easyMultiple Select
PCNSA Practice Question: Which THREE are default security profile groups…
Which THREE are default security profile groups in PAN-OS? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
PCNSA often tests the exact names of the three default profile groups — candidates confuse them with profile types (vulnerability, antivirus, anti-spyware) or invent names like 'Server' or 'Custom'.
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
✓
Strict
In PAN-OS, the predefined Security Profile Groups are Strict, Alert, and Best Practice, so options A, C, and E are correct. The Strict group (A) applies aggressive block/drop actions across Antivirus, Anti-Spyware, Vulnerability Protection, URL Filtering, and WildFire profiles, making it suitable for high-security enforcement. The Alert group (C) is designed for monitoring rather than blocking, using alert/allow actions so administrators can observe traffic before enforcing policy. The Best Practice group (E) bundles Palo Alto Networks-recommended settings for each profile type to provide balanced, vendor-recommended protection. Option B (Server) is not a default profile group; it is a common custom grouping name, and option D (Custom) is merely a label for user-created groups, not a predefined PAN-OS default.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Strict
Why this is correct
Strict is one of the three predefined security profile groups shipped with PAN-OS, alongside default and best-practice. It bundles antivirus, anti-spyware, vulnerability and URL filtering profiles at aggressive settings, satisfying the question's requirement for a default group rather than a custom one.
- ✗
Server
Why it's wrong here
Server is not a PAN-OS security profile group; the defaults are strict, default and best-practice. It tempts because PAN-OS security profiles include categories such as antivirus, anti-spyware, vulnerability, URL filtering, file blocking, wildfire analysis and data filtering, and server-related protections exist within them, but no group is named Server.
- ✓
Alert
Why this is correct
Alert is a predefined PAN-OS security profile group that applies the default action of alerting rather than blocking across its bundled profiles. It ships with the firewall, so it qualifies as a default group without any administrator-created configuration.
- ✗
Custom
Why it's wrong here
Custom is a user-created container, not one of PAN-OS's predefined security profile groups. The defaults are strict, default and best-practice. It tempts because administrators do create custom groups to bundle profiles, but the question asks specifically for the built-in default groups shipped with the platform.
- ✓
Best Practice
Why this is correct
PAN-OS ships predefined security profile groups named Best Practice, Default and Strict, each bundling antivirus, anti-spyware, vulnerability and URL filtering profiles. Best Practice is therefore a genuine default group, satisfying the question's requirement for default security profile groups.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Palo Alto Networks exam blueprint
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.