Top 43
Command Line
Interface (CLI)
and
Troubleshooting
MCQ Q&A with
Explanations
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1. Which command shows the currently active sessions on a Palo Alto
firewall?
A) show routing route
B) show session all
C) debug dataplane packet-diag
D) clear session all
✅ Correct Answer: B) show session all
Explanation: This command displays all active sessions, including protocol, source,
destination, and NAT details. It is key for troubleshooting session-related issues.
2. What CLI command is used to view the currently running
configuration?
A) show config active
B) show configuration
C) show running-config
D) configure
✅ Correct Answer: A) show config active
Explanation: This shows the current active running configuration on the firewall. It's
helpful to verify what is currently applied.
3. Which command is used to capture live packets in Palo Alto CLI?
A) debug dataplane packet-diag set capture on
B) show packet flow
C) ping source
D) clear traffic logs
✅ Correct Answer: A) debug dataplane packet-diag set capture on
Explanation: This command enables packet capture on the dataplane. It's essential for
analyzing traffic behavior.
4. What does the command show system resources display?
A) Session statistics
B) CPU and memory usage
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C) Security policy hits
D) Active licenses
✅ Correct Answer: B) CPU and memory usage
Explanation: It provides details on system performance including CPU and memory
utilization. Useful for troubleshooting resource bottlenecks.
5. What is the command to clear all sessions?
A) delete session all
B) reset session all
C) clear session all
D) flush session all
✅ Correct Answer: C) clear session all
Explanation: This command terminates all existing sessions, forcing clients to re-
establish connections. Helpful when testing policies.
6. Which command helps in verifying if a security policy is being hit?
A) show session all filter application
B) show counter global
C) test security-policy-match
D) debug flow
✅ Correct Answer: C) test security-policy-match
Explanation: This simulates traffic against configured security policies to verify which
rule will be hit.
7. How do you initiate a ping from a specific interface in Palo Alto CLI?
A) ping from interface
B) ping source <interface> host <ip>
C) ping specific
D) test ping
✅ Correct Answer: B) ping source <interface> host <ip>
Explanation: This is used to troubleshoot routing or connectivity from a specific
interface perspective.
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
8. What is the purpose of less mp-log command?
A) Monitor process logs
B) Check policy match
C) Configure interface logs
D) Display license info
✅ Correct Answer: A) Monitor process logs
Explanation: This command allows you to read various management plane log files
(e.g., system logs, user-id, etc.).
9. Which command generates a full tech support file?
A) request support file
B) generate support details
C) request tech-support dump
D) debug support file generate
✅ Correct Answer: C) request tech-support dump
Explanation: This gathers all logs and system diagnostics, used when opening a TAC
case.
10. What does debug dataplane packet-diag show command do?
A) Shows active sessions
B) Displays captured packets
C) Restarts packet engine
D) Clears system logs
✅ Correct Answer: B) Displays captured packets
Explanation: It shows the results of packet captures performed on the dataplane.
11. How do you stop an ongoing debug session?
A) debug stop all
B) clear debug
C) debug dataplane packet-diag clear
D) debug disable
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✅ Correct Answer: C) debug dataplane packet-diag clear
Explanation: This stops and clears the ongoing packet capture/debug process.
12. Which log file would be helpful for investigating User-ID issues?
A) authd.log
B) useridd.log
C) mp-log.log
D) sslvpn.log
✅ Correct Answer: B) useridd.log
Explanation: This log tracks User-ID agent activity, helping to troubleshoot identity
mapping issues.
13. Which command displays NAT rules hit count?
A) show running nat-stats
B) show counter interface nat
C) show running nat-policy
D) show running nat-rule hit-count
✅ Correct Answer: A) show running nat-stats
Explanation: Displays NAT rule hit statistics to analyze if traffic is being properly
translated.
14. Which command provides a list of currently loaded applications?
A) show apps all
B) show application filter
C) show predefined applications
D) show application list
✅ Correct Answer: D) show application list
Explanation: This command lists all applications recognized by App-ID, important for
troubleshooting policies.
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
15. Which command helps trace the path traffic takes through the
firewall?
A) tracepath
B) debug dataplane flow basic
C) flowcheck
D) trace firewall packet
✅ Correct Answer: B) debug dataplane flow basic
Explanation: This enables flow tracking at the dataplane level, helping to understand
how traffic is processed.
16. Which CLI command is used to check the status of interfaces on a
Palo Alto firewall?
A) show interface all
B) show system interface status
C) show interfaces
D) show interface
✅ Correct Answer: C) show interfaces
Explanation: This command provides detailed information about the status of all
interfaces, including operational and link status.
17. Which command is used to clear traffic logs from the firewall?
A) clear log traffic
B) clear logs
C) clear log
D) clear traffic
✅ Correct Answer: A) clear log traffic
Explanation: This command clears the traffic logs on the firewall, useful for managing
log storage.
18. What does the debug log command do in Palo Alto CLI?
A) Enables logging for all sessions
B) Clears the log buffer
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C) Displays system logs in real-time
D) Starts log capture for troubleshooting
✅ Correct Answer: C) Displays system logs in real-time
Explanation: This command shows real-time logs generated by the system, helping
diagnose issues as they occur.
19. Which CLI command is used to show the status of a particular
firewall rule?
A) show rule status
B) show security-policy
C) show rule base status
D) test security-policy-status
✅ Correct Answer: B) show security-policy
Explanation: This command displays the current configuration and status of all security
policies on the firewall.
20. How do you display the number of active sessions for a particular
policy?
A) show session all
B) show counter session
C) show session policy hit
D) show session active
✅ Correct Answer: C) show session policy hit
Explanation: This command helps you monitor how often each policy is being triggered
by active sessions.
21. Which command is used to check the state of the firewall's
management plane?
A) show system state
B) show system status
C) show management status
D) show system resources
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✅ Correct Answer: B) show system status
Explanation: This command provides the status of the management plane, including its
health and connectivity.
22. Which command is used to show the latest captured packets?
A) show packet capture
B) debug packet capture
C) show packet
D) show capture
✅ Correct Answer: A) show packet capture
Explanation: Displays the most recent packet capture details, including packet headers
and payload information.
23. What does the clear session command do in Palo Alto CLI?
A) Resets all current sessions to their initial state
B) Clears all session data and forces a new login
C) Deletes all current session data
D) Terminates active sessions
✅ Correct Answer: D) Terminates active sessions
Explanation: This command terminates active sessions, effectively disconnecting users
or traffic flow.
24. Which command provides a list of configured security policies?
A) show policies
B) show running policies
C) show rule-set
D) show security rules
✅ Correct Answer: D) show security rules
Explanation: Displays a list of all configured security rules that govern the firewall
traffic processing.
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
25. Which command is used to display a real-time session of traffic flow
for debugging?
A) debug flow session real-time
B) debug flow
C) show session flow real-time
D) debug traffic
✅ Correct Answer: B) debug flow
Explanation: The debug flow command allows you to see real-time traffic flows and is
critical for troubleshooting.
26. How can you test if a policy is hitting correctly for specific traffic?
A) test policy match
B) test security-policy
C) test policy match traffic
D) test traffic-policy
✅ Correct Answer: A) test policy match
Explanation: This command tests whether a specific security policy matches given
traffic. It helps in policy validation during troubleshooting.
27. Which command helps to view the license information of a Palo Alto
firewall?
A) show license
B) license show
C) show system license
D) show system status license
✅ Correct Answer: A) show license
Explanation: Displays the details of active licenses, including license type and
expiration, useful for license validation.
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
28. Which command allows you to clear all logs related to a particular
traffic session?
A) clear log session
B) clear traffic logs session
C) clear session logs
D) clear session
✅ Correct Answer: C) clear session logs
Explanation: Clears logs specific to sessions, making it easier to manage session-related
logs during troubleshooting.
29. How do you gather a tech support file from a Palo Alto firewall?
A) request tech-support file
B) request tech dump
C) request tech-support dump
D) gather tech file
✅ Correct Answer: C) request tech-support dump
Explanation: This command collects diagnostic information and logs that can be
submitted to Palo Alto Networks support for further investigation.
30. What command is used to show the available virtual routers
configured in a Palo Alto firewall?
A) show routing
B) show virtual router
C) show route
D) show router
✅ Correct Answer: B) show virtual router
Explanation: Displays the virtual routers that are configured on the firewall, helping
with troubleshooting routing-related issues.
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
31. Which command is used to verify the current system time on the
firewall?
A) show system time
B) show time
C) show clock
D) show date
✅ Correct Answer: A) show system time
Explanation: This command is used to display the current system time of the firewall,
which can be helpful for troubleshooting time-sensitive logs.
32. What does the show session command provide?
A) Details about network traffic sessions only
B) Information about system processes and CPU usage
C) Information about firewall session status and session table
D) Information about all connected devices
✅ Correct Answer: C) show session
Explanation: The show session command provides detailed information about the
active sessions, including session ID, source, destination, and other session parameters.
33. How can you clear the session table on a Palo Alto firewall?
A) clear session all
B) clear session table
C) clear all sessions
D) clear sessions
✅ Correct Answer: A) clear session all
Explanation: The clear session all command is used to clear all the active sessions
from the session table, useful for resolving certain types of connectivity issues.
34. What is the purpose of the debug flow command in Palo Alto?
A) To track system resource usage
B) To capture packet-level information in real-time
C) To monitor firewall health
D) To trace the traffic flow through the firewall
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✅ Correct Answer: D) debug flow
Explanation: The debug flow command traces traffic flow in real-time, which is useful
for diagnosing issues related to specific traffic not matching security policies.
35. Which command is used to check for any dropped sessions in Palo
Alto?
A) show session dropped
B) show session counters
C) show session filter
D) show traffic drop
✅ Correct Answer: B) show session counters
Explanation: The show session counters command displays session counters,
including the number of sessions that were dropped, providing insight into traffic flow
issues.
36. Which CLI command displays the current firewall's routing table?
A) show route
B) show routing table
C) show route all
D) show system routes
✅ Correct Answer: A) show route
Explanation: This command shows the routing table, allowing administrators to check
the routes and ensure that the traffic is being forwarded as expected.
37. How would you check the health status of the firewall's hardware
resources (CPU, memory)?
A) show system health
B) show system resources
C) show system status
D) show resource usage
✅ Correct Answer: B) show system resources
Explanation: The show system resources command provides detailed information
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
about the current CPU, memory, and other system resources, helping to monitor
performance and detect issues.
38. What is the purpose of the test command in Palo Alto CLI?
A) To validate the syntax of a policy
B) To test connectivity and routing
C) To simulate traffic matches for a given policy
D) To perform a health check on the system
✅ Correct Answer: C) test
Explanation: The test command is used to simulate traffic and check if a specific
security policy matches, providing valuable insights during troubleshooting.
39. What does the command show session info display?
A) Information about the session tables
B) Traffic statistics per session
C) Information about a specific session's source and destination
D) The session's processing details and statistics
✅ Correct Answer: D) show session info
Explanation: The show session info command provides detailed information about a
session, such as the session type, session state, and other traffic details.
40. How can you verify the policy hits on the firewall in real-time?
A) show policy hit
B) show rule hit
C) show policy match
D) test policy match
✅ Correct Answer: C) show policy match
Explanation: The show policy match command helps administrators see if traffic
matches any security policy, useful when troubleshooting blocked traffic.
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
43 MCQ Q&A for Command Line Interface (CLI) and Troubleshooting | [email protected] | +91 9739521088
41. Which command can be used to view the current configuration of
security rules?
A) show running-config
B) show security policies
C) show running policy
D) show policy
✅ Correct Answer: B) show security policies
Explanation: The show security policies command lists all the configured security
policies, allowing for a quick review of rules.
42. What is the purpose of the show interface command in Palo Alto?
A) Displays detailed information about the security policies applied to an interface
B) Displays the interface's status, IP address, and traffic statistics
C) Displays the interface's connection logs
D) Displays the routing table for a specific interface
✅ Correct Answer: B) show interface
Explanation: This command shows the status of the interfaces on the firewall, including
IP addresses, link status, and other statistics.
43. Which command is used to retrieve diagnostic logs from the firewall?
A) show tech-support logs
B) show diagnostic logs
C) request tech-support
D) show system logs
✅ Correct Answer: C) request tech-support
Explanation: This command generates a diagnostic log file that can be used for
troubleshooting and provides insight into the firewall's operation.
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