- A
Azure Firewall
Why wrong: Azure Firewall is a managed network firewall service that can filter traffic at the virtual network level, but it is unnecessary for the stated requirement for a simple subnet-level rule and incurs additional cost. An NSG is simpler and sufficient for this requirement.
- B
Azure Front Door
Why wrong: Azure Front Door is a global Application Delivery Network (ADN) with web application firewall capabilities. It operates at the edge and is not used for subnet-level filtering within a virtual network.
- C
Network Security Group (NSG)
An NSG contains inbound and outbound security rules that can be associated with a subnet or a network interface. By creating an allow rule for HTTPS (TCP 443) from Internet and a default deny-all rule, the requirement is met efficiently.
- D
Application Security Group (ASG)
Why wrong: An ASG is a logical grouping of virtual machines for use in NSG rules. It does not filter traffic by itself; it is used as a source or destination in NSG rules.
Quick Answer
The answer is a Network Security Group (NSG). This is the correct choice because an NSG acts as a stateful, Layer 3/4 firewall that can be associated directly with a subnet to filter inbound traffic. By creating a rule allowing TCP port 443 (HTTPS) from the Internet service tag, and relying on the default deny-all inbound rule, the NSG permits only HTTPS traffic while blocking everything else, meeting the requirement for a single Azure resource at the subnet level. On the AZ-500 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of NSG rule priority and service tags; a common trap is choosing Azure Firewall or Application Gateway, but those are higher-layer, more expensive solutions not needed for simple port filtering at the subnet boundary. Remember the memory tip: "NSG for subnet, ASG for NIC" — if the question specifies subnet-level control, always pick the NSG.
AZ-500 Secure networking Practice Question
This AZ-500 practice question tests your understanding of secure networking. 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 virtual network with a single subnet that hosts web servers. The security team needs to allow inbound HTTPS traffic from the internet to the web servers, but block all other inbound traffic. They want to use a single Azure resource to accomplish this at the subnet level. Which resource should they configure?
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
Network Security Group (NSG)
A Network Security Group (NSG) is the correct resource because it can be associated with a subnet to filter inbound traffic at Layer 3/4. By creating a rule that allows TCP port 443 (HTTPS) from the Internet service tag and a default deny-all rule, the NSG blocks all other inbound traffic while permitting HTTPS. This meets the requirement of a single Azure resource operating at the subnet level.
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.
- ✗
Azure Firewall
Why it's wrong here
Azure Firewall is a managed network firewall service that can filter traffic at the virtual network level, but it is unnecessary for the stated requirement for a simple subnet-level rule and incurs additional cost. An NSG is simpler and sufficient for this requirement.
- ✗
Azure Front Door
Why it's wrong here
Azure Front Door is a global Application Delivery Network (ADN) with web application firewall capabilities. It operates at the edge and is not used for subnet-level filtering within a virtual network.
- ✓
Network Security Group (NSG)
Why this is correct
An NSG contains inbound and outbound security rules that can be associated with a subnet or a network interface. By creating an allow rule for HTTPS (TCP 443) from Internet and a default deny-all rule, the requirement is met efficiently.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Application Security Group (ASG)
Why it's wrong here
An ASG is a logical grouping of virtual machines for use in NSG rules. It does not filter traffic by itself; it is used as a source or destination in NSG rules.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Firewall (a centralized, stateful service) with a simple subnet-level ACL, or they mistakenly think an Application Security Group can independently filter traffic, when in fact it only works as a source or destination in an NSG rule.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When an NSG is associated with a subnet, it applies its security rules to all network interfaces (NICs) within that subnet, evaluating rules in priority order (lowest number first) until a match is found. The default rules include a deny-all inbound rule, so explicitly allowing HTTPS (TCP/443) from the 'Internet' service tag ensures only that traffic is permitted. A common real-world scenario is using NSGs for micro-segmentation within a VNet, where subnet-level NSGs provide a first line of defense before application-level controls.
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
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Secure networking — study guide chapter
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AZ-500 practice test guide
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this AZ-500 question test?
Secure networking — This question tests Secure networking — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Network Security Group (NSG) — A Network Security Group (NSG) is the correct resource because it can be associated with a subnet to filter inbound traffic at Layer 3/4. By creating a rule that allows TCP port 443 (HTTPS) from the Internet service tag and a default deny-all rule, the NSG blocks all other inbound traffic while permitting HTTPS. This meets the requirement of a single Azure resource operating at the subnet level.
What should I do if I get this AZ-500 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
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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