Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Analyst Free Sample Questions

20 free sample questions299 in the full practice test Other version: NetSec-Analyst(130)

Try simulator

PCCNSA Sample Questions

  1. Question 1

    A network security analyst needs to configure a Security Profile Group to protect a high-security finance zone. The requirement dictates that all web traffic must be inspected for known malware, command-and-control traffic, and drive-by downloads. Additionally, the organization wants to strictly block any file uploads to untrusted file sharing sites while allowing downloads. Which combination of profiles and actions in the Security Profile Group satisfies these requirements?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A

    To meet the requirements: Antivirus blocks known malware; Anti-Spyware blocks command-and-control traffic; and File Blocking can be configured with a specific profile to block the 'upload' direction for file sharing categories while allowing 'download'. URL Filtering is used here but the critical control for file direction is within the File Blocking profile.

  2. Question 2

    An organization is deploying SSL Decryption using Strata Cloud Manager. They need to decrypt outbound traffic from internal users to the internet to inspect for threats. However, they must ensure that banking and healthcare websites are NOT decrypted due to privacy compliance and certificate pinning issues. Which type of Decryption Profile and Policy configuration should be applied?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    SSL Forward Proxy is the correct mode for outbound user traffic. To exempt specific categories like banking and health, a 'No-Decrypt' policy rule matching those URL categories must be placed before the general decryption rule.

  3. Question 3

    A security analyst is configuring an External Dynamic List (EDL) to block malicious IP addresses provided by a third-party threat intelligence feed. The feed updates every 30 minutes. The analyst configures the EDL in Strata Cloud Manager but notices that new IPs from the feed are not being blocked immediately. What is the most likely cause of this delay?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    EDLs have a configurable update frequency (e.g., Five Minutes, Hourly, Daily). If the firewall is configured to check daily, it will miss the 30-minute updates from the source until the next scheduled check.

  4. Question 4

    An administrator needs to create a custom URL category to control access to a specific set of internal partner portals that do not share a common domain but follow a specific naming convention in the URL path. Which method is most appropriate for defining this custom object?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: C

    Custom URL Categories support pattern matching (wildcards) which allows matching specific path segments across different domains, satisfying the requirement.

  5. Question 5

    A financial institution requires that all 'Credit Card Numbers' detected in outbound file transfers be blocked, but 'Social Security Numbers' should only generate an alert for auditing purposes. Both data types are detected using predefined data patterns. How should the Data Security Profile be configured?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    A single Data Security Profile can contain multiple data filtering rules with different actions (Block vs Alert) for different data patterns.

  6. Question 6

    You are configuring a Log Forwarding Profile to send logs to the Strata Logging Service. You want to ensure that only 'Critical' and 'High' severity Threat logs are forwarded to reduce noise, while all Traffic logs should be forwarded for audit trails. Which configuration achieves this?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A

    Log Forwarding Profiles allow detailed filtering. You can create separate match list items: one for Traffic logs (no filter/all) and one for Threat logs with a specific query filter for severity.

  7. Question 7

    Multiple answers

    Which TWO components are required to configure an SD-WAN Profile for path quality monitoring in Strata Cloud Manager? (Select TWO)

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answers: A, B

    Defines the thresholds for latency, jitter, and packet loss.

    Defines how traffic is distributed across available links (e.g., Best Available, Weighted Round Robin).

  8. Question 8

    A manufacturing company wants to implement IoT Security. They need to automatically discover devices and enforce policies based on the device identity (e.g., 'MRI Machine', 'Thermostat'). Which step must be taken first to enable this visibility in Strata Cloud Manager?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A

    IoT Security relies on analyzing traffic logs sent to the cloud (Strata Logging Service). The first step is licensing and ensuring logs reach the analysis engine.

  9. Question 9

    When configuring a DoS Protection Profile, what is the purpose of the 'Classified' DoS protection policy compared to 'Aggregate'?

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: A

    Aggregate limits the total packet rate for all traffic matching the rule. Classified allows you to set limits per single IP (e.g., limit each source IP to 1000 pps), which is essential for stopping botnets without blocking all legitimate traffic.

  10. Question 10

    True or False: A Security Profile Group can contain multiple profiles of the same type (e.g., two different Antivirus profiles).

    Answer and explanation

    Correct answer: B

    A Security Profile Group allows you to bundle profiles for easier application to policies, but it can only contain ONE profile of each type (one AV, one Spyware, one URL, etc.).

Register free to unlock 10 more sample questions

Lifetime One

Own this practice test forever.

$79.99
$75.99
one-time
  • Full access to 429 questions
  • Study, Timed & Flashcard Modes
  • All past and future versions i
  • Detailed Explanations
  • Study Tracking & Past Attempts
  • Brainy AI Assistant
  • Lifetime updates

Two

Any 2 exams per month.

$20.00/exam
$39.99
/month
  • 2 active exam slots
  • Study, Timed & Flashcard Modes
  • All past and future versions i
  • Detailed Explanations
  • Study Tracking & Past Attempts
  • 1,000 Brainy AI Credits
  • Cancel anytime

Premium Twelve

Any 12 exams over 3 months.

$15.00/exam
$179.99
/3 months
  • 4 active exam slots
  • Study, Timed & Flashcard Modes
  • All past and future versions i
  • Detailed Explanations
  • Study Tracking & Past Attempts
  • 15,000 Brainy AI Credits
  • Dedicated support
  • Friend seat included — full access

Trusted by professionals at

NvidiaSupabaseGitHubOpenAITursoClerkClaude AIAmazon