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.
Exhibit
show session id 12345
Session 12345: 10.1.1.10:50000 -> 203.0.113.5:443 (10.1.1.10:50000 -> 203.0.113.5:443)
Application: ssl State: DROP Type: FLOW
Reason: policy-deny Flags: 0x40000000
NAT: source 10.1.1.10:50000 (no NAT)
Refer to the exhibit. A user at 10.1.1.10 is trying to connect to a web server at 203.0.113.5 on port 443. The session shows 'State: DROP' with reason 'policy-deny'. However, the administrator has a security policy rule that allows SSL traffic from the source zone to the destination zone. What is the most likely cause of the drop?
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.
show session id 12345
Session 12345: 10.1.1.10:50000 -> 203.0.113.5:443 (10.1.1.10:50000 -> 203.0.113.5:443)
Application: ssl State: DROP Type: FLOW
Reason: policy-deny Flags: 0x40000000
NAT: source 10.1.1.10:50000 (no NAT)
A
The source NAT rule is missing, so the private IP cannot reach the internet.
Why wrong: A missing NAT rule would cause the session to not be established, but the drop reason explicitly says 'policy-deny', not 'no-route' or 'nat-fail'.
B
The security policy rule that allows SSL is in a different rulebase or zone than the traffic.
The traffic may be matched by an earlier deny rule or the zone context might be wrong.
C
The SSL application is not correctly identified because the traffic is encrypted.
Why wrong: SSL is correctly identified as the application; the issue is policy-based.
D
The firewall is configured to block SSL sessions that use weak ciphers.
Why wrong: This would result in a different session end reason, such as 'decryption-error'.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The security policy rule that allows SSL is in a different rulebase or zone than the traffic.
Option C is correct because the exhibit shows no NAT translation, meaning the source IP is private. If the destination zone is the internet and no source NAT is applied, the return traffic would not route back, but the drop reason is policy-deny, indicating a security policy issue. The most likely cause is that the rule allowing SSL is configured for a different destination zone than the one the traffic is using. Option A is wrong because session state DROP indicates the traffic did not pass. Option B is wrong because no NAT rule would cause a different issue. Option D is wrong because the session is dropped, not hijacked.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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 source NAT rule is missing, so the private IP cannot reach the internet.
Why it's wrong here
A missing NAT rule would cause the session to not be established, but the drop reason explicitly says 'policy-deny', not 'no-route' or 'nat-fail'.
✓
The security policy rule that allows SSL is in a different rulebase or zone than the traffic.
Why this is correct
The traffic may be matched by an earlier deny rule or the zone context might be wrong.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The SSL application is not correctly identified because the traffic is encrypted.
Why it's wrong here
SSL is correctly identified as the application; the issue is policy-based.
✗
The firewall is configured to block SSL sessions that use weak ciphers.
Why it's wrong here
This would result in a different session end reason, such as 'decryption-error'.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCNSE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Troubleshoot — This question tests Troubleshoot — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The security policy rule that allows SSL is in a different rulebase or zone than the traffic. — Option C is correct because the exhibit shows no NAT translation, meaning the source IP is private. If the destination zone is the internet and no source NAT is applied, the return traffic would not route back, but the drop reason is policy-deny, indicating a security policy issue. The most likely cause is that the rule allowing SSL is configured for a different destination zone than the one the traffic is using. Option A is wrong because session state DROP indicates the traffic did not pass. Option B is wrong because no NAT rule would cause a different issue. Option D is wrong because the session is dropped, not hijacked.
What should I do if I get this PCNSE question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related PCNSE NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". 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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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