NetSec-Architect Practice Question: An architect is designing an advanced Zero Trust architecture where access to critical…
An architect is designing an advanced Zero Trust architecture where access to critical internal applications requires continuous validation of endpoint posture. Which THREE components must be configured to achieve this using GlobalProtect and PAN-OS? (Choose three)
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
✓
HIP Objects and HIP Profiles defined in Panorama or the firewall to evaluate endpoint security posture criteria
Option A is correct because HIP Objects and HIP Profiles are the PAN-OS constructs that define and evaluate endpoint posture criteria (e.g., patch level, antivirus, disk encryption) collected from the GlobalProtect agent. Option B is correct because security policy rules must reference those HIP Profiles so that traffic is allowed, restricted, or blocked dynamically based on the endpoint's current posture, enabling continuous validation rather than one-time authentication. Option C is correct because the GlobalProtect Agent is the component that gathers Host Information Profile (HIP) data on the endpoint and reports it to the gateway/firewall for posture evaluation. Option D is not a technical control and does not provide continuous automated posture validation, and Option E is an obsolete weak wireless encryption method unrelated to Zero Trust endpoint posture assessment.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
HIP Objects and HIP Profiles defined in Panorama or the firewall to evaluate endpoint security posture criteria
Why this is correct
HIP Objects define the posture criteria (patch level, antivirus, disk encryption) that GlobalProtect collects from endpoints, while HIP Profiles map those objects into match rules referenced by security policy. This satisfies the stem's continuous endpoint posture validation requirement, enabling dynamic allow or deny decisions per session rather than one-off authentication.
- ✓
Security policy rules incorporating HIP Profiles to allow, restrict, or block access dynamically
Why this is correct
Security policy rules can use HIP profiles as match criteria alongside source users, zones and applications, so a rule might allow a critical application only to users whose device matches a 'corporate compliant' profile, and send everyone else to a remediation zone. Because GlobalProtect sends updated host information during the session, a device that falls out of compliance loses access without logging out.
- ✓
GlobalProtect Agent configured to collect Host Information Profile (HIP) data from endpoints
Why this is correct
The GlobalProtect app gathers host information from each endpoint, such as operating system and patch level, endpoint protection status, disk encryption, firewall state and custom checks like registry keys or running processes, and sends it to the gateway at connection and periodically afterwards. Without this data, the firewall has nothing to evaluate, so continuous posture checks start with configuring HIP collection in the portal's agent settings.
- ✗
Manual administrator phone calls to every user prior to each login
Why it's wrong here
Phoning every user before each login cannot scale, provides no technical evidence of a device's security state, and does nothing once a session has started, so it cannot deliver continuous validation. Zero Trust relies on automated, repeated checks: GlobalProtect collects host information, HIP profiles evaluate it, and security policy enforces the result for every connection.
- ✗
Static WEP encryption keys shared among all remote workers
Why it's wrong here
WEP is a broken, obsolete wireless encryption method, and a single static key shared by every remote worker gives no per-user or per-device identity, let alone posture information. It has nothing to do with GlobalProtect or Zero Trust, which depend on strong individual authentication, encrypted tunnels and continuous device checks through host information profiles.
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Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Security Systems Architect · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed August 2026 · checked against the official Palo Alto Networks exam blueprint
This NetSec-Architect 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 NetSec-Architect exam.