Security Rule Configuration Object

Table of Contents

1. Overview
2. Core Methods
3. Security Rule Model Attributes
4. Exceptions
5. Basic Configuration
6. Usage Examples
   • Creating Security Rules
   • Retrieving Security Rules
   • Updating Security Rules
   • Listing Security Rules
   • Filtering Responses
   • Controlling Pagination with max_limit
   • Moving Security Rules
   • Deleting Security Rules
7. Managing Configuration Changes
   • Performing Commits
   • Monitoring Jobs
8. Error Handling
9. Best Practices
10. Full Script Examples
11. Related Models

Overview

The SecurityRule class provides functionality to manage security rules in Palo Alto Networks' Strata Cloud Manager. This class inherits from BaseObject and provides methods for creating, retrieving, updating, and deleting security rules that control traffic flow between zones, applications, and users.

Core Methods

Method	Description	Parameters	Return Type
create()	Creates a new security rule	data: Dict[str, Any], rulebase: str	SecurityRuleResponseModel
get()	Retrieves a rule by ID	object_id: str, rulebase: str	SecurityRuleResponseModel
update()	Updates an existing rule	rule: SecurityRuleUpdateModel	SecurityRuleResponseModel
delete()	Deletes a rule	object_id: str, rulebase: str	None
list()	Lists rules with filtering	folder: str, rulebase: str	List[SecurityRuleResponseModel]
fetch()	Gets rule by name and container	name: str, folder: str	SecurityRuleResponseModel
move()	Moves rule within rulebase	rule_id: UUID, data: Dict[str, Any]	None

Security Rule Model Attributes

Attribute	Type	Required	Description
name	str	Yes	Name of rule (max 63 chars)
id	UUID	Yes*	Unique identifier (*response only)
action	SecurityRuleAction	Yes	Rule action (allow, deny, etc.)
from_	List[str]	Yes	Source zones
to_	List[str]	Yes	Destination zones
source	List[str]	Yes	Source addresses
destination	List[str]	Yes	Destination addresses
application	List[str]	Yes	Allowed applications
service	List[str]	Yes	Allowed services
category	List[str]	Yes	URL categories
profile_setting	SecurityRuleProfile	No	Security profile settings
log_setting	str	No	Log forwarding profile
description	str	No	Rule description
disabled	bool	No	Rule enabled/disabled status
tag	List[str]	No	Associated tags
folder	str	Yes**	Folder location (**one container required)
snippet	str	Yes**	Snippet location (**one container required)
device	str	Yes**	Device location (**one container required)

Exceptions

Exception	HTTP Code	Description
InvalidObjectError	400	Invalid rule data or format
MissingQueryParameterError	400	Missing required parameters
NameNotUniqueError	409	Rule name already exists
ObjectNotPresentError	404	Rule not found
ReferenceNotZeroError	409	Rule still referenced
AuthenticationError	401	Authentication failed
ServerError	500	Internal server error

Basic Configuration

from scm.client import Scm
from scm.config.security import SecurityRule
# Initialize clientclient = Scm(
client_id="your_client_id",
client_secret="your_client_secret",
tsg_id="your_tsg_id"
)
# Initialize SecurityRule objectsecurity_rules = SecurityRule(client)

Usage Examples

Creating Security Rules

# Basic allow rule configurationallow_rule = {
"name": "allow-web",
"folder": "Texas",
"from_": ["trust"],
"to_": ["untrust"],
"source": ["internal-net"],
"destination": ["any"],
"application": ["web-browsing", "ssl"],
"service": ["application-default"],
"action": "allow",
"log_end": True
}
# Create basic allow rulebasic_rule = security_rules.create(allow_rule, rulebase="pre")
# Security profile rule configurationsecure_rule = {
"name": "secure-web",
"folder": "Texas",
"from_": ["trust"],
"to_": ["untrust"],
"source": ["internal-net"],
"destination": ["any"],
"application": ["web-browsing", "ssl"],
"service": ["application-default"],
"profile_setting": {
"group": ["strict-security"]
},
"action": "allow",
"log_setting": "default-logging",
"log_end": True
}
# Create rule with security profilesprofile_rule = security_rules.create(secure_rule, rulebase="pre")

Retrieving Security Rules

# Fetch by name and folderrule = security_rules.fetch(
name="allow-web",
folder="Texas",
rulebase="pre"
)
print(f"Found rule: {rule.name}")
# Get by IDrule_by_id = security_rules.get(rule.id, rulebase="pre")
print(f"Retrieved rule: {rule_by_id.name}")
print(f"Applications: {rule_by_id.application}")

Updating Security Rules

# Fetch existing ruleexisting_rule = security_rules.fetch(
name="allow-web",
folder="Texas",
rulebase="pre"
)
# Update attributesexisting_rule.description = "Updated web access rule"
existing_rule.application = ["web-browsing", "ssl", "http2"]
existing_rule.profile_setting = {
"group": ["strict-security"]
}
# Perform updateupdated_rule = security_rules.update(existing_rule, rulebase="pre")

Listing Security Rules

# List with direct filter parametersfiltered_rules = security_rules.list(
folder='Texas',
rulebase='pre',
action=['allow'],
application=['web-browsing', 'ssl']
)
# Process resultsfor rule in filtered_rules:
print(f"Name: {rule.name}")
print(f"Action: {rule.action}")
print(f"Applications: {rule.application}")
# Define filter parameters as dictionarylist_params = {
"folder": "Texas",
"rulebase": "pre",
"from_": ["trust"],
"to_": ["untrust"],
"tag": ["Production"]
}
# List with filters as kwargsfiltered_rules = security_rules.list(**list_params)

Filtering Responses

The list() method supports additional parameters to refine your query results even further. Alongside basic filters (like types, values, and tags), you can leverage the exact_match, exclude_folders, exclude_snippets, and exclude_devices parameters to control which objects are included or excluded after the initial API response is fetched.

Parameters:

• exact_match (bool): When True, only objects defined exactly in the specified container (folder, snippet, or device) are returned. Inherited or propagated objects are filtered out.
• exclude_folders (List[str]): Provide a list of folder names that you do not want included in the results.
• exclude_snippets (List[str]): Provide a list of snippet values to exclude from the results.
• exclude_devices (List[str]): Provide a list of device values to exclude from the results.

Examples:

# Only return security_rules defined exactly in 'Texas'exact_security_rules = security_rules.list(
folder='Texas',
exact_match=True
)

for app in exact_security_rules:
print(f"Exact match: {app.name} in {app.folder}")
# Exclude all security_rules from the 'All' folderno_all_security_rules = security_rules.list(
folder='Texas',
exclude_folders=['All']
)

for app in no_all_security_rules:
assert app.folder != 'All'
print(f"Filtered out 'All': {app.name}")
# Exclude security_rules that come from 'default' snippetno_default_snippet = security_rules.list(
folder='Texas',
exclude_snippets=['default']
)

for app in no_default_snippet:
assert app.snippet != 'default'
print(f"Filtered out 'default' snippet: {app.name}")
# Exclude security_rules associated with 'DeviceA'no_deviceA = security_rules.list(
folder='Texas',
exclude_devices=['DeviceA']
)

for app in no_deviceA:
assert app.device != 'DeviceA'
print(f"Filtered out 'DeviceA': {app.name}")
# Combine exact_match with multiple exclusionscombined_filters = security_rules.list(
folder='Texas',
exact_match=True,
exclude_folders=['All'],
exclude_snippets=['default'],
exclude_devices=['DeviceA']
)

for app in combined_filters:
print(f"Combined filters result: {app.name} in {app.folder}")

Controlling Pagination with max_limit

The SDK supports pagination through the max_limit parameter, which defines how many objects are retrieved per API call. By default, max_limit is set to 2500. The API itself imposes a maximum allowed value of 5000. If you set max_limit higher than 5000, it will be capped to the API's maximum. The list() method will continue to iterate through all objects until all results have been retrieved. Adjusting max_limit can help manage retrieval performance and memory usage when working with large datasets.

# Initialize the SecurityRule object with a custom max_limit# This will retrieve up to 4321 objects per API call, up to the API limit of 5000.rule_client = SecurityRule(api_client=client, max_limit=4321)
# Now when we call list(), it will use the specified max_limit for each request# while auto-paginating through all available objects.all_rules = rule_client.list(folder='Texas', rulebase='pre')
# 'all_rules' contains all objects from 'Texas', fetched in chunks of up to 4321 at a time.

Moving Security Rules

# Move rule to top of rulebasetop_move = {
"destination": "top",
"rulebase": "pre"
}
security_rules.move(rule.id, top_move)
# Move rule before another rulebefore_move = {
"destination": "before",
"rulebase": "pre",
"destination_rule": "987fcdeb-54ba-3210-9876-fedcba098765"
}
security_rules.move(rule.id, before_move)
# Move rule after another ruleafter_move = {
"destination": "after",
"rulebase": "pre",
"destination_rule": "987fcdeb-54ba-3210-9876-fedcba098765"
}
security_rules.move(rule.id, after_move)

Deleting Security Rules

# Delete by IDrule_id = "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426655440000"
security_rules.delete(rule_id, rulebase="pre")

Managing Configuration Changes

Performing Commits

# Prepare commit parameterscommit_params = {
"folders": ["Texas"],
"description": "Updated security rules",
"sync": True,
"timeout": 300 # 5 minute timeout
}
# Commit the changesresult = security_rules.commit(**commit_params)

print(f"Commit job ID: {result.job_id}")

Monitoring Jobs

# Get status of specific jobjob_status = security_rules.get_job_status(result.job_id)
print(f"Job status: {job_status.data[0].status_str}")
# List recent jobsrecent_jobs = security_rules.list_jobs(limit=10)
for job in recent_jobs.data:
print(f"Job {job.id}: {job.type_str} - {job.status_str}")

Error Handling

from scm.exceptions import (
InvalidObjectError,
MissingQueryParameterError,
NameNotUniqueError,
ObjectNotPresentError,
ReferenceNotZeroError
)

try:
# Create rule configuration
rule_config = {
"name": "test-rule",
"folder": "Texas",
"from_": ["trust"],
"to_": ["untrust"],
"source": ["internal-net"],
"destination": ["any"],
"application": ["web-browsing"],
"service": ["application-default"],
"action": "allow"
}

# Create the rule
new_rule = security_rules.create(rule_config, rulebase="pre")

# Move the rule
move_config = {
"destination": "top",
"rulebase": "pre"
}
security_rules.move(new_rule.id, move_config)

# Commit changes
result = security_rules.commit(
folders=["Texas"],
description="Added test rule",
sync=True
)

# Check job status
status = security_rules.get_job_status(result.job_id)

except InvalidObjectError as e:
print(f"Invalid rule data: {e.message}")
except NameNotUniqueError as e:
print(f"Rule name already exists: {e.message}")
except ObjectNotPresentError as e:
print(f"Rule not found: {e.message}")
except ReferenceNotZeroError as e:
print(f"Rule still in use: {e.message}")
except MissingQueryParameterError as e:
print(f"Missing parameter: {e.message}")

Best Practices

1. Rule Organization

   • Use descriptive rule names
   • Order rules by specificity
   • Group related rules together
   • Document rule purposes
   • Use consistent naming conventions

2. Security Profiles

   • Apply appropriate security profiles
   • Use profile groups when possible
   • Monitor profile impacts
   • Update profiles regularly
   • Document profile choices

3. Logging and Monitoring

   • Enable appropriate logging
   • Use log forwarding profiles
   • Monitor rule hits
   • Track rule changes
   • Audit rule effectiveness

4. Performance

   • Optimize rule order
   • Use specific sources/destinations
   • Minimize rule count
   • Monitor rule processing
   • Clean up unused rules

5. Change Management

   • Test rules before deployment
   • Document all changes
   • Use proper commit messages
   • Monitor commit status
   • Maintain rule backups

Full Script Examples

Refer to the security_rule.py example.

Related Models

• SecurityRuleCreateModel
• SecurityRuleUpdateModel
• SecurityRuleResponseModel
• SecurityRuleMoveModel