The answer is both a Decryption policy rule and a Decryption Profile. A Decryption policy rule alone only identifies which traffic is eligible for inspection, but it does not perform the actual decryption; the Decryption Profile must be applied to that rule with SSL Forward Proxy enabled to define how the firewall re-encrypts the session and handles certificates. On the PCNSA exam, this distinction is a common trap—candidates often assume a security rule allowing traffic on TCP 443 is sufficient, but decryption requires two separate components: the policy to match the traffic and the profile to execute the method. For the scenario with 10.0.0.5 accessing 8.8.8.8, the firewall will bypass decryption if either piece is missing, even if the security rule permits the flow. Remember the mnemonic: “Rule to select, Profile to inspect”—without both, the traffic stays encrypted.
PCNSA Policy Evaluation and Management Practice Question
This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of policy evaluation and management. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
admin@PA-3060> show running security-policy
Total rules: 1
1: Name: Allow-Outbound, Zone: trust->untrust, Source: 10.0.0.0/24, Dest: any, Application: any, Service: any, Action: allow
A user from 10.0.0.5 tries to access 8.8.8.8 on TCP 443. The traffic is matched to the above rule. Which additional configuration is required for the traffic to be decrypted?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Both a Decryption policy rule and a Decryption Profile
For traffic to be decrypted, a Decryption policy rule must explicitly match the traffic and a Decryption Profile with SSL Forward Proxy enabled must be applied. The rule alone only identifies traffic for potential decryption; the profile defines the decryption method (e.g., SSL Forward Proxy) and controls certificate handling. Without both, the firewall will not perform decryption even if the security rule allows the traffic.
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.
✗
A Decryption policy rule matching the same traffic
Why it's wrong here
A rule alone is insufficient; a profile must also be configured.
✗
An SSL Forward Proxy certificate installed
Why it's wrong here
The certificate is part of the decryption profile, not a standalone requirement.
✓
Both a Decryption policy rule and a Decryption Profile
Why this is correct
Both are necessary to match and execute decryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A Decryption Profile with SSL Forward Proxy enabled
Why it's wrong here
A profile alone cannot be applied without a decryption policy rule.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume a Decryption policy rule alone is enough to decrypt traffic, overlooking that a Decryption Profile must be attached to define the decryption method (e.g., SSL Forward Proxy) and handle certificate validation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSL Forward Proxy decryption works by the firewall acting as a man-in-the-middle: it terminates the client's TLS connection and initiates a new TLS connection to the server. The Decryption policy rule determines which traffic is subject to decryption, while the Decryption Profile controls settings such as whether to decrypt sessions with unsupported cipher suites or expired certificates. In a real-world scenario, failing to configure both can lead to traffic being allowed but not decrypted, bypassing security inspection for threats hidden in encrypted flows.
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 practitioner preparing for the PCNSA exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
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.
Policy Evaluation and Management — This question tests Policy Evaluation and Management — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Both a Decryption policy rule and a Decryption Profile — For traffic to be decrypted, a Decryption policy rule must explicitly match the traffic and a Decryption Profile with SSL Forward Proxy enabled must be applied. The rule alone only identifies traffic for potential decryption; the profile defines the decryption method (e.g., SSL Forward Proxy) and controls certificate handling. Without both, the firewall will not perform decryption even if the security rule allows the traffic.
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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Question Discussion
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