PCNSE App-ID Practice Question
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that candidates often think creating an App-ID override (custom application) is the solution, but an override bypasses App-ID, not creates a signature. The correct approach is to enable SSL decryption to allow App-ID to inspect the decrypted traffic and then define a custom application signature.
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
✓
Enable SSL decryption on the firewall.
Enabling SSL decryption (Option A) is the correct first step to identify a custom HTTPS-based application. App-ID cannot inspect encrypted payloads, so SSL decryption allows the firewall to decrypt traffic for inspection. Once decrypted, the administrator can create a custom App-ID signature based on the application's specific characteristics. Option C is incorrect because an App-ID override is used to bypass App-ID for traffic that should not be inspected, not to define a new application. The question asks for the method to identify the custom application by its own App-ID, and SSL decryption is necessary to enable that identification.
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 this is correct
Correct. Enabling SSL decryption allows the firewall to decrypt HTTPS traffic, enabling App-ID to inspect the payload and identify applications. With decryption, the administrator can later create a custom App-ID signature for the custom application.
- ✗
Configure a custom URL category for the application.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Custom URL categories are used for URL filtering, not for identifying applications via App-ID.
- ✗
Create an App-ID override (custom application) for the custom application.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. An App-ID override is used to bypass App-ID for specific traffic, not to define a new application. To identify a custom application, you need to either use SSL decryption and create a custom signature, or use non-encrypted attributes.
- ✗
Disable App-ID for the traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Disabling App-ID would prevent the firewall from identifying any application, which is not desired.
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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.