- A
The allow rule is ignored because inbound rules cannot permit RDP.
Why wrong: NSGs can allow or deny RDP traffic. The issue is not the protocol itself, but how the rules are prioritized and matched.
- B
The deny rule wins because lower priority numbers are processed first.
Azure NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, and the lowest number is processed first. Because the deny rule has priority 100, it is evaluated before the allow rule at 200 and blocks the traffic.
- C
NSG rules apply only to outbound traffic, so inbound traffic is unaffected.
Why wrong: NSGs filter both inbound and outbound traffic. Inbound traffic can absolutely be blocked by an NSG rule on the subnet or NIC.
- D
The subnet NSG is ignored whenever the VM has a public IP address.
Why wrong: A public IP does not bypass NSG evaluation. Traffic still must satisfy the applicable inbound and outbound security rules.
Quick Answer
The answer is that the deny rule at priority 100 blocks RDP because lower priority numbers are processed first in Azure NSGs. This happens because Network Security Group rules are evaluated in ascending priority order, meaning a rule with priority 100 is checked and applied before a rule at priority 200. Since the deny rule for all Internet traffic is evaluated first, it matches and blocks the inbound RDP connection from your home IP before the allow rule for TCP 3389 ever gets a chance to be considered. On the AZ-104 exam, this concept frequently appears as a trick question where candidates assume a higher-numbered allow rule will override a lower-numbered deny rule, but the opposite is true—the lowest number always wins. A common memory tip is to think of priority numbers like a bouncer’s list: the smaller number gets let in first, and if that bouncer says “deny,” no later bouncer can overrule it.
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.
A subnet has an NSG with an inbound allow rule for TCP 3389 at priority 200 and an inbound deny rule for Internet traffic at priority 100. An administrator still cannot RDP to a virtual machine in the subnet from home. What is the most likely reason?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
The deny rule wins because lower priority numbers are processed first.
In Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs), rules are processed in priority order, with lower numbers evaluated first. The deny rule for Internet traffic at priority 100 is processed before the allow rule for TCP 3389 at priority 200, so the deny rule blocks the inbound RDP connection from the internet. This is why the administrator cannot RDP from home.
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.
- ✗
The allow rule is ignored because inbound rules cannot permit RDP.
Why it's wrong here
NSGs can allow or deny RDP traffic. The issue is not the protocol itself, but how the rules are prioritized and matched.
- ✓
The deny rule wins because lower priority numbers are processed first.
Why this is correct
Azure NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, and the lowest number is processed first. Because the deny rule has priority 100, it is evaluated before the allow rule at 200 and blocks the traffic.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
NSG rules apply only to outbound traffic, so inbound traffic is unaffected.
Why it's wrong here
NSGs filter both inbound and outbound traffic. Inbound traffic can absolutely be blocked by an NSG rule on the subnet or NIC.
- ✗
The subnet NSG is ignored whenever the VM has a public IP address.
Why it's wrong here
A public IP does not bypass NSG evaluation. Traffic still must satisfy the applicable inbound and outbound security rules.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a higher-priority allow rule can override a lower-priority deny rule, but in Azure NSGs, lower priority numbers are processed first, so a deny at priority 100 blocks traffic before an allow at priority 200 is even considered.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NSG rules are evaluated in ascending order of priority (100, 200, etc.) until a matching rule is found; once a match occurs, no further rules are processed. The deny rule at priority 100 matches all internet traffic (source 'Internet' tag) and blocks it, preventing the lower-priority allow rule from ever being evaluated. In practice, to allow RDP from the internet, the allow rule must have a lower priority number (e.g., 100) than any deny rule that would block it.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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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: The deny rule wins because lower priority numbers are processed first. — In Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs), rules are processed in priority order, with lower numbers evaluated first. The deny rule for Internet traffic at priority 100 is processed before the allow rule for TCP 3389 at priority 200, so the deny rule blocks the inbound RDP connection from the internet. This is why the administrator cannot RDP from home.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
4 more ways this is tested on AZ-104
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A subnet NSG contains a deny inbound rule for TCP 3389 from Any at priority 100 and an allow inbound rule for TCP 3389 from 10.4.1.0/24 at priority 200. Admin workstations in 10.4.1.0/24 cannot connect by RDP. What change should the administrator make?
medium- A.Replace the source IP range with an application security group in the allow rule.
- B.Change the protocol from TCP to Any in the allow rule.
- ✓ C.Lower the allow rule priority number so it is evaluated before the deny rule.
- D.Add a user-defined route to the subnet so RDP traffic bypasses the NSG.
Why C: The correct answer is C because NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, with lower numbers having higher priority. The deny rule at priority 100 blocks all TCP 3389 traffic from Any, and the allow rule at priority 200 is never reached. Lowering the allow rule's priority number (e.g., to 90) ensures it is evaluated before the deny rule, allowing RDP traffic from 10.4.1.0/24.
Variation 2. A subnet has these inbound NSG rules: Rule 100 denies TCP 3389 from Internet, Rule 200 allows TCP 3389 from 10.0.0.0/8, and Rule 300 allows TCP 3389 from AzureLoadBalancer. An administrator in 10.20.5.4 cannot RDP to a VM in the subnet. Why is the connection denied?
medium- ✓ A.The deny rule at priority 100 matches before the allow rule at priority 200.
- B.The AzureLoadBalancer service tag blocks all other inbound traffic on that port.
- C.The VM needs a public IP address for RDP to work from a private source.
- D.NSG rules are processed by longest prefix match, so the /8 source loses to the /32 VM address.
Why A: Option A is correct because Network Security Group (NSG) rules are evaluated in priority order, from lowest number to highest. Rule 100 with priority 100 denies TCP port 3389 from the Internet source, which includes all IP addresses not explicitly part of Azure virtual networks, such as the 10.20.5.4 address (since it is not in the 10.0.0.0/8 range). The deny rule matches first, so the connection is blocked before the allow rule at priority 200 can be evaluated.
Variation 3. A VM has an NSG with these inbound rules: Deny-RDP at priority 100 for TCP 3389 from Any, and Allow-RDP-Admins at priority 200 for TCP 3389 from 10.8.1.0/24. Admins from 10.8.1.0/24 still cannot connect by RDP. What change fixes access while keeping all other sources blocked?
medium- A.Change the deny rule to protocol Any so the allow rule will be evaluated first.
- B.Add a UDR that sends TCP 3389 traffic to the VM subnet.
- ✓ C.Move the allow rule to a lower priority number than 100.
- D.Associate an application security group with the VM and keep the existing priorities.
Why C: C is correct because NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, with lower numbers evaluated first. The Deny-RDP rule at priority 100 is evaluated before the Allow-RDP-Admins rule at priority 200, so traffic from 10.8.1.0/24 is denied before the allow rule is reached. Moving the allow rule to a priority lower than 100 (e.g., 90) ensures it is evaluated first, allowing the admin traffic while the deny rule still blocks all other sources.
Variation 4. A backend VM must accept TCP 8443 only from the web tier. The subnet NSG already has a deny-all inbound rule at priority 200. The administrator adds an allow rule for the web tier at priority 300, but the connection still fails. What should be changed?
medium- ✓ A.Change the allow rule to a lower priority number than 200.
- B.Change the allow rule protocol from TCP to Any.
- C.Move the VM to a different subnet so the rule can apply.
- D.Add a route table entry for TCP 8443 to bypass the NSG.
Why A: Azure Network Security Groups (NSGs) process rules in priority order, with lower numbers evaluated first. The existing deny-all inbound rule at priority 200 is evaluated before the new allow rule at priority 300, so the deny rule blocks the traffic before the allow rule can be considered. To permit TCP 8443 from the web tier, the allow rule must have a priority number lower than 200 (e.g., 100) so it is evaluated first and allows the traffic.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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