- A
The traffic is denied by a rule that has logging disabled.
If the denying rule has no logging configured, no log is generated.
- B
The source IP is in a global log filtering exclusion.
Why wrong: Palo Alto firewalls do not have a global IP-based log exclusion feature.
- C
The session is terminated before session end (e.g., reset).
If the session ends prematurely, the session-end log may not be written.
- D
The traffic matches a rule with 'log at session start' only.
Why wrong: Log at session start would still generate a log at start, not missing completely.
- E
The firewall is exceeding its log rate capacity.
When log rate is exceeded, logs may be dropped.
Question 488 of 516
Conditions Preventing Traffic Logging: Disabled Logging, Session Reset, Rate Exceeded
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of troubleshoot. 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.
An engineer is troubleshooting a scenario where traffic from a specific source IP is not being logged although the security policy log setting is set to 'log at session end'. Which three conditions could prevent logging for that traffic? (Choose three.)
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 traffic is denied by a rule that has logging disabled.
Option A is correct because if a security policy rule denies traffic and has logging disabled, no log entry is generated even if the rule is configured to log at session end. The firewall only logs traffic that matches a rule with logging enabled; if logging is disabled for the deny rule, the session is silently dropped without any log record.
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 traffic is denied by a rule that has logging disabled.
Why this is correct
If the denying rule has no logging configured, no log is generated.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The source IP is in a global log filtering exclusion.
Why it's wrong here
Palo Alto firewalls do not have a global IP-based log exclusion feature.
- ✓
The session is terminated before session end (e.g., reset).
Why this is correct
If the session ends prematurely, the session-end log may not be written.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The traffic matches a rule with 'log at session start' only.
Why it's wrong here
Log at session start would still generate a log at start, not missing completely.
- ✓
The firewall is exceeding its log rate capacity.
Why this is correct
When log rate is exceeded, logs may be dropped.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'log at session end' always generates a log, but they overlook that session termination events (like resets) or log rate capacity exhaustion can prevent the log from being written, and that deny rules with logging disabled will never produce a log regardless of the policy setting.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Palo Alto Networks firewalls, session logging is tied to the session's lifecycle; a session-end log is generated only when the session terminates normally (e.g., via timeout or FIN/RST from both sides). If a session is reset by the firewall (e.g., due to a security rule action of 'reset' or 'reset-both'), the session may be torn down abruptly, and the firewall might skip the session-end log generation if the reset occurs before the session is fully established. Additionally, log rate limiting is enforced via the 'log-rate' setting in the device configuration, and when the rate exceeds the configured threshold (default 1000 logs per second), logs are dropped silently to prevent CPU overload.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PCNSE question test?
Troubleshoot — This question tests Troubleshoot — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The traffic is denied by a rule that has logging disabled. — Option A is correct because if a security policy rule denies traffic and has logging disabled, no log entry is generated even if the rule is configured to log at session end. The firewall only logs traffic that matches a rule with logging enabled; if logging is disabled for the deny rule, the session is silently dropped without any log record.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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