The Palo Alto Networks firewall evaluates URL filtering policies in a specific order of precedence. It first checks the custom block and allow lists, then custom URL categories, and finally the predefined PAN-DB categories.

Adding .powerball.com to the "Allow List" (Option C) creates a direct exception. The firewall will match this entry and permit the traffic before it ever checks the PAN-DB "gambling" category.

Creating a custom URL category for .powerball.com and setting its action to "allow" (Option D) also works because custom categories are evaluated before predefined ones. This allows an administrator to create a granular exception, overriding the broader block action on the "gambling" category for this specific site.

A. This is operationally infeasible. The gambling category contains a vast and dynamically updated list of URLs, making it impossible to manually add them all to a block list.

B. Predefined PAN-DB URL categories are managed by Palo Alto Networks and are read-only. An administrator cannot manually add or remove entries from these categories.

1. Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® Administrator’s Guide 10.2

"URL Filtering Concepts

" Section: "URL Filtering Order of Operations."

This section details the evaluation logic: "When the firewall receives a request for a web page

it enforces policy in the following order: 1. First

it checks for a match against the custom URL filtering block and allow lists... 2. If the URL does not match a site on the block or allow list

the firewall checks if the URL matches a custom URL category... 3. If the URL does not match a custom URL category

the firewall performs a PAN-DB URL category lookup..." This directly supports options C and D as valid methods that take precedence over the PAN-DB lookup.

2. Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® Administrator’s Guide 10.2

"Objects > Custom Objects > URL Category

" Section: "Create a Custom URL Category."

This document outlines the procedure for creating a custom URL category (as described in option D) and notes its use for creating exceptions to existing policies. It states

"Use custom URL categories to customize how you secure your network against threats and non-malicious sites."

3. Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS® Administrator’s Guide 10.2

"Objects > Security Profiles > URL Filtering

" Section: "Configure URL Filtering."

This section describes the components of a URL Filtering profile

including the "Allow List" and "Block List." It confirms that adding an entry to the Allow List (as described in option C) will permit access to that specific URL

regardless of its PAN-DB categorization.