PCNSE Securing Traffic and App-ID Practice Question
Exhibit
user@fw> show running security-policy rule 1: name "Allow-Web" from trust to untrust source any destination any application web-browsing service application-default action allow rule 2: name "Allow-SSL" from trust to untrust source any destination any application ssl service application-default action allow rule 3: name "Block-Other" from trust to untrust source any destination any application any service any action deny log-start rule 4: name "Allow-All" from trust to trust source any destination any application any service any action allow
Refer to the exhibit. An administrator notices that HTTPS traffic to a specific website is being denied. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common trap is to assume that the service setting (application-default) is required for App-ID to match traffic, when the real issue is application misidentification due to incomplete SSL inspection or port-based fallback.
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
✓
The HTTPS traffic is being identified as web-browsing instead of ssl, so it does not match rule 2 and is denied by rule 3.
When App-ID identifies HTTPS traffic as web-browsing (HTTP over port 443) instead of ssl, the traffic does not match rule 2 (which requires the 'ssl' application). Consequently, it falls through to rule 3, which denies the traffic. This misidentification often occurs when the SSL handshake is incomplete or when decryption is not configured, causing the firewall to classify the traffic based on the port rather than the application signature.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
The HTTPS traffic is being identified as web-browsing instead of ssl, so it does not match rule 2 and is denied by rule 3.
Why this is correct
If App-ID misidentifies HTTPS traffic as web-browsing, it fails to match rule 2 and is blocked.
- ✗
Rule 2 does not have a service set to application-default, so it cannot match the traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Rule 2 does have service set to application-default, which expects port 443 for ssl.
- ✗
The traffic is from trust to trust, matching rule 4, but still denied.
Why it's wrong here
The traffic is from trust to untrust, not trust to trust.
- ✗
The traffic requires a specific service other than application-default.
Why it's wrong here
The correct service is already set.
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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.