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Question 368 of 524

Palo Alto Networks Platforms and Architecture →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that the firewall allowed the traffic. This is determined by the traffic log action field showing "allow" or a green checkmark, which indicates the session matched a security policy rule set to permit the connection, allowing the packet to be forwarded without being blocked or reset. On the PCNSA exam, interpreting a traffic log entry like this tests your ability to read the firewall’s decision directly from the log, a common skill in troubleshooting and policy verification. A frequent trap is confusing "allow" with "drop" when the log shows a green icon—remember that green always signifies a permit, while red or "deny" indicates a block. For a quick memory tip: think of a traffic light—green means go (allow), red means stop (block).

PCNSA Palo Alto Networks Platforms and Architecture Practice Question

This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of palo alto networks platforms and architecture. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

2023/07/25 14:35:12,THREAT,url,1,2023/07/25 14:35:12,192.168.1.10,203.0.113.5,192.168.1.10,203.0.113.5,allow,,,web-browsing,vsys1,trust,untrust,ethernet1/1,ethernet1/2,2012,1,1,45,2023/07/25 14:35:12,0,any,0,2621440000,10.0.0.1,0,0,0,0,,PA-5250,from-policy,,,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

Note: The log entry is truncated for readability.

Based on the exhibit, what action did the firewall take on this traffic?

Question 1easymultiple choice

Full question →

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

2023/07/25 14:35:12,THREAT,url,1,2023/07/25 14:35:12,192.168.1.10,203.0.113.5,192.168.1.10,203.0.113.5,allow,,,web-browsing,vsys1,trust,untrust,ethernet1/1,ethernet1/2,2012,1,1,45,2023/07/25 14:35:12,0,any,0,2621440000,10.0.0.1,0,0,0,0,,PA-5250,from-policy,,,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0,0

Note: The log entry is truncated for readability.

A
Reset the connection.
Why wrong: Not indicated in the log.
B
Blocked the URL.
Why wrong: No URL filtering block shown.
C
Allowed the traffic.
The log entry shows 'allow' as the action.
D
Denied the traffic.
Why wrong: Would show 'deny' or 'drop'.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

Allowed the traffic.

The exhibit shows a traffic log entry with the action 'allow' (or a green checkmark indicating a permit), meaning the firewall evaluated the traffic against security policies and determined it matched a rule set to allow. The session was established and forwarded without being blocked or reset, confirming the correct answer is C.

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.

✗
Reset the connection.
Why it's wrong here
Not indicated in the log.
✗
Blocked the URL.
Why it's wrong here
No URL filtering block shown.
✓
Allowed the traffic.
Why this is correct
The log entry shows 'allow' as the action.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Denied the traffic.
Why it's wrong here
Would show 'deny' or 'drop'.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates may confuse the firewall's action with the result of a security profile (e.g., URL filtering or threat prevention), but the question specifically asks for the action taken on the traffic, which is determined solely by the security policy rule's action field.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
No URL filtering block shown.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

The firewall's action is determined by the first matching security policy rule; if the rule's action is 'allow', the session is created and traffic is forwarded. The log entry includes fields like 'Action' and 'Rule' that directly reflect this decision, and the session's 'State' field (e.g., 'established') further confirms the traffic was permitted. In a real-world scenario, an allow action might still have additional security profiles applied (e.g., antivirus, vulnerability protection) that could block individual packets within the session, but the overall action remains 'allow'.

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 security administrator must allow nursing staff to reach a patient records server while blocking access from the guest Wi-Fi VLAN. After applying an extended ACL, traffic is still blocked from nursing workstations. The ACL was applied outbound instead of inbound on the wrong interface. Questions like this test ACL direction and placement rules.

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.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this PCNSA question test?

Palo Alto Networks Platforms and Architecture — This question tests Palo Alto Networks Platforms and Architecture — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Allowed the traffic. — The exhibit shows a traffic log entry with the action 'allow' (or a green checkmark indicating a permit), meaning the firewall evaluated the traffic against security policies and determined it matched a rule set to allow. The session was established and forwarded without being blocked or reset, confirming the correct answer is C.

What should I do if I get this PCNSA 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.

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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026

Question Discussion

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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.