- A
Use source/destination IP addresses in security policies instead of App-ID.
Why wrong: Using only IPs is less granular and not a recommended practice.
- B
Add the applications on separate virtual wire interfaces.
Why wrong: Virtual wires do not help with identification on the same port.
- C
Change the port of one application to a different value.
Why wrong: May not be possible without modifying the application.
- D
Create an application override policy to identify each application by IP address.
Application override matches based on user-defined criteria, allowing separate policies.
Question 221 of 516
Application Override for Same-Port Applications — Differentiate by IP
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.
An organization has two different applications (AppA and AppB) that both use TCP port 8080. The firewall must apply different security policies to each application. What is the recommended approach?
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 application override policy to identify each application by IP address.
Option D is correct because when two applications share the same TCP port (8080), App-ID cannot differentiate them based on port alone. An application override policy allows you to explicitly identify each application by its source/destination IP address, overriding the default App-ID classification and enabling separate security policies for AppA and AppB.
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.
- ✗
Use source/destination IP addresses in security policies instead of App-ID.
Why it's wrong here
Using only IPs is less granular and not a recommended practice.
- ✗
Add the applications on separate virtual wire interfaces.
Why it's wrong here
Virtual wires do not help with identification on the same port.
- ✗
Change the port of one application to a different value.
Why it's wrong here
May not be possible without modifying the application.
- ✓
Create an application override policy to identify each application by IP address.
Why this is correct
Application override matches based on user-defined criteria, allowing separate policies.
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 often assume App-ID can always distinguish applications on the same port, but in reality, when applications share the same port and protocol, an application override is required to enforce different policies based on IP addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
App-ID uses multiple mechanisms (signatures, protocol decoders, heuristics) to identify applications, but when two applications use the same port and similar protocols, the firewall may misclassify them. An application override policy creates a static mapping based on IP address, port, and protocol, forcing the firewall to treat traffic matching those criteria as the specified application. This is particularly useful in environments where legacy applications or custom protocols do not have distinct App-ID signatures, allowing administrators to enforce granular security policies without modifying the applications.
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.
Quick reference
IPv4 Address Class Summary
| Class | First Octet Range | Default Mask | Networks | Hosts per Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1–126 | /8 (255.0.0.0) | 126 | 16,777,214 |
| B | 128–191 | /16 (255.255.0.0) | 16,384 | 65,534 |
| C | 192–223 | /24 (255.255.255.0) | 2,097,152 | 254 |
| D | 224–239 | N/A | Multicast groups | — |
| E | 240–255 | N/A | Reserved / experimental | — |
127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback. Modern networks use CIDR (classless) rather than classful addressing.
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.
- →
Securing Traffic and App-ID — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Securing Traffic and App-ID practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCNSE questions
516 questions across all exam domains
- →
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer PCNSE study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCNSE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCNSE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage, Monitor and Operate practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Manage, Monitor and Operate.
Securing Traffic and App-ID practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Traffic and App-ID.
Securing Users and Applications with Authentication practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Users and Applications with Authentication.
Decryption and SSL Inspection practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Decryption and SSL Inspection.
Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability.
Deploy and Configure Firewalls practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Deploy and Configure Firewalls.
Core Concepts and Architecture practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Core Concepts and Architecture.
Secure Access and VPN practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Secure Access and VPN.
Troubleshoot practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Troubleshoot.
PCNSE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE fundamentals.
PCNSE scenario practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE scenario.
PCNSE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCNSE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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 application override policy to identify each application by IP address. — Option D is correct because when two applications share the same TCP port (8080), App-ID cannot differentiate them based on port alone. An application override policy allows you to explicitly identify each application by its source/destination IP address, overriding the default App-ID classification and enabling separate security policies for AppA and AppB.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PCNSE
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. An engineer checks the application counter and sees that my-custom-app has zero packets, but they expected traffic from 10.0.0.0/24 to 10.1.0.0/24 to be identified as my-custom-app. What is the most likely reason?
medium- A.The traffic is being identified as ssl instead.
- ✓ B.The application override rule does not have the correct port.
- C.The security policy does not allow the traffic.
- D.The custom application my-custom-app is not committed.
Why B: Option B is correct because an application override rule explicitly maps traffic to a custom application based on IP address, protocol, and port. If the port in the override rule does not match the actual destination port used by the traffic (e.g., TCP/8080 instead of TCP/80), the firewall will not classify the traffic as my-custom-app, resulting in zero packets for that application counter. The traffic may still pass but will be identified by App-ID as another application or remain unidentified.
Keep practising
More PCNSE practice questions
- Arrange the steps to enable and configure GlobalProtect on a Palo Alto Networks firewall.
- Order the steps to upgrade the PAN-OS software on a standalone firewall.
- An administrator notices that traffic from zone A to zone B is being dropped silently. Security rules are in place. Trou…
- Which component of the PAN-OS architecture is responsible for processing security policies and performing packet inspect…
- A company has configured a security policy that allows HTTP traffic from the internal network 10.0.0.0/8 to the internet…
- An organization wants to map user identity from Active Directory for traffic coming from internal LAN users without inst…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.