This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of core concepts. 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.
Which THREE of the following actions are valid actions for a security policy rule on a Palo Alto Networks firewall? (Choose THREE.)
Deny
Deny blocks the traffic and sends a TCP reset or ICMP unreachable.
Log
Why wrong: Log is a configuration option within a rule, not an action.
Reset
Why wrong: There is no generic 'Reset' action; specific reset actions are 'Reset-Client' and 'Reset-Server'.
Drop
Drop silently discards the traffic without sending a response.
Allow
Allow is a standard action to permit traffic.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Deny
Options A, C, and E are correct: Allow, Deny, and Drop are valid actions. Option B is wrong, 'Reset' is not a valid action; instead, there is 'Reset-Client' and 'Reset-Server'. Option D is wrong, 'Log' is not an action; logging is configured separately within a rule.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Deny
Log
Why it's wrong here
Log is a configuration option within a rule, not an action.
Reset
Why it's wrong here
There is no generic 'Reset' action; specific reset actions are 'Reset-Client' and 'Reset-Server'.
Drop
Why this is correct
Drop silently discards the traffic without sending a response.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Allow
Why this is correct
Allow is a standard action to permit traffic.
Related concept
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Common exam traps
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
Real-world example
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
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCNSA ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
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FAQ
Core Concepts — This question tests Core Concepts — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
The correct answer is: Deny — Options A, C, and E are correct: Allow, Deny, and Drop are valid actions. Option B is wrong, 'Reset' is not a valid action; instead, there is 'Reset-Client' and 'Reset-Server'. Option D is wrong, 'Log' is not an action; logging is configured separately within a rule.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related PCNSA ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 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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