Palo Alto Networks PSE-HARDWARE-FIREWAL - Questions & Answers
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What is the minimum configuration to stop a Cobalt Strike Malleable C2 attack inline and in real time?
Next-Generation CASB on PAN-OS 10.1
Advanced Threat Prevention and PAN-OS 10.2
Threat Prevention and Advanced WildFire with PAN-OS 10.0
DNS Security, Threat Prevention, and Advanced WildFire with PAN-OS 9.x
Cobalt Strike is a popular post-exploitation framework often used by attackers for Command and Control (C2) operations. Malleable C2 profiles allow attackers to modify the behavior of their C2 communication,
making detection more difficult.
Stopping these attacks in real time requires deep inline inspection and the ability to block zero-day and evasive threats.
Why "Advanced Threat Prevention and PAN-OS 10.2" (Correct Answer B)?Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP) on PAN-OS 10.2 uses inline deep learning models to detect and block Cobalt Strike Malleable C2 attacks in real time. ATP is designed to prevent evasive techniques and zero-day threats, which is essential for blocking Malleable C2. PAN-OS 10.2 introduces enhanced capabilities for detecting malicious traffic patterns and inline analysis of encrypted traffic.
ATP examines traffic behavior and signature-less threats, effectively stopping evasive C2 profiles.
PAN-OS 10.2 includes real-time protections specifically for Malleable C2.
Why not "Next-Generation CASB on PAN-OS 10.1" (Option A)?Next-Generation CASB (Cloud Access Security Broker) is designed to secure SaaS applications and does not provide the inline C2 protection required to stop Malleable C2 attacks. CASB is not related to Command and Control detection.
Why not "Threat Prevention and Advanced WildFire with PAN-OS 10.0" (Option C)?Threat Prevention and Advanced WildFire are effective for detecting and preventing malware and known threats. However, they rely heavily on signatures and sandboxing for analysis, which is not sufficient for stopping real-time evasive C2 traffic . PAN-OS 10.0 lacks the advanced inline capabilities provided by ATP in PAN-OS 10.2.
Why not "DNS Security, Threat Prevention, and Advanced WildFire with PAN-OS 9.x" (Option D)?While DNS Security and Threat Prevention are valuable for blocking malicious domains and known threats, PAN-OS 9.x does not provide the inline deep learning capabilities needed for real-time detection and prevention of Malleable C2 attacks. The absence of advanced behavioral analysis in PAN-OS 9.x makes this combination ineffective against advanced C2 attacks.
While responding to a customer RFP, a systems engineer (SE) is presented the question, "How do PANW firewalls enable the mapping of transactions as part of Zero Trust principles?"
Which two narratives can the SE use to respond to the question? (Choose two.)
Emphasize Zero Trust as an ideology, and that the customer decides how to align to Zero Trust principles.
Reinforce the importance of decryption and security protections to verify traffic that is not malicious.
Explain how the NGFW can be placed in the network so it has visibility into every traffic flow.
Describe how Palo Alto Networks NGFW Security policies are built by using users, applications, and data objects.
Zero Trust is a strategic framework for securing infrastructure and data by eliminating implicit trust and continuously validating every stage of digital interaction. Palo Alto Networks NGFWs are designed with native capabilities to align with Zero Trust principles, such as monitoring transactions, validating identities, and enforcing least-privilege access. The following narratives effectively address the customer's question: Option A:While emphasizing Zero Trust as an ideology is accurate, this response does not directly explain how Palo Alto Networks firewalls facilitate mapping of transactions. It provides context but is insufficient for addressing the technical aspect of the question.
Option B:Decryption and security protections are important for identifying malicious traffic, but they are not specific to mapping transactions within a Zero Trust framework. This response focuses on a subset of security functions rather than the broader concept of visibility and policy enforcement.
Option C (Correct):Placing the NGFW in the network provides visibility into every traffic flow across users, devices, and applications. This allows the firewall to map transactions and enforce Zero Trust principles such as segmenting networks, inspecting all traffic, and controlling access. With features like App-ID, User-ID, and Content-ID, the firewall provides granular insights into traffic flows, making it easier to identify and secure transactions.
Option D (Correct):Palo Alto Networks NGFWs usesecurity policies based on users, applications, and data objects to align with Zero Trust principles. Instead of relying on IP addresses or ports, policies are enforced based on the application's behavior, the identity of the user, and the sensitivity of the data involved. This mapping ensures that only authorized users can access specific resources, which is a cornerstone of Zero Trust.
References:
Zero Trust Framework: (https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/solutions/zero-trust)
Security Policy Best Practices for Zero Trust: (https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com)
A current NGFW customer has asked a systems engineer (SE) for a way to prove to their internal management team that its NGFW follows Zero Trust principles.
Which action should the SE take?
Use the "Monitor > PDF Reports" node to schedule a weekly email of the Zero Trust report to the
internal management team.
Help the customer build reports that align to their Zero Trust plan in the "Monitor > Manage Custom
Reports" tab.
Use a third-party tool to pull the NGFW Zero Trust logs, and create a report that meets the customer's needs.
Use the "ACC" tab to help the customer build dashboards that highlight the historical tracking of the NGFW enforcing policies.
To demonstrate compliance with Zero Trust principles, a systems engineer can leverage the rich reporting and logging capabilities of Palo Alto Networks firewalls. The focus should be on creating reports that align with the customer's Zero Trust strategy, providing detailed insights into policy enforcement, user activity, and application usage.
Option A:Scheduling a pre-built PDF report does not offer the flexibility to align the report with the customer's specific Zero Trust plan. While useful for automated reporting, this option is too generic for
demonstrating Zero Trust compliance.
Option B (Correct):Custom reportsin the "Monitor > Manage Custom Reports" tab allow the customer to build tailored reports that align with their Zero Trust plan. These reports can include granular details such as application usage, user activity, policy enforcement logs, and segmentation compliance. This approach ensures the customer can present evidence directly related to their Zero Trust implementation.
Option C:Using a third-party tool is unnecessary as Palo Alto Networks NGFWs already have built-in capabilities to log, report, and demonstrate policy enforcement. This option adds complexity and may not fully leverage the native capabilities of the NGFW.
Option D:The Application Command Center (ACC) is useful for visualizing traffic and historical data but is not a reporting tool. While it can complement custom reports, it is not a substitute for generating Zero Trust-specific compliance reports.
References:
Managing Reports in PAN-OS: (https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com)
Zero Trust Monitoring and Reporting Best Practices: (https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/zero-trust)
Which two actions should a systems engineer take when a customer is concerned about how to remain aligned to Zero Trust principles as they adopt additional security features over time? (Choose two)
Turn on all licensed Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscriptions in blocking mode for all policies.
Apply decryption where possible to inspect and log all new and existing traffic flows.
Use the Best Practice Assessment (BPA) tool to measure progress toward Zero Trust principles.
Use the Policy Optimizer tool to understand security rules allowing users to bypass decryption.
When adopting additional security features over time, remaining aligned with Zero Trust principles requires a focus on constant visibility, control, and adherence to best practices. The following actions are the most relevant: Why "Apply decryption where possible to inspect and log all new and existing traffic flows" (Correct Answer B)?Zero Trust principles emphasize visibility into all traffic, whether encrypted or unencrypted.
Without decryption, encrypted traffic becomes a blind spot, which attackers can exploit. By applying decryption wherever feasible, organizations ensure they can inspect, log, and enforce policies on encrypted traffic, thus adhering to Zero Trust principles. Why "Use the Best Practice Assessment (BPA) tool to measure progress toward Zero Trust principles" (Correct Answer C)?The BPA tool provides detailed insights into the customer's security configuration, helping measure alignment with Palo Alto Networks' Zero Trust best practices. It identifies gaps in security posture and recommends actionable steps to strengthen adherence to Zero Trust principles over time.
Why not "Turn on all licensed Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscriptions in blocking mode for all policies" (Option A)?While enabling CDSS subscriptions (like Threat Prevention, URL Filtering, Advanced Threat Prevention) in blocking mode can enhance security, it is not an action specifically tied to maintaining alignment with Zero Trust principles. A more holistic approach, such as decryption and BPA analysis, is critical to achieving Zero Trust.
Why not "Use the Policy Optimizer tool to understand security rules allowing users to bypass decryption" (Option D)?Policy Optimizer is used to optimize existing security rules by identifying unused or overly permissive policies. While useful, it does not directly address alignment with Zero Trust principles or help enforce decryption.
Which statement applies to the default configuration of a Palo Alto Networks NGFW?
Security profiles are applied to all policies by default, eliminating implicit trust of any data traversing the firewall.
The default policy action allows all traffic unless explicitly denied.
The default policy action for interzone traffic is deny, eliminating implicit trust between security zones.
The default configuration of a Palo Alto Networks NGFW includes a set of default security rules that determine how traffic is handled when no explicit rules are defined. Here's the explanation for each option: Option A: Security profiles are applied to all policies by default, eliminating implicit trust of any data traversing the firewall Security profiles (such as Antivirus, Anti-Spyware, and URL Filtering) are not applied to any policies by default. Administrators must explicitly apply them to security rules.
This statement is incorrect.
Option B: The default policy action for intrazone traffic is deny, eliminating implicit trust within a security zone
By default, traffic within the same zone (intrazone traffic) is allowed . For example, traffic between devices in the "trust" zone is permitted unless explicitly denied by an administrator.
This statement is incorrect.
Option C: The default policy action allows all traffic unless explicitly denied Palo Alto Networks firewalls do not have an "allow all" default rule. Instead, they include a default "deny all" rule for interzone traffic and an implicit "allow" rule for intrazone traffic.
This statement is incorrect.
Option D: The default policy action for interzone traffic is deny, eliminating implicit trust between security zones
By default, traffic between different zones (interzone traffic) is denied. This aligns with the principle of zero trust, ensuring that no traffic is implicitly allowed between zones. Administrators must define explicit rules to allow interzone traffic.
This statement is correct.
References:
Palo Alto Networks documentation on Security Policy Defaults Knowledge Base article on Default Security Rules
Which two compliance frameworks are included with the Premium version of Strata Cloud Manager (SCM)? (Choose two)
Payment Card Industry (PCI)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Center for Internet Security (CIS)
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
Strata Cloud Manager (SCM), part of Palo Alto Networks' Prisma Access and Prisma SD-WAN suite, provides enhanced visibility and control for managing compliance and security policies across the network.
In the Premium version of SCM, compliance frameworks are pre-integrated to help organizations streamline audits and maintain adherence to critical standards.
A. Payment Card Industry (PCI)
PCI DSS (Data Security Standard) compliance is essential for businesses that handle payment card data.
SCM Premium provides monitoring, reporting, and auditing tools that align with PCI requirements, ensuring that sensitive payment data is processed securely across the network.
B. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
NIST is a comprehensive cybersecurity framework used in various industries, especially in the government sector. However, NIST is not specifically included in SCM Premium; organizationsmay need separate
configurations or external tools to fully comply with NIST guidelines.
C. Center for Internet Security (CIS)
CIS benchmarks provide security best practices for securing IT systems and data. SCM Premium includes CIS compliance checks, enabling organizations to maintain a strong baseline security posture and proactively address vulnerabilities.
D. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
HIPAA is a framework designed to protect sensitive healthcare information. While Palo Alto Networks provides general solutions that can be aligned with HIPAA compliance, it is not explicitly included as a compliance framework in SCM Premium.
Key Takeaways:
The frameworks included in SCM Premium are PCI DSS and CIS.
Other frameworks like NIST and HIPAA may require additional configurations or are supported indirectly but not explicitly part of the Premium compliance checks.
References:
Palo Alto Networks Strata Cloud Manager Documentation
Palo Alto Networks Compliance Resources
In which two locations can a Best Practice Assessment (BPA) report be generated for review by a customer? (Choose two.)
PANW Partner Portal
Customer Support Portal
AIOps
Strata Cloud Manager (SCM)
The Best Practice Assessment (BPA) report evaluates firewall and Panorama configurations against Palo Alto Networks' best practice recommendations. It provides actionable insights to improve the security posture of the deployment. BPA reports can be generated from the following locations: Why "PANW Partner Portal" (Correct Answer A)?Partners with access to the Palo Alto Networks Partner Portal can generate BPA reports for customers as part of their service offerings. This allows partners to assess and demonstrate compliance with best practices.
Why "Customer Support Portal" (Correct Answer B)?Customers can log in to the Palo Alto Networks Customer Support Portal to generate their own BPA reports. This enables organizations to self-assess and
improve their firewall configurations.
Why not "AIOps" (Option C)?While AIOps provides operational insights and best practice recommendations, it does not generate full BPA reports. BPA and AIOps are distinct tools within the Palo Alto Networks ecosystem.
Why not "Strata Cloud Manager (SCM)" (Option D)?Strata Cloud Manager is designed for managing multiple Palo Alto Networks cloud-delivered services and NGFWs but does not currently support generating BPA reports. BPA is limited to the Partner Portal and Customer Support Portal.
When a customer needs to understand how Palo Alto Networks NGFWs lower the risk of exploitation by newly announced vulnerabilities known to be actively attacked, which solution and functionality delivers the most value?
Advanced URL Filtering uses machine learning (ML) to learn which malicious URLs are being utilized by the attackers, then block the resulting traffic.
Advanced Threat Prevention's command injection and SQL injection functions use inline deep learning
against zero-day threats.
Single Pass Architecture and parallel processing ensure traffic is efficiently scanned against any
enabled Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscription.
WildFire loads custom OS images to ensure that the sandboxing catches any activity that would affect the customer's environment.
The most effective way to reduce the risk of exploitation by newly announced vulnerabilities is through Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP) . ATP uses inline deep learning to identify and block exploitation attempts, even for zero-day vulnerabilities, in real time.
Why "Advanced Threat Prevention's command injection and SQL injection functions use inline deep learning against zero-day threats" (Correct Answer B)?Advanced Threat Prevention leverages deep
learning models directly in the data path, which allows it to analyze traffic in real time and detect patterns of exploitation, including newly discovered vulnerabilities being actively exploited in the wild.
It specifically targets advanced tactics like:
Command injection.
SQL injection.
Memory-based exploits.
Protocol evasion techniques.
This functionality lowers the risk of exploitation by actively blocking attack attempts based on their behavior, even when a signature is not yet available. This approach makes ATP the most valuable solution for addressing new and actively exploited vulnerabilities.
Why not "Advanced URL Filtering uses machine learning (ML) to learn which malicious URLs are being utilized by the attackers, then block the resulting traffic" (Option A)?While Advanced URL Filtering is highly effective at blocking access to malicious websites, it does not provide the inline analysis necessary to prevent direct exploitation of vulnerabilities. Exploitation often happens within the application or protocol layer, which Advanced URL Filtering does not inspect. Why not "Single Pass Architecture and parallel processing ensure traffic is efficiently scanned against any enabled Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscription" (Option C)?Single Pass Architecture improves performance by ensuring all enabled services (like Threat Prevention, URL Filtering, etc.) process traffic efficiently. However, it is not a feature that directly addresses vulnerability exploitation or zero-day attack detection. Why not "WildFire loads custom OS images to ensure that the sandboxing catches anyactivity that would affect the customer's environment" (Option D)?WildFire is a sandboxing solution designed to detect malicious files and executables. While it is useful for analyzing malware, it does not provide inline protection against exploitation of newly announced vulnerabilities, especially those targeting network protocols or applications.
What is used to stop a DNS-based threat?
DNS proxy
Buffer overflow protection
DNS tunneling
DNS sinkholing
DNS-based threats, such as DNS tunneling, phishing, or malware command-and-control (C2) activities, are commonly used by attackers to exfiltrate data or establish malicious communications. Palo Alto Networks firewalls provide several mechanisms to address these threats, and the correct method is DNS sinkholing . Why "DNS sinkholing" (Correct Answer D)?DNS sinkholing redirects DNS queries for malicious domains to an internal or non-routable IP address, effectively preventing communication with malicious domains. When a user or endpoint tries to connect to a malicious domain, the sinkhole DNS entry ensures the traffic is blocked or routed to a controlled destination.
DNS sinkholing is especially effective for blocking malware trying to contact its C2 server or preventing data exfiltration.
Why not "DNS proxy" (Option A)?A DNS proxy is used to forward DNS queries from endpoints to an upstream DNS server. While it can be part of a network's DNS setup, it does not actively stop DNS-based threats.
Why not "Buffer overflow protection" (Option B)?Buffer overflow protection is a method used to prevent memory-related attacks, such as exploiting software vulnerabilities. It is unrelated to DNS-based threat prevention.
Why not "DNS tunneling" (Option C)?DNS tunneling is itself a type of DNS-based threat where attackers encode malicious traffic within DNS queries and responses. This option refers to the threat itself, not the method to stop it.
Which two statements correctly describe best practices for sizing a firewall deployment with decryption enabled? (Choose two.)
SSL decryption traffic amounts vary from network to network.
Large average transaction sizes consume more processing power to decrypt.
Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) ephemeral key exchange algorithms such as Diffie-Hellman Ephemeral (DHE) and Elliptic-Curve Diffie-Hellman Exchange (ECDHE) consume more processing resources than Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) algorithms.
Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) certificate authentication method (not the RSA key exchange algorithm) consumes more resources than Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), but ECDSA is more secure.
When planning a firewall deployment with SSL/TLS decryption enabled, it is crucial to consider the additional processing overhead introduced by decrypting and inspecting encrypted traffic. Here are the details for each statement: Why "SSL decryption traffic amounts vary from network to network" (Correct Answer A)?SSL decryption traffic varies depending on the organization's specific network environment, user behavior, and applications. For example, networks with heavy web traffic, cloud applications, or encrypted VoIP traffic will have more SSL/TLS decryption processing requirements. This variability means each deployment must be properly assessed and sized accordingly. Why "Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS) ephemeral key exchange algorithms such as Diffie-Hellman Ephemeral (DHE) and Elliptic-Curve Diffie-Hellman Exchange (ECDHE) consume more processing resources than Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) algorithms" (Correct Answer C)?
PFS algorithms like DHE and ECDHE generate unique session keys for each connection, ensuring better security but requiring significantly more processing power compared to RSA key exchange. When decryption is enabled, firewalls must handle these computationally expensive operations for every encrypted session, impacting performance and sizing requirements. Why not "Large average transaction sizes consume more processing power to decrypt" (Option B)?While large transaction sizes can consume additional resources, SSL/TLS decryption is more dependent on the number of sessions and the complexity of the encryption algorithms used, rather than the size of the transactions. Hence, this is not a
primary best practice consideration. Why not "Rivest-Shamir-Adleman (RSA) certificate authentication method consumes more resources than Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA), but ECDSA is more secure" (Option D)?This statement discusses certificate authentication methods, not SSL/TLS decryption performance. While ECDSA is more efficient and secure than RSA, it is not directlyrelevant to sizing considerations for firewall deployments with decryption enabled.
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