PCNSA Device Management and Services Practice Question
Which TWO management methods allow CLI access to a Palo Alto Networks firewall?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse management methods that provide GUI access (HTTPS) with those that provide CLI access, or incorrectly assume that Telnet is still a supported option on modern firewalls due to its prevalence in older networking equipment.
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
✓
SSH
SSH (Secure Shell) is a standard management method that provides encrypted CLI access to Palo Alto Networks firewalls, allowing administrators to execute commands securely over a network. The serial console port on the firewall provides direct, out-of-band CLI access for initial configuration or troubleshooting when network connectivity is unavailable.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
SSH
Why this is correct
SSH provides secure CLI access.
- ✓
Serial console
Why this is correct
Physical console access via serial cable.
- ✗
HTTPS
Why it's wrong here
HTTPS is for web GUI, not CLI.
- ✗
HTTP
Why it's wrong here
HTTP is for web GUI, not CLI.
- ✗
Telnet
Why it's wrong here
Telnet is insecure and disabled by default.
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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.