- A
The decryption policy is set to 'no-decrypt' for the application's traffic.
Why wrong: If no-decrypt, the traffic would not be inspected, and the client certificate would reach the server.
- B
The client certificates are not trusted by the firewall.
Why wrong: The firewall does not need to trust client certificates for inbound inspection; it only forwards them.
- C
The firewall's SSL Inbound Inspection profile is set to 'passive' mode.
Why wrong: There is no 'passive' mode for SSL Inbound Inspection; the firewall fully terminates and re-originates connections.
- D
The firewall is not configured to forward client certificates to the server.
In SSL Inbound Inspection, the firewall must be configured to forward client certificates in the decryption profile; otherwise, it does not pass them.
PCNSE Decryption and SSL Inspection Practice Question
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of decryption and ssl inspection. 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.
A company has deployed SSL Inbound Inspection to inspect HTTPS traffic to their internal web server hosting a custom application that requires mutual TLS authentication. The firewall is configured with a decryption policy that includes the server's certificate and the action 'decrypt'. The web server is configured to request client certificates. After implementation, users report that the application fails to authenticate them. The firewall logs show that SSL handshake with the client completes successfully, but the server never receives the client certificate during the handshake. The administrator has verified that the decryption policy is active and the server certificate is correctly imported. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Clue:
"never"Why it matters: Absolute qualifier. True only if the statement has zero exceptions — be cautious of options that seem obvious but break down in edge cases.
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
The firewall is not configured to forward client certificates to the server.
In SSL Inbound Inspection, the firewall acts as a man-in-the-middle, terminating the client's SSL connection and then initiating a new SSL connection to the server. By default, the firewall does not forward the client certificate from the original client handshake to the server. To enable mutual TLS authentication, the administrator must explicitly configure the firewall to forward client certificates, typically via a Decryption Profile setting. Since the logs show a successful handshake with the client but the server never receives the client certificate, the missing forwarding configuration is the most likely cause.
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.
- ✗
The decryption policy is set to 'no-decrypt' for the application's traffic.
Why it's wrong here
If no-decrypt, the traffic would not be inspected, and the client certificate would reach the server.
- ✗
The client certificates are not trusted by the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
The firewall does not need to trust client certificates for inbound inspection; it only forwards them.
- ✗
The firewall's SSL Inbound Inspection profile is set to 'passive' mode.
- ✓
The firewall is not configured to forward client certificates to the server.
Why this is correct
In SSL Inbound Inspection, the firewall must be configured to forward client certificates in the decryption profile; otherwise, it does not pass them.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "most likely", "never" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Palo Alto Networks often tests the distinction between SSL Forward Proxy and SSL Inbound Inspection, and candidates mistakenly assume that client certificates are automatically forwarded in inbound scenarios, when in fact they require explicit configuration in the decryption profile.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
During SSL Inbound Inspection, the firewall performs a full SSL termination and re-encryption. The client certificate presented to the firewall is stored in the firewall's session state but is not automatically passed to the server in the new SSL handshake. To enable mutual TLS, the administrator must enable 'Forward Client Certificate to Server' in the Decryption Profile under the SSL Inbound Inspection section. This is a common oversight because the firewall's default behavior is to omit client certificate forwarding to simplify troubleshooting, but it breaks applications requiring mutual authentication.
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 small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
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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Decryption and SSL Inspection — study guide chapter
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Decryption and SSL Inspection — This question tests Decryption and SSL Inspection — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The firewall is not configured to forward client certificates to the server. — In SSL Inbound Inspection, the firewall acts as a man-in-the-middle, terminating the client's SSL connection and then initiating a new SSL connection to the server. By default, the firewall does not forward the client certificate from the original client handshake to the server. To enable mutual TLS authentication, the administrator must explicitly configure the firewall to forward client certificates, typically via a Decryption Profile setting. Since the logs show a successful handshake with the client but the server never receives the client certificate, the missing forwarding configuration is the most likely cause.
What should I do if I get this PCNSE question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely", "never". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 30, 2026
This PCNSE 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 PCNSE exam.
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