Quick Answer
The answer is to configure Azure SQL Database auditing. This is the correct choice because Azure SQL Database auditing is specifically designed to track database events, including both successful and failed login attempts, and writes them to an audit log in Azure Storage, Log Analytics, or Event Hubs. On the Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate AZ-500 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between Azure SQL Database auditing and other security services like Azure AD audit logs, which track identity events rather than SQL login attempts, or Microsoft Defender for Cloud, which alerts on threats but does not provide granular login audit trails. A common trap is confusing Azure AD audit logs with SQL-level auditing, so remember that SQL login attempts are captured at the database level, not the identity level. A helpful memory tip is: "Logins live in the database, not in the directory."
This AZ-500 practice question tests your understanding of secure compute, storage, and databases. 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.
A company has an Azure SQL Database that contains sensitive financial data. They want to audit all successful and failed login attempts for the database. What should they configure?
Azure SQL Database auditing
Captures database events including successful and failed logins.
SQL Vulnerability Assessment
Why wrong: Scans for security weaknesses, does not audit login events.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud alerts
Why wrong: Provides threat detection alerts but not a full audit trail of logins.
Azure AD sign-in logs
Why wrong: Logs authentication to Azure AD, not SQL database logins.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Azure SQL Database auditing
Azure SQL Database auditing tracks database events, including successful and failed logins, to an audit log in Azure Storage, Log Analytics, or Event Hubs. Option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because Azure AD audit logs track identity events, not SQL login attempts. Option B is incorrect because SQL Vulnerability Assessment checks for security misconfigurations. Option D is incorrect because Microsoft Defender for Cloud alerts on threats but does not provide detailed login audit trails.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Azure SQL Database auditing
Why this is correct
Captures database events including successful and failed logins.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
SQL Vulnerability Assessment
Why it's wrong here
Scans for security weaknesses, does not audit login events.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud alerts
Why it's wrong here
Provides threat detection alerts but not a full audit trail of logins.
Azure AD sign-in logs
Why it's wrong here
Logs authentication to Azure AD, not SQL database logins.
Common exam traps
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
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which AZ-500 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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FAQ
Secure compute, storage, and databases — This question tests Secure compute, storage, and databases — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Azure SQL Database auditing — Azure SQL Database auditing tracks database events, including successful and failed logins, to an audit log in Azure Storage, Log Analytics, or Event Hubs. Option C is correct. Option A is incorrect because Azure AD audit logs track identity events, not SQL login attempts. Option B is incorrect because SQL Vulnerability Assessment checks for security misconfigurations. Option D is incorrect because Microsoft Defender for Cloud alerts on threats but does not provide detailed login audit trails.
Identify which AZ-500 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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 20, 2026
This AZ-500 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-500 exam.
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