Two rules are exact duplicates
At a glance
Base severity
Area
Platform
Evidence level
Benchmark reference
Reads the export, not the device
ConfigProof reads a configuration export. This control is evaluated against the objects in that file, and it reports what the file says. It does not connect to the device and sees no traffic, so a finding here describes the configuration, not what the firewall is doing right now.
Why it matters
Two rules with identical match sets and identical behavior mean the second one never changes an outcome. It is review burden and a place for the two copies to drift apart at the next change.
How to fix it
Web interface
The steps below are written for the web interface. A finding raised on your own export carries the same steps with your object names filled in.
- Confirm no field outside the match set differs between the two.
- Remove the later rule and keep the change record.
Command line
PAN-OS CLI, standalone firewall, vsys1
set vsys vsys1 rulebase security rules <rule-to-keep> description "<why-this-rule-exists>"An example. Values in angle brackets are yours to supply; a finding on your own export fills in the names it read. Nothing here commits. Review the candidate configuration, then commit it yourself.
Read it back
show vsys vsys1 rulebase security rules <object-name>Values to fill in3
- <object-name>
- The object's name, as it appears on your firewall
- <rule-to-keep>
- The rule you are keeping
- <why-this-rule-exists>
- Why this rule exists
Before you type it1
- Compare the two match sets before merging. The merged rule reaches the union of both.
How to confirm the fix
- Run a policy match query before and after and confirm the same rule answers.
Limits
- Duplicates across different device groups can be deliberate during a migration.
Compliance references
No benchmark recommendation is mapped to this control in this version.
More in Security Policies
- PAN-SEC-019Earlier rule covers this rule with different behavior
- PAN-SEC-020Rule is redundant
- PAN-SEC-021Broad allow rule generalizes earlier specific rules
- PAN-SEC-022Permissive allow rule is evaluated before restrictive rules
- PAN-SEC-041Two rules differ in one dimension and could be reviewed for consolidation
- PAN-SEC-042Duplicate rules log differently
- PAN-SEC-094Enabled rule names a zone only a disabled tunnel feeds
- PAN-SEC-095Rules can be merged without changing what they permit
See it on your own firewall
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