View all detail and faqs for the PSE-Strata-Pro-24 exam
What are two methods that a NGFW uses to determine if submitted credentials are valid corporate credentials? (Choose two.)
Group mapping
LDAP query
Domain credential filter
WMI client probing
LDAP Query (Answer B):
Palo Alto Networks NGFWs can queryLDAP directories(such as Active Directory) to validate whether submitted credentials match the corporate directory.
Domain Credential Filter (Answer C):
TheDomain Credential Filterfeature ensures that submitted credentials are checked against valid corporate credentials, preventing credential misuse.
Why Not A:
Group mappingis used to identify user groups for policy enforcement but does not validate submitted credentials.
Why Not D:
WMI client probingis used for user identification but is not a method for validating submitted credentials.
References from Palo Alto Networks Documentation:
Credential Theft Prevention
According to a customer’s CIO, who is upgrading PAN-OS versions, “Finding issues and then engaging with your support people requires expertise that our operations team can better utilize elsewhere on more valuable tasks for the business.” The upgrade project was initiated in a rush because the company did not have the appropriate tools to indicate that their current NGFWs werereaching capacity.
Which two actions by the Palo Alto Networks team offer a long-term solution for the customer? (Choose two.)
Recommend that the operations team use the free machine learning-powered AIOps for NGFW tool.
Suggest the inclusion of training into the proposal so that the operations team is informed and confident in working on their firewalls.
Inform the CIO that the new enhanced security features they will gain from the PAN-OS upgrades will fix any future problems with upgrading and capacity.
Propose AIOps Premium within Strata Cloud Manager (SCM) to address the company’s issues from within the existing technology.
The customer’s CIO highlights two key pain points: (1) the operations team lacks expertise to efficiently manage PAN-OS upgrades and support interactions, diverting focus from valuable tasks, and (2) the company lacked tools to monitor NGFW capacity, leading to a rushed upgrade. The goal is to recommend long-term solutions leveraging Palo Alto Networks’ offerings for Strata Hardware Firewalls. Options B and D—training and AIOps Premium within Strata Cloud Manager (SCM)—address these issues by enhancing team capability and providing proactive management tools. Below is a detailed explanation, verified against official documentation.
Step 1: Analyzing the Customer’s Challenges
Expertise Gap: The CIO notes that identifying issues and engaging support requires expertise the operations team doesn’t fully have or can’t prioritize. Upgrading PAN-OS on Strata NGFWs involves tasks like version compatibility checks, pre-upgrade validation, and troubleshooting, which demand familiarity with PAN-OS tools and processes.
Capacity Visibility: The rushed upgrade stemmed from not knowing the NGFWs were nearing capacity (e.g., CPU, memory, session limits), indicating a lack of monitoring or predictive analytics.
Long-term solutions must address both operational efficiency and proactive capacity management, aligning with Palo Alto Networks’ ecosystem for Strata firewalls.
The efforts of a systems engineer (SE) with an industrial mining company account have yielded interest in Palo Alto Networks as part of its effort to incorporate innovative design into operations using robots and remote-controlled vehicles in dangerous situations. A discovery call confirms that the company will receive control signals to its machines over a private mobile network using radio towers that connect to cloud-based applications that run the control programs.
Which two sets of solutions should the SE recommend?
That 5G Security be enabled and architected to ensure the cloud computing is not compromised in the commands it is sending to the onsite machines.
That Cloud NGFW be included to protect the cloud-based applications from external access into the cloud service provider hosting them.
That IoT Security be included for visibility into the machines and to ensure that other devices connected to the network are identified and given risk and behavior profiles.
That an Advanced CDSS bundle (Advanced Threat Prevention, Advanced WildFire, and Advanced URL Filtering) be procured to ensure the design receives advanced protection.
5G Security (Answer A):
In this scenario, the mining company operates on a private mobile network, likely powered by5G technologyto ensure low latency and high bandwidth for controlling robots and vehicles.
Palo Alto Networks5G Securityis specifically designed to protect private mobile networks. It prevents exploitation of vulnerabilities in the 5G infrastructure and ensures the control signals sent to the machines arenot compromisedby attackers.
Key features include network slicing protection, signaling plane security, and secure user plane communications.
IoT Security (Answer C):
The mining operation depends on machines and remote-controlled vehicles, which are IoT devices.
Palo Alto NetworksIoT Securityprovides:
Full device visibilityto detect all IoT devices (such as robots, remote vehicles, or sensors).
Behavioral analysisto create risk profiles and identify anomalies in themachines' operations.
This ensures a secure environment for IoT devices, reducing the risk of a device being exploited.
Why Not Cloud NGFW (Answer B):
WhileCloud NGFWis critical for protecting cloud-based applications, the specific concern here isprotecting control signals and IoT devicesrather than external access into the cloud service.
The private mobile network and IoT device protection requirements make5G SecurityandIoT Securitymore relevant.
Why Not Advanced CDSS Bundle (Answer D):
The Advanced CDSS bundle (Advanced Threat Prevention, Advanced WildFire, Advanced URL Filtering) is essential for securing web traffic and detecting threats, but it does not address thespecific challenges of securing private mobile networksandIoT devices.
While these services can supplement the design, they are not theprimary focusin this use case.
References from Palo Alto Networks Documentation:
5G Security for Private Mobile Networks
IoT Security Solution Brief
Cloud NGFW Overview
A customer has acquired 10 new branch offices, each with fewer than 50 users and no existing firewall. The systems engineer wants to recommend a PA-Series NGFW with Advanced Threat Prevention at each branch location. Which NGFW series is the most cost-efficient at securing internet traffic?
PA-200
PA-400
PA-500
PA-600
ThePA-400 Seriesis the most cost-efficient Palo Alto Networks NGFW for small branch offices. Let’s analyze the options:
PA-400 Series (Recommended Option)
The PA-400 Series (PA-410, PA-415, etc.) is specifically designed for small to medium-sized branch offices with fewer than 50 users.
It provides all the necessary security features, including Advanced Threat Prevention, at a lower price point compared to higher-tier models.
It supports PAN-OS and Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS), making it suitable for securing internet traffic at branch locations.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
PA-200:The PA-200 is an older model and is no longer available. It lacks the performance and features needed for modern branch office security.
PA-500:The PA-500 is also an older model that is not as cost-efficient as the PA-400 Series.
PA-600:The PA-600 Series does not exist.
Key Takeaways:
For branch offices with fewer than 50 users, the PA-400 Series offers the best balance ofcost and performance.
References:
Palo Alto Networks PA-400 Series Datasheet
Which use case is valid for Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs)?
Code-embedded NGFWs provide enhanced internet of things (IoT) security by allowing PAN-OS code to be run on devices that do not support embedded virtual machine (VM) images.
Serverless NGFW code security provides public cloud security for code-only deployments that do not leverage virtual machine (VM) instances or containerized services.
IT/OT segmentation firewalls allow operational technology resources in plant networks to securely interface with IT resources in the corporate network.
PAN-OS GlobalProtect gateways allow companies to run malware and exploit prevention modules on their endpoints without installing endpoint agents.
Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFWs) provide robust security features across a variety of use cases. Let’s analyze each option:
A. Code-embedded NGFWs provide enhanced IoT security by allowing PAN-OS code to be run on devices that do not support embedded VM images.
This statement is incorrect. NGFWs do not operate as "code-embedded" solutions for IoT devices. Instead, they protect IoT devices through advanced threat prevention, device identification, and segmentation capabilities.
B. Serverless NGFW code security provides public cloud security for code-only deployments that do not leverage VM instances or containerized services.
This is not a valid use case. Palo Alto NGFWs provide security for public cloud environments using VM-series firewalls, CN-series (containerized firewalls), and Prisma Cloud for securing serverless architectures. NGFWs do not operate in "code-only" environments.
C. IT/OT segmentation firewalls allow operational technology (OT) resources in plant networks to securely interface with IT resources in the corporate network.
This is a valid use case. Palo Alto NGFWs are widely used in industrial environments to provide IT/OT segmentation, ensuring that operational technology systems in plants or manufacturing facilities can securely communicate with IT networks while protecting against cross-segment threats. Features like App-ID, User-ID, and Threat Prevention are leveraged for this segmentation.
D. PAN-OS GlobalProtect gateways allow companies to run malware and exploit prevention modules on their endpoints without installing endpoint agents.
This is incorrect. GlobalProtect gateways provide secure remote access to corporate networks and extend the NGFW’s threat prevention capabilities to endpoints, but endpoint agents are required to enforce malware and exploit prevention modules.
Key Takeaways:
IT/OT segmentation with NGFWs is a real and critical use case in industries like manufacturing and utilities.
The other options describe features or scenarios that are not applicable or valid for NGFWs.
References:
Palo Alto Networks NGFW Use Cases
Industrial Security with NGFWs
What are three valid Panorama deployment options? (Choose three.)
As a virtual machine (ESXi, Hyper-V, KVM)
With a cloud service provider (AWS, Azure, GCP)
As a container (Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift)
On a Raspberry Pi (Model 4, Model 400, Model 5)
As a dedicated hardware appliance (M-100, M-200, M-500, M-600)
Panorama is Palo Alto Networks’ centralized management solution for managing multiple firewalls. It supports multiple deployment options to suit different infrastructure needs. The valid deployment options are as follows:
Why "As a virtual machine (ESXi, Hyper-V, KVM)" (Correct Answer A)?Panorama can be deployed as a virtual machine on hypervisors like VMware ESXi, Microsoft Hyper-V, and KVM. This is a common option for organizations that already utilize virtualized infrastructure.
Why "With a cloud service provider (AWS, Azure, GCP)" (Correct Answer B)?Panorama is available for deployment in the public cloud on platforms like AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform. This allows organizations to centrally manage firewalls deployed in cloud environments.
Why "As a dedicated hardware appliance (M-100, M-200, M-500, M-600)" (Correct Answer E)?Panorama is available as a dedicated hardware appliance with different models (M-100, M-200, M-500, M-600) to cater to various performance and scalability requirements. This is ideal for organizations that prefer physical appliances.
Why not "As a container (Docker, Kubernetes, OpenShift)" (Option C)?Panorama is not currently supported as a containerized deployment. Containers are more commonly used for lightweight and ephemeral services, whereas Panorama requires a robust and persistent deployment model.
Why not "On a Raspberry Pi (Model 4, Model 400, Model 5)" (Option D)?Panorama cannot be deployed on low-powered hardware like Raspberry Pi. The system requirements for Panorama far exceed the capabilities of Raspberry Pi hardware.
In addition to Advanced DNS Security, which three Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscriptions utilize inline machine learning (ML)? (Choose three)
Enterprise DLP
Advanced URL Filtering
Advanced WildFire
Advanced Threat Prevention
IoT Security
To answer this question, let’s analyze each Cloud-Delivered Security Service (CDSS) subscription and its role in inline machine learning (ML). Palo Alto Networks leverages inline ML capabilities across several of its subscriptions to provide real-time protection against advanced threats and reduce the need for manual intervention.
A. Enterprise DLP (Data Loss Prevention)
Enterprise DLP is a Cloud-Delivered Security Service that prevents sensitive data from being exposed. Inline machine learning is utilized to accurately identify and classify sensitive information in real-time, even when traditional data patterns or signatures fail to detect them. This service integrates seamlessly with Palo Alto firewalls to mitigate data exfiltration risks by understanding content as it passes through the firewall.
B. Advanced URL Filtering
Advanced URL Filtering uses inline machine learning to block malicious URLs in real-time. Unlike legacy URL filtering solutions, which rely on static databases, Palo Alto Networks' Advanced URL Filtering leverages ML to identify and stop new malicious URLs that have not yet been categorized in static databases. This proactive approach ensures that organizations are protected against emerging threats like phishing and malware-hosting websites.
C. Advanced WildFire
Advanced WildFire is a cloud-based sandboxing solution designed to detect and prevent zero-day malware. While Advanced WildFire is a critical part of Palo Alto Networks’ security offerings, it primarily uses static and dynamic analysis rather than inline machine learning. The ML-based analysis in Advanced WildFire happens after a file is sent to the cloud for processing, rather than inline, so it does not qualify under this question’s scope.
D. Advanced Threat Prevention
Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP) uses inline machine learning to analyze traffic in real-time and block sophisticated threats such as unknown command-and-control (C2) traffic. This service replaces the traditional Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) approach by actively analyzing network traffic and blocking malicious payloads inline. The inline ML capabilities ensure ATP can detectand block threats that rely on obfuscation and evasion techniques.
E. IoT Security
IoT Security is focused on discovering and managing IoT devices connected to the network. While this service uses machine learning for device behavior profiling and anomaly detection, it does not leverage inline machine learning for real-time traffic inspection. Instead, it operates at a more general level by providing visibility and identifying device risks.
Key Takeaways:
Enterprise DLP, Advanced URL Filtering, and Advanced Threat Prevention all rely on inline machine learning to provide real-time protection.
Advanced WildFire uses ML but not inline; its analysis is performed in the cloud.
IoT Security applies ML for device management rather than inline threat detection.
What are the first two steps a customer should perform as they begin to understand and adopt Zero Trust principles? (Choose two)
Understand which users, devices, infrastructure, applications, data, and services are part of the network or have access to it.
Enable relevant Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscriptions to automatically protect the customer's environment from both internal and external threats.
Map the transactions between users, applications, and data, then verify and inspect those transactions.
Implement VM-Series NGFWs in the customer’s public and private clouds to protect east-west traffic.
Zero Trust principles revolve around minimizing trust in the network and verifying every interaction. To adopt Zero Trust, customers should start by gaining visibility and understanding the network and its transactions.
A. Understand which users, devices, infrastructure, applications, data, and services are part of the network or have access to it.
The first step in adopting Zero Trust is understanding the full scope of the network. Identifying users, devices, applications, and data is critical for building a comprehensive security strategy.
C. Map the transactions between users, applications, and data, then verify and inspect those transactions.
After identifying all assets, the next step is to map interactions and enforce verification and inspection of these transactions to ensure security.
Why Other Options Are Incorrect
B:Enabling CDSS subscriptions is important for protection but comes after foundational Zero Trust principles are established.
D:Implementing VM-Series NGFWs is part of enforcing Zero Trust, but it is not the first step. Visibility and understanding come first.
References:
Palo Alto Networks Zero Trust Overview
A customer asks a systems engineer (SE) how Palo Alto Networks can claim it does not lose throughput performance as more Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscriptions are enabled on the firewall.
Which two concepts should the SE explain to address the customer's concern? (Choose two.)
Parallel Processing
Advanced Routing Engine
Single Pass Architecture
Management Data Plane Separation
The customer’s question focuses on how Palo Alto Networks Strata Hardware Firewalls maintain throughput performance as more Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscriptions—such as Threat Prevention, URL Filtering, WildFire, DNS Security, and others—are enabled. Unlike traditional firewalls where enabling additional security features often degrades performance, Palo Alto Networks leverages its unique architecture to minimize this impact. The systems engineer (SE) should explain two key concepts—Parallel ProcessingandSingle Pass Architecture—which are foundational to the firewall’s ability to sustain throughput. Below is a detailed explanation, verified against Palo Alto Networks documentation.
Step 1: Understanding Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) and Performance Concerns
CDSS subscriptions enhance the Strata Hardware Firewall’s capabilities by integrating cloud-based threat intelligence and advanced security features into PAN-OS. Examples include:
Threat Prevention: Blocks exploits, malware, and command-and-control traffic.
WildFire: Analyzes unknown files in the cloud for malware detection.
URL Filtering: Categorizes and controls web traffic.
Traditionally, enabling such services on other firewalls increases processing overhead, as each feature requires separate packet scans or additional hardware resources, leading to latency and throughput loss. Palo Alto Networks claims consistent performance due to its innovative design, rooted in theSingle Pass Parallel Processing (SP3)architecture.
Device-ID can be used in which three policies? (Choose three.)
Security
Decryption
Policy-based forwarding (PBF)
SD-WAN
Quality of Service (QoS)
The question asks about the policies where Device-ID, a feature of Palo Alto Networks NGFWs, can be applied. Device-ID enables the firewall to identify and classify devices (e.g., IoT, endpoints) based on attributes like device type, OS, or behavior, enhancing policy enforcement. Let’s evaluate its use across the specified policy types.
Step 1: Understand Device-ID
Device-ID leverages the IoT Security subscription and integrates with the Strata Firewall to provide device visibility and control. It uses data from sources like DHCP, HTTP headers, and machinelearning to identify devices and allows policies to reference device objects (e.g., “IP Camera,” “Medical Device”). This feature is available on PA-Series firewalls running PAN-OS 10.0 or later with the appropriate license.
