- A
Enable SSL decryption on the firewall.
Why wrong: SSL decryption enables inspection but does not change the application identity without additional configuration.
- B
Configure a custom URL category for the application.
Why wrong: URL categories are for URL filtering, not for App-ID identification.
- C
Create an App-ID override (custom application) for the custom application.
App-ID overrides allow custom application signatures to match specific traffic patterns.
- D
Disable App-ID for the traffic.
Why wrong: Disabling App-ID would bypass application identification, not improve it.
Question 406 of 516
PCNSE Securing Traffic and App-ID Practice Question
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of securing traffic and app-id. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.
A security administrator notices that HTTP traffic is correctly identified as web-browsing but HTTPS traffic is showing as ssl. The company uses a custom HTTPS-based application that needs to be identified by its own App-ID. What should the administrator do?
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 an App-ID override (custom application) for the custom application.
Option C is correct because the administrator needs to create an App-ID override (custom application) to identify the custom HTTPS-based application. Since HTTPS traffic is encrypted, App-ID cannot inspect the payload to identify the application, so a custom App-ID must be created to match the traffic based on characteristics such as IP addresses, ports, or SSL certificate fields. Enabling SSL decryption (Option A) would allow App-ID to inspect the decrypted traffic, but the question specifically asks for what should be done to identify the custom application by its own App-ID, and creating a custom App-ID override is the direct method to achieve this without requiring decryption for all HTTPS traffic.
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.
- ✗
Enable SSL decryption on the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
SSL decryption enables inspection but does not change the application identity without additional configuration.
- ✗
Configure a custom URL category for the application.
Why it's wrong here
URL categories are for URL filtering, not for App-ID identification.
- ✓
Create an App-ID override (custom application) for the custom application.
Why this is correct
App-ID overrides allow custom application signatures to match specific traffic patterns.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Disable App-ID for the traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling App-ID would bypass application identification, not improve it.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse enabling SSL decryption (Option A) as the solution to identify encrypted applications, but the question specifically requires creating a custom App-ID, and SSL decryption alone does not create a new application signature; it only allows existing App-IDs to inspect decrypted content.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
App-ID uses multiple mechanisms to identify applications, including protocol decoding, SSL certificate inspection, and behavioral analysis. For encrypted HTTPS traffic, App-ID can identify the application by the SSL handshake (e.g., SNI or certificate common name) without decryption, but if the custom application uses non-standard ports or certificates, a custom App-ID override must be created using the 'Custom App' object in PAN-OS, which can match on IP addresses, ports, or SSL certificate fields. In a real-world scenario, a custom application might use a specific port (e.g., TCP 8443) and a unique certificate subject, so the administrator would create a custom App-ID with those criteria to ensure the traffic is correctly identified as the custom application rather than generic 'ssl'.
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 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. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Securing Traffic and App-ID — This question tests Securing Traffic and App-ID — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an App-ID override (custom application) for the custom application. — Option C is correct because the administrator needs to create an App-ID override (custom application) to identify the custom HTTPS-based application. Since HTTPS traffic is encrypted, App-ID cannot inspect the payload to identify the application, so a custom App-ID must be created to match the traffic based on characteristics such as IP addresses, ports, or SSL certificate fields. Enabling SSL decryption (Option A) would allow App-ID to inspect the decrypted traffic, but the question specifically asks for what should be done to identify the custom application by its own App-ID, and creating a custom App-ID override is the direct method to achieve this without requiring decryption for all HTTPS traffic.
What should I do if I get this PCNSE 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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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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