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Host Information Profile (HIP) checks are used in GlobalProtect to collect and evaluate endpoint posture (OS, patch level, AV status) to enforce granular security policies for remote users.

“The HIP feature collects information about the host and can be used in security policies to enforce posture-based access control. This ensures only compliant endpoints can access sensitive resources.”

(Source: GlobalProtect HIP Checks)

This enables fine-grained, context-aware access decisions beyond user identity alone.

Device grouping rules in SCM allow administrators to organize firewalls into logical groups and collectively manage updates or configuration pushes across those groups.

“SCM allows you to create device group rules, enabling streamlined management and collective updates of multiple NGFW instances.”

(Source: SCM Device Grouping)

This approach ensures consistency in software versions and configuration baselines across large deployments.

For IoT Security to accurately classify and monitor IoT devices, the following logs must be forwarded to Strata Logging Service:

Enhanced application logs – provide detailed application usage and behaviors, essential for profiling device types and roles.

“Enhanced Application logs provide additional context on IoT device behavior and usage patterns, and must be forwarded to Strata Logging Service for IoT Security to build accurate Device-ID profiles.”

(Source: IoT Security Logging Requirements)

Threat logs – essential for detecting suspicious or malicious activities by IoT devices.

“Threat logs are critical for identifying potential exploits or suspicious activities involving IoT devices and are required for accurate threat visibility within IoT Security.”

(Source: IoT Security Logs)

These logs collectively ensure accurate device classification and real-time threat visibility.

To connect a remote network to Prisma Access via Strata Cloud Manager (SCM), the remote network requires an IPSec termination node . This acts as the VPN endpoint, ensuring secure connectivity between branch locations and Prisma Access.

“To onboard a remote network, configure the IPSec termination node on the customer’s premises. This VPN endpoint establishes the secure tunnel to Prisma Access for traffic backhauling.”

(Source: Onboard Remote Networks)

Key takeaway:

The IPSec termination node is fundamental for secure, encrypted connectivity.

Dynamic path selection is the foundation of SD-WAN, leveraging real-time performance data to dynamically route traffic over the best available path.

“Dynamic path selection continuously monitors performance metrics (loss, latency, jitter) and makes real-time routing decisions to ensure application SLAs are met across the WAN.”

(Source: Prisma SD-WAN Dynamic Path Selection)

Establishing dynamic path selection first ensures the rest of the SD-WAN optimizations (e.g., failover, QoS) work effectively.

Protecting against malicious and misconfigured domains requires two critical services:

Advanced Threat Prevention

Provides signature-based and advanced analysis to identify threats, including DNS-based attacks.

“Advanced Threat Prevention enables the NGFW to detect and prevent exploits and malware-based communications, including those leveraging DNS.”

(Source: Advanced Threat Prevention)

Advanced DNS Security

Specifically designed to detect and sinkhole malicious and misconfigured DNS queries.

“DNS Security uses real-time intelligence to block DNS-based threats, protect against data exfiltration, and automatically sinkhole suspicious domain lookups.”

(Source: DNS Security)

By combining these services in security policies, NGFWs ensure robust protection against domain-based threats and misconfigurations.

GlobalProtect logs

These logs provide detailed insights into the user’s connectivity, tunnel status, and authentication events.

“GlobalProtect logs include detailed information about connection establishment, tunnel negotiation, and any errors that can prevent mobile users from accessing applications.”

(Source: GlobalProtect Troubleshooting)

Autonomous Digital Experience Management (ADEM)

ADEM helps visualize end-to-end performance and identifies network issues affecting SaaS app access for mobile users.

“ADEM provides real-time and historical visibility into user experience, enabling quick identification and resolution of connectivity or performance issues for SaaS applications.”

(Source: ADEM for Prisma Access)

When uploads are blocked by a Data Filtering profile, the firewall records the event in Data Filtering logs .

Applications and threats

Panorama can push application and threat signature updates to managed firewalls, ensuring consistent application and threat visibility.

“Panorama uses dynamic updates to distribute the latest application and threat signature packs to all managed firewalls.”

(Source: Manage Content Updates in Panorama)

WildFire

Panorama also distributes WildFire signature updates to firewalls for real-time malware detection.

“WildFire updates provide the latest malware signatures to enhance detection and prevention, and can be deployed to all managed firewalls via Panorama.”

(Source: WildFire and Dynamic Updates)

The firewall must be running a PAN-OS version that is supported by Panorama. This means that Panorama must be running the same or a newer PAN-OS version as the one being installed on the firewalls to maintain compatibility.

“Before you upgrade the firewall, ensure that Panorama is running the same or a later PAN-OS version than the firewall. Panorama must always be at the same or a higher version to maintain compatibility.”

(Source: Panorama Admin Guide – Upgrade Process)