- A
Add all financial and healthcare sites to a custom URL list and exclude them.
Why wrong: Impractical to list all sites; categories are dynamic.
- B
Create a decrypt-all rule and then add exceptions for financial and healthcare categories.
Why wrong: Not efficient; exceptions could miss other compliance issues.
- C
Create a rule to decrypt based on URL categories except financial and healthcare.
Allows targeted decryption based on categories.
- D
Use time-based rules to apply decryption only during business hours.
Why wrong: Time-based rules are not applicable for category-based exclusions.
Question 238 of 516
PCNSE URL Category-based decryption Practice Question
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of decryption and ssl inspection. 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. A key principle to apply: uRL Category-based decryption. 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.
A company wants to decrypt traffic to productivity and collaboration sites but avoid decrypting traffic to financial and healthcare sites due to compliance. How should the SSL decryption policy be configured?
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
✓
Create a rule to decrypt based on URL categories except financial and healthcare.
Option C is correct because Palo Alto Networks' SSL decryption policy can use URL categories to specify which traffic to decrypt. Creating a rule that decrypts traffic based on URL categories except for financial and healthcare ensures compliance by never decrypting those sensitive categories. Option A is wrong because maintaining a custom URL list is inefficient and prone to errors compared to using built-in categories. Option B is wrong because a decrypt-all rule with exceptions would initially decrypt all traffic, including financial and healthcare, before the exception is applied, which could violate compliance. Option D is wrong because decryption policy does not support time-based rules.
Key principle: URL Category-based decryption
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 all financial and healthcare sites to a custom URL list and exclude them.
Why it's wrong here
Impractical to list all sites; categories are dynamic.
- ✗
Create a decrypt-all rule and then add exceptions for financial and healthcare categories.
Why it's wrong here
Not efficient; exceptions could miss other compliance issues.
- ✓
Create a rule to decrypt based on URL categories except financial and healthcare.
Why this is correct
Allows targeted decryption based on categories.
Related concept
URL Category-based decryption
- ✗
Use time-based rules to apply decryption only during business hours.
Why it's wrong here
Time-based rules are not applicable for category-based exclusions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is assuming a decrypt-all rule with exceptions provides acceptable compliance. In reality, the decrypt-all action still decrypts all traffic momentarily, which may breach compliance requirements for protected categories.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Treat this as a scenario question. Identify the problem, the constraint, and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- URL Category-based decryption
- SSL Decryption Policy
- Compliance Exempt Categories
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
URL Category-based decryption
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the PCNSE 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. URL Category-based decryption 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.
Review uRL Category-based decryption, then practise related PCNSE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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Decryption and SSL Inspection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Decryption and SSL Inspection — This question tests Decryption and SSL Inspection — URL Category-based decryption.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create a rule to decrypt based on URL categories except financial and healthcare. — Option C is correct because Palo Alto Networks' SSL decryption policy can use URL categories to specify which traffic to decrypt. Creating a rule that decrypts traffic based on URL categories except for financial and healthcare ensures compliance by never decrypting those sensitive categories. Option A is wrong because maintaining a custom URL list is inefficient and prone to errors compared to using built-in categories. Option B is wrong because a decrypt-all rule with exceptions would initially decrypt all traffic, including financial and healthcare, before the exception is applied, which could violate compliance. Option D is wrong because decryption policy does not support time-based rules.
What should I do if I get this PCNSE question wrong?
Review uRL Category-based decryption, then practise related PCNSE questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
URL Category-based decryption
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This PCNSE 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 PCNSE exam.
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