PSE-SWFW-Pro-24 Palo Alto Networks SystemsEngineer Professional - Software Firewall Questions and Answers

The question is about offline registration of a software NGFW (specifically VM-Series) when there's no internet connectivity.

A. Authcode and serial number of the VM-Series firewall:This is the correct answer. For offline registration, you need to generate an authorization code (authcode) from the Palo Alto Networks Customer Support Portal. This authcode is tied to the serial number of the VM-Series firewall. You provide both the authcode and the serial number to complete the offline registration process on the firewall itself.

Why other options are incorrect:

B. Hypervisor installation ID and software version:While the hypervisor and software version are relevant for the overall deployment, they are not the specific pieces of information requiredin the customer support portalfor generating the authcode needed for offline registration.

C. Number of data plane and management plane interfaces:The number of interfaces is a configuration detail on the firewall itself and not information provided during the offline registration process in the support portal.

D. CPUID and UUID of the VM-Series firewall:While UUID is important for VM identification, it is not used for generating the authcode for offline registration. The CPUID is also not relevant in this context. The authcode is specifically linked to the serial number.

When a virtual machine moves between hosts and its IP address changes (or if it's assigned a new IP from a pool), traditional static security policies become ineffective. Dynamic Address Groups solve this problem.

A. Dynamic Address Groups:These groups automatically update their membership based on criteria such as tags, VM names, or other dynamic attributes. When a VM moves and its IP address changes, the Dynamic Address Group automatically updates its membership, ensuring that security policies remain effective without manual intervention. This is the correct solution for this scenario.

B. Dynamic User Groups:These groups are based on user identity and are used for user-based policy enforcement, not for tracking IP addresses of VMs.

C. Dynamic Host Groups:This is not a standard Palo Alto Networks term.

D. Dynamic IP Groups:While the concept sounds similar, the official Palo Alto Networks terminology is "Dynamic Address Groups." They achieve the functionality described in the question.

A. DNS sinkholing:DNS sinkholing redirects DNS requests for known malicious domains to a designated server, preventing users from accessing those sites. It doesn't inherently protect or hide an internal network inoutboundflows. It's more of a preventative measure against accessing malicious external resources.

B. User-ID:User-ID maps network traffic to specific users, enabling policy enforcement based on user identity. It provides visibility and control but doesn't hide the internal network's addressing scheme in outbound connections.

C. App-ID:App-ID identifies applications traversing the network, allowing for application-based policy enforcement. Like User-ID, it doesn't mask the internal network's addressing.

D. NAT (Network Address Translation):NAT translates private IP addresses used within an internal network to a public IP address when traffic leaves the network. This effectively hides the internal IP addressing scheme from the external network. Outbound connections appear to originate from the public IP address of the NAT device (typically the firewall), thus protecting and hiding the internal network's structure.

Cloud-native load balancing with Palo Alto Networks firewalls in public clouds involvesunderstanding the distinct approaches for VM-Series and Cloud NGFW:

A. Cloud NGFW’s distributed architecture model requires deployment of a single centralized firewall and will force all traffic to the firewall across pre-built VPN tunnels:This is incorrect. Cloud NGFW uses a distributed architecture where traffic is steered to the nearest Cloud NGFW instance, often using Gateway Load Balancers (GWLBs) or similar services. It does not rely on a single centralized firewall or force all traffic through VPN tunnels.

B. VM-Series firewall deployments in the public cloud will require the deployment of a cloud-native load balancer if high availability (HA) or redundancy is needed:This is correct. VM-Series firewalls, when deployed for HA or redundancy, require a cloud-native load balancer (e.g., AWS ALB/NLB/GWLB, Azure Load Balancer) to distribute traffic across the active firewall instances. This ensures that if one firewall fails, traffic is automatically directed to a healthy instance.

C. Cloud NGFW in AWS or Azure has load balancing built into the underlying solution and does not require the deployment of a separate load balancer:This is also correct. Cloud NGFW integrates with cloud-native load balancing services (e.g., Gateway Load Balancer in AWS) as part of its architecture. This provides automatic scaling and high availability without requiring you to manage a separate load balancer.

D. VM-Series firewall load balancing is automated and is handled by the internal mechanics of the NGFW software without the need for a load balancer:This is incorrect. VM-Series firewalls do not have built-in load balancing capabilities for HA. A cloud-native load balancer is essential for distributing traffic and ensuring redundancy.

References:

Cloud NGFW documentation:Look for sections on architecture, traffic steering, and integration with cloud-native load balancing services (like AWS Gateway Load Balancer).

VM-Series deployment guides for each cloud provider:These guides explain how to deploy VM-Series firewalls for HA using cloud-native load balancers.

These resources confirm that VM-Series requires external load balancers for HA, while Cloud NGFW has load balancing integrated into its design.

CN-Series firewalls are containerized firewalls designed for Kubernetes environments. They support key next-generation firewall features:

A. App-ID:This isSUPPORTED. App-ID is a core technology of Palo Alto Networks firewalls, enabling identification and control of applications regardless of port, protocol, orevasive techniques. CN-Series firewalls leverage App-ID to provide granular application visibility and control within containerized environments.

The VM-Series plugin enables integration between Panorama and VM-Series firewalls.

Why C and D are correct:

C. To use Panorama to configure public cloud VM-Series firewall integrations, the VM-Series firewall plugin must be installed on Panorama: The plugin on Panorama provides the necessary functionality for managing VM-Series deployments in cloud environments.

D. The VM-Series firewall plugin on Panorama is not built in and must be installed to enable communication and manage the environment: The plugin is a separate installation on Panorama.

Why A and B are incorrect:

A. The installed VM-Series firewall plugin on the VM-Series firewall can only be upgraded ordeleted: There is no VM-Series plugin installed on the VM-Series firewall itself. The plugin resides on Panorama.

B. The Panorama plugin must be installed on the VM-Series firewall to enable communication with Panorama: As stated above, the plugin is installed on Panorama, not on the VM-Series firewall. Communication is established through API calls.

Palo Alto Networks References:

Panorama Administrator's Guide: This guide details plugin management and specifically mentions the VM-Series plugin for cloud integrations.

VM-Series Deployment Guides: These guides explain how to connect VM-Series firewalls to Panorama.

‘QUESTION NO: 41Which three statements describe benefits of the memory scaling feature introduced in PAN-OS 10.2? (Choose three.)

A. Increased maximum throughput with additional memoryB. Increased maximum sessions with additional memoryC. Increased maximum number of Dynamic Address Groups with additional memoryD. Increased number of tags per IP address with additional memoryE. Increased maximum security rule count with additional memory

Answer:BCE

Memory scaling in PAN-OS 10.2 and later enhances capacity for certain functions.

Why B, C, and E are correct:

B. Increased maximum sessions with additional memory:More memory allows the firewall to maintain state for a larger number of concurrent sessions.

C. Increased maximum number of Dynamic Address Groups with additional memory:DAGs consume memory, so scaling memory allows for more DAGs.

E. Increased maximum security rule count with additional memory:More memory allows the firewall to store and process a larger number of security rules.

Why A and D are incorrect:

A. Increased maximum throughput with additional memory:Throughput is primarily related to CPU and network interface performance, not memory.

D. Increased number of tags per IP address with additional memory:The number of tags per IP is not directly tied to the memory scaling feature.

Palo Alto Networks References:

PAN-OS Release Notes for 10.2 and later:The release notes for PAN-OS versions introducing memory scaling explain the benefits in detail.

PAN-OS Administrator's Guide:The guide may also contain information about resource limits and the impact of memory scaling.

The release notes specifically mention the increased capacity for sessions, DAGs, and security rules as key benefits of memory scaling.

Flex licensing provides flexibility in how you consume Palo Alto Networks firewall capabilities, especially in cloud environments:

A. Licensing additional memory resources to increase session capacity:Flex licensing primarily focuses on CPU cores and does not directly license memory resources. Memory is tied to the instance size you select in the cloud provider.

B. Licensing Strata Cloud Manager, Panorama with Dedicated Log Collectors, and CDSS per deployment profile:Strata Cloud Manager, Panorama, and CDSS are licensed separately and are not part of the flex licensing model for VM-Series.

C. Using a pool of credits for both CN-Series firewall and VM-Series firewall deployment profiles:This is a key benefit of flex licensing. You can use a shared pool of credits to deploy both CN-Series (containerized) and VM-Series (virtual machine) firewalls, providing flexibility in your deployment strategy.

D. Moving credits between public and private cloud VM-Series firewall deployments:This is another significant advantage. Flex licensing allows you to transfer credits between public cloud (AWS, Azure, GCP) and private cloud VM-Series deployments, optimizing resource utilization and cost.

E. Vertically scaling the number of licensed cores in an existing fixed deployment profile:Flex licensing allows you to dynamically adjust the number of licensed cores for your VM-Series firewalls. This vertical scaling enables you to meet changing performance demands without needing to redeploy or reconfigure your firewalls significantly.

References:

Palo Alto Networks Flex Licensing documentation:Search for "Flex Licensing" on the Palo Alto Networks support portal. This documentation provides detailed information about the flex licensing model, including the benefits and use cases.

This documentation confirms that sharing credits between CN-Series and VM-Series, moving credits between public and private clouds, and vertically scaling licensed cores are core benefits of flex licensing.

AWS:Cloud NGFW for AWS leverages AWS Gateway Load Balancer (GWLB) endpoints. These endpoints require dedicated subnets in your VPC for each Availability Zone where you want to deploy the Cloud NGFW. This ensures high availability and proper traffic routing.  

Let's look at why the other options are not the primary answer:

Google Cloud Platform (GCP):While GCP has its own networking constructs, Cloud NGFW for GCP doesn't have the same dedicated subnet requirement for endpoints as AWS.

Alibaba Cloud:I don't have specific information about Cloud NGFW deployment models for Alibaba Cloud.

Microsoft Azure:Cloud NGFW for Azure integrates with Azure Virtual WAN and doesn't have the same dedicated subnet requirement for endpoints as AWS.

Using a Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) in a public cloud environment offers several key advantages related to security and scalability:

A. Complete security solution for the public cloud provider's physical host regardless of security measures:Palo Alto Networks NGFWs operate at the network layer (and above), inspecting traffic flowing in and out of your virtual networks (VPCs in AWS, VNETs in Azure, etc.). Theydo notprovide security for the underlying physical infrastructure of the cloud provider. That's the cloud provider's responsibility. NGFWs secure your workloadswithinthe cloud environment.

B. Automatic scaling of NGFWs to meet the security needs of growing applications and public cloud environments:This is a significant benefit. Cloud NGFWs can often be configured to auto-scale based on traffic demands. As your applications grow and require more bandwidth and processing, the NGFW can automatically scale up its resources (or deploy additional instances) to maintain performance and security. This elasticity is a core advantage of cloud-based firewalls.

C. Ability to manage the public cloud provider's physical hosts:As mentioned above, NGFWs do not provide management capabilities for the cloud provider's physical infrastructure. You manage your virtual network resources and the NGFW itself, but not the underlying hardware.

D. Consistent Security policy to inbound, outbound, and east-west network traffic throughout the multi-cloud environment:This is a crucial advantage, especially in multi-cloud deployments. Palo Alto Networks NGFWs allow you to enforce consistent security policies across different cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP, etc.). This ensures consistent protection regardless of where your workloads are running and simplifies security management. East-west traffic (traffic between workloads within the same cloud environment) is also a key focus, as it's often overlooked by traditional perimeter-based security.

The question asks about Cloud NGFW offeringsunder the CSP's own brand name. This means the CSP is offering the service as their own, even though it's powered by Palo Alto Networks technology.

A. Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI):OCI offers Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Network Firewall, which is powered by Palo Alto Networks' Cloud NGFW technology. It is branded as an Oracle service.

B. IBM Cloud (previously Softlayer):While Palo Alto Networks products can be deployed in IBM Cloud, there isn't a branded Cloud NGFW offering by IBM itself.

C. Alibaba Cloud:Similar to IBM Cloud, while Palo Alto Networks products can be used, Alibaba Cloud does not offer a rebranded Cloud NGFW service.

D. Google Cloud Platform (GCP):GCP offers Network Firewall Plus, which is powered by Palo Alto Networks' Cloud NGFW technology. It is branded as a Google

Let's analyze each option based on Palo Alto Networks documentation and best practices:

A. VMs on VMware ESXi hypervisors can be segregated from one another on the network by the VM-Series NGFW by IP addressing and Layer 3 gateways.This isTRUE. The VM-Series firewall can act as a Layer 3 gateway, enabling inter-VLAN routing and enforcing security policies between different VM networks based on IP addresses and subnets. This allows for granular control over traffic flow between VMs.

Palo Alto Networks provides various reference architectures for deploying VM-Series firewalls in different cloud environments. Let's examine the options:

A. Cloud NGFW for AWS: Combined Model:While Cloud NGFWisan offering, the term "Combined Model" isn't a standard, documented reference architecture name. Cloud NGFW for AWS focuses on simplified deployment and management but doesn't use this specific terminology for its deployment models.

B. AWS VM-Series: Isolated Transit Gateway:This is aVALIDdeployment model. It involves deploying VM-Series firewalls in an isolated VPC connected to AWS Transit Gateway. This provides centralized security inspection for traffic flowing between different VPCs and on-premises networks connected to the Transit Gateway.

This question asks about common characteristics of Cloud NGFW (specifically referring to Cloud NGFW for AWS and Azure) and VM-Series firewalls.

B. In Azure and AWS, both offerings can be managed by Panorama.This is correct. Panorama is the centralized management platform for Palo Alto Networks firewalls, including both VM-Series and Cloud NGFW deployments in AWS and Azure. Panorama allows for consistent policy management, logging, and reporting across these different deployment models.  

D. In Azure, inbound destination NAT configuration also requires source NAT to maintain flow symmetry.This is accurate specifically within the Azure environment. Due to how Azure networking functions, when performing destination NAT (DNAT) for inbound traffic to resources behind a firewall (whether VM-Series or Cloud NGFW), it's typically necessary to also implement source NAT (SNAT) to ensure return traffic follows the same path. This maintains flow symmetry and prevents routing issues. This is an Azure networking characteristic, not specific to the Palo Alto offerings themselves, but it applies tobothin Azure.  

E. In Azure and AWS, internal (east-west) flows can be inspected without any NAT.This is generally true. For traffic within the same Virtual Network (Azure) or VPC (AWS), both VM-Series and Cloud NGFW can inspect traffic without requiring NAT. This is a key advantage for microsegmentation and internal security. The firewalls can act as transparent security gateways for internal traffic.

Why other options are incorrect:

A. In Azure, both offerings can be integrated directly into Virtual WAN hubs.While VM-Series firewallscanbe integrated into Azure Virtual WAN hubs as secured virtual hubs, Cloud NGFW for Azure isnotdirectly integrated into Virtual WAN hubs in the same way. Cloud NGFW for Azure uses a different architecture, deploying as a service within a virtual network.  

C. In AWS, both offerings can be managed by AWS Firewall Manager.AWS Firewall Manager is a service for managing AWS WAF, AWS Shield, and network firewalls (AWS Network Firewall). While AWS Firewall Manager can be used to manage AWS Network Firewall, it isnotthe management plane for Palo Alto Networks VM-Series or Cloud NGFW for AWS. These are managed by Panorama.  

Palo Alto Networks References:

To validate these points, refer to the following documentation areas on the Palo Alto Networks support site (live.paloaltonetworks.com):

Panorama Administrator's Guide:This guide details the management capabilities of Panorama, including managing VM-Series and Cloud NGFW deployments in AWS and Azure.  

Cloud NGFW for AWS/Azure Documentation:This documentation outlines the architecture and deployment models of Cloud NGFW, including its management and integration with cloud platforms.

VM-Series Deployment Guides for AWS/Azure:These guides describe the deployment and configuration of VM-Series firewalls in AWS and Azure, including networking considerations and integration with cloud services.

Credit-based flexible licensing provides flexibility in deploying and managing Palo Alto Networks software firewalls. Let's analyze the options:

A. Create virtual Panoramas:While Panorama can manage software firewalls, credit-based licensing is primarily focused on the firewalls themselves (VM-Series, CN-Series, Cloud NGFW), not on Panorama. Panorama has its own licensing model.

B. Add Cloud-Delivered Security Services (CDSS) subscriptions to CN-Series firewalls:This is aVALIDbenefit. Credit-based licensing allows customers to use credits to enable CDSS subscriptions (like Threat Prevention, URL Filtering, WildFire) on CN-Series firewalls. This provides flexibility in choosing and applying security services as needed.

CN-Series firewalls are specifically designed for containerized environments.  

Why A, C, and E are correct:

A. Prevention of sensitive data exfiltration from Kubernetes environments:CN-Series provides visibility and control over container traffic, enabling the prevention of data leaving the Kubernetes cluster without authorization.  

C. Inbound, outbound, and east-west traffic between containers:CN-Series secures all types of container traffic: ingress (inbound), egress (outbound), and traffic between containers within the cluster (east-west).  

E. Enforcement of segmentation policies that prevent lateral movement of threats:CN-Series allows for granular segmentation of containerized applications, limiting the impact of breaches by preventing threats from spreading laterally within the cluster.

Why B and D are incorrect:

B. All Kubernetes workloads in the public and private cloud:While CN-Series can protect Kubernetes workloads in both public and private clouds, the statement "all Kubernetes workloads" is too broad. Its focus is on securing the network traffic around those workloads, not managing the Kubernetes infrastructure itself.

D. All workloads deployed on-premises or in the public cloud:CN-Series is specifically designed for containerized environments (primarily Kubernetes). It's notintended to protect all workloads deployed in any environment. That's the role of other Palo Alto Networks products like VM-Series, PA-Series, and Prisma Access.  

Palo Alto Networks References:The Palo Alto Networks documentation on CN-Series firewalls clearly outlines these use cases. Look for information on:

CN-Series Datasheets and Product Pages:These resources describe the key features and benefits of CN-Series, including its focus on container security.

CN-Series Deployment Guides:These guides provide detailed information on deploying and configuring CN-Series in Kubernetes environments.

These resources confirm that CN-Series is focused on securing container traffic within Kubernetes environments, including data exfiltration prevention, securing all traffic directions (inbound, outbound, east-west), and enforcing segmentation