Free Fortinet NSE7_SSE_AD-25 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 2

The FortiSASE On/off-net detection feature is a two-part configuration designed to optimize bandwidth and user experience by determining when a device is in a trusted environment.

Rule Set Definition: The first part involves defining what constitutes an "on-net" or "on-fabric" status. In this scenario, the customer successfully configured a rule set named CERT-PUBLIC-IP using the Connects with a known public IP detection type. This tells FortiSASE that if the endpoint’s public WAN IP matches the corporate gateway, it is considered to be on the corporate network.

Profile Exemption Logic: Defining the rule set is not enough to stop the VPN connection. Within the Endpoint Profile (under the Connection tab > On/off-net Settings), there is a specific toggle labeled Exempt endpoint from FortiSASE auto-connect when endpoint is on-net (or in some versions, Bypass FortiSASE when endpoint is on-net).

Exhibit Analysis: Looking at the provided exhibit (image_57097d.jpg), the "Exempt endpoint from FortiSASE auto-connect..." toggle is clearly disabled (switched to the left).

Root Cause: Because this toggle is disabled, FortiClient identifies that it is "on-net" based on the IP rule, but it has no instruction to skip the VPN connection. Consequently, the "Automatically" initiate tunnel setting remains the dominant instruction, causing the VPN to connect regardless of the network location.

To resolve the issue, the administrator must enable the Exempt endpoint from FortiSASE auto-connect when endpoint is on-net option in the SASECert01 profile.

According to the NSE7 SASE Enterprise Guide (Pages 64 & 153), FortiSASE utilizes an intelligent engine to manage connectivity to private resources through various selection methods:

Hub Health and Priority: FortiSASE incorporates a built-in SD-WAN engine for intelligent routing selection among established IPsec links. The health check IP address periodically receives performance metrics, including jitter, latency, and packet loss, for each service connection. In this mode, FortiSASE evaluates the available hubs and selects the one with the highest priority (the most preferred value) within each POP, provided that the hub meets the defined service-level agreement (SLA) requirements. For this configuration to function correctly, both FortiSASE and the SPA hub must use the same Autonomous System Number (ASN).

BGP Multiple Exit Discriminator (MED): This method leverages the standard BGP MED attribute, which allows an autonomous system to signal its preferred entry point to a peer. FortiSASE learns the MED values advertised by the configured hubs. The architecture is designed so that the lower the MED value, the more preferred the path is to the receiving router. Consistent with the "Zero Trust" and "Secure Access" principles, even when using BGP MED, the selection is gated by the health engine; therefore, the hub is only selected if it also satisfies the configured SLA thresholds.

While SLA thresholds can be configured, the primary logic for hub selection focuses on how priority and dynamic routing attributes (like MED) interact with the real-time health of the tunnel.

In FortiSASE, the accuracy of application usage reports depends on two primary factors: the ability to identify the application (visibility) and the configuration to log that data (reporting).

Deep Inspection Requirement (D): Modern applications frequently use encryption (SSL/TLS) and dynamic ports. Without Deep Inspection (SSL decryption), the FortiSASE security engine cannot see the application payload and is limited to inspecting headers or SNI. This results in many applications being identified only by their generic protocol (e.g., "SSL" or "HTTPS") and subsequently appearing as Unknown in reports because the specific Layer 7 application signature cannot be matched.

Application Control Monitor Setting (B): Even when an application is correctly identified, it must be properly logged to appear accurately in the "Daily report for application usage". In the inline-CASB (Application Control) profile, categories are assigned actions such as "Allow", "Block", or "Monitor". If categories are set to "Allow" instead of Monitor, the traffic is permitted but granular session details—including the specific application category—may not be logged for reporting purposes, causing them to be grouped into an "Unknown" or "Uncategorized" bucket in high-level summaries.

Analysis of Incorrect Options:

Option A: While certificate inspection provides more visibility than no inspection, it is still insufficient for many applications that require deep packet inspection for identification. Therefore, the lack of Deep inspection (Option D) is the more accurate technical explanation for "Unknown" results.

Option C: ZTNA tags are used for access control and posture-based policy enforcement; they do not impact the application identification engine's ability to categorize traffic flows.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From FortiSASE 24.x/25.x, FortiOS 7.4, FortiAuthenticator 6.5, FortiClient 7.0 and later Exact Extract study guide:

In FortiSASE environments, Single Sign-On (SSO) is prioritized as the primary enterprise authentication mechanism. According to the FortiSASE Configuration Guide and Security Operations documentation, when you configure SAML SSO (Single Sign-On), it serves as a global authentication setting that overrides any previously configured local or remote (RADIUS/LDAP) user authentication methods for the secure web gateway (SWG) and VPN tunnels.

The architectural logic is designed to ensure a seamless "Zero Trust" identity provider (IdP) experience. Once SSO is enabled and configured (typically using Azure AD, Okta, or FortiAuthenticator as the IdP), FortiSASE redirects authentication requests to the defined IdP. This effectively supersedes manual local user databases or legacy RADIUS configurations to maintain a single source of truth for identity management. While MFA is often a component of the authentication process, it is a secondary factor, whereas SSO is the foundational method that dictates the authentication flow and overrides prior settings.

FortiSASE supports two main routing design methods for Secure Private Access (SPA) when connecting to a FortiGate SD-WAN hub:

BGP per Overlay (Traditional/Default Method): In this configuration, a separate iBGP session is established over every individual IPsec overlay (tunnel) between the FortiSASE PoP and the hub. These sessions terminate on the tunnel interface IP addresses. To facilitate this, the hubs typically use the IPsec VPN mode-cfg feature to dynamically assign tunnel IP addresses to the SASE PoPs. For every LAN prefix, the system generates multiple BGP routes—one for each overlay—which increases the total number of routes advertised across the network.

BGP on Loopback (Modern Alternative): This newer design establishes only a single iBGP session between the spoke and the hub, regardless of how many physical or logical overlays (tunnels) connect them. The session is terminated on a loopback interface on both sides.

Key Advantages of BGP on Loopback:

Reduced Complexity: It significantly simplifies the BGP configuration because there are fewer neighbors to manage.2

Improved Scalability: It greatly reduces the volume of routes advertised, as only a single BGP route is generated for each LAN prefix, making it the preferred choice for large-scale deployments.

Resiliency: The BGP session remains active as long as the loopback is reachable via any of the available overlays, meaning no BGP convergence is required if a single overlay fails.

In the Fortinet SASE architecture, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) tags (which have been renamed to Security Posture Tags starting with FortiClient/EMS 7.4.0) play a critical role in continuous posture assessment. These tags are dynamic metadata assign8ed to an endpoint based on specific conditions or "tagging rules" defined in the FortiSASE Endpoint Management Service (EMS).

Posture Determination: The FortiClient agent, installed on the endpoint, monitors the device for various security attributes—such as whether an antivirus is running, the presence of specific registry keys, OS version, or the absence of critical vulnerabilities.

SIA (Secure Internet Access) Use Case: In SIA scenarios, FortiSASE uses these tags within security policies to control internet access. For example, a policy may allow full internet access only to endpoints tagged as "Compliant" while redirecting "Non-Compliant" devices to a restricted remediation portal.

SPA (Secure Private Access) Use Case: In SPA (specifically ZTNA Proxy mode), the tags are synchronized from FortiSASE to the corporate FortiGate (acting as the ZTNA Access Proxy).12 When a user attempts to access a private application, the FortiGate checks the endpoint's client certificate and its synchronized ZTNA tags.13 If the endpoint does not meet the required posture (e.g., it is missing a required "Domain-Joined" tag), access is denied at the session level.

According to the FortiSASE 25 Enterprise Administrator Study Guide, ZTNA tags are fundamental to the "Zero Trust" principle because they move beyond static identity (username/password) to verify the real-time security state of the device before granting access to either the internet or internal private resources.

Based on the settings shown in the provided exhibits, the vulnerability remediation workflow is determined by the Endpoint Profile and the Vulnerability Dashboard.

Endpoint Profile Evaluation: The top exhibit displays the Scan for Vulnerabilities settings. The toggle for Automatically patch vulnerabilities is explicitly set to Disabled. Consequently, the system will not perform automated remediation when a scan completes.

Manual Patching Requirement: The Vulnerability Dashboard (bottom exhibit) lists several application vulnerabilities with a Patching status of Manual patching required. In a FortiSASE environment, "Manual" indicates that the vulnerability cannot be handled by the client's autonomous update process and requires a direct instruction from the management plane.

Administrative Intervention: The dashboard includes a Patch endpoints action button. Since auto-patching is disabled in the profile, an administrator must manually select the vulnerabilities and click the "Patch endpoints" button to remotely trigger the patching sequence on the managed endpoints via the FortiSASE cloud service.

Workflow Logic: While FortiClient acts as the "conductor" on the local machine to facilitate the download and installation, the trigger for this specific scenario is the administrator's remote action within the portal. This differentiates it from Option D (which is disabled) and Option C (which would involve a user manually browsing a website outside the managed SASE workflow).

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) private access provides the most efficient and secure method for remote users to access a TCP-based application hosted on a private web server. ZTNA ensures that only authenticated and authorized users can access specific applications based on predefined policies, enhancing security and access control.

Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA):

ZTNA operates on the principle of "never trust, always verify," continuously verifying user identity and device security posture before granting access.

It provides secure and granular access to specific applications, ensuring that remote users can securely access the TCP-based application hosted on the private web server.

Secure and Efficient Access:

ZTNA private access allows remote users to connect directly to the application without needing a full VPN tunnel, reducing latency and improving performance.

It ensures that only authorized users can access the application, providing robust security controls.

When deploying FortiSASE agent-based clients, several features are available that are not typically available with an agentless solution. These features enhance the security and management capabilities for endpoints.

Vulnerability Scan:

Agent-based clients can perform vulnerability scans on endpoints to identify and remediate security weaknesses.

This proactive approach helps to ensure that endpoints are secure and compliant with security policies.

SSL Inspection:

Agent-based clients can perform SSL inspection to decrypt and inspect encrypted traffic for threats.

This feature is critical for detecting malicious activities hidden within SSL/TLS encrypted traffic.

Web Filter:

Web filtering is a key feature available with agent-based clients, allowing administrators to control and monitor web access.

This feature helps enforce acceptable use policies and protect users from web-based threats.

For small branch offices (thin edges) where users utilize unmanaged personal devices (BYOD) like laptops and mobile phones, the most efficient way to provide Secure Internet Access (SIA) with minimal configuration is by deploying a FortiAP.

Thin Edge Integration: FortiSASE includes expanded integrations with the Fortinet WLAN portfolio, allowing FortiAP wireless access points to function as "thin edge" devices. These access points intelligently offload and steer traffic from the branch directly to the nearest FortiSASE Security Point of Presence (PoP).

No Endpoint Agents Required: Because the devices are personal and unmanaged, installing the FortiClient agent (Option A) is often not feasible or desirable. The FortiAP deployment secures all client devices at the location without requiring any endpoint agents.

Minimal Configuration & Zero-Touch: This solution is specifically designed for small office locations with limited budgets and no local IT staff. FortiSASE offers cloud-delivered management with zero-touch provisioning for FortiAP. Once the AP is connected, it automatically establishes a secure CAPWAP or IPsec tunnel to FortiSASE, ensuring all connected users are protected by the cloud security stack (Antivirus, Web Filtering, etc.) with almost no manual setup on the end-user side.

Why other options are less ideal:

Option C and D: SD-WAN on-ramp and FortiGate LAN extensions typically require a physical FortiGate appliance at the branch. For a small office with only ten users and personal devices, this adds unnecessary hardware costs and configuration complexity compared to a simple, cloud-managed FortiAP.