Question # 1
An administrator configures a preemptive active-passive high availability (HA) pair of
firewalls and configures the HA election settings on firewall-02 with a device priority value
of 100, and firewall-01 with a device priority value of 90. When firewall-01 is rebooted, is there any action taken by the firewalls? A. No - Neither firewall takes any action because firewall-01 cannot be rebooted when
configured with device priority of 90.B. No - Neither firewall takes any action because firewall-02 is already the active-primary
member.C. Yes - Firewall-02 takes over as the active-primary firewall; firewall-01 takes over as the
active-primary member after it becomes functional.D. Yes - Firewall-02 takes over as the active-primary firewall; firewall-02 remains the
active-primary member after firewall-01 becomes functional.
Reveal Answer
C. Yes - Firewall-02 takes over as the active-primary firewall; firewall-01 takes over as the
active-primary member after it becomes functional.
Explanation:
In a preemptive Active-Passive HA configuration, the firewall with the lower priority value is designated to preemptively reclaim the active role once it becomes healthy again.
In this scenario:
Firewall-01 has a priority of 90
Firewall-02 has a priority of 100
Preemption is enabled
So when Firewall-01 reboots, Firewall-02 becomes active-primary. Once Firewall-01 comes back online and passes all health checks, it preempts and reclaims the active role, because it has the lower priority value.
📚 Reference: Palo Alto Networks – HA Election Settings and Preemption
❌ Why Other Options Are Wrong:
A. Incorrect — priority does not prevent reboot.
B. Incorrect — action is taken when the active firewall fails.
D. Incorrect — preemption causes firewall-01 to reclaim the active role.
Question # 2
Following a review of firewall logs for traffic generated by malicious activity, how can an
administrator confirm that WildFire has identified a virus? A. By navigating to Monitor > Logs > WildFire Submissions, applying filter "(subtype eq
wildfire-virus)"B. By navigating to Monitor > Logs > Threat, applying filter "(subtype eq wildfire-virus)'C. By navigating to Monitor > Logs > Traffic, applying filter "(subtype eq virus)"D. By navigating to Monitor > Logs> Threat, applying filter "(subtype eq virus)"
Reveal Answer
A. By navigating to Monitor > Logs > WildFire Submissions, applying filter "(subtype eq
wildfire-virus)"
Explanation:
To confirm that WildFire has identified a virus, the administrator must check the WildFire Submissions log. This log specifically tracks files submitted to WildFire and their verdicts.
The filter (subtype eq wildfire-virus) targets entries where WildFire has classified a file as malware (virus).
Threat logs (options B and D) show broader threat activity but do not confirm WildFire verdicts.
Traffic logs (option C) do not contain WildFire verdicts at all.
📘 Reference:
WildFire Log Review – Palo Alto Networks
PCNSE WildFire Log Filter Guide
Question # 3
An engineer configures SSL decryption in order to have more visibility to the internal users'
traffic when it is regressing the firewall.
Which three types of interfaces support SSL Forward Proxy? (Choose three.) A. High availability (HA)B. Layer 3C. Layer 2D. TapE. Virtual Wire
Reveal Answer
B. Layer 3C. Layer 2E. Virtual Wire
Explanation:
SSL Forward Proxy is a decryption method where the firewall acts as a man-in-the-middle for outbound SSL/TLS connections from trusted internal users to external sites. It requires the firewall to be an active, in-line participant in the traffic flow to intercept, decrypt, inspect, and re-encrypt the traffic. The three interface types that support this are:
B. Layer 3: This is a standard routed mode deployment. The firewall is the default gateway for the internal users, allowing it to easily intercept and decrypt outbound traffic destined for the internet.
C. Layer 2: In Layer 2 (switched) mode, the firewall operates as a transparent bridge but is still an active in-line device. It can see and intercept all traffic between the internal and external segments for SSL Forward Proxy.
E. Virtual Wire: This is also a transparent, non-routed mode of operation. The firewall is placed directly in the path of the traffic (like a bump on the wire) without requiring IP address changes. As an in-line device, it fully supports SSL Forward Proxy decryption.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
A. High availability (HA): HA is a functional mode, not an interface type. HA pairs use one of the supported interface types (Layer 3, Layer 2, or Virtual Wire) and inherit their decryption capabilities. You cannot configure an interface as an "HA" type.
D. Tap: In TAP mode, the firewall only receives a copy of the traffic for monitoring purposes. It is not an in-line device and therefore cannot intercept, decrypt, or block traffic. SSL Forward Proxy requires active interception, which is impossible in TAP mode.
Valid Reference:
Palo Alto Networks Administrator Guide | SSL Decryption | Decryption Deployment Models: The documentation specifies that SSL Forward Proxy decryption is supported on firewalls deployed in Layer 3, Layer 2, and Virtual Wire modes. It explicitly states that TAP mode does not support decryption because the firewall is not in the traffic path.
Question # 4
Which statement accurately describes how web proxy is run on a firewall with multiple
virtual systems? A. It can run on a single virtual system and multiple virtual systems.
B. It can run on multiple virtual systems without issue.
C. It can run only on a single virtual system.
D. It can run only on a virtual system with an alias named "web proxy.
Reveal Answer
A. It can run on a single virtual system and multiple virtual systems.
Explanation:
In a Palo Alto Networks NGFW configured with multiple virtual systems (vsys), each vsys operates as an independent firewall instance. To enable inter-vsys communication—that is, traffic flowing between zones in different vsys without leaving the physical appliance—you must configure an external zone.
Here’s how it works:
An external zone is a special type of zone that represents another vsys within the same firewall.
It’s not tied to any interface, unlike regular zones.
It allows traffic to be routed internally between vsys, enabling policy enforcement and App-ID inspection across virtual boundaries.
Each vsys can have only one external zone, and it must be explicitly configured to allow traffic to/from another vsys.
This setup is essential for scenarios like shared services, centralized logging, or inter-vsys segmentation where traffic should remain inside the appliance.
❌ Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:
B. While the traffic is leaving the appliance → Incorrect. External zones are specifically designed to keep traffic inside the firewall.
C. Same external zone used on different vsys → Misleading. Each vsys must define its own external zone; they are not shared across vsys.
D. Multiple external zones per vsys → Invalid. A vsys can have only one external zone, by design2.
📚 References:
Palo Alto Networks – External Zone Configuration
PCNSE Guide – Role of External Zones in Multi-VSYS Environments
Question # 5
An administrator Just enabled HA Heartbeat Backup on two devices However, the status
on tie firewall's dashboard is showing as down High Availability.
What could an administrator do to troubleshoot the issue? A. Go to Device > High Availability> General > HA Pair Settings > Setup and configuring
the peer IP for heartbeat backupB. Check peer IP address In the permit list In Device > Setup > Management > Interfaces >
Management Interface SettingsC. Go to Device > High Availability > HA Communications> General> and check the
Heartbeat Backup under Election SettingsD. Check peer IP address for heartbeat backup to Device > High Availability > HA
Communications > Packet Forwarding settings.
Reveal Answer
A. Go to Device > High Availability> General > HA Pair Settings > Setup and configuring
the peer IP for heartbeat backup
Explanation:
The image confirms that Heartbeat Backup is showing as Down in the HA dashboard. This typically means the firewall is unable to communicate with its peer over the configured backup heartbeat channel.
To troubleshoot this:
Navigate to Device > High Availability > General > HA Pair Settings
Ensure the peer IP address for Heartbeat Backup is correctly configured
Verify that the interface used for heartbeat backup is up, reachable, and not blocked by firewall policies
📚 Reference: Palo Alto Networks – Configure HA Heartbeat Backup
❌ Why Other Options Are Wrong:
B. Management Interface Settings: Not related to heartbeat backup unless you're using the management interface for HA (rare).
C. Election Settings: Controls HA role election — not heartbeat communication.
D. Packet Forwarding Settings: Not relevant to heartbeat backup configuration.
Question # 6
A firewall administrator manages sets of firewalls which have two unique idle timeout
values. Datacenter firewalls needs to be set to 20 minutes and BranchOffice firewalls need
to be set to 30 minutes. How can the administrator assign these settings through the use of
template stacks? A. Create one template stack and place the BranchOffice_Template in higher priority than
Datacenter_Template.B. Create one template stack and place the Datanceter_Template in higher priority than
BranchOffice_template.C. Create two separate template stacks one each for Datacenter and BranchOffice, and
verify that Datacenter_Template and BranchOffice_template are at the bottom of their
stack.D. Create two separate template stacks one each for Datacenter and BranchOffice, and
verify that Datacenter_template are at the top of their stack.
Reveal Answer
D. Create two separate template stacks one each for Datacenter and BranchOffice, and
verify that Datacenter_template are at the top of their stack.
Explanation:
In Panorama, template stacks allow layering of multiple templates, with higher-priority templates overriding lower ones. The order matters: templates at the top of the stack take precedence when there are conflicting settings.
To assign different idle timeout values for Datacenter and BranchOffice firewalls:
Create two separate template stacks:
One for Datacenter firewalls
One for BranchOffice firewalls
In each stack, place the corresponding template (Datacenter_Template or BranchOffice_Template) at the top. This ensures that its settings—like idle timeout—override any shared or base template values beneath it.
This approach allows centralized management while preserving site-specific configurations.
❌ Why the other options are incorrect
A & B: Using a single stack with both templates risks unintended overrides. You can’t cleanly isolate settings for two distinct firewall groups this way.
C: Placing the site-specific templates at the bottom of the stack means their settings can be overridden by higher templates—defeating the purpose.
🔗 Reference:
You can find this behavior documented in Palo Alto’s Templates and Template Stacks guide
Question # 7
An engineer configures a specific service route in an environment with multiple virtual
systems instead of using the inherited global service route configuration.
What type of service route can be used for this configuration? A. IPv6 Source or Destination Address
B. Destination-Based Service Route
C. IPv4 Source Interface
D. Inherit Global Setting
Reveal Answer
C. IPv4 Source Interface
Explanation:
When configuring service routes on a Palo Alto firewall:
By default, all services (DNS, updates, PAN-DB, WildFire, etc.) use the management interface (global setting).
In multi-vsys environments, you can override this global configuration and define service routes per virtual system.
The supported type of service route override in this context is:
IPv4 Source Interface (and Source Address if needed) → This allows traffic for services to egress from a specific data interface rather than the management interface.
This gives admins more flexibility and security by isolating services per VSYS.
❌ Why other options are incorrect
A. IPv6 Source or Destination Address
❌ Not correct.Service routes support IPv4 source interface/source address. IPv6 service routes are supported in PAN-OS, but per-vsys overrides are specifically IPv4-based.
B. Destination-Based Service Route
❌ Not correct. Service routes are configured based on the service type (e.g., DNS, updates, WildFire), not based on the destination.
D. Inherit Global Setting
❌ Not correct. This is the default behavior (inherit from global configuration). The question specifically says the engineer configures a specific service route instead of using inherited global config, so this is not the answer.
📖 Reference
Palo Alto Networks TechDocs – Service Routes
PCNSE Study Guide: Service routes can be configured per-vsys using IPv4 source interface/address.
How to Pass PCNSE Exam?
PCNSE certification validates your expertise in designing, deploying, configuring, and managing Palo Alto Networks firewalls and Panorama, making it essential to thoroughly understand both the concepts and practical applications.
Official PCNSE Study Guide is an excellent resource to help you prepare effectively. Consider enrolling in official training courses like the Firewall Essentials: Configuration and Management (EDU-210) or Panorama: Managing Firewalls at Scale (EDU-220). Setting up a lab environment using Palo Alto firewalls, either physical or virtual, allows you to practice configuring and managing the platform in real-world scenarios. Focus on key tasks such as configuring security policies, NAT, VPNs, and high availability, as well as implementing App-ID, Content-ID, and User-ID.
Our PCNSE practice test help you identify areas where you need improvement and familiarize you with the exam format and question types.
Engaging with the Palo Alto Networks community through forums like the LIVE Community or Reddit can also provide valuable insights and tips from others who have taken the Palo Alto certified network security engineer exam.