NetSec-Generalist Paloalto Networks Palo Alto Networks Network Security Generalist Free Practice Exam Questions (2025 Updated)

Both Panorama and Strata Cloud Manager (SCM) offer the Policy Optimizer feature, which assists administrators in refining and enhancing security policies. Policy Optimizer identifies overly permissive or unused security rules and provides recommendations to convert them into more specific, application-based rules, thereby strengthening the organization's security posture.

In Panorama, Policy Optimizer analyzes traffic logs to detect security rules that are too broad or unused. It then suggests modifications to these rules, enabling administrators to implement more precise policies that align with actual network traffic patterns.

Similarly, Strata Cloud Manager incorporates Policy Optimizer to help organizations clean up and streamline their security policies. It offers insights into rule usage and provides actionable recommendations to replace broad rules with more specific ones, ensuring that security policies are both effective and efficient.

References:

docs.paloaltonetworks.com

WithStrata Cloud Manager (SCM), efficiently managingSecurity Policies across multiple cloud providers and on-premises data centersis achieved by usingsnippets and foldersto ensurepolicy uniformity.

Enforce Consistent Security Policies Across Hybrid Environments–

SCM allows administrators todefine security policy templates (snippets)andapply them uniformly across all cloud and on-prem environments.

This preventssecurity gaps and misconfigurationswhen managing multiple deployments.

Improves Operational Efficiency–

Instead of manually creating policies for each deployment,folders and snippets allow reusable configurations, saving time and reducing errors.

Maintains Compliance Across All Deployments–

Ensuresconsistent enforcement of security best practicesacross cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP) and on-prem data centers.

B. Use the "Feature Adoption" visibility tab on a weekly basis to make adjustments across the network.❌

Incorrect, becauseFeature Adoption is a monitoring tool, not apolicy enforcement mechanism.

It helpstrack feature utilization, butdoes not actively manage security policies.

C. Allow each cloud provider's native security tools to handle policy enforcement independently.❌

Incorrect, becausethis would create inconsistent security policiesacross environments.

SCM is designed tounify security policy management across all cloud providers.

D. Create and manage separate Security policies for each environment to address specific needs.❌

Incorrect, becausemanaging separate policies manually increases complexity and risk of misconfigurations.

SCM’ssnippets and folders allow centralized, consistent policy enforcement.

Firewall Deployment– SCMapplies uniform security policies across cloud and on-prem environments.

Security Policies– Enforcesconsistent rule sets using snippets and folders.

VPN Configurations– Ensuressecure communication between different environments.

Threat Prevention– Blocksthreats across multi-cloud and hybrid deployments.

WildFire Integration– Ensuresthreat detection remains consistent across all environments.

Zero Trust Architectures– Maintainsconsistent security enforcement for Zero Trust segmentation.

Why Snippets and Folders Are the Correct Approach?Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅A. Use snippets and folders to define and enforce uniform Security policies across environments.

Tocentralize logsfromNGFWs to the Strata Logging Service, aRoot Certificate Authority (Root CA) certificateis required to ensuresecure connectivitybetween firewalls and Palo Alto Networks' cloud-basedStrata Logging Service.

Authenticates Firewall Connections– EnsuresNGFWs trust the Strata Logging Service.

Enables Encrypted Communication– Protectslog integrity and confidentiality.

Prevents Man-in-the-Middle Attacks– Ensuressecure TLS encryptionfor log transmission.

A. Device❌

Incorrect, becauseDevice Certificates are used for firewall management authentication, notlog transmission to Strata Logging Service.

B. Server❌

Incorrect, becauseServer Certificates authenticate service endpoints, butfirewalls need to trust a Root CA for secure logging connections.

D. Intermediate CA❌

Incorrect, becauseIntermediate CA certificates are used for validating certificate chains, butfirewalls must trust the Root CA for establishing secure connections.

Firewall Deployment– Ensuressecure log transmission to centralized services.

Security Policies– Preventslog tampering and unauthorized access.

VPN Configurations– EnsuresVPN logs are securely sent to the Strata Logging Service.

Threat Prevention– Ensuresfirewall logs are analyzed for security threats.

WildFire Integration– Logsmalware-related events to the cloud for analysis.

Zero Trust Architectures– Ensuressecure logging of all network events.

Why a Root Certificate is Required?Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅C. Root

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

Cloudhigh availability (HA)strategies differ from traditional HA deployments in physical firewalls.Cloud NGFWprovidescloud-nativehigh availability options that align withcloud architectures, particularly inAWS and Azure environments.

Cloud NGFW automatically scales up or downbased ontraffic demandandload conditions.

This ensuresconsistent security enforcementwithout manual intervention.

Auto-scaling is managed by cloud-native services (AWS Auto Scaling, Azure Virtual Machine Scale Sets, etc.).

Cloud NGFW can beintegrated with cloud-native load balancers(AWS Elastic Load Balancing, Azure Load Balancer) to distribute traffic.

This helps ensurehigh availabilityandfailoverin case of firewall instance failures.

B. Terraform to automate HA❌

Terraform automates infrastructure provisioning, but itdoes not inherently provide HA.

Ithelps automate HA configuration, butdoes not directly provide HA functionality.

C. Dedicated vNIC for HA❌

Cloud NGFW does not use dedicated vNICs for HA—it relies oncloud-native failover mechanisms.

Dedicated vNICs aremore relevant for on-prem HA deployments.

Firewall Deployment– Cloud NGFW supportsHA through autoscaling and load balancing.

Security Policies– Ensurespolicies remain enforced across dynamically scaled instances.

VPN Configurations– Works withIPsec VPNs in cloud deployments.

Threat Prevention– Maintains security inspection even duringautoscaling events.

WildFire Integration– Ensuresmalware inspection is consistently available.

Zero Trust Architectures– EnforcesZero Trust security at scale.

1. Automated Autoscaling (✔️ Correct)2. Deployed with Load Balancers (✔️ Correct)Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answers are:✅A. Automated autoscaling✅D. Deployed with load balancers

When a firewall functions as anApplication-Level Gateway (ALG), it intercepts, inspects, and dynamically manages traffic at theapplication layerof the OSI model. The primary role of an ALG is to providedeep packet inspection (DPI), address translation, and protocol complianceenforcement.

To establish a connection successfully, an ALG requires apinhole—a temporary, dynamically created rule that allows the firewall to permit the return traffic necessary for specific applications (e.g., VoIP, FTP, and SIP-based traffic). Thesepinholesare essential because many applications dynamically negotiate port numbers, makingstatic firewall rules ineffective.

For example, when aSession Initiation Protocol (SIP)application initiates a connection, the firewalldynamically opens a pinholeto allow the SIP media stream (RTP) to pass through while maintaining security controls. Once the session ends, the pinhole is closed to prevent unauthorized access.

Firewall Deployment– ALGs are commonly deployed in enterprise network firewalls to manage application-specific connections securely.

Security Policies– Firewalls use ALG security policies to allow or block dynamically negotiated connections.

VPN Configurations– Some VPNs rely on ALGs for handling complex applications requiring NAT traversal.

Threat Prevention– ALGs help detect and prevent application-layer threats by inspecting traffic content.

WildFire– Not directly related, but deep inspection features like WildFire can work alongside ALG to inspect payloads for malware.

Panorama– Used for centralized policy management, including ALG-based policies.

Zero Trust Architectures– ALG enhances Zero Trust by ensuringonly explicitly allowed application trafficis permitted through temporary pinholes.

References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer isA. Pinholebecause it enables a firewall to establish application-layer connections securely while enforcing dynamic traffic filtering.

Prisma Access, a cloud-delivered security platform by Palo Alto Networks, supports specific predefined zones to streamline policy creation and enforcement. These zones are integral to how traffic is managed and secured within the service.

Available Zones in Prisma Access:

Trust Zone:This zone encompasses all trusted and onboarded IP addresses, service connections, ormobile users within the corporate network. Traffic originating from these entities is considered trusted.

Untrust Zone:This zone includes all untrusted IP addresses, service connections, or mobile users outside the corporate network. By default, any IP address or mobile user that is not designated as trusted falls into this category.

Clientless VPN Zone:Designed to provide secure remote access to common enterprise web applications that utilize HTML, HTML5, and JavaScript technologies. This feature allows users to securely access applications from SSL-enabled web browsers without the need to install client software, which is particularly useful for enabling partner or contractor access to applications and for safely accommodating unmanaged assets, including personal devices. Notably, the Clientless VPN zone is mapped to the trust zone by default, and this setting cannot be changed.

Analysis of Options:

A. DMZ:A Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a physical or logical subnetwork that separates an internal local area network (LAN) from other untrusted networks, typically the internet. While traditional network architectures often employ a DMZ to add an extra layer of security, Prisma Access does not specifically define or utilize a DMZ zone within its predefined zone structure.

B. Interzone:In the context of Prisma Access, "interzone" is not a predefined zone available for user configuration. However, it's worth noting that Prisma Access logs may display a zone labeled "inter-fw," which pertains to internal communication within the Prisma Access infrastructure and is not intended for user-defined policy application.

C. Intrazone:Intrazone typically refers to traffic within the same zone. While security policies can be configured to allow or deny intrazone traffic, "Intrazone" itself is not a standalone zone available for configuration in Prisma Access.

D. Clientless VPN:As detailed above, the Clientless VPN is a predefined zone in Prisma Access, designed to facilitate secure, clientless access to web applications.

Conclusion:

Among the options provided,D. Clientless VPNis the correct answer, as it is an available predefined zone in Prisma Access.

References:

Palo Alto Networks. "Prisma Access Zones."https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/prisma-access/administration/prisma-access-setup/prisma-access-zones

Prisma Access providessecure remote accessformobile users, but by default, mobile userscannot access internal sites unless explicitly configured.

Service Connection establishes a secure tunnelbetween Prisma Access and the internal network.

Allows direct routing between mobile users and internal applications.

Enables access without requiring additional VPN connections.

Ensures that Prisma Access can securely route trafficbetween mobile users and the internal site.

A. Interconnect license❌

Interconnect provides higher bandwidth connectionsbetween Prisma Access and multiple regions, but itdoes not create routing to internal networks.

C. Autonomous Digital Experience Manager (ADEM)❌

ADEM is used for network experience monitoring, not for routing or connectivity.

D. Security Processing Node❌

Security processing nodes handle threat inspection, but theydo not create routing connectionsbetween Prisma Access and internal networks.

Firewall Deployment– Service connectionsextend internal network access.

Security Policies– Enforces policies on traffic betweenmobile users and internal resources.

VPN Configurations– Ensuressecure IPsec/GRE tunnelsbetween Prisma Access and on-prem networks.

Threat Prevention– Inspects mobile-to-internal traffic for threats.

WildFire Integration– Scans transferred files betweenmobile users and internal sites.

Zero Trust Architectures– Ensuressecure access control for mobile users accessing internal applications.

How Service Connection Enables Routing Between Mobile Users and Internal Sites:Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅B. Service connection

When a user authenticates and connects to aGlobalProtect gateway, the firewall can collect and evaluate device information usingHost Information Profile (HIP). This feature helps enforce security policies based on the device’s posture before granting or restricting network access.

What is HIP?

Host Information Profile (HIP)is a feature in GlobalProtect that gathers security-related information from the endpoint device, such as:

OS version

Patch level

Antivirus status

Disk encryption status

Host-based firewall status

Running applications

How Does HIP Work?

When a user connects to aGlobalProtect gateway, their device submits itsHIP reportto the firewall.

The firewallevaluatesthis information againstconfigured security policies.

If the devicemeets security compliance, access is granted; otherwise,remediation actions(e.g., blocking access) can be applied.

(A) RADIUS Authentication– While RADIUS is used for user authentication, it doesnot collect device security posture.

(B) IP Address– The user's IP address is tracked but does not providedevice security information.

(D) Session ID– A session ID identifies the user session but does not collect host-based security details.

Firewall Deployment– HIP profiles help enforce security policies based on device posture.

Security Policies– Administrators use HIP checks to restrict non-compliant devices.

Threat Prevention & WildFire– HIP ensures that endpoints are properly patched and protected.

Panorama– HIP reports can be monitored centrally via Panorama.

Zero Trust Architectures– HIP enforcesdevice trustin Zero Trust models.

Why is HIP the Correct Answer?Other Answer Choices AnalysisReferences and Justification:Thus,Host Information Profile (HIP) is the correct answer, as it collects device security information when a user connects to a GlobalProtect gateway.

To monitor traffic for Internet of Things (IoT) devices that may not otherwise be visible, the network design should place the firewalloutside the DHCP pathand use traffic mirroring from the switch to a TAP (Test Access Point) interface on the firewall.

Traffic Mirroring: Switches mirror the traffic to the firewall's TAP interface, enabling the firewall to inspect the traffic without directly interfering with the device communication.

IoT Monitoring: Many IoT devices use lightweight communication protocols or non-standard methods, making direct interception difficult. Traffic mirroring allows passive monitoring for behavioral analysis, anomaly detection, and threat prevention.

Firewall Placement: Keeping the firewall outside the DHCP path ensures that monitoring does not disrupt IoT device communications while still providing visibility into their network activity.

References:

Palo Alto Networks IoT Security Best Practices

Traffic Mirroring and TAP Interfaces

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

Advanced DNS Securityis aCloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) solutionthat protects againstDNS-based threatssuch as command-and-control (C2) communications, domain generation algorithms (DGAs), and DNS tunneling.

To enableAdvanced DNS Security, theAdvanced Threat Prevention(ATP) license is required, as it includes:

Real-time threat analysis of DNS queries

Protection against newly registered and malicious domains

Detection and blocking of DNS-based attacks

ATP extends beyond traditional DNS filteringby usingmachine learningto analyze DNS traffic dynamically.

Blocks DNS requests to malicious domains in real-time.

Works in combination with WildFire and Threat Intelligence Cloudto provide up-to-date protection.

(A) Advanced WildFire– Providessandboxing for malware detection,not DNS security.

(B) Enterprise SaaS Security– Focuses onSaaS application security,not DNS-based threats.

(D) Advanced URL Filtering– Controlsweb access, butdoes not analyze DNS traffic.

Threat Prevention & WildFire– Advanced Threat Prevention includesDNS Securityas akey feature.

Zero Trust Architectures– Ensures DNS requests arenot blindly trustedbut verified against threat intelligence.

Why Advanced Threat Prevention is the Correct Answer?Other Answer Choices AnalysisReferences and Justification:Thus,Advanced Threat Prevention (C) is the correct answer, as it is required to enableAdvanced DNS Security.

Cloud NGFWs receive content updates automaticallyas part ofcloud-native security services. These updates include:

Threat prevention updates(IPS, malware signatures).

App-ID updatesto maintain accurate application identification.

WildFire updatesfor new malware detection.

A. Through the management console❌

Themanagement console provides visibility and controls, butupdates are not manually downloaded from here—they are pushed automatically.

B. Through Panorama❌

Panorama canmanage policies and configurations, butCloud NGFW updates are delivered automatically by Palo Alto Networks.

D. From the Customer Support Portal❌

Customer Support Portal provides manual update downloads for on-prem firewalls, butCloud NGFW updates are handled automatically.

Firewall Deployment– Cloud NGFW receivesautomatic threat and application updates.

Security Policies– Ensures updatesare always in sync with the latest threat intelligence.

VPN Configurations– EnsuresVPN security mechanisms stay updated.

Threat Prevention– Maintainscontinuous security enforcementwithout requiring manual updates.

WildFire Integration– Cloud NGFWs automaticallyreceive new malware signaturesfrom WildFire.

Zero Trust Architectures– Ensurescontinuous enforcement of Zero Trust policieswith up-to-date security intelligence.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅C. Automatically

In aPrisma SD-WAN environment, themost operationally efficient waytooptimize and secure trafficbetween branch offices and the data center is toconfigure dynamic path selection.

Monitors Real-Time Network Performance– Prisma SD-WAN continuously measureslatency, jitter, and packet lossacross multiple WAN links.

Automatically Chooses the Best Path– It dynamically routes traffic throughthe best-performing linktomaintain high application performance.

Improves Reliability and Redundancy– If a link degrades,failover occurs seamlesslyto another available path.

Enhances Security– Works inconjunction with security policiesto route sensitive traffic throughtrusted paths.

A. Ensure all branch office traffic is routed through a central hub for inspection.❌

Incorrect, because ahub-and-spoke model introduces unnecessary latencyand reducesnetwork efficiency.

Prisma SD-WAN is designed to enabledirect and secure branch-to-branch communicationwithout forcing all traffic through acentralized data center.

B. Create NAT policies to translate internal branch IP addresses to public IP addresses.❌

Incorrect, becauseNAT policies do not optimize network performance—they are used foraddress translation.

Prisma SD-WAN dynamically selects pathsbased on performance metrics, not just address translation.

C. Define security zones for branch offices and the data center.❌

Incorrect, becausesecurity zones provide segmentation and control, but they do notdirectly optimize network performance.

Whilesecurity zoning is essential, it does not solve the problem ofchoosing the best network path dynamically.

Firewall Deployment– Prisma SD-WANintegrates with NGFWsfor secure traffic routing.

Security Policies– Ensures traffic is optimizedwhile maintaining security compliance.

VPN Configurations– Works withIPsec VPN tunnelsto choosethe best available path dynamically.

Threat Prevention– Prevents attacks bydynamically routing traffic away from compromised paths.

WildFire Integration– Monitors suspicious trafficbefore dynamically selecting paths.

Zero Trust Architectures– Enforcessecure network segmentationwhileoptimizing branch-to-data center communication.

How Dynamic Path Selection Optimizes Traffic:Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answer is:✅D. Configure dynamic path selection based on network performance metrics.

Based on the image and default rulestack settings of theCloud NGFW for AWS, the source IP address seen in the data filtering logs will be20.10.10.15, which is the IP address of the load balancer.

Default Rulestack Behavior: By default, the rulestack settings do not inspect or preserve the original client IP (e.g., 10.1.1.2) in the "X-Forwarded-For" header. Instead, the load balancer's IP (20.10.10.15) is recorded as the source IP.

Logging Mechanism: Unless explicitly configured to parse the "X-Forwarded-For" header, the firewall's logs will reflect the IP address of the device directly sending the traffic to the NGFW (the load balancer in this case).

References:

Cloud NGFW for AWS Documentation

Data Filtering Logs and Source IP Behavior

To allowthird-party contractors access to internal applications outside business hours, theSecurity Policymust include:

User-ID–

Identifies specific users (e.g., third-party contractors) and applies access rules accordingly.

Ensures that onlyauthenticated usersfrom the contractor group receive access.

Schedule–

Specifies theallowed access time frame(e.g., outside business hours:6 PM - 6 AM).

Ensures that contractorscan only access applications during designated off-hours.

C. Service❌

Incorrect, becauseService defines ports and protocols, not user identity or time-based access control.

D. App-ID❌

Incorrect, becauseApp-ID identifies and classifies applications, but doesnot restrict access based on user identity or time.

Firewall Deployment– Ensurescontractors access internal applications securelyvia User-ID and Schedule.

Security Policies– Implementsgranular time-based and identity-based access control.

VPN Configurations– Third-party contractors may access applicationsthrough GlobalProtect VPN.

Threat Prevention– Reduces attack risks by limitingaccess windows for third-party users.

WildFire Integration– Ensures downloaded contractor files are scanned for threats.

Zero Trust Architectures– Supportsleast-privilege access based on user identity and time restrictions.

Why Other Options Are Incorrect?References to Firewall Deployment and Security Features:Thus, the correct answers are:✅A. User-ID✅B. Schedule

ForwardingStrata Logging Service datatoSecurity Operations Center (SOC) toolsaligns with the"Report and Maintenance"phase ofPalo Alto Networks Zero Trust best practices.

Continuous Monitoring– Security teamsanalyze logs and alerts from Strata Logging Serviceto detect threats.

Incident Response– SOC teams uselog data for forensic investigationsand attack mitigation.

Threat Intelligence Correlation– Strata logsintegrate with SIEM/SOAR platformsforautomated threat detection.

Compliance & Auditing– Logssupport regulatory compliance effortsby maintainingdetailed activity records.

A. Implementation❌

Incorrect, becauseImplementation focuses on configuring and deploying security controls, notongoing log analysis.

C. Map and Verify Transactions❌

Incorrect, becausethis step involves identifying and mapping network transactions, rather thanreporting on security events.

D. Standards and Designs❌

Incorrect, becausethis step involves setting security baselines, butdoes not include log monitoring and reporting.

Why Report and Maintenance?Why Other Options Are Incorrect?Referen