If authentication to the EDL fails, what happens to the security policy?

When authentication to the External Dynamic List (EDL) fails, the security policy stops enforcing the EDL. This is because the EDL is a dynamic list of URLs or IP addresses that are used to enhance security policies by allowing or blocking traffic based on real-time data. If the system cannot authenticate to the EDL, it cannot retrieve the latest updates or confirm the legitimacy of the list, leading to a scenario where the security appliance cannot reliably enforce the policies based on that list.

In this situation, the failure to authenticate means that the data that would normally provide guidance for policy enforcement is unavailable or compromised, necessitating a halt in enforcement to prevent reliance on potentially outdated or incorrect information. Hence, the effective and safe response is to stop enforcing the EDL until a successful authentication can occur, ensuring that security measures remain reliable and valid.