PCSFE Online Practice Questions and Answers

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Inbound Inspection is the offering that can gain visibility and prevent an attack by a malicious actor attempting to exploit a known web server vulnerability using encrypted communication. SSL Inbound Inspection is a feature that allows the firewall to decrypt and inspect inbound SSL/TLS traffic from external clients to internal servers. SSL Inbound Inspection can gain visibility and prevent an attack by a malicious actor attempting to exploit a known web server vulnerability using encrypted communication by applying threat prevention technologies, such as antivirus, anti-spyware, vulnerability protection, URL filtering, file blocking, data filtering, and WildFire analysis, to the decrypted traffic and blocking any malicious content or activity. OCSP, Advanced URL Filtering (AURLF), and WildFire are not offerings that can gain visibility and prevent an attack by a malicious actor attempting to exploit a known web server vulnerability using encrypted communication, but they are related solutions that can enhance security and visibility. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [SSL Inbound Inspection], [Threat Prevention Datasheet]

Correct Answer: BD

Explanation: The two valid components that are used in installation of a VM-Series firewall in an OpenStack environment are: OpenStack heat template in YAML Ain't Markup Language (YAML) format VM-Series qcow2 image OpenStack is a cloud computing platform that provides infrastructure as a service (IaaS) for deploying and managing virtual machines (VMs) and other resources. OpenStack environment requires network security that can protect the traffic between VMs or other cloud services from cyberattacks and enforce granular security policies based on application, user, content, and threat information. VM-Series firewall is a virtualized version of the Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewall that can be deployed on various cloud or virtualization platforms, including OpenStack. OpenStack heat template in YAML format is a valid component that is used in installation of a VM-Series firewall in an OpenStack environment. OpenStack heat template is a file that defines the resources and configuration for deploying and managing a VM-Series firewall instance on OpenStack. YAML is a human-readable data serialization language that is commonly used for configuration files. YAML format is supported for OpenStack heat templates for VM-Series firewalls. VM-Series qcow2 image is a valid component that is used in installation of a VM- Series firewall in an OpenStack environment. VM-Series qcow2 image is a file that contains the software image of the VM-Series firewall for OpenStack. qcow2 is a disk image format that supports features such as compression, encryption, snapshots, and copy-on-write. qcow2 format is supported for VM-Series images for OpenStack. OpenStack heat template in JSON format and VM-Series VHD image are not valid components that are used in installation of a VM-Series firewall in an OpenStack environment, as those are not supported formats for OpenStack heat templates or VM-Series images. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Deploy the VM-Series Firewall on OpenStack], [What is YAML?], [What is qcow2?]

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Traffic is directed to a Palo Alto Networks firewall integrated with Cisco ACI through a policy-based redirect. Cisco ACI is a software-defined network (SDN) solution that provides network automation, orchestration, and visibility. A policy-based redirect is a mechanism that allows Cisco ACI to redirect traffic from one endpoint group (EPG) to another EPG through a service device, such as a Palo Alto Networks firewall. The firewall can then inspect and enforce security policies on the redirected traffic before sending it back to Cisco ACI. Traffic is not directed to a Palo Alto Networks firewall integrated with Cisco ACI by using contracts between endpoint groups that send traffic to the firewall using a shared policy, through a virtual machine (VM) monitor domain, or by creating an access policy, as those are not valid methods for traffic redirection in Cisco ACI. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Deploy the VM-Series Firewall on Cisco ACI], [Cisco ACI Policy-Based Redirect]

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Security profiles are the components that scan for threats in allowed traffic. Security profiles are sets of rules or settings that define how the firewall will inspect and handle traffic based on various threat prevention technologies, such as antivirus, anti- spyware, vulnerability protection, URL filtering, file blocking, data filtering, and WildFire analysis. Security profiles can be applied to Security policy rules to enforce granular protection against known and unknown threats in allowed traffic. Intelligent Traffic Offload, TLS decryption, and NAT are not components that scan for threats in allowed traffic, but they are related features that can enhance security and performance. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Security Profiles Overview], [Threat Prevention Datasheet]

Correct Answer: D

Explanation: CN-Series firewall prevents exfiltration by inspecting outbound traffic content and blocking suspicious activity. Exfiltration is a technique used by attackers to steal sensitive data or assets from a compromised network or system, usually by sending them to an external destination, such as a command and control server, a drop zone, or an email address. CN-Series firewall is a containerized firewall that integrates with Kubernetes and provides visibility and control over container traffic. CN-Series firewall prevents exfiltration by inspecting outbound traffic content and blocking suspicious activity using threat prevention technologies, such as antivirus, anti-spyware, vulnerability protection, URL filtering, file blocking, data filtering, and WildFire analysis. CN-Series firewall does not prevent exfiltration by employing custom-built signatures based on hash, distributing incoming virtual private cloud (VPC) traffic across the pool of VM-Series firewalls, or providing a license deactivation API key, as those are not valid or relevant methods for exfiltration prevention. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [CN-Series Concepts], [CN-Series Deployment Guide for Native K8], [Threat Prevention Datasheet], [What is Exfiltration?]

Correct Answer: BD

Explanation: The two methods of Zero Trust implementation that can benefit an organization are: Boundaries are established Access controls are enforced Zero Trust is a security model that assumes no trust for any entity or network segment, and requires continuous verification and validation of all connections and transactions. Zero Trust implementation can benefit an organization by improving its security posture, reducing its attack surface, and enhancing its visibility and compliance. Boundaries are established is a method of Zero Trust implementation that involves defining and segmenting the network into smaller zones based on data sensitivity, user identity, device type, or application function. Boundaries are established can benefit an organization by isolating and protecting critical assets from unauthorized access or lateral movement. Access controls are enforced is a method of Zero Trust implementation that involves applying granular security policies based on the principle of least privilege to each zone or connection. Access controls are enforced can benefit an organization by preventing data exfiltration, malware propagation, or credential theft. Compliance is validated and security automation is seamlessly integrated are not methods of Zero Trust implementation, but they may be potential outcomes or benefits of implementing Zero Trust. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Zero Trust Security Model], [Zero Trust Network Security]

Correct Answer: ABC

Correct Answer: BC

Explanation: The two deployment modes of VM-Series firewalls that are supported across NSX-T are: Bootstrap Service Cluster NSX-T is a software-defined network (SDN) solution that provides network virtualization, automation, and security for cloud-native applications. Bootstrap is a method of deploying and configuring VM-Series firewalls in NSX-T using a bootstrap package that contains the initial setup information, such as licenses, certificates, software updates, and configuration files. Service Cluster is a mode of deploying VM-Series firewalls in NSX-T as a group of firewalls that act as a single logical firewall to provide scalability and high availability. Prism Central, Host-based, and Service Insertion are not deployment modes of VM-Series firewalls in NSX-T, but they are related concepts that can be used for other purposes. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Deploy the VM-Series Firewall on NSX-T], [Bootstrap the VM-Series Firewall for NSX-T], [Deploy the VM-Series Firewall as a Service Cluster on NSX-T]

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Using the management interface as the HA1 backup link helps avoid split brain in active-passive high availability (HA) pair deployment. High availability (HA) is a feature that provides redundancy and failover protection for firewalls in case of hardware or software failure. Active-passive HA is a mode of HA that consists of two firewalls in a pair, where one firewall is active and handles all traffic, while the other firewall is passive and acts as a backup. Split brain is a condition that occurs when both firewalls in an HA pair assume the active role and start processing traffic independently, resulting in traffic duplication, policy inconsistency, or session disruption. Split brain can be caused by network failures, device failures, or configuration errors that prevent the firewalls from communicating their HA status and synchronizing their configurations and sessions. Using the management interface as the HA1 backup link helps avoid split brain in active-passive HA pair deployment. The HA1 interface is used for exchanging HA state information and configuration synchronization between the firewalls. Using the management interface as the HA1 backup link provides redundancy and failover protection for the HA1 interface, ensuring that the firewalls can maintain their HA communication and avoid split brain. Using a standard traffic interface as the HA2 backup, enabling preemption on both firewalls in the HA pair, or using a standard traffic interface as the HA3 link do not help avoid split brain in active-passive HA pair deployment, but they are related features that can enhance performance and reliability. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [High Availability Overview], [Configure HA Backup Links], [Configure Heartbeat Backup]

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: DNS Security is the feature that provides real-time analysis using machine learning (ML) to defend against new and unknown threats. DNS Security leverages a cloud-based service that applies predictive analytics, advanced ML, and automation to block malicious domains and stop attacks in progress. Advanced URL Filtering (AURLF), Cortex Data Lake, and Panorama VM-Series plugin are not features that provide real-time analysis using ML, but they are related solutions that can enhance security and visibility. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [DNS Security Datasheet], [Advanced URL Filtering Datasheet], [Cortex Data Lake Datasheet], [Panorama VM-Series Plugin]