Free Practice Questions for Paloalto Networks PCNSE Exam

A and D are the best practice deployment modes for the firewall if the company wants to add threat prevention to the network without redesigning the network routing. This is because these modes allow the firewall to act as a transparent device that does not affect the existing network topology or routing1.

A: VirtualWire mode allows the firewall to be inserted into any existing network segment without changing the IP addressing or routing of that segment2. The firewall inspects traffic between two interfaces that are configured as a pair, called a virtual wire. The firewall applies security policies to the traffic and forwards it to the same interface from which it was received2.

D: Layer 2 mode allows the firewall to act as a switch that forwards traffic based on MAC addresses3. The firewall inspects traffic between interfaces that are configured as Layer 2 interfaces and belong to the same VLAN. The firewall applies security policies to the traffic and forwards it to the appropriate interface based on the MAC address table3.

Verified References:

1: https://www.garlandtechnology.com/blog/whats-your-palo-alto-ngfw-deployment-plan

2: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/networking/configure-interfaces/virtual-wire.html

3: https://docs.paloaltonetworks.com/pan-os/10-1/pan-os-admin/networking/configure-interfaces/layer-2.html

Decryption can be resource-intensive, and in scenarios where the firewall is nearing its resource limits, optimizing decryption practices is crucial. One way to do this is by choosing more efficient encryption algorithms that require less computational power.

C. Use ECDSA instead of RSA for traffic that isn't sensitive or high-priority:

Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) is known for requiring smaller key sizes compared to RSA for a comparable level of security. This translates to less computational overhead during the encryption and decryption processes.

By using ECDSA for traffic that isn't sensitive or high-priority, the administrator can reduce the processing load associated with decryption on the firewall. This is particularly beneficial in scenarios where resource optimization is necessary.

It's important to note that this approach does not compromise the security of encrypted traffic. Instead, it offers a more resource-efficient way to manage decryption, thus helping to maintain firewall performance even when system resources are under significant demand.

By judiciously applying this strategy, administrators can manage the decryption workload on the firewall, ensuring continued protection and inspection of encrypted traffic without overburdening the firewall's resources.