The answer is time-based one-time password (TOTP) and one-time password (OTP) via RADIUS. These two methods are supported for local administrator accounts because the Palo Alto Networks firewall can natively validate TOTP codes based on RFC 6238, eliminating the need for an external server, while OTP via RADIUS offloads generation and validation to a RADIUS server, offering flexibility for existing infrastructure. On the PCNSE exam, this question tests your understanding of native versus server-dependent MFA methods for local admin access, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly select third-party solutions like SAML or LDAP, which are not directly supported for local accounts. A key memory tip is to associate “local” with “no external server” for TOTP, and “RADIUS” with “external OTP server” — think of TOTP as the firewall’s built-in authenticator app and RADIUS OTP as a separate token service.
PCNSE Practice Question: Securing Users and Applications with Authentication
This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of securing users and applications with authentication. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 organization wants to enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative access to the Palo Alto Networks firewall. Which TWO authentication methods are supported for local administrator accounts?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
One-time password (OTP) via RADIUS
Option C is correct because Palo Alto Networks firewalls support one-time password (OTP) authentication for local administrator accounts via RADIUS, where the RADIUS server generates and validates the OTP. Option D is correct because time-based one-time password (TOTP) is natively supported for local administrator MFA, using RFC 6238 to generate time-synchronized codes that the firewall validates directly without an external server.
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.
✗
LDAP authentication
Why it's wrong here
LDAP is used for user authentication and mapping, not as an MFA method.
✗
SAML IdP authentication
Why it's wrong here
SAML is used for external authentication, not for local admin accounts.
✓
One-time password (OTP) via RADIUS
Why this is correct
Correct: OTP via RADIUS is a supported MFA method for local admin accounts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Time-based one-time password (TOTP)
Why this is correct
Correct: TOTP is a built-in MFA method for local admin accounts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Client certificate authentication
Why it's wrong here
Client certificate can be used for authentication but is not considered an MFA method on its own.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse authentication methods that support MFA for local administrator accounts with those used for external user authentication (e.g., SAML or LDAP), mistakenly thinking any external IdP can be applied to local accounts, when in fact only TOTP and RADIUS-based OTP are supported for local admin MFA.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
For TOTP, the firewall generates a shared secret during enrollment and uses the current time (in 30-second intervals) to compute a 6-digit code per RFC 6238; the firewall itself acts as the TOTP validator, eliminating the need for an external server. For OTP via RADIUS, the firewall sends the username and OTP to a RADIUS server (e.g., RSA SecurID or Duo), which validates the one-time password; this requires the RADIUS server to be configured with the OTP seed or token. A real-world scenario: an admin uses TOTP via an authenticator app (like Google Authenticator) for daily firewall CLI access, while OTP via RADIUS is used when integrating with an existing hardware token infrastructure.
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.
Securing Users and Applications with Authentication — This question tests Securing Users and Applications with Authentication — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: One-time password (OTP) via RADIUS — Option C is correct because Palo Alto Networks firewalls support one-time password (OTP) authentication for local administrator accounts via RADIUS, where the RADIUS server generates and validates the OTP. Option D is correct because time-based one-time password (TOTP) is natively supported for local administrator MFA, using RFC 6238 to generate time-synchronized codes that the firewall validates directly without an external server.
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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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.
Question Discussion
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