- A
Configure the storage account firewall to only allow access from Azure Pipelines IP ranges
Why wrong: Artifacts are stored in Azure DevOps storage, not a customer-controlled storage account.
- B
Use Azure Policy to enforce that artifacts are only deployed to production storage accounts
Why wrong: Artifacts are deployed via pipelines, not stored in storage accounts for production.
- C
Enable Azure Artifacts retention policies to automatically delete old artifact versions
Retention policies minimize the risk of old artifacts being compromised.
- D
Enable customer-managed keys (CMK) for artifact encryption
Why wrong: Azure DevOps does not support CMK for artifacts.
- E
Configure audit logging for artifact downloads via Azure DevOps audit logs
Audit logs track who downloaded artifacts.
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. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 securely stored and access is audited?
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
Enable Azure Artifacts retention policies to automatically delete old artifact versions
Option B and Option E are correct. Option B (Enable Azure Artifacts retention policies) ensures old artifacts are removed, reducing attack surface. Option E (Configure audit logging for artifact downloads) provides audit trail. Option A is wrong because Azure Pipelines does not support storage account firewall for artifacts. Option C is wrong because artifacts are already encrypted at rest. Option D is wrong because artifacts are not deployed to production via storage accounts.
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.
- ✗
Configure the storage account firewall to only allow access from Azure Pipelines IP ranges
Why it's wrong here
Artifacts are stored in Azure DevOps storage, not a customer-controlled storage account.
- ✗
Use Azure Policy to enforce that artifacts are only deployed to production storage accounts
Why it's wrong here
Artifacts are deployed via pipelines, not stored in storage accounts for production.
- ✓
Enable Azure Artifacts retention policies to automatically delete old artifact versions
Why this is correct
Retention policies minimize the risk of old artifacts being compromised.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable customer-managed keys (CMK) for artifact encryption
Why it's wrong here
Azure DevOps does not support CMK for artifacts.
- ✓
Configure audit logging for artifact downloads via Azure DevOps audit logs
Why this is correct
Audit logs track who downloaded artifacts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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.
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Develop a security and compliance plan — study guide chapter
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Develop a security and compliance plan practice questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-400 question test?
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: Enable Azure Artifacts retention policies to automatically delete old artifact versions — Option B and Option E are correct. Option B (Enable Azure Artifacts retention policies) ensures old artifacts are removed, reducing attack surface. Option E (Configure audit logging for artifact downloads) provides audit trail. Option A is wrong because Azure Pipelines does not support storage account firewall for artifacts. Option C is wrong because artifacts are already encrypted at rest. Option D is wrong because artifacts are not deployed to production via storage accounts.
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.
About these practice questions
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This AZ-400 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AZ-400 exam.
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