This PCNSA practice question tests your understanding of decryption and monitoring. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 are valid actions for a decryption policy rule? (Choose three.)
No Decrypt
Bypasses decryption.
Forward Untrust Certificate
Action to send untrusted certificate info to client.
Block
Why wrong: Not a decryption policy action; blocking is done in security policy.
Forward
Why wrong: Not a valid action in decryption policy.
Decrypt
Standard decryption action.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
No Decrypt
Option A is correct because 'No Decrypt' is a valid action in a decryption policy rule that explicitly excludes traffic from decryption, often used for traffic that cannot be decrypted (e.g., certificate pinning) or should not be inspected for compliance reasons. This action ensures the firewall forwards the traffic without attempting SSL/TLS interception.
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.
No Decrypt
Why this is correct
Bypasses decryption.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Forward Untrust Certificate
Why this is correct
Action to send untrusted certificate info to client.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Block
Why it's wrong here
Not a decryption policy action; blocking is done in security policy.
Forward
Why it's wrong here
Not a valid action in decryption policy.
Decrypt
Why this is correct
Standard decryption action.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Palo Alto Networks often tests the distinction between decryption policy actions and security policy actions, so the trap here is confusing 'Block' (a security rule action) with decryption rule actions, or assuming 'Forward' is a decryption action when it is actually a default behavior for non-decrypted traffic.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, decryption policy rules operate at the SSL/TLS handshake level: 'Decrypt' triggers the firewall to generate a forged server certificate (using the Forward Trust certificate) and perform man-in-the-middle inspection, while 'No Decrypt' allows the original encrypted tunnel to pass through. The 'Forward Untrust Certificate' action is used when the server's certificate is untrusted (e.g., self-signed or expired), and the firewall forwards that untrusted certificate to the client without decrypting the traffic, preserving the client's ability to see the warning.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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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: No Decrypt — Option A is correct because 'No Decrypt' is a valid action in a decryption policy rule that explicitly excludes traffic from decryption, often used for traffic that cannot be decrypted (e.g., certificate pinning) or should not be inspected for compliance reasons. This action ensures the firewall forwards the traffic without attempting SSL/TLS interception.
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 30, 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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