Palo Alto Networks (PANW) Certified Network Security Administrator (PCNSA) Practice Exam

What is the implication of having a firewall not licensed for URL Filtering after receiving a list of malicious URLs to block?

1. The firewall cannot block any web traffic

2. Custom URL Categories cannot be created

3. Malicious URLs cannot be filtered without a Custom URL Category

4. The firewall should automatically block all URLs

The correct answer is: Malicious URLs cannot be filtered without a Custom URL Category

The correct answer is that malicious URLs cannot be filtered without a Custom URL Category. A firewall that is not licensed for URL Filtering lacks the capability to actively filter or analyze web traffic for specific categories of URLs, including those identified as malicious. Without URL Filtering capabilities, the firewall does not have the necessary tools to enforce rules against specific domains or URLs that are considered harmful. Even with a list of those URLs, the firewall would require a mechanism to classify them and apply the appropriate filtering actions, which is typically done through the creation of Custom URL Categories. When a firewall lacks the URL Filtering license, it demonstrates that the device is not equipped to manage web traffic based on specific URL characteristics, which is essential for blocking malicious sites effectively. This inability to create Custom URL Categories directly impacts the filtering of malicious URLs, leading to the conclusion that such URLs cannot be filtered without having the appropriate licensing and configuration in place.