- A
The security policy rule does not have logging enabled at session end.
Why wrong: Logging settings do not affect whether traffic is allowed or dropped; they only control log generation.
- B
SSL decryption is enabled but the website certificate is untrusted.
Why wrong: While an untrusted certificate can cause a block page, it does not drop the session by default; it may present a warning but still allow access depending on policy.
- C
A DoS protection profile is configured on the zone and is rate-limiting the user's IP.
Why wrong: DoS protection typically drops traffic when thresholds are exceeded, but for a single user accessing a website, it is less likely than a URL block.
- D
A URL Filtering profile is applied to the rule and is blocking the website's URL category.
URL Filtering profiles can override application-level allowances by blocking specific URL categories, causing the session to be dropped.
Why URL Filtering Overrides Application-Based Allow Rules
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.
A user reports that they cannot access a specific website. Traffic matches a security policy rule that allows the application 'web-browsing' but the session is being dropped. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
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.
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
A URL Filtering profile is applied to the rule and is blocking the website's URL category.
Option D is correct because a URL Filtering profile applied to the security policy rule can block traffic based on the website's URL category, even when the application 'web-browsing' is allowed. The session is dropped by the URL Filtering engine after the application is identified, which overrides the application-based permit action.
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 security policy rule does not have logging enabled at session end.
Why it's wrong here
Logging settings do not affect whether traffic is allowed or dropped; they only control log generation.
- ✗
SSL decryption is enabled but the website certificate is untrusted.
Why it's wrong here
While an untrusted certificate can cause a block page, it does not drop the session by default; it may present a warning but still allow access depending on policy.
- ✗
A DoS protection profile is configured on the zone and is rate-limiting the user's IP.
Why it's wrong here
DoS protection typically drops traffic when thresholds are exceeded, but for a single user accessing a website, it is less likely than a URL block.
- ✓
A URL Filtering profile is applied to the rule and is blocking the website's URL category.
Why this is correct
URL Filtering profiles can override application-level allowances by blocking specific URL categories, causing the session to be dropped.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" 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
The trap here is that candidates assume 'web-browsing' allowed means all web traffic is permitted, overlooking that URL Filtering profiles can block specific URLs or categories even when the application is allowed.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
URL Filtering operates after application identification and can enforce category-based allow/block decisions independently of the application. The firewall uses the PAN-DB URL filtering database to categorize URLs; if the category is blocked, the firewall sends a TCP reset or drops the session silently depending on the profile action. In a real-world scenario, a user might be able to browse other sites but not a specific one because its URL category (e.g., 'gambling' or 'social-networking') is blocked, while the 'web-browsing' application remains permitted.
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.
Visual reference
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.
- →
Troubleshoot — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Troubleshoot practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All PCNSE questions
516 questions across all exam domains
- →
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer PCNSE study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
PCNSE practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related PCNSE practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage, Monitor and Operate practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Manage, Monitor and Operate.
Securing Traffic and App-ID practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Traffic and App-ID.
Securing Users and Applications with Authentication practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Securing Users and Applications with Authentication.
Decryption and SSL Inspection practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Decryption and SSL Inspection.
Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Managing Troubleshooting and High Availability.
Deploy and Configure Firewalls practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Deploy and Configure Firewalls.
Core Concepts and Architecture practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Core Concepts and Architecture.
Secure Access and VPN practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Secure Access and VPN.
Troubleshoot practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to Troubleshoot.
PCNSE fundamentals practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE fundamentals.
PCNSE scenario practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE scenario.
PCNSE troubleshooting practice questions
Practise PCNSE questions linked to PCNSE troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free PCNSE practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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: A URL Filtering profile is applied to the rule and is blocking the website's URL category. — Option D is correct because a URL Filtering profile applied to the security policy rule can block traffic based on the website's URL category, even when the application 'web-browsing' is allowed. The session is dropped by the URL Filtering engine after the application is identified, which overrides the application-based permit action.
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". 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
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
1 more ways this is tested on PCNSE
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A user reports that they cannot access a specific website. The firewall security policy allows web traffic. The administrator checks the traffic log and sees that the session is being denied due to a 'URL Filtering' block. What should the administrator do to allow access?
easy- A.Disable URL filtering on the existing security rule
- B.Check the user-ID mapping to ensure the user is authenticated
- C.Create a new security rule allowing the user's IP to any
- ✓ D.Add the URL to an allow list in the URL filtering profile
Why D: Option D is correct because the traffic log explicitly indicates a 'URL Filtering' block, meaning the firewall's URL filtering profile is denying the request based on the URL category or specific URL. Adding the URL to an allow list within the URL filtering profile overrides the block, allowing access while keeping the security rule and other filtering policies intact. This approach preserves security controls for other traffic and avoids disabling URL filtering entirely.
Keep practising
More PCNSE practice questions
- Arrange the steps to enable and configure GlobalProtect on a Palo Alto Networks firewall.
- Order the steps to upgrade the PAN-OS software on a standalone firewall.
- An administrator notices that traffic from zone A to zone B is being dropped silently. Security rules are in place. Trou…
- Which component of the PAN-OS architecture is responsible for processing security policies and performing packet inspect…
- A company has configured a security policy that allows HTTP traffic from the internal network 10.0.0.0/8 to the internet…
- An organization wants to map user identity from Active Directory for traffic coming from internal LAN users without inst…
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.