PCNSE Core Concepts and Architecture Practice Question
An organization is implementing SSL Forward Proxy decryption to inspect outbound HTTPS traffic. They want to exclude traffic to specific internal applications that cannot handle decryption due to certificate pinning. The firewall is configured with a decryption policy that decrypts all traffic from the internal network to the internet. To exclude the pinned applications, which approach is best practice?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often confuse the SSL/TLS Service Profile's exception list (used for inbound decryption) with forward proxy decryption, leading them to select Option B, but the exception list does not apply to outbound SSL Forward Proxy policies.
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 a custom URL category for the applications and add it to a decryption policy rule with action 'no-decrypt'.
Creating a custom URL category for the pinned applications and referencing it in a decryption policy rule with action 'no-decrypt' is the best practice for excluding specific traffic from SSL Forward Proxy decryption. This approach allows the firewall to selectively bypass decryption based on the destination URL, which is more granular and manageable than IP-based exceptions, and it aligns with the decryption policy's ability to match traffic by URL category.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a custom URL category for the applications and add it to a decryption policy rule with action 'no-decrypt'.
Why this is correct
A custom URL category listing the pinned applications, referenced by a no-decrypt rule placed above the decrypt-all rule, excludes them cleanly. This satisfies the certificate-pinning constraint without weakening decryption coverage for all other outbound HTTPS traffic.
- ✗
Configure an SSL/TLS Service Profile with an exception list for the destination IPs.
Why it's wrong here
An SSL/TLS Service Profile defines certificate and protocol settings for inbound services; it holds no destination exception list and cannot exclude outbound flows from decryption. It is tempting because profiles are attached to decryption policies, but the correct mechanism is a no-decrypt rule matching the pinned applications' destination addresses above the decrypt rule.
- ✗
Use GlobalProtect client settings to bypass decryption for the pinned applications.
Why it's wrong here
GlobalProtect client settings only affect traffic from endpoints running the agent, so internal servers and non-agent hosts remain decrypted and pinned applications still break. It is tempting because GlobalProtect split-tunnel and bypass settings do exclude traffic, but only for managed endpoints, whereas the requirement covers all internal-network sources.
- ✗
Reduce the SSL/TLS protocol version on the decryption policy to cause fail-closed for those applications.
Why it's wrong here
Lowering the protocol version does not create an exclusion; the firewall still decrypts the session and the pinned application still fails certificate validation. It is tempting because protocol mismatches can trigger decryption failures, but the correct approach is a no-decrypt policy rule matching those destinations, which deliberately skips decryption rather than forcing failure.
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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.