PCNSE Palo Alto Networks Certified Security Engineer (PCNSE) PAN-OS 11.0 Questions and Answers

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/panorama/9-1/panorama-admin/manage-firewalls/manage-device-groups/manage-unused-shared-objects

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA10g000000Cm1CCAS

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA10g000000ClF4CAK

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-2/pan-os-admin/decryption/configure-ssl-forward-proxy

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/7-1/pan-os-admin/threat-prevention/best- practices-for-application-and-threat-content-updates#

For explicit Web Proxy deployment on PAN-OS, Palo Alto Networks currently supports Kerberos and SAML as authentication methods. RADIUS is not supported for explicit or transparent Web Proxy authentication on Palo Alto Networks appliances, which means that if the client is currently using RADIUS, they will need to configure an alternate supported authentication method. LDAP or TACACS+ authentication is not directly supported for Web Proxy authentication in PAN-OS.

For more information on supported Web Proxy authentication methods, please refer to the latest Palo Alto Networks "PAN-OS® Web Interface Reference Guide".

 The correct packet-flow sequence is C. PBF > Static route > Security policy enforcement. This sequence describes the order of operations that the firewall performs when processing a packet. PBF stands for Policy-Based Forwarding, which is a feature that allows the firewall to override the routing table and forward traffic based on the source and destination addresses, application, user, or service. PBF is evaluated before the static route lookup, which is the default method of forwarding traffic based on the destination address and the longest prefix match. Security policy enforcement is the stage where the firewall applies the security policy rules to allow or block traffic based on various criteria, such as zone, address, port, user, application, etc12. References: Policy-Based Forwarding, Packet Flow Sequence in PAN-OS

To block users dynamically based on threat log activity, dynamic user groups (DUGs) with tagging provide an automated solution. Option B configures a DUG with a "malicious" tag, a Log Forwarding profile to tag users in the threat log (e.g., via threat intelligence), and a Security policy to block the tagged group. This leverages User-ID and is ideal for user-based blocking.

Option A uses dynamic address groups (DAGs), which block IPs, not users. Option C (security profiles) can block traffic but not dynamically tag/block users without additional configuration. Documentation supports DUGs for this use case.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/11-1/pan-os-admin/authentication/configure-multi-factor-authentication

https://live.paloaltonetworks.com/t5/general-topics/what-is-a-master-device-in-device-groups/td-p/15032

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA10g000000PMtpCAG

Palo Alto Networks Device Telemetry data, collected from firewalls with a device certificate installed, is stored on Palo Alto Networks Update Servers. This telemetry data includes information about threats, device health, and other operational metrics that are crucial for the continuous improvement of security services and threat intelligence. The collected data is anonymized and securely transmitted to Palo Alto Networks, where it is used to enhance the overall effectiveness of threat identification and prevention capabilities across all deployed devices. This collaborative approach helps in keeping the security ecosystem updated and resilient against emerging threats.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/panorama/9-1/panorama-admin/manage-firewalls/manage-templates-and-template-stacks/configure-a-template-stack

Palo Alto Networks best practices dictate upgrading Panorama-managed environments in this order: Panorama first, then log collectors, and finally firewalls. Panorama must be on the latest (or compatible) version to manage upgraded devices and push configurations. Log collectors follow to ensure log compatibility, and firewalls last to maintain operational continuity.

Options A, B, and D risk version mismatches or management issues. This sequence minimizes downtime and ensures compatibility, as per official upgrade guidelines.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/virtual-systems/communication-between-virtual-systems/inter-vsys-traffic-that-remains-within-the-firewall/external-zone

A and D are the best practice deployment modes for the firewall if the company wants to add threat prevention to the network without redesigning the network routing. This is because these modes allow the firewall to act as a transparent device that does not affect the existing network topology or routing1.

A: VirtualWire mode allows the firewall to be inserted into any existing network segment without changing the IP addressing or routing of that segment2. The firewall inspects traffic between two interfaces that are configured as a pair, called a virtual wire. The firewall applies security policies to the traffic and forwards it to the same interface from which it was received2.

D: Layer 2 mode allows the firewall to act as a switch that forwards traffic based on MAC addresses3. The firewall inspects traffic between interfaces that are configured as Layer 2 interfaces and belong to the same VLAN. The firewall applies security policies to the traffic and forwards it to the appropriate interface based on the MAC address table3.

Verified References:

1: https://www.garlandtechnology.com/blog/whats-your-palo-alto-ngfw-deployment-plan

2: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/networking/configure-interfaces/virtual-wire.html

3: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/networking/configure-interfaces/layer-2.html

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA10g000000PNGFCA4

Palo Alto NetworksPanorama 7.0 Administrator’s Guide •77Manage FirewallsManage Device GroupsManage Device GroupsAdd a Device GroupCreate a Device Group HierarchyCreate Objects for Use in Shared or Device Group PolicyRevert to Inherited Object ValuesManage Unused Shared ObjectsManage Precedence of Inherited ObjectsMove or Clone a Policy Rule or Object to a Different Device GroupSelect a URL Filtering Vendor on PanoramaPush a Policy Rule to a Subset of FirewallsManage the Rule HierarchyAdd a Device GroupAfter adding firewalls (see Add a Firewall as a Managed Device), you can group them into Device Groups (up to 256), as follows. Be sure to assign both firewalls in an active-passive high availability (HA) configuration to the same device group so that Panorama will push the same policy rules and objects to those firewalls. #############PAN-OS doesn’t synchronize pushed rules across HA peers.######### To manage rules and objects at different administrative levels in your organization, Create a Device Group Hierarchy.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/panorama/8-0/panorama-admin/manage-firewalls/tr ansition-a-firewall-to-panorama-management/migrate-a-firewall-ha-pair-to-panorama-management

Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and Virtual Machine (VM) environments, such as Citrix XenApp and XenDesktop or VMWare Horizon and Vcenter, support access natively through HTML5. You can RDP, VNC, or SSH to these machines through Clientless VPN without requiring additional third-party middleware. In environments that do not include native support for HTML5 or other web application technologies supported by Clientless VPN, you can use third-party vendors, such as Thinfinity, to RDP through Clientless VPN. Reference: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/globalprotect/10-1/globalprotect-admin/globalprotect-clientless-vpn/supported-technologies

https://networkwiki.blogspot.com/2017/03/palo-alto-networks-clientless-vpn-and.html

Palo Alto firewalls can gather User-ID mappings from proxies via Syslog (Option B), parsing log messages with user-IP data, and XFF Headers (Option D), extracting user info from HTTP headers (X-Forwarded-For) if the proxy supports it.

Option A (Client Probing) queries clients, not proxies. Option C (Server Monitoring) targets servers like AD, not proxies. Documentation lists these methods for proxy integration.

Palo Alto Networks recommends following a specific upgrade path when upgrading PAN-OS to ensure compatibility and minimize the risk of issues. The recommended path involves sequential upgrades through major releases.

B. The detailed upgrade path from PAN-OS 10.1 to 11.0.x involves:

First, upgrading to the latest preferred maintenance release of the current PAN-OS version (10.1) to ensure that all the latest fixes and improvements are applied.

Next, upgrading to the base version of the next major release (PAN-OS 10.2.0), followed by upgrading to the latest preferred maintenance release of PAN-OS 10.2. This step ensures that the firewall is on a stable and supported version before proceeding to the next major release.

Finally, upgrading to the base version of PAN-OS 11.0 (11.0.0), followed by the desired PAN-OS 11.0.x version. This step completes the upgrade to the new major version, providing access to new features and improvements, such as TLSv1.3 support for management access.

This sequential upgrade path is designed to ensure a smooth transition between major versions, maintaining system stability and security.

In the second image, VW ports mentioned are 1/5 and 1/7. Hence it can not be a part of any other routing. So if any traffic coming as ingress from 1/7, it has to go out via 1/5.

The egress interface for the traffic with ingress interface ethernet1/7, source 192.168.111.3, and destination 10.46.41.113 will be ethernet1/5. This is because the traffic will match the virtual wire with interfaces ethernet1/5 and ethernet1/7, which is configured to allow VLAN-tagged traffic with tags 10 and 201. The traffic will also match the security policy rule that allows traffic from zone Trust to zone Untrust, which are assigned to ethernet1/7 and ethernet1/5 respectively2. Therefore, the traffic will be forwarded to the same interface from which it was received, which is ethernet1/53.

The vsysadmin role in Palo Alto Networks firewalls is a virtual system (vsys)-specific administrative role with limited privileges. It can commit changes to the candidate configuration of the assigned vsys (Option B) and create/edit Security policies and profiles specific to that vsys (Option C). This role is designed for multi-tenant environments where administrators manage only their assigned virtual systems.

Option A (configure resource limits) is a superuser or device-level task, not within vsysadmin’s scope. Option D (configure interfaces) is also outside vsysadmin’s permissions, as interface management is a device-wide function. Official documentation defines these privileges clearly.

One of the potential causes of a failed install when upgrading Panorama to PAN-OS is having outdated plugins. Plugins are software extensions that enable Panorama to interact with Palo Alto Networks cloud services and third-party services. Plugins have dependencies on specific PAN-OS versions, so they must be updated before or after upgrading Panorama, depending on the plugin compatibility matrix2. If the plugins are not updated accordingly, the upgrade process may fail or cause issues with Panorama functionality3. References: Panorama Plugins Upgrade/Downgrade Considerations, Troubleshoot Your Panorama Upgrade, PCNSE Study Guide (page 54)

The best way for the administrator to meet the requirement of managing all configuration from Panorama and preventing local overrides is B: Perform a template commit push from Panorama using the “Force Template Values” option. This option allows the administrator to overwrite any local configuration on the firewall with the values defined in the template1. This way, the administrator can ensure that the interface configuration and any other

When deploying a large number of firewalls, such as 15 GlobalProtect gateways around the world, it's crucial to have a scalable configuration approach. Panorama offers several features to help scale configurations efficiently:

B. Template stacks:

Template stacks in Panorama allow administrators to create a collection of configuration templates that can be applied to multiple firewalls or device groups. This enables the consistent deployment of shared settings (such as network configurations, security profiles, etc.) across all managed firewalls, ensuring uniformity and reducing the effort required to manage individual firewall configurations.

D. Variables:

Variables in Panorama provide a way to customize template configurations for individual firewalls or device groups without altering the overall template. For example, a variable can be used to define a unique IP address, hostname, or other specific settings within a shared template. When the template is applied, Panorama replaces the variables with the actual values specified for each device or device group, allowing for customization within a standardized framework.

By using template stacks and variables, an administrator can rapidly deploy and manage configurations across multiple GlobalProtect gateways, ensuring consistency while still accommodating site-specific requirements. This approach streamlines the deployment process and enhances the manageability of a widespread GlobalProtect infrastructure.

The "No direct access to local network" setting in the GlobalProtect Gateway’s Client Settings under Split Tunnel (Option C) prevents local resource access when enabled. Disabling it allows split tunneling to permit local traffic, resolving the issue.

Option A (Network Services) is a mispath. Option B (Satellite) applies to different configs. Option D (Portal App) doesn’t control this behavior. Documentation confirms this Gateway setting.

High Availability (HA) timer settings in PAN-OS control failover speed and stability. The Recommended profile (Option D) is the default and provides balanced timers (e.g., 1000ms heartbeat interval) suitable for typical deployments, ensuring reliable failover without excessive sensitivity.

Option A (Critical profile) uses faster timers (e.g., 100ms) for critical environments, not typical ones. Option B (Moderate) isn’t a predefined profile. Option C (Aggressive) uses fast timers (e.g., 200ms), not slower ones. Documentation specifies "Recommended" for standard use.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/11-0/pan-os-new-features/networking-features/ipsec-transport-mode

The linked documentation outlines new features for IPSec transport mode in PAN-OS 11.0 and clarifies the requirements for configuring IPSec in transport mode. Based on this:

Auto-Generated Key:

The documentation specifies that IPSec in transport mode requires an auto-generated key during the IKE negotiation process. This ensures the integrity and encryption of the communication channel.

Verdict: Correct.

NAT Traversal:

NAT Traversal is only relevant when NAT is present between the IPSec peers. It is not an inherent requirement for IPSec transport mode.

Verdict: Not correct.

IKEv1:

While IKE (v1 or v2) is required for IPSec, the question specifically asks for transport mode requirements, and IKEv1 is not listed as a strict transport mode requirement in the documentation.

Verdict: Not correct.

DH-group 20 (ECP-384 bits):

The documentation mentions that DH-group 20 (Elliptic Curve Protocol, 384-bit) is one of the required Diffie-Hellman groups for transport mode. This ensures secure key exchange.

Verdict: Correct.

Correct Answer

Based on the documentation: A. Auto Generated Key

D. DH-group 20 (ECP-384 bits)

Why This Answer is Correct

Auto-generated key is fundamental to secure communication in transport mode, as stated in the PAN-OS 11.0 documentation.

DH-group 20 ensures a high level of cryptographic strength for key exchange, making it a specific requirement for transport mode in this context.

Reference

For more details, refer to the PAN-OS 11.0 IPSec Transport Mode documentation: IPSec Transport Mode

https://docs.paloaltonetwo rks.com/panorama/8-1/panorama-admin/manage-log-collection/configure-log-forwarding-to-panorama.html#

The engineer is configuring a DoS Protection profile to defend specific endpoints and resources against malicious activity. A DoS Protection profile is a feature that enables the firewall to detect and prevent denial-of-service (DoS) attacks that attempt to overwhelm network resources or disrupt services. A DoS Protection profile can provide granular defense against targeted flood attacks for specific critical systems that are accessed by users from the internet, such as web servers, DNS servers, or VPN gateways. A DoS Protection profile can be applied to a security policy rule that matches the traffic to and from the protected systems, and can specify the thresholds and actions for different types of flood attacks, such as SYN, UDP, ICMP, or other IP floods12. References: DoS Protection, PCNSE Study Guide (page 58)

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/user-id/user-id-concepts/user-mapping/globalprotect.html

GlobalProtect is a VPN solution that provides secure remote access to corporate networks. When a user connects to GlobalProtect, their identity is verified against an LDAP server. This ensures that all IP address-to-user mappings are explicitly known.

Quantum-related attack protection requires cryptography resistant to quantum computing, such as post-quantum algorithms. In PAN-OS 11.2, IKEv2 with Hybrid Key Exchange (Option B) combines classical and quantum-resistant algorithms for key exchange, enhancing VPN security. IKEv2 with Post-Quantum Pre-shared Keys (PPK) (Option C) uses pre-shared keys designed to resist quantum attacks, supported in IKEv2 configurations.

Option A (IKEv1 only) weakens security by avoiding PFS and modern cryptography. Option D (IPsec with Hybrid ID exchange) is not a valid PAN-OS feature. Documentation confirms IKEv2 enhancements for quantum resistance.

A template is a set of configuration options that can be applied to one or more firewalls or virtual systems managed by Panorama. A template can include settings from the Device and Network tabs on the firewall web interface, such as login banner, SSL decryption exclusion, and dynamic updates4. These settings can be configured in a template named “Global” and included in all template stacks. A template stack is a group of templates that Panorama pushes to managed firewalls in an ordered hierarchy4. References: Manage Templates and Template Stacks, PCNSE Study Guide (page 50)

Advanced WildFire analyzes both the webpage linked by the URL and any files (like PE files) that are downloaded as a result of clicking that link. This includes checking the linked webpage for malicious content and sending any downloaded files for further analysis to determine their behavior and potential malicious intent.

The PCNSA Study Guide outlines that WildFire inspects and analyzes both content downloaded and webpages involved when integrated into the organization's security profile​. This dual-layered approach ensures comprehensive protection against threats from both the webpage and its payloads.

Step-by-Step Explanation

Link Clicked and File Download Triggered:

When the user clicks the link, their action initiates the download of a file, in this case, a Portable Executable (PE) file.

URL Inspection by WildFire:

The URL is immediately inspected for potential threats. This involves analyzing the webpage associated with the link to detect:

Known malicious indicators.

Suspicious elements like embedded scripts, links, or calls to external resources.

Forwarding the PE File for Analysis:

The PE file downloaded as a result of clicking the link is sent to the WildFire cloud or on-premises appliance for detailed behavior-based analysis.

Dynamic and Static Analysis:

Static Analysis: WildFire examines the PE file's attributes without executing it, looking for:

Suspicious code patterns.

Known malicious signatures.

Anomalous PE header details (e.g., timestamp irregularities, unexpected sections).

Dynamic Analysis: The file is executed in a controlled virtual environment to observe:

Behavioral anomalies, like privilege escalation attempts.

Network communication, such as connections to Command and Control (C2) servers.

File system modifications or registry changes indicative of malicious intent.

Threat Verdict:

Based on its findings, WildFire classifies the URL and PE file into one of the following categories:

Benign.

Grayware.

Malware.

Phishing.

Automated Response:

If either the webpage or the PE file is deemed malicious, the firewall takes predefined actions:

Blocking access to the webpage.

Quarantining or blocking the downloaded file.

Generating a detailed alert or log entry for administrators.

Signature Update:

WildFire automatically creates a signature for the detected threat and distributes it globally. This ensures that other systems in the WildFire network are protected against the same threat.

Advanced WildFire Configuration and Behavior

Forwarding File Types:

The WildFire analysis profile must be configured to forward relevant file types. In this case:

PE files are commonly forwarded by default since they are a known vector for malware.

Administrators can define custom forwarding rules based on file type and traffic.

Integration with the Security Profile:

WildFire integrates with other security profiles (e.g., Antivirus, Anti-Spyware, URL Filtering).

URL Filtering ensures that the link itself is categorized and blocked if malicious.

WildFire's output informs and updates the threat prevention database dynamically.

Why the Answer is B?

WildFire performs dual analysis:

The linked webpage is checked for malicious scripts or phishing attempts.

The PE file downloaded is analyzed for malware through both static and dynamic methods.

This layered analysis ensures robust protection against modern threats, which often combine malicious webpages with harmful payloads.

Document References:

PCNSA Study Guide: Domain 4, Section 4.1.5 ("WildFire Analysis") explains the WildFire analysis process in detail, emphasizing its role in inspecting files and URLs for malicious behavior​.

Palo Alto Networks WildFire Admin Guide:

This guide details file forwarding configurations, supported file types, and the global signature distribution process.

PAN-OS Admin Guide:

Sections on Security Profiles and URL Filtering elaborate on how WildFire integrates with other threat prevention mechanisms.

IP flood thresholds, you can also use DoS Protection profiles to detect and prevent session exhaustion attacks in which a large number of hosts (bots) establish as many sessions as possible to consume a target’s resources. On the profile’s Resources Protection tab, you can set the maximum number of concurrent sessions that the device(s) defined in the DoS Protection policy rule to which you apply the profile can receive. When the number of concurrent sessions reaches its maximum limit, new sessions are dropped. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/zone-protection-and-dos-protection/zone-defense/dos-protection-profiles-and-policy-rules/dos-protection-profiles.html

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-2/pan-os-admin/zone-protection-and-dos-protection/zone-defense/dos-protection-profiles-and-policy-rules/dos-protection-profiles#ida42d52fa-3366-4695-bb4a-d39ebf3b6a5f

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/panorama/11-0/panorama-admin/manage-firewalls/transition-a-firewall-to-panorama-management/migrate-a-firewall-to-panorama-management Push the configuration bundle from Panorama to the newly added firewall to remove all policy rules and objects from its local configuration. This step is necessary to prevent duplicate rule or object names, which would cause commit errors when you push the device group configuration from Panorama to the firewall in the next step.

For virtual systems (vSys) on a Palo Alto Networks firewall to communicate with each other, especially when separate virtual routers (VRs) are used for each vSys, the configuration must facilitate proper routing and security policy enforcement. The key aspects to focus on include:

A. External zones with the virtual systems added:

External zones are special types of zones that are used to facilitate traffic flow between virtual systems within the same physical firewall. By adding virtual systems to an external zone, you enable them to communicate with each other, effectively bypassing the need for traffic to exit and re-enter the firewall.

D. Add a route with next hop next-vr by using the VR configured in the virtual system:

When using separate VRs for each vSys, it's essential to configure inter-VR routing. This is done by adding routes in each VR with the next hop set to 'next-vr', specifying the VR of the destination vSys. This setup enables traffic to be routed from one virtual system's VR to another, facilitating communication between them.

E. Ensure the virtual systems are visible to one another:

Visibility between virtual systems is a prerequisite for inter-vSys communication. This involves configuring the virtual systems in a way that they are aware of each other's existence. This is typically managed in the vSys settings, where you can specify which virtual systems can communicate with each other.

By focusing on these configuration details, the network security engineer can ensure that the virtual systems can communicate effectively, maintaining the necessary isolation while allowing the required traffic flow.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-2/pan-os-web-interface-help/panorama-web-interface/panorama-device-deployment/manage-software-and-content-updates

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-2/pan-os-web-interface-help/panorama-web-interface/panorama-device-deployment/panorama-dynamic-updates-revert-content

An authentication portal is a feature that can be used to identify guests and BYOD users, instruct them how to download and install the CA certificate, and clearly notify them that their traffic will be decrypted. An authentication portal is a web page that the firewall displays to users who need to authenticate before accessing the network or the internet. The authentication portal can be customized to include a welcome message, a login prompt, a disclaimer, a certificate download link, and a logout button. The authentication portal can also be configured to use different authentication methods, such as local database, RADIUS, LDAP, Kerberos, or SAML1. By using an authentication portal, the firewall can redirect BYOD users to a web page where they can learn about the decryption policy, download and install the CA certificate, and agree to the terms of use before accessing the network or the internet2.

An SSL decryption profile is not a feature that can be used to identify guests and BYOD users, instruct them how to download and install the CA certificate, and clearly notify them that their traffic will be decrypted. An SSL decryption profile is a set of options that define how the firewall handles SSL/TLS traffic that it decrypts. An SSL decryption profile can include settings such as certificate verification, unsupported protocol handling, session caching, session resumption, algorithm selection, etc3. An SSL decryption profile does not provide any user identification or notification functions.

An SSL decryption policy is not a feature that can be used to identify guests and BYOD users, instruct them how to download and install the CA certificate, and clearly notify them that their traffic will be decrypted. An SSL decryption policy is a set of rules that determine which traffic the firewall decrypts based on various criteria, such as source and destination zones, addresses, users, applications, services, etc. An SSL decryption policy can also specify which type of decryption to apply to the traffic, such as SSL Forward Proxy, SSL Inbound Inspection, or SSH Proxy4. An SSL decryption policy does not provide any user identification or notification functions.

Comfort pages are not a feature that can be used to identify guests and BYOD users, instruct them how to download and install the CA certificate, and clearly notify them that their traffic will be decrypted. Comfort pages are web pages that the firewall displays to users when it blocks or fails to decrypt certain traffic due to security policy or technical reasons. Comfort pages can include information such as the reason for blocking or failing to decrypt the traffic, the URL of the original site, the firewall serial number, etc5. Comfort pages do not provide any user identification or notification functions before decrypting the traffic.

 Configure an Authentication Portal, Redirect Users Through an Authentication Portal, SSL Decryption Profile, Decryption Policy, Comfort Pages

The best description of the Cluster Synchronization Timeout (min) is the maximum time that the local firewall waits before going to Active state when another cluster member is preventing the cluster from fully synchronizing. This is a parameter that can be configured in an HA cluster, which is a group of firewalls that share session state and provide high availability and scalability. The Cluster Synchronization Timeout (min) determines how long the local firewall will wait for the cluster to reach a stable state before it decides to become Active and process traffic. A stable state means that all cluster members are either Active or Passive, and have synchronized their sessions with each other. If there is another cluster member that is in an unknown or unstable state, such as Initializing, Non-functional, or Suspended, then it may prevent the cluster from fully synchronizing and cause a delay in traffic processing. The Cluster Synchronization Timeout (min) can be set to a value between 0 and 30 minutes, with a default of 0. If it is set to 0, then the local firewall will not wait for any other cluster member and will immediately go to Active state. If it is set to a positive value, then the local firewall will wait for that amount of time before going to Active state, unless the cluster reaches a stable state earlier12. References: Configure HA Clustering, PCNSE Study Guide (page 53)

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/11-0/pan-os-networking-admin/bfd/bfd-overview/bfd-for-dynamic-routing-protocols

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA10g000000ClEiCAK

For HIP match logs to be visible on the data center firewall, the following conditions must be met:

HIP profiles added to security rules: HIP profiles must be applied to security rules on the data center firewall to enforce access restrictions based on the received HIP reports. If the HIP profiles are not associated with the security rules, the firewall will not evaluate traffic against these profiles, and consequently, no HIP match logs will be generated.

User-ID enabled on the incoming zone: User-ID must be enabled on the zone where the users are located in the data center firewall. The User-ID feature is responsible for mapping IP addresses to user names, which is critical for applying policies based on user identity and, by extension, for HIP-based policy enforcement.

The other options (A and D) are related to logging and log forwarding but would not directly impact the generation or visibility of HIP match logs on the data center firewall itself.

For the transparent proxy method, the request contains the destination IP address of the web server and the proxy transparently intercepts the client request (either by being in-line or by traffic steering). There is no client configuration and Panorama is optional. Transparent proxy requires a loopback interface, User-ID configuration in the proxy zone, and specific Destination NAT (DNAT) rules. Transparent proxy does not support X-Authenticated Users (XAU) or Web Cache Communications Protocol (WCCP). https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/11-0/pan-os-new-features/networking-features/web-proxy

When using certificate authentication for firewall administration on Palo Alto Networks devices, the method used for authorization is typically the Local database. Certificate authentication ensures that the entity attempting to access the firewall is in possession of a valid certificate. Once the certificate is validated for authentication, the authorization process determines what level of access or permissions the authenticated entity has. This is usually managed locally on the firewall, where administrators can define roles and permissions associated with different users or certificates. Thus, the authorization process, in this case, leverages the Local database to enforce access controls and permissions, aligning with best practices for secure management of network devices.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-2/pan-os-admin/vpns/set-up-site-to-site-vpn/interpret-vpn-error-messages

The VPN peer on one end is using policy-based VPN. You must configure a Proxy ID on the Palo Alto Networks firewall. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/vpns/set-up-site-to-site-vpn/interpret-vpn-error-messages.html

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/9-1/pan-os-web-interface-help/policies/policies-application-override

https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA10g000000PPDrCAO

To facilitate the integration with external log parsing systems, the firewall allows you to customize the log format; it also allows you to add custom Key: Value attribute pairs. Custom message formats can be configured under DeviceServer ProfilesSyslogSyslog Server ProfileCustom Log Format. https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/11-1/pan-os-admin/monitoring/use-syslog-for-monitoring/syslog-field-descriptions/custom-logevent-format

Step-by-Step

Understanding Log Forwarding in PAN-OS:

Palo Alto Networks firewalls allow forwarding logs to external systems like syslog servers, SNMP servers, or email systems for external analysis or compliance.

Traffic logs can be customized to include additional information that meets the audit or operational requirements.

Syslog Server Profiles:

Syslog Server Profiles specify the format and destination of the log data sent to the syslog server.

These profiles allow customization through the Custom Log Format option, where the firewall engineer can add or modify log fields (e.g., source address, destination address, URL category).

Custom Log Format:

Navigate to Device > Server Profiles > Syslog.

Within the Syslog Server Profile, define a Custom Log Format for traffic logs.

Using this feature, the engineer can include additional fields requested by the internal audit team, such as threat severity, application details, or user ID.

Field Specification:

In the Custom Log Format, fields are defined using variables corresponding to the log fields in PAN-OS.

Example:

$receive_time,$src,$dst,$app,$action,$rule

The engineer can include specific details as requested by the audit team.

Comparison of Other Options:

Option B: Built-in Actions within Objects > Log Forwarding Profile

Log Forwarding Profiles are used to specify what logs are forwarded based on security policy matches. However, they do not control the format of logs.

Log Forwarding Profiles define actions (e.g., forwarding to syslog, SNMP), but customization of log data happens within Syslog Server Profiles.

Option C: Logging and Reporting Settings within Device > Setup > Management

These settings control general logging behavior and settings but do not allow customization of log data for syslog forwarding.

Option D: Data Patterns within Objects > Custom Objects

Data Patterns are used for identifying sensitive data or patterns in data filtering. They are unrelated to log customization.

Why A is Correct?

The Custom Log Format under Device > Server Profiles > Syslog is the only place where additional information can be defined and added to forwarded traffic logs.

This flexibility allows the firewall engineer to meet specific compliance or audit requirements.

Documentation Reference:

PCNSA Study Guide: Logging and Monitoring section discusses Syslog Server Profiles and log forwarding configurations​.

PAN-OS Admin Guide: Covers Custom Log Format configuration under the Syslog Server Profile.

The two attributes that a forward trust certificate should have for SSL Forward Proxy decryption are:

B: A private key. This is the key that the firewall uses to sign the certificates that it generates for the decrypted sessions. The private key must be securely stored on the firewall and not shared with anyone1.

D: A certificate authority (CA) certificate. This is the certificate that the firewall uses to issue the certificates for the decrypted sessions. The CA certificate must be trusted by the client browsers and devices that receive the certificates from the firewall1.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma/prisma-access/prisma-access-cloud-managed-admin/secure-mobile-users-with-prisma-access/explicit-proxy/explicit-proxy-how-it-works

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/11-0/pan-os-new-features/networking-features/web-proxy

In an active/active high availability (HA) firewall pair, when a firewall experiences a failure of a monitored path, it enters the “Tentative” state1. This state indicates that the firewall is synchronizing sessions and configurations from its peer due to a failure or a change in monitored objects such as a link or path. The firewall in this state is not fully functional but is working towards resuming normal operations by syncing with its peer. Therefore, the correct answer is B. Tentative.

The Exceptions settings allows you to change the response to a specific signature. For example, you can block all packets that match a signature, except for the selected one, which generates an alert. The Exception tab supports filtering functions.

If you not believed, then login the firewall go to Vulnerability > Exceptions and select "Show all signatures". From there you will see all threat information including specific actions.

More detail: https://knowledgebase.paloaltonetworks.com/KCSArticleDetail?id=kA10g000000Cm4yCAC

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/9-1/pan-os-cli-quick-start/use-the-cli/use-secure-copy-to-import-and-export-files/export-and-import-a-complete-log-database-logdb

When sizing a decryption firewall deployment, two factors that should be considered are the encryption algorithm and the TLS protocol version. These factors affect the amount of resources and processing power that the firewall needs to decrypt and inspect SSL/TLS traffic.

The encryption algorithm is the method that the server and the client use to encrypt and decrypt the data exchanged in an SSL/TLS session. Different encryption algorithms have different levels of security and performance. For example, AES is a symmetric encryption algorithm that is faster and more efficient than RSA, which is an asymmetric encryption algorithm. However, RSA is more secure than AES because it uses public and private keys to encrypt and decrypt data, while AES uses a single shared key. The firewall must support the encryption algorithms that are used by the servers and clients that it decrypts, and it must have enough CPU and memory resources to handle the decryption workload12.

The TLS protocol version is the standard that defines how the server and the client establish and maintain an SSL/TLS session. Different TLS protocol versions have different features and requirements for encryption algorithms, cipher suites, certificates, handshake messages, etc. For example, TLS 1.3 is the latest and most secure version of TLS, which supports only strong encryption algorithms and cipher suites, such as AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305, and requires elliptic curve certificates. The firewall must support the TLS protocol versions that are used by the servers and clients that it decrypts, and it must have enough hardware acceleration resources to handle the decryption speed34.

The number of security zones in decryption policies and the number of blocked sessions are not relevant factors for sizing a decryption firewall deployment. The number of security zones in decryption policies only affects how the firewall matches traffic to decryption rules based on source and destination zones, but it does not affect the decryption performance or resource consumption. The number of blocked sessions only indicates how many sessions are denied by the firewall based on security policy or decryption policy rules, but it does not affect the decryption capacity or throughput56.

 Encryption Algorithms, TLS Protocol Versions, Decryption Policy, PCNSE Study Guide (page 60)

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/globalprotect/9-1/globalprotect-admin/globalprotect-gateways/split-tunnel-traffic-on-globalprotect-gateways/configure-a-split-tunnel-based-on-the-domain-and-application

To address the issue of application performance degradation due to excessive VoIP traffic, the administrator should configure QoS on the egress interface for the traffic flows and a QoS profile defining traffic classes. QoS stands for Quality of Service, which is a feature that allows the firewall to manage bandwidth usage and prioritize traffic based on various criteria, such as application, user, service, etc. QoS can help improve the performance and quality of latency-sensitive applications, such as VoIP, by guaranteeing them sufficient bandwidth and priority over other traffic1.

To enable QoS on the firewall, the administrator needs to create a QoS profile and a QoS policy. A QoS profile defines the eight classes of service that traffic can receive, including priority, guaranteed bandwidth, maximum bandwidth, and weight. A QoS policy identifies the traffic that matches a specific class of service based on source and destination zones, addresses, users, applications, services, etc2. The administrator can also create a custom QoS profile or use the default one.

The administrator should apply QoS on the egress interface for the traffic flows, which is the interface where the traffic leaves the firewall. This is because QoS can only shape outbound traffic and not inbound traffic. The egress interface can be either internal or external, depending on the direction of the VoIP traffic. For example, if the VoIP traffic is from internal users to external servers, then the egress interface is the untrust interface facing the ISP. If the VoIP traffic is from external users to internal servers, then the egress interface is the trust interface facing the LAN3.

The administrator should assign a high priority and a sufficient guaranteed bandwidth to the VoIP traffic in the QoS profile. This will ensure that the VoIP packets are processed first by the firewall and are not dropped or delayed due to congestion. The administrator can also limit or block other applications that consume too much bandwidth or pose security risks in the same or different QoS classes4.

An Application Override policy for SIP traffic is not necessary to address this issue. An Application Override policy is used to change or customize the App-ID of certain traffic based on port and protocol criteria. This can be useful for optimizing performance or security for some applications that are difficult to identify or have non-standard behaviors. However, SIP is a predefined App-ID that identifies Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) traffic, which is commonly used for VoIP signaling. The firewall can recognize SIP traffic without an Application Override policy5.

QoS on the ingress interface for the traffic flows is not effective to address this issue. As mentioned earlier, QoS can only shape outbound traffic and not inbound traffic. Applying QoS on the ingress interface will not have any impact on how the firewall handles or prioritizes the incoming packets6.

A QoS policy for each application is not required to address this issue. A QoS policy can match multiple applications in a single rule by using application filters or application groups. This can simplify and consolidate the QoS policy configuration and management. The administrator does not need to create a separate QoS policy for each application unless there is a specific need to assign different classes of service or parameters to each application7.

 QoS Overview, Configure QoS, QoS Use Cases, QoS Best Practices, Application Override, QoS FAQ, Create a QoS Policy Rule

To prevent the import from affecting ongoing traffic when you import the configuration of an HA pair into Panorama, you should disable config sync on both firewalls. Config sync is a feature that enables the firewalls in an HA pair to synchronize their configurations and maintain consistency. However, when you import the configuration of an HA pair into Panorama, you want to avoid any changes to the firewall configuration until you verify and commit the imported configuration on Panorama. Therefore, you should disable config sync before importing the configuration, and re-enable it after committing the changes on Panorama12. References: Migrate a Firewall HA Pair to Panorama Management, PCNSE Study Guide (page 50)

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/high-availability/ha-concepts/ha-timers#idcc1faa1c-5cd8-4830-90da-93e8effab23d