Quick Answer
The correct answer is SSH Proxy, because SSH traffic relies on its own encryption protocol rather than SSL/TLS, so standard SSL decryption cannot inspect it. To perform SSH proxy decryption, the firewall acts as a man-in-the-middle: it terminates the client’s SSH connection, establishes a separate SSH session with the server, and decrypts the traffic in between, allowing inspection of the plaintext content. On the Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator PCNSA exam, this concept tests your understanding of decryption types and their appropriate use cases—a common trap is selecting SSL Forward Proxy decryption for SSH, which fails because SSH uses a distinct handshake and encryption layer. Remember the memory tip: “SSH needs its own proxy—SSL won’t proxy SSH.”
This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of decryption and monitoring. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A firewall is configured to decrypt SSH traffic. Which type of decryption must be enabled?
SSL Forward Proxy
Why wrong: SSL Forward Proxy is for HTTPS, not SSH.
Inbound Inspection
Why wrong: Inbound Inspection is for HTTPS inbound, not SSH.
SSH Proxy
SSH Proxy is designed to decrypt SSH traffic.
Decryption Mirror
Why wrong: Decryption Mirror is for passive monitoring of SSL/TLS.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
SSH Proxy
SSH traffic uses its own encryption protocol, not SSL/TLS. To decrypt SSH traffic, the firewall must act as a man-in-the-middle using an SSH proxy, which terminates the client's SSH connection and establishes a separate SSH session with the server, allowing inspection of the plaintext content. This is distinct from SSL decryption methods.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates confuse SSH decryption with SSL decryption and select 'SSL Forward Proxy' because they assume all encrypted traffic is handled by the same mechanism, but SSH uses a completely different protocol and requires a dedicated SSH proxy.
Detailed technical explanation
SSH Proxy works by intercepting the initial SSH handshake (TCP port 22), presenting the firewall's own host key to the client, and then establishing a separate SSH session to the real server. This allows the firewall to decrypt the entire session, including commands, file transfers (SFTP/SCP), and tunneled traffic. In a real-world scenario, this is critical for detecting malicious SSH tunneling or credential theft, but it requires careful key management to avoid breaking client trust.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Decryption and Monitoring — This question tests Decryption and Monitoring — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: SSH Proxy — SSH traffic uses its own encryption protocol, not SSL/TLS. To decrypt SSH traffic, the firewall must act as a man-in-the-middle using an SSH proxy, which terminates the client's SSH connection and establishes a separate SSH session with the server, allowing inspection of the plaintext content. This is distinct from SSL decryption methods.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This PCNSA 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 PCNSA exam.
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