches this HTTP traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Rule 1 (Allow-Sales-to-App)
Why it's wrong here
Rule 1's destination is 10.20.1.100, not the external IP 203.0.113.50, so it does not match.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Palo Alto Networks often tests the first-match rule evaluation order, where candidates mistakenly think a more specific source rule (like Rule 1 for Sales) will always match, but they overlook that the destination must also match, causing them to pick the wrong rule.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Palo Alto Networks firewalls, rules are evaluated in order from top to bottom, and the first matching rule is applied (first-match logic). Rule 2 (Allow-Any-Web) typically includes HTTP and HTTPS services (ports 80 and 443) and is placed after more specific rules to catch general web traffic. A common subtlety is that if Rule 1 (Allow-Sales-to-App) had a broader destination (e.g., 'any'), it could match, but here it is limited to a specific app, so Rule 2 takes precedence for general web access.
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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.
Visual reference
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.
Policy Evaluation and Management — This question tests Policy Evaluation and Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Rule 2 (Allow-Any-Web) — Rule 2 (Allow-Any-Web) is correct because it is a broad rule that permits HTTP (port 80) traffic from any source to any destination, which matches the user's attempt to browse to an external website. The traffic originates from the Sales subnet (10.10.1.50) and targets IP 203.0.113.50 on port 80, and since no more specific rule (like Rule 1) matches the destination, Rule 2 applies as the first general web access rule.
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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