- A
Create a single rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source user 'any', action 'allow' and enable logging.
Why wrong: This would allow all SSH from Admin to Core, not just specific admins.
- B
Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source user set to an LDAP group containing the administrators, action 'allow', and a second rule with same match criteria but action 'drop' and log at end.
User-ID integration allows scalable user-based policies.
- C
Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', action 'allow', and rely on the firewall's default deny rule for others.
Why wrong: This allows all SSH from Admin to Core, not just specific admins.
- D
Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source address list of all administrators' IPs, action 'allow', and a catch-all drop rule.
Why wrong: IP-based management is not scalable for many administrators.
PCNSA Policy Evaluation and Management Practice Question
This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of policy evaluation and management. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 administrator is tasked with implementing a policy that allows SSH access from the 'Admin' zone to the 'Core' zone only for specific administrators, and all other SSH attempts should be logged and dropped. The company has a large number of administrators. Which method is most efficient and scalable?
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
Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source user set to an LDAP group containing the administrators, action 'allow', and a second rule with same match criteria but action 'drop' and log at end.
Option B is correct because it uses an LDAP group as the source user attribute, which allows dynamic membership management without manual IP updates. The first rule permits SSH for the group, and the second rule logs and drops all other SSH attempts, ensuring only authorized administrators are allowed while unauthorized attempts are recorded for auditing. This approach is scalable for a large number of administrators because it leverages user-based policies rather than IP-based rules.
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.
- ✗
Create a single rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source user 'any', action 'allow' and enable logging.
Why it's wrong here
This would allow all SSH from Admin to Core, not just specific admins.
- ✓
Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source user set to an LDAP group containing the administrators, action 'allow', and a second rule with same match criteria but action 'drop' and log at end.
Why this is correct
User-ID integration allows scalable user-based policies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', action 'allow', and rely on the firewall's default deny rule for others.
Why it's wrong here
This allows all SSH from Admin to Core, not just specific admins.
- ✗
Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source address list of all administrators' IPs, action 'allow', and a catch-all drop rule.
Why it's wrong here
IP-based management is not scalable for many administrators.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose Option A, thinking that logging all SSH attempts is sufficient, but they overlook the requirement to restrict access to specific administrators, which necessitates a user-based filter rather than allowing all users.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Palo Alto Networks firewalls support User-ID, which maps users to IP addresses via agents or LDAP integration, allowing policies to be based on usernames or groups rather than static IPs. When using an LDAP group, the firewall dynamically resolves the group membership at the time of policy evaluation, making it ideal for environments with frequent user changes. The second rule with action 'drop' and logging enabled ensures that all denied SSH traffic is recorded, which is critical for compliance and incident response.
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?
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: Create a rule with source zone 'Admin', destination zone 'Core', application 'ssh', source user set to an LDAP group containing the administrators, action 'allow', and a second rule with same match criteria but action 'drop' and log at end. — Option B is correct because it uses an LDAP group as the source user attribute, which allows dynamic membership management without manual IP updates. The first rule permits SSH for the group, and the second rule logs and drops all other SSH attempts, ensuring only authorized administrators are allowed while unauthorized attempts are recorded for auditing. This approach is scalable for a large number of administrators because it leverages user-based policies rather than IP-based rules.
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 11, 2026
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