What type of inspection do Palo Alto Networks firewalls perform for SSL traffic?

Palo Alto Networks firewalls perform SSL decryption inspection for SSL traffic. This type of inspection allows the firewall to decrypt the encrypted SSL/TLS traffic, analyze the contents for potential threats, and then re-encrypt the data before sending it to its destination. This capability is critical for identifying malware, intrusions, and other security threats that could be concealed within secure connections.

By employing SSL decryption inspection, organizations can gain visibility into encrypted traffic, enabling the enforcement of security policies on both encrypted and unencrypted data. This ensures that malicious content does not bypass the firewall simply because it is encrypted, thus enhancing overall network security.

In contrast, while full packet inspection refers to analyzing all aspects of transmitted packets, it does not specifically address encrypted traffic. Signature-based inspection focuses on identifying known threats by matching traffic against known signatures but also does not inherently handle SSL traffic. Endpoint inspection typically refers to the evaluation of device security posture rather than traffic analysis. Each of these alternatives does not provide the unique capability needed to inspect SSL traffic effectively, making SSL decryption inspection the correct choice.