- A
Move the allow rule to a lower priority number than the deny rule.
NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, and the lowest number wins. Because the deny rule at 150 is evaluated before the allow rule at 200, inbound HTTPS is blocked even though an allow rule exists. Making the allow rule higher priority than the deny rule, such as 100, lets the permitted traffic match first and be accepted.
- B
Change the allow rule source from Internet to Any and keep the same priority.
Why wrong: Broadening the source may still not help if the deny rule is evaluated first; priority is the real issue here.
- C
Create a route table to the VM subnet so traffic reaches the VM faster.
Why wrong: Routing does not override an NSG deny decision. The packet is stopped by the security rule evaluation.
- D
Associate an application security group with the VM and leave the rules unchanged.
Why wrong: Application security groups simplify targeting, but they do not change rule precedence or allow a lower-priority deny to be bypassed.
AZ-104 Implement and Manage Virtual Networking Practice Question
This AZ-104 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage virtual networking. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
An administrator is troubleshooting inbound HTTPS to a VM. The subnet NSG has these custom rules: Deny-Internet-Inbound at priority 150, Allow-HTTPS-Admin at priority 200, and the default deny rules remain in place. The administrator’s client is on the internet and should be able to reach the VM on TCP 443. What change will fix the problem?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Move the allow rule to a lower priority number than the deny rule.
The correct answer is A because Network Security Group (NSG) rules are evaluated in priority order, with lower numbers evaluated first. The Deny-Internet-Inbound rule at priority 150 is evaluated before the Allow-HTTPS-Admin rule at priority 200, so the deny rule blocks the inbound HTTPS traffic before the allow rule can be processed. Moving the allow rule to a lower priority number (e.g., 140) ensures it is evaluated first, permitting the traffic from the internet on TCP 443.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Move the allow rule to a lower priority number than the deny rule.
Why this is correct
NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, and the lowest number wins. Because the deny rule at 150 is evaluated before the allow rule at 200, inbound HTTPS is blocked even though an allow rule exists. Making the allow rule higher priority than the deny rule, such as 100, lets the permitted traffic match first and be accepted.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Change the allow rule source from Internet to Any and keep the same priority.
Why it's wrong here
Broadening the source may still not help if the deny rule is evaluated first; priority is the real issue here.
When this WOULD be correct
If the NSG had no deny rule blocking Internet traffic, or if the allow rule had a lower priority number than any conflicting deny rule, then setting the source to Any would be correct to allow all inbound HTTPS traffic.
- ✗
Create a route table to the VM subnet so traffic reaches the VM faster.
Why it's wrong here
Routing does not override an NSG deny decision. The packet is stopped by the security rule evaluation.
When this WOULD be correct
This option would be correct in a scenario where traffic to the VM is being dropped due to asymmetric routing or a missing default route, and you need to ensure return traffic uses the same path. For example, if the VM is behind a network virtual appliance and traffic is not reaching it because of incorrect route tables.
- ✗
Associate an application security group with the VM and leave the rules unchanged.
Why it's wrong here
Application security groups simplify targeting, but they do not change rule precedence or allow a lower-priority deny to be bypassed.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the NSG has an allow rule referencing an ASG as source or destination, and the VM is added to that ASG, this would be correct. For example, if the allow rule had source set to an ASG containing the admin's client IPs, associating the VM with that ASG would apply the rule.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The AZ-104 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Move the allow rule to a lower priority number than the deny rule.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, and the lowest number wins. Because the deny rule at 150 is evaluated before the allow rule at 200, inbound HTTPS is blocked even though an allow rule exists. Making the allow rule higher priority than the deny rule, such as 100, lets the permitted traffic match first and be accepted.
✗Change the allow rule source from Internet to Any and keep the same priority.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The deny rule at priority 150 explicitly blocks traffic from the Internet, so changing the allow rule's source from Internet to Any does not override the deny; the deny still applies because it has higher priority (lower number).
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the NSG had no deny rule blocking Internet traffic, or if the allow rule had a lower priority number than any conflicting deny rule, then setting the source to Any would be correct to allow all inbound HTTPS traffic.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that widening the source to Any makes the rule more permissive, but they overlook that priority determines which rule wins when rules conflict.
✗Create a route table to the VM subnet so traffic reaches the VM faster.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The issue is that the deny rule at priority 150 blocks inbound HTTPS from the Internet before the allow rule at priority 200 can be evaluated. Adding a route table does not affect NSG rule evaluation order; it only influences traffic routing, which is not the problem here.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
This option would be correct in a scenario where traffic to the VM is being dropped due to asymmetric routing or a missing default route, and you need to ensure return traffic uses the same path. For example, if the VM is behind a network virtual appliance and traffic is not reaching it because of incorrect route tables.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that a route table can override NSG rules or speed up traffic, confusing routing with security filtering. They might also believe that adding a route can bypass the deny rule, which is incorrect.
✗Associate an application security group with the VM and leave the rules unchanged.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Associating an application security group (ASG) with the VM does not change the NSG rule evaluation order; the deny rule at priority 150 still blocks inbound HTTPS from the Internet, regardless of ASG membership.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the NSG has an allow rule referencing an ASG as source or destination, and the VM is added to that ASG, this would be correct. For example, if the allow rule had source set to an ASG containing the admin's client IPs, associating the VM with that ASG would apply the rule.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think ASGs simplify rule management and automatically override deny rules, or they confuse ASGs with service endpoints or route tables that affect traffic flow.
Analysis generated from the official AZ-104blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume NSG rules are evaluated in the order they are listed or that allow rules automatically override deny rules, but Azure NSGs strictly evaluate by priority number, so a deny rule with a lower number will block traffic even if an allow rule with a higher number exists.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NSG rules are processed in ascending order of priority (lower number = higher priority), and once a rule matches, no further rules are evaluated. The default rules (e.g., DenyAllInbound) have the highest priority numbers (65000 and 65500), so custom rules with lower numbers take precedence. In this scenario, the Deny-Internet-Inbound rule at priority 150 matches the source 'Internet' and destination port 443, blocking the traffic before the allow rule at priority 200 is ever checked. This behavior is critical when designing NSGs to ensure allow rules for specific traffic are placed at a lower priority than any broader deny rules.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Visual reference
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-104 question test?
Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — This question tests Implement and Manage Virtual Networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Move the allow rule to a lower priority number than the deny rule. — The correct answer is A because Network Security Group (NSG) rules are evaluated in priority order, with lower numbers evaluated first. The Deny-Internet-Inbound rule at priority 150 is evaluated before the Allow-HTTPS-Admin rule at priority 200, so the deny rule blocks the inbound HTTPS traffic before the allow rule can be processed. Moving the allow rule to a lower priority number (e.g., 140) ensures it is evaluated first, permitting the traffic from the internet on TCP 443.
What should I do if I get this AZ-104 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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