- A
Yes, because the sequence continues on failure and the second attempt succeeds.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The 'continue on failure' setting does not retry the same method; it only moves to the next authentication method upon a server error. A wrong password is treated as a rejection, not a failure that triggers the next method. Thus, the second correct password is never attempted.
- B
Yes, but only if the LDAP server is configured for multiple attempts.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The configuration does not involve the LDAP server allowing multiple attempts; the authentication sequence is controlled by the firewall. Even if the LDAP server allowed retries, the firewall's sequence would stop after the first failed attempt because it treats the password mismatch as a final rejection.
- C
No, because the first failure blocks authentication.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The first failure does block authentication, but not because it stops the sequence; it blocks because the sequence does not retry with the correct password. However, the reason is more nuanced: the 'continue on failure' option only proceeds on server errors, not on invalid credentials.
- D
No, because the sequence stops on success, but the first attempt failed.
Correct. The authentication sequence 'continue on failure' only moves to the next method if the current method fails due to a server error (timeout, unreachable). An incorrect password is a successful authentication attempt that returns a negative result; therefore, the sequence stops, and the user is not authenticated. The second correct password is never tried.
LDAP Authentication Sequence: Continue on Failure vs Retry
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of securing users and applications with authentication. 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.
An administrator has configured an authentication profile with LDAP and sets the authentication sequence to 'continue on failure'. A user enters an incorrect password first, then correct. Will the user be authenticated?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
No, because the sequence stops on success, but the first attempt failed.
Option D is correct because the authentication sequence 'continue on failure' only proceeds to the next authentication method if the current method fails (e.g., server timeout or unreachable). It does NOT retry the same LDAP server with a different password. Since the first attempt failed due to an incorrect password, the sequence stops, and the user is not authenticated. The second correct password is never attempted because the failure is treated as a final rejection, not a retry opportunity.
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.
- ✗
Yes, because the sequence continues on failure and the second attempt succeeds.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The 'continue on failure' setting does not retry the same method; it only moves to the next authentication method upon a server error. A wrong password is treated as a rejection, not a failure that triggers the next method. Thus, the second correct password is never attempted.
- ✗
Yes, but only if the LDAP server is configured for multiple attempts.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The configuration does not involve the LDAP server allowing multiple attempts; the authentication sequence is controlled by the firewall. Even if the LDAP server allowed retries, the firewall's sequence would stop after the first failed attempt because it treats the password mismatch as a final rejection.
- ✗
No, because the first failure blocks authentication.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The first failure does block authentication, but not because it stops the sequence; it blocks because the sequence does not retry with the correct password. However, the reason is more nuanced: the 'continue on failure' option only proceeds on server errors, not on invalid credentials.
- ✓
No, because the sequence stops on success, but the first attempt failed.
Why this is correct
Correct. The authentication sequence 'continue on failure' only moves to the next method if the current method fails due to a server error (timeout, unreachable). An incorrect password is a successful authentication attempt that returns a negative result; therefore, the sequence stops, and the user is not authenticated. The second correct password is never tried.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'continue on failure' (which moves to the next authentication method after a server error) with a retry mechanism for incorrect passwords, leading them to incorrectly select Option A.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the Palo Alto Networks firewall's authentication profile uses a sequence of authentication methods (e.g., LDAP, RADIUS, local). The 'continue on failure' setting applies only to server-level failures (e.g., timeout, connection refused), not to authentication failures (e.g., wrong password). When an LDAP bind fails with an 'invalid credentials' result code (49), the firewall treats it as a definitive authentication failure and does not proceed to the next method or retry. In a real-world scenario, if an administrator mistakenly expects 'continue on failure' to allow password retries, users could be locked out after a single typo, requiring a separate authentication profile or a different sequence setting (e.g., 'continue on success') to achieve multi-attempt behavior.
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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Securing Users and Applications with Authentication — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Securing Users and Applications with Authentication — This question tests Securing Users and Applications with Authentication — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: No, because the sequence stops on success, but the first attempt failed. — Option D is correct because the authentication sequence 'continue on failure' only proceeds to the next authentication method if the current method fails (e.g., server timeout or unreachable). It does NOT retry the same LDAP server with a different password. Since the first attempt failed due to an incorrect password, the sequence stops, and the user is not authenticated. The second correct password is never attempted because the failure is treated as a final rejection, not a retry opportunity.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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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