Free Paloalto Networks PSE-Strata-Pro-24 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 2

To secure and protect your traffic using CDSS, Cloud NGFW for AWS provides Palo Alto Networks protections such as:

App-ID. Based on patented Layer 7 traffic classification technology, the App-ID service allows you to see the applications on your network, learn how they work, observe their behavioral characteristics, and understand their relative risk. Cloud NGFW for AWS identifies applications and application functions via multiple techniques, including application signatures, decryption, protocol decoding, and heuristics. These capabilities determine the exact identity of applications traversing your network, including those attempting to evade detection by masquerading as legitimate traffic by hopping ports or using encryption.

Threat Prevention. The Palo Alto Networks Threat Prevention service protects your network by providing multiple layers of prevention to confront each phase of an attack. In addition to essential intrusion prevention service (IPS) capabilities, Threat Prevention possesses the unique ability to detect and block threats on any ports—rather than simply invoking signatures based on a limited set of predefined ports.

Advanced URL Filtering. This critical service built into Cloud NGFW for AWS stops unknown web-based attacks in real-time to prevent patient zero with the industry’s only ML-powered Advanced URL Filtering. Advanced URL Filtering combines the renowned Palo Alto Networks malicious URL database with the industry’s first real-time web protection engine so organizations can automatically and instantly detect and prevent new malicious and targeted web-based threats.

DNS. DNS Security gives you real-time protection, applying industry-first protections to disrupt attacks that use DNS. Tight integration with a Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) gives you automated protections, prevents attackers from bypassing security measures, and eliminates the need for independent tools or changes to DNS routing. DNS Security gives your organization a critical new control point to stop attacks.

WildFire. Palo Alto Networks Advanced WildFire® is the industry’s largest cloud-based malware prevention engine that protects organizations from highly evasive threats using patented machine learning detection engines, enabling automated protections across network, cloud, and endpoints. Advanced WildFire analyzes every unknown file for malicious intent and then distributes prevention in record time—60 times faster than the nearest competitor—to reduce the risk of patient zero.

https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/cloud-ngfw-aws/administration/protect/cloud-delivered-security-services

The question asks for three use cases specific to Policy Optimizer, a feature in PAN-OS designed to enhance security policy management on Palo Alto Networks Strata Hardware Firewalls. Policy Optimizer helps administrators refine firewall rules by leveraging App-ID technology, transitioning from legacy port-based policies to application-based policies, and optimizing rule efficiency. Below is a detailed explanation of why options A, C, and E are the correct use cases, verified against official Palo Alto Networks documentation.

Step 1: Understanding Policy Optimizer in PAN-OS

Policy Optimizer is a tool introduced in PAN-OS 9.0 and enhanced in subsequent versions (e.g., 11.1), accessible under Policies > Policy Optimizer in the web interface. It analyzes traffic logs to:

Identify applications traversing the network.

Suggest refinements to security rules (e.g., replacing ports with App-IDs).

Provide insights into rule usage and optimization opportunities.

Its primary goal is to align policies with Palo Alto Networks’ application-centric approach, improving security and manageability on Strata NGFWs.

DNS Security (Answer C):

DNS Security is the appropriate subscription for addressing threats over port 53.

DNS tunneling is a common method used for data exfiltration, infiltration, and C2 activities, as it allows malicious traffic to be hidden within legitimate DNS queries.

The DNS Security service applies machine learning models to analyze DNS queries in real-time, block malicious domains, and prevent tunneling activities.

It integrates seamlessly with the NGFW, ensuring advanced protection against DNS-based threats without requiring additional infrastructure.

Why Not Threat Prevention (Answer A):

Threat Prevention is critical for blocking malware, exploits, and vulnerabilities, but it does not specifically address DNS-based tunneling or C2 activities over port 53.

Why Not App-ID and Data Loss Prevention (Answer B):

While App-ID can identify applications, and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) helps prevent sensitive data leakage, neither focuses on blocking DNS tunneling or malicious activity over port 53.

Why Not Advanced Threat Prevention and Advanced URL Filtering (Answer D):

Advanced Threat Prevention and URL Filtering are excellent for broader web and network threats, but DNS tunneling specifically requires the DNS Security subscription, which specializes in DNS-layer threats.

References from Palo Alto Networks Documentation:

DNS Security Subscription Overview

The customer is seeking centralized policy management to reduce human error while maintaining compliance with their contractual obligations to AWS and Azure. Here's the evaluation of each option:

Option A: Cloud NGFWs at both CSPs; provide the customer a license for a Panorama virtual appliance from their CSP's marketplace of choice to centrally manage the systems

Cloud NGFW is a fully managed Next-Generation Firewall service by Palo Alto Networks, offered in AWS and Azure marketplaces. It integrates natively with the CSP infrastructure, making it a good fit for customers with existing CSP agreements.

Panorama, Palo Alto Networks' centralized management solution, can be deployed as a virtual appliance in the CSP marketplace of choice, enabling centralized policy management across all NGFWs.

This option addresses the customer's need for centralized management while leveraging their existing contracts with AWS and Azure.

This option is appropriate.

Option B: Cloud NGFWs in AWS and VM-Series firewall in Azure; the customer selects a PAYG licensing Panorama deployment in their CSP of choice

This option suggests using Cloud NGFW in AWS but VM-Series firewalls in Azure. While VM-Series is a flexible virtual firewall solution, it may not align with the customer’s stated preference for CSP-managed services like Cloud NGFW.

This option introduces a mix of solutions that could complicate centralized management and reduce operational efficiency.

This option is less appropriate.

Option C: VM-Series firewalls in both CSPs; manually built Panorama in the CSP of choice on a host of either type: Palo Alto Networks provides a license

VM-Series firewalls are well-suited for cloud deployments but require more manual configuration compared to Cloud NGFW.

Building a Panorama instance manually on a host increases operational overhead and does not leverage the customer’s existing CSP marketplaces.

This option is less aligned with the customer's needs.

Option D: VM-Series firewall and CN-Series firewall in both CSPs; provide the customer a private-offer Panorama virtual appliance from their CSP’s marketplace of choice to centrally manage the systems

This option introduces both VM-Series and CN-Series firewalls in both CSPs. While CN-Series firewalls are designed for Kubernetes environments, they may not be relevant if the customer does not specifically require container-level security.

Adding CN-Series firewalls may introduce unnecessary complexity and costs.

This option is not appropriate.

Understanding the Problem:

The issue is that Advanced Threat Prevention (ATP) logs are visible on the firewall but are not being ingested into the company’s SIEM.

This implies that the ATP subscription is working and generating logs on the firewall but the logs are not being forwarded properly to the SIEM.

Action to Resolve:

Log Forwarding Configuration:

Verify that the Security policy rules configured to inspect traffic using Advanced Threat Prevention are set to forward logs to the SIEM instance.

This is a common oversight. Even if the logs are generated locally, they will not be forwarded unless explicitly configured.

Configuration steps to verify in the Palo Alto Networks firewall:

Go to Policies > Security Policies and check the "Log Forwarding" profile applied.

Ensure the "Log Forwarding" profile includes the correct settings to forward Threat Logs to the SIEM.

Go to Device > Log Settings and ensure the firewall is set to forward Threat logs to the desired Syslog or SIEM destination.

Why Not the Other Options?

A (Enable the Threat Prevention license):

The problem does not relate to the license; the administrator already confirmed the license is active.

B (Check with the SIEM vendor):

While verifying SIEM functionality is important, the first step is to ensure the logs are being forwarded correctly from the firewall to the SIEM. This is under the systems administrator’s control.

C (Have the SIEM vendor troubleshoot):

This step should only be taken after confirming the logs are forwarded properly from the firewall.

References from Palo Alto Networks Documentation:

Log Forwarding and Security Policy Configuration

Advanced Threat Prevention Configuration Guide

Create a New Threat Profile (Answer B):

Performance tuning in Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) involves ensuring that only the most relevant and necessary signatures are enabled for the specific environment.

Palo Alto Networks allows you to create custom threat profiles to selectively enable signatures that match the threats most likely to affect the environment. This reduces unnecessary resource usage and ensures optimal performance.

By tailoring the signature set, organizations can focus on real threats without impacting overall throughput and latency.

Why Not A:

Leaving all signatures turned on is not a best practice because it may consume excessive resources, increasing processing time and degrading firewall performance, especially in high-throughput environments.

Why Not C:

While working with TAC for debugging may help identify specific performance bottlenecks, it is not a recommended approach for routine performance tuning. Instead, proactive configuration changes, such as creating tailored threat profiles, should be made.

Why Not D:

Disabling irrelevant threat signatures can improve performance, but this task is effectively accomplished by creating a new threat profile. Manually disabling signatures one by one is not scalable or efficient.

References from Palo Alto Networks Documentation:

Threat Prevention Best Practices

Custom Threat Profile Configuration

A large deployment of 500 firewalls requires a scalable, centralized logging and reporting infrastructure. Here's the analysis of each option:

Option A: Combine Panorama for firewall management with Palo Alto Networks' cloud-based Strata Logging Service to offer scalability for the company's logging and reporting infrastructure

The Strata Logging Service (or Cortex Data Lake) is a cloud-based solution that offers massive scalability for logging and reporting. Combined with Panorama, it allows for centralized log collection, analysis, and policy management without the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure.

This approach is ideal for large-scale environments like the one described in the scenario, as it ensures cost-effectiveness and scalability.

This is the correct recommendation.

Option B: Use Panorama for firewall management and to transfer logs from the 500 firewalls directly to a third-party SIEM for centralized logging and reporting

While third-party SIEM solutions can be integrated with Palo Alto Networks NGFWs, directly transferring logs from 500 firewalls to a SIEM can lead to bottlenecks and scalability issues. Furthermore, relying on third-party solutions may not provide the same level of native integration as the Strata Logging Service.

This is not the ideal recommendation.

Option C: Highlight the efficiency of PAN-OS, which employs AI to automatically extract critical logs and generate daily executive reports, and confirm that the purchase of 500 NGFWs is sufficient

While PAN-OS provides AI-driven insights and reporting, this option does not address the requirement for centralized logging and reporting. It also dismisses the need for additional infrastructure to handle logs from 500 firewalls.

This is incorrect.

Option D: Deploy a pair of M-1000 log collectors in the customer data center, and route logs from all 500 firewalls to the log collectors for centralized logging and reporting

The M-1000 appliance is an on-premises log collector, but it has limitations in terms of scalability and storage capacity when compared to cloud-based options like the Strata Logging Service. Deploying only two M-1000 log collectors for 500 firewalls would result in potential performance and storage challenges.

This is not the best recommendation.

SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) is a cloud-based solution that combines networking and security capabilities to address modern enterprise needs. However, there are scenarios where an on-premises solution is more appropriate.

A. High growth phase with existing and planned mergers, and with acquisitions being integrated.

This scenario typically favors a SASE solution since it provides flexible, scalable, and centralized security that is ideal for integrating newly acquired businesses.

B. Most employees and applications in close physical proximity in a geographic region.

This scenario supports the choice of an on-premises solution. When employees and applications are concentrated in a single geographic region, traditional on-premises firewalls and centralized security appliances provide cost-effective and efficient protection without the need for distributed, cloud-based infrastructure.

C. Hybrid work and cloud adoption at various locations that have different requirements per site.

This scenario aligns with a SASE solution. Hybrid work and varying site requirements are better addressed by SASE’s ability to provide consistent security policies regardless of location.

D. The need to enable business to securely expand its geographical footprint.

Expanding into new geographic areas benefits from the scalability and flexibility of a SASE solution, which can deliver consistent security globally without requiring physical appliances at each location.

Key Takeaways:

On-premises solutions are ideal for geographically concentrated networks with minimal cloud adoption.

SASE is better suited for hybrid work, cloud adoption, and distributed networks.