This PCNSE practice question tests your understanding of securing traffic and app-id. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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
Refer to the exhibit.
show running security-policy
rule 1 name "Allow-Web"
source any
destination any
application web-browsing
action allow
profile threat
rule 2 name "Block-All"
source any
destination any
application any
action deny
Given the security policy above, what will happen to an HTTP request from a user to a public website?
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
show running security-policy
rule 1 name "Allow-Web"
source any
destination any
application web-browsing
action allow
profile threat
rule 2 name "Block-All"
source any
destination any
application any
action deny
A
It will be allowed but then blocked by the threat profile.
Why wrong: The threat profile may detect and block, but the question does not mention a specific threat. The default behavior is to allow.
B
It will be denied because web-browsing is not identified.
Why wrong: Web-browsing is identified by App-ID for HTTP traffic.
C
It will be denied because rule 2 blocks all.
Why wrong: Rule 2 is evaluated only if rule 1 does not match, but since rule 1 matches, rule 2 is not applied.
D
It will be allowed because rule 1 matches and action is allow.
Correct: Rule 1 matches web-browsing traffic and allows it.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It will be allowed because rule 1 matches and action is allow.
Rule 1 matches the HTTP request because it typically includes the application 'web-browsing' (or a broader application category) and the action is set to 'allow'. Since security policy evaluation in Palo Alto Networks firewalls is first-match, the traffic is permitted by rule 1 before reaching rule 2. The threat profile does not block the request unless it detects malicious content, which is not indicated in the question.
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.
✗
It will be allowed but then blocked by the threat profile.
Why it's wrong here
The threat profile may detect and block, but the question does not mention a specific threat. The default behavior is to allow.
✗
It will be denied because web-browsing is not identified.
Why it's wrong here
Web-browsing is identified by App-ID for HTTP traffic.
✗
It will be denied because rule 2 blocks all.
Why it's wrong here
Rule 2 is evaluated only if rule 1 does not match, but since rule 1 matches, rule 2 is not applied.
✓
It will be allowed because rule 1 matches and action is allow.
Why this is correct
Correct: Rule 1 matches web-browsing traffic and allows it.
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 assume rule 2's 'deny all' will catch the traffic, forgetting that the first-match rule (rule 1) with an 'allow' action takes precedence and terminates policy evaluation.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Palo Alto Networks firewalls use a first-match policy evaluation model, where the first rule that matches the traffic (based on source, destination, application, user, etc.) determines the action. App-ID identifies the application (e.g., web-browsing) by inspecting the HTTP header and payload, not just the port. In a real-world scenario, if rule 1 had a more specific application like 'ssl' or a custom app, the traffic might not match, but here 'web-browsing' is standard for HTTP.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Securing Traffic and App-ID — This question tests Securing Traffic and App-ID — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: It will be allowed because rule 1 matches and action is allow. — Rule 1 matches the HTTP request because it typically includes the application 'web-browsing' (or a broader application category) and the action is set to 'allow'. Since security policy evaluation in Palo Alto Networks firewalls is first-match, the traffic is permitted by rule 1 before reaching rule 2. The threat profile does not block the request unless it detects malicious content, which is not indicated in the question.
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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Question Discussion
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