- 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.
Quick Answer
The answer is to move the allow rule to a lower priority number than the deny rule. This is correct because Network Security Group (NSG) rules are evaluated in priority order, with the lowest number processed first. In this scenario, the Deny-Internet-Inbound rule at priority 150 is evaluated before the Allow-HTTPS-Admin rule at priority 200, so the deny rule blocks inbound HTTPS traffic before the allow rule can permit it. On the AZ-104 exam, this question tests your understanding of NSG rule priority order troubleshooting, a common scenario where a lower-priority allow rule is rendered useless by a higher-priority deny rule. The trap is assuming rules are processed in the order they appear, when in fact priority numbers dictate the sequence. A simple memory tip is "lowest number wins first," so to permit traffic, ensure your allow rule has a lower numeric priority than any conflicting deny rule.
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.
- ✗
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.
- ✗
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.
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.
What to study next
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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.
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
2 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. Based on the exhibit, administrators can reach a web server from the approved subnet, but connections still fail. What is the most likely reason?
easy- A.The allow rule is blocked because inbound rules are evaluated from highest priority number to lowest.
- ✓ B.The deny rule has a higher priority and matches the traffic before the allow rule.
- C.The destination port must be changed to 80 because NSGs cannot allow TCP 443.
- D.The subnet requires a route table before HTTPS can be permitted.
Why B: Network Security Groups (NSGs) evaluate rules in order of priority, where a lower priority number (e.g., 100) is evaluated before a higher number (e.g., 200). If a deny rule with a higher priority (lower number) matches the traffic before the allow rule, the traffic is blocked. In this scenario, the deny rule (priority 100) matches the source subnet and destination port 443 before the allow rule (priority 200) can permit it, causing connections to fail.
Variation 2. An NSG on a subnet has these inbound rules: Deny-All-Inbound at priority 100 and Allow-RDP-from-AdminSubnet at priority 200. Administrators on AdminSubnet still cannot RDP to a VM in the subnet. What should the network administrator change?
easy- A.Delete the deny rule so only the allow rule remains.
- ✓ B.Move the allow rule to a lower priority number than 100.
- C.Change the VM to a different availability zone.
- D.Create a private endpoint for the VM.
Why B: The NSG rules are evaluated in priority order, with lower numbers having higher precedence. The Deny-All-Inbound rule at priority 100 blocks all traffic, including RDP from AdminSubnet, before the Allow-RDP-from-AdminSubnet rule at priority 200 is evaluated. To allow RDP traffic, the allow rule must have a lower priority number (e.g., 90) than the deny rule (100), ensuring it is evaluated first and permits the traffic before the deny rule blocks it.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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