PCNSE Deploy and Configure Firewalls Practice Question
A firewall receives traffic with IP options enabled. How does the firewall handle this traffic by default?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume the firewall forwards or strips IP options like a router, but Palo Alto Networks firewalls prioritize security by default and drop such packets to prevent IP option-based attacks.
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
✓
It drops the traffic
By default, Palo Alto Networks firewalls drop traffic with IP options enabled because IP options can be used to bypass security controls or evade inspection. The firewall treats such packets as a potential security risk and discards them to prevent IP option-based attacks, such as source routing or timestamp manipulation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
It drops the traffic
Why this is correct
This is the default security behavior to prevent potential attacks using IP options.
- ✗
It forwards the traffic normally
Why it's wrong here
IP options are not forwarded by default; they are dropped.
- ✗
It logs and alerts
Why it's wrong here
Logging and alerting occur only if specific security rules or profiles are configured.
- ✗
It strips the IP options and forwards
Why it's wrong here
The firewall does not strip IP options; it drops packets with them.
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This PCNSE question is part of Courseiva's 504-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 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.