PCSFE Questions and Answers

The two methods of Zero Trust implementation that can benefit an organization are:

• Boundaries are established
• Access controls are enforced

Zero Trust is a security model that assumes no trust for any entity or network segment, and requires continuous verification and validation of all connections and transactions. Zero Trust implementation can benefit an organization by improving its security posture, reducing its attack surface, and enhancing its visibility and compliance. Boundaries are established is a method of Zero Trust implementation that involves defining and segmenting the network into smaller zones based on data sensitivity, user identity, device type, or application function. Boundaries are established can benefit an organization by isolating and protecting critical assets from unauthorized access or lateral movement. Access controls are enforced is a method of Zero Trust implementation that involves applying granular security policies based on the principle of least privilege to each zone or connection. Access controls are enforced can benefit an organization by preventing data exfiltration, malware propagation, or credential theft. Compliance is validated and security automation is seamlessly integrated are not methods of Zero Trust implementation, but they may be potential outcomes or benefits of implementing Zero Trust. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Zero Trust Security Model], [Zero Trust Network Security]

Threat Prevention and WildFire are the two subscriptions that provide protection against malware and lateral movement in a private data center. Threat Prevention blocks known threats using antivirus, anti-spyware, and vulnerability protection. WildFire analyzes unknown files and links in a cloud-based sandbox and generates signatures for new threats. Intelligent Traffic Offload is a feature that reduces the load on the firewall by offloading traffic that does not need inspection. SD-WAN is a feature that optimizes the performance and availability of WAN connections. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Threat Prevention Datasheet], [WildFire Datasheet], [Intelligent Traffic Offload], [SD-WAN]

To deploy a VM-Series firewall on NSX, you need to enable communication between Panorama and the NSX Manager. This allows Panorama to receive information about the virtual machines and services in the NSX environment. You also need to register the VM-Series firewall as a service on the NSX Manager. This allows NSX to redirect traffic to the VM-Series firewall for inspection3. References: VM-Series Deployment Guide for VMware NSX

CN-Series high availability (HA) pair is the best solution for securing an EKS environment. EKS is a managed service that allows users to run Kubernetes clusters on AWS. CN-Series is a containerized firewall that integrates with Kubernetes and provides visibility and control over container traffic. CN-Series HA pair consists of two CN-Series firewalls deployed in active-passive mode to provide redundancy and failover protection. VM-Series single host, PA-Series using load sharing, and API orchestration are not optimal solutions for securing an EKS environment, as they do not offer the same level of integration, scalability, and automation as CN-Series. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [CN-Series Deployment Guide for AWS EKS], [CN-Series Datasheet]

CN-Series firewall is the Palo Alto Networks firewall that provides network security when deploying a microservices-based application. A microservices-based application is an application that consists of multiple independent and loosely coupled services that communicate with each other through APIs. A microservices-based application requires network security that can protect the inter-service communication from cyberattacks and enforce granular security policies based on application or workload characteristics. CN-Series firewall is a containerized firewall that integrates with Kubernetes and provides visibility and control over container traffic. CN-Series firewall can provide network security when deploying a microservices-based application by inspecting and enforcing security policies on traffic between containers within a pod, across pods, or across namespaces in a Kubernetes cluster. PA-Series, VM-Series, and HA-Series are not Palo Alto Networks firewalls that provide network security when deploying a microservices-based application, but they are related solutions that can be deployed on different platforms or environments. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [CN-Series Datasheet], [CN-Series Concepts], [What is a Microservices Architecture?]

Dynamic address group is the component that allows the flexibility to add network resources but does not require making changes to existing policies and rules. Dynamic address group is an object that represents a group of IP addresses based on criteria such as tags, regions, interfaces, or user-defined attributes. Dynamic address group allows Security policies to adapt dynamically to changes in the network topology or workload characteristics without requiring manual updates. Content-ID, External dynamic list, and App-ID are not components that allow the flexibility to add network resources but do not require making changes to existing policies and rules, but they are related features that can enhance security and visibility. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Dynamic Address Groups Overview], [Content-ID Overview], [External Dynamic Lists Overview], [App-ID Overview]

CN-Series devices obtain a VM-Series authorization key from Panorama. Panorama is a centralized management server that provides visibility and control over multiple Palo Alto Networks firewalls and devices. A VM-Series authorization key is a license key that activates the VM-Series firewall features and capacities. CN-Series devices obtain a VM-Series authorization key from Panorama by registering with Panorama using their CPU ID and requesting an authorization code from Panorama’s license pool. Panorama then generates an authorization key for the CN-Series device and sends it back to the device for activation. CN-Series devices do not obtain a VM-Series authorization key from local installation, GitHub, or Customer Support Portal, as those are not valid or relevant sources for license management. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Panorama Overview], [VM-Series Licensing Overview], [CN-Series Licensing]

Dynamic Address Group is the PAN-OS feature that allows for automated updates to address objects when VM-Series firewalls are setup as part of an NSX deployment. NSX is a software-defined network (SDN) solution that provides network virtualization, automation, and security for cloud-native applications. Dynamic Address Group is an object that represents a group of IP addresses based on criteria such as tags, regions, interfaces, or user-defined attributes. Dynamic Address Group allows Security policies to adapt dynamically to changes in the network topology or workload characteristics without requiring manual updates. When VM-Series firewalls are setup as part of an NSX deployment, they can leverage the NSX tags assigned to virtual machines (VMs) or containers by the NSX manager or controller to populate Dynamic Address Groups and update Security policies accordingly. Boundary automation, Hypervisor integration, and Bootstrapping are not PAN-OS features that allow for automated updates to address objects when VM-Series firewalls are setup as part of an NSX deployment, but they are related concepts that can be used for other purposes. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [Dynamic Address Groups Overview], [Deploy the VM-Series Firewall on VMware NSX]

The two design options that address split brain when configuring high availability (HA) are:

• Adding a backup HA1 interface
• Using the heartbeat backup

Split brain is a condition that occurs when both firewalls in an HA pair assume the active role and start processing traffic independently, resulting in traffic duplication, policy inconsistency, or session disruption. Split brain can be caused by network failures, device failures, or configuration errors that prevent the firewalls from communicating their HA status and synchronizing their configurations and sessions. Adding a backup HA1 interface is a design option that addresses split brain when configuring HA. The HA1 interface is used for exchanging HA state information and configuration synchronization between the firewalls. Adding a backup HA1 interface provides redundancy and failover protection for the HA1 interface, ensuring that the firewalls can maintain their HA communication and avoid split brain. Using the heartbeat backup is a design option that addresses split brain when configuring HA. The heartbeat backup is a mechanism that allows the firewalls to send additional heartbeat messages through an alternate path, such as a management interface or a data interface, to verify the health of the peer firewall. Using the heartbeat backup prevents split brain caused by network failures or device failures that affect the primary HA interfaces. Bundling multiple interfaces in an aggregated interface group and assigning HA2, and sending heartbeats across the HA2 interfaces are not design options that address split brain when configuring HA, but they are related features that can enhance performance and reliability. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [High Availability Overview], [Configure HA Backup Links], [Configure Heartbeat Backup]

Access to the Cloud NGFW for AWS console must be enabled when using Terraform templates with a Cloud next-generation firewall (NGFW) for Amazon Web Services (AWS). Terraform is an open-source tool that allows users to define and provision infrastructure as code using declarative configuration files. Terraform templates are files that specify the resources and configuration for deploying and managing infrastructure components, such as firewalls, load balancers, networks, or servers. Cloud NGFW for AWS is a cloud-native solution that provides comprehensive security and visibility across AWS environments, including VPCs, regions, accounts, and workloads. Cloud NGFW for AWS is deployed and managed by Palo Alto Networks as a service, eliminating the need for customers to provision, configure, or maintain any infrastructure or software. Access to the Cloud NGFW for AWS console must be enabled when using Terraform templates with a Cloud NGFW for AWS, as the console is the web-based interface that allows customers to view and manage their Cloud NGFW for AWS instances, policies, logs, alerts, and reports. The console also provides the necessary information and credentials for integrating with Terraform, such as the API endpoint, access key ID, secret access key, and customer ID. AWS CloudWatch logging, access to the Palo Alto Networks Customer Support Portal, and AWS Firewall Manager console access do not need to be enabled when using Terraform templates with a Cloud NGFW for AWS, as those are not required or relevant components for Terraform integration. References: [Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE)], [Terraform Overview], [Cloud Next-Generation Firewall Datasheet], [Cloud Next-Generation Firewall Deployment Guide], [Cloud Next-Generation Firewall Console Guide]

DNS Security is the feature that provides real-time analysis using machine learning (ML) to defend against new and unknown threats. DNS Security leverages a cloud-based service that applies predictive analytics, advanced ML, and automation to block malicious domains and stop attacks in progress. Advanced URL Filtering (AURLF), Cortex Data Lake, and Panorama VM-Series plugin are not features that provide real-time analysis using ML, but they are related solutions that can enhance security and visibility. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [DNS Security Datasheet], [Advanced URL Filtering Datasheet], [Cortex Data Lake Datasheet], [Panorama VM-Series Plugin]

Containers are the elements that a CN-Series firewall can secure traffic between. Containers are isolated units of software that run on a shared operating system and have their own resources, dependencies, and configuration. A CN-Series firewall can inspect and enforce security policies on traffic between containers within a pod, across pods, or across namespaces in a Kubernetes cluster. Host containers, source applications, and IPods are not valid elements that a CN-Series firewall can secure traffic between. References: Palo Alto Networks Certified Software Firewall Engineer (PCSFE), [CN-Series Concepts], [What is a Container?]

Palo Alto Networks recommends two configuration options for outbound high availability (HA) design in Amazon Web Services using a VM-Series firewall: transit gateway and Security VPC, and traditional active-passive HA. Transit gateway and Security VPC allows you to use a single transit gateway to route traffic between multiple VPCs and the internet, while using a Security VPC to host the VM-Series firewalls. Traditional active-passive HA allows you to use two VM-Series firewalls in an HA pair, where one firewall is active and handles all traffic, while the other firewall is passive and takes over in case of a failure. References: [VM-Series Deployment Guide for AWS Outbound VPC]