AZ-400 Develop a security and compliance plan Practice Question
This AZ-400 practice question tests your understanding of develop a security and compliance plan. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
Which TWO actions should you take to ensure that Azure Pipelines artifacts are scanned for vulnerabilities before production deployment? (Choose two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Run dependency scanning on the artifact manifest
Options B and C are correct. Option B: Dependency scanning identifies vulnerabilities in dependencies. Option C: Incorporating Microsoft Defender for Cloud scanning into the pipeline scans container images and other artifacts. Option A is wrong because code signing ensures integrity but not vulnerability scanning. Option D is wrong because static analysis finds code issues, not artifacts. Option E is wrong because infrastructure scanning is for IaC, not artifacts.
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.
✓
Run dependency scanning on the artifact manifest
Why this is correct
Dependency scanning detects known vulnerabilities in dependencies.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Sign the artifacts with a code signing certificate
Why it's wrong here
Code signing ensures authenticity, not vulnerability scanning.
✓
Use Microsoft Defender for Cloud to scan the artifact during the pipeline
Why this is correct
Microsoft Defender for Cloud can scan container images and other artifacts for vulnerabilities.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Scan the infrastructure as code templates
Why it's wrong here
Infrastructure scanning is separate from artifact scanning.
✗
Run static code analysis on the source code
Why it's wrong here
Static analysis is on source code, not built artifacts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-400 question in full detail.
Identify which AZ-400 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Develop a security and compliance plan — This question tests Develop a security and compliance plan — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Run dependency scanning on the artifact manifest — Options B and C are correct. Option B: Dependency scanning identifies vulnerabilities in dependencies. Option C: Incorporating Microsoft Defender for Cloud scanning into the pipeline scans container images and other artifacts. Option A is wrong because code signing ensures integrity but not vulnerability scanning. Option D is wrong because static analysis finds code issues, not artifacts. Option E is wrong because infrastructure scanning is for IaC, not artifacts.
What should I do if I get this AZ-400 question wrong?
Identify which AZ-400 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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