Pass the Paloalto Networks Network Security Administrator NetSec-Generalist Questions and answers with CertsForce

AnNGFW (Next-Generation Firewall)determines whethernew session setups are legitimate or illegitimateby usingSYN flood protection, which is a key component ofDoS/DDoS mitigation.

Detects High SYN Traffic Rates– SYN flood attacks occur when a large number ofhalf-open TCP connectionsare created, overwhelming a server or firewall.

Implements SYN Cookies or Rate-Limiting– To mitigate attacks, the NGFW appliesSYN cookiesorconnection rate limitsto filter out illegitimate connection attempts.

Maintains a Secure State Table– The firewall trackslegitimate and suspicious SYN requests, ensuring onlygenuine connectionsare allowed through.

Protects Against TCP-Based Attacks– Preventsresource exhaustioncaused byattackers flooding SYN packetswithout completing the TCP handshake.

B. SYN bit❌

Incorrect, because theSYN bitis just aflag in the TCP headerused to initiate a connection—it does not helpdistinguish between legitimate and illegitimate sessions.

C. Random Early Detection (RED)❌

Incorrect, becauseRED is used in congestion avoidancefor queuing mechanisms, not forTCP session validation.

D. SYN cookies❌

Incorrect, becauseSYN cookies are a method used within SYN flood protection, but they are justone part of the larger SYN flood protection mechanismimplemented in NGFWs.

Firewall Deployment– SYN flood protection is acore featureof Palo Alto NGFWs.

Security Policies– Helps enforcerate-limiting and SYN cookie mechanismsto prevent DoS attacks.

VPN Configurations– Prevents SYN flood attacks from affectingIPsec VPN gateways.

Threat Prevention– Works alongsideintrusion prevention systems (IPS) to block TCP-based attacks.

WildFire Integration– Not directly related but ensuresmalware-infected botsdon’t launch SYN flood attacks.

Zero Trust Architectures– Protectstrusted network zonesby preventingunauthorized connection attempts.

How SYN Flood Protection Works in an NGFW:Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅A. SYN flood protection

When investigatinglogs for upload attempts that were recently blocked due to sensitive information leaks, the appropriateSecurity Profileto query isData Filtering.

Why Data Filtering?Data Filtering is acontent inspection security profilewithin Palo Alto NetworksNext-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)that detects and prevents the unauthorized transmission ofsensitive or confidential data. This security profile is designed to inspectfiles, text, and patternsin network traffic and block uploads that matchpredefined data patternssuch as:

Personally Identifiable Information (PII)– e.g., Social Security Numbers, Credit Card Numbers, Passport Numbers

Financial Data– e.g., Bank Account Numbers, SWIFT Codes

Health Information (HIPAA Compliance)– e.g., Patient Medical Records

Custom Data Patterns– Organizations can define proprietary data patterns for detection

Firewall Policy Application– The Data Filtering profile is attached to Security Policies that inspect file transfers (HTTP, FTP, SMB, SMTP, etc.).

Traffic Inspection– The firewall scans the payload forsensitive data patternsbefore allowing or blocking the transfer.

Alert and Block Actions– If sensitive data is detected in an upload, the firewall canalert,block, orquarantinethe file transfer.

Log Investigation– Security Administrators can analyzeThreat Logs (Monitor > Logs > Data Filtering Logs)to review:

File Name

Destination IP

Source User

Matched Data Pattern

Action Taken (Allowed/Blocked)

Firewall Deployment– Data Filtering is enforced at the firewall level to preventsensitive data exfiltration.

Security Policies– Configured to enforce Data Filtering rules based onbusiness-critical data classifications.

VPN Configurations– Ensures encrypted VPN traffic is also subject to data inspection to prevent insider data leaks.

Threat Prevention– Helps mitigate the risk ofdata theft, insider threats, and accidental exposureof sensitive information.

WildFire Integration– Data Filtering can work alongsideWildFireto inspect files foradvanced threats and malware.

Panorama– Providescentralized visibility and managementof Data Filtering logs across multiple firewalls.

Zero Trust Architectures– Aligns withZero Trustprinciples by enforcing strictcontent inspection and access control policiesto prevent unauthorized data transfers.

How Data Filtering Works in Firewall Logs?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer isB. Data Filtering, as it directly pertains topreventing and investigating data leaksinupload attemptsblocked by the firewall.

To properlysegment network traffic and prevent noncritical assets from accessing critical assets, thebest practice is to logically separate trafficusingdifferent physical or virtual interfaces.

Creates Secure Network Segmentation–

Firewalls canassign critical and noncritical assets to separate security zones.

Traffic betweensecurity zones is explicitly controlled via Security Policies.

Allows Granular Security Control–

Critical assets (e.g., databases, financial systems)can be placed ina high-security zone.

Noncritical assets (e.g., guest networks, IoT devices)can be placed ina lower-security zone.

Enhances Network Performance and Compliance–

Reduces attack surface by limiting access between critical and noncritical assets.

Ensures regulatory compliance(e.g., PCI-DSS, HIPAA) by isolating sensitive systems.

A. Create a deny Security policy with "any" set for both the source and destination zones.❌

Incorrect, becausethis would block all traffic, preventingeven authorized communications.

B. Create an allow Security policy with "any" set for both the source and destination zones.❌

Incorrect, becausethis would permit all traffic, violatingnetwork segmentation principles.

D. Assign a single interface to multiple security zones.❌

Incorrect, becausea single interface cannot belong to multiple zones—itmust be logically separated to enforce security policies effectively.

Firewall Deployment– Ensurescritical and noncritical assets are securely segmented.

Security Policies– Enforcesaccess control between different security zones.

VPN Configurations– EnsuresVPN access does not bypass network segmentation.

Threat Prevention– Preventslateral movement between network segments.

WildFire Integration– Scanscross-zone traffic for malware threats.

Zero Trust Architectures– Implementsstrict access control between different security domains.

Why Logical Separation of Interfaces is the Correct Answer?Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅C. Logically separate physical and virtual interfaces to control the traffic that passes across the interface.

To generate authorization codes for Software Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs), it is necessary to create a deployment profile within the Palo Alto Networks Customer Support Portal (CSP). This process involves defining the specifics of your deployment, such as the desired firewall model, associated subscriptions, and other relevant configurations.

Once the deployment profile is established, the CSP generates an authorization code corresponding to the specified configuration. This code is then used during the firewall's activation process to license the software and enable the associated subscriptions.

It's important to note that authorization codes are not typically obtained directly from public cloud marketplaces or through Enterprise Support Agreement (ESA) codes. Additionally, while registering the device with the cloud service provider is a necessary step, it does not, by itself, generate the required authorization codes.

References:

docs.paloaltonetworks.com

ABest Practice Assessment (BPA)evaluates firewall configurations against Palo Alto Networks' recommendedbest practices. In this case, theCloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS)update settings do not align with best practices, as they are currently set toweekly updates, whichdelays threat prevention.

Applications and Threats – Update Daily

Regular updates ensure the firewalldetects and blocks the latest exploits, vulnerabilities, and malware.

Weekly updates aretoo slowand leave the network vulnerable to newly discovered attacks.

WildFire – Update Every Five Minutes

WildFire is Palo Alto Networks' cloud-based malware analysis engine, whichidentifies and mitigates new threats in near real-time.

Updating every five minutesensures that newly discovered malware signatures are applied quickly.

A weekly update would significantlydelaythreat response.

(B) Antivirus should be updated daily.

While frequent updates are recommended,Antivirus in Palo Alto firewalls is updated hourly by default(not daily).

(D) URL Filtering should be updated hourly.

URL Filtering databases are updated dynamically in the cloud, and do not require fixed hourly updates.

URL filtering effectiveness depends on cloud integration rather than frequent updates.

Firewall Deployment– Ensuring dynamic updates align with best practices enhances security.

Security Policies– Applications, Threats, and WildFire updates are critical for enforcing protection policies.

Threat Prevention & WildFire– Frequent updates reduce the window of exposure to new threats.

Panorama– Updates can be managed centrally for branch offices.

Zero Trust Architectures– Requires real-time threat intelligence updates.

Best Practices for Dynamic Updates in the Precision AI BundleOther Answer Choices AnalysisReferences and Justification:Thus,Applications & Threats (A) should be updated daily, and WildFire (C) should be updated every five minutesto maintainoptimal security posturein accordance with BPA recommendations.

InPanorama centralized management,Pluginsenablenative and third-party integrationsto monitorVM-Series NGFW logs and objects.

Native Integrations– Panorama plugins providebuilt-in support for cloud environmentslikeAWS, Azure, GCP, as well asVM-Series firewalls.

Third-Party Integrations– Plugins allow Panorama tosend logs and security telemetryto third-party systems likeSIEMs, SOARs, and IT automation tools.

Log Monitoring & Object Management– Plugins helpexport logs, monitor firewall events, and manage dynamic firewall configurationsin cloud deployments.

Automation and API Support– Pluginsextend Panorama’s capabilitiesby integrating with external systems via APIs.

B. Template❌

Incorrect, becauseTemplates are used for configuring firewall settingslike network interfaces, not forlog monitoring or third-party integrations.

C. Device Group❌

Incorrect, becauseDevice Groups manage firewall policies and objects, but donot handle log forwarding or third-party integrations.

D. Log Forwarding Profile❌

Incorrect, becauseLog Forwarding Profiles define how logs are sent, butdo not provide integration capabilities with third-party tools.

Firewall Deployment– Panoramauses pluginsto integrate VM-Series NGFWs with cloud platforms.

Security Policies– Plugins supportpolicy-based log forwarding and integrationwith external security tools.

VPN Configurations– Cloud-based VPNs can bemanaged and monitored using plugins.

Threat Prevention– Plugins enableSIEM integrationto monitor threat logs.

WildFire Integration– Some plugins supportautomated malware analysis and reporting.

Zero Trust Architectures– Supportslog-based security analyticsfor Zero Trust enforcement.

How Plugins Enable Integrations in PanoramaWhy Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅A. Plugin

Perfect Forward Secrecy (PFS)is a cryptographic feature inSSL/TLS key exchangethat ensures each session uses a unique key that isnot derived from previous sessions. This prevents attackers from decrypting historical encrypted traffic even if they obtain the server’s private key.

WhenSSL Inbound Inspectionis enabled on a Palo Alto NetworksNext-Generation Firewall (NGFW), the firewalldecrypts inbound encrypted trafficdestined for an internal server to inspect it for threats, malware, or policy violations.

Meddler-in-the-Middle (MITM) Role– Since PFSprevents session key reuse, the firewallcannot use static keysfor decryption. Instead, it must act as aman-in-the-middle (MITM)between theclient and the internal server.

Decryption Process–

The firewallterminates the SSL session from the external client.

It thenestablishes a new encrypted sessionbetween itself and the internal server.

This allows the firewall todecrypt, inspect, and then re-encrypt trafficbefore forwarding it to the server.

Security Implications–

This approach ensuresthreat detection and policy enforcementbefore encrypted traffic reaches critical internal servers.

However, itbreaks end-to-end encryptionsince the firewall acts as an intermediary.

B. It acts transparently between the client and the internal server.❌

Incorrect, because SSL Inbound Inspection requires the firewall toactively terminate and re-establish SSL connections, making it anon-transparent MITM.

C. It decrypts inbound and outbound SSH connections.❌

Incorrect, becauseSSL Inbound Inspection applies only to SSL/TLS traffic, not SSH connections. SSH decryption requires a different feature (e.g., SSH Proxy).

D. It decrypts traffic between the client and the external server.❌

Incorrect, becauseSSL Inbound Inspectionis designed to inspecttraffic destined for an internal server, not external connections.SSL Forward Proxywould be used for outbound traffic decryption.

Firewall Deployment– SSL Inbound Inspection is used inenterprise environmentsto monitor encrypted traffic heading to internal servers.

Security Policies– Decryption policies control which inbound SSL sessions are decrypted.

VPN Configurations– PFS is commonly used inIPsec VPNs, ensuring that keys change per session.

Threat Prevention– Enables deep inspection ofSSL/TLS trafficto detect malware, exploits, and data leaks.

WildFire Integration– Extracts potentially malicious files from encrypted traffic foradvanced sandboxing and malware detection.

Panorama– Providescentralized management of SSL decryption logs and security policies.

Zero Trust Architectures– Ensures encrypted traffic iscontinuously inspected, aligning withZero Trust security principles.

Firewall Behavior with PFS and SSL Inbound InspectionWhy Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅A. It acts as meddler-in-the-middle between the client and the internal server.

AnSSH Proxy decryption profileallowsPalo Alto Networks NGFWsto inspect encryptedSSH trafficand preventexploitationby attackers.

Toreduce the network attack surface, the two best security settings are:

Block Sessions on Certificate Errors (✔️Correct)

Prevents attackers from usingself-signed or fraudulent certificatesto bypass security inspections.

Ensures that SSH connections usevalid and trusted certificatesonly.

Block Sessions with Unsupported Versions (✔️Correct)

Older SSH versions (e.g., SSH-1) arevulnerable to exploits and weak encryption.

Ensures thatonly secure SSH protocols (e.g., SSH-2) are allowed.

A. Allow sessions if resources not available.❌

Incorrect, becausethis weakens security—attackers could exploit times when decryption is unavailable.

B. Allow sessions with unsupported versions.❌

Incorrect, becauseallowing outdated SSH versionsexposes the network toknown vulnerabilities.

Firewall Deployment– SSH Proxy decryption preventsSSH-based malware tunnels.

Security Policies– Enforcesstrict SSH version control and certificate validation.

VPN Configurations– PreventsSSH tunneling inside VPN connections.

Threat Prevention– Protects againstSSH brute-force attacks and exploits.

WildFire Integration– EnsuresSSH-based file transfers are inspected for malware.

Zero Trust Architectures– Prevents unauthorized SSH sessions withstrict security controls.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answers are:✅C. Block sessions on certificate errors.✅D. Block sessions with unsupported versions.