- A
Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 100), then Deny all inbound (priority 200)
Correct. The allow rule has a lower priority number (100) and is evaluated first. The subsequent deny-all rule (priority 200) blocks any traffic not matching the allow rule.
- B
Deny all inbound (priority 100), then Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 200)
Why wrong: Incorrect. The deny-all rule has a lower priority, so it will be evaluated first and block all traffic, including HTTP from the allowed source. The allow rule would never be reached.
- C
Allow HTTP from any (priority 100), then Deny all inbound (priority 200)
Why wrong: Incorrect. This would allow HTTP from any source, including from outside the specified range, violating the policy.
- D
Only Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 100) with no explicit deny
Why wrong: Incorrect. Without an explicit deny rule to block other traffic, the default NSG rule (allow inbound from virtual network and load balancer) would allow other traffic not explicitly denied. To deny all other inbound, an explicit deny-all rule is needed.
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 subnet hosting web servers. The security policy requires that all inbound HTTP traffic must be sourced from a specific IP address range (203.0.113.0/24). All other inbound traffic must be denied. The subnet is associated with a network security group (NSG). Which set of inbound rules 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
Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 100), then Deny all inbound (priority 200)
Option A is correct because NSG rules are evaluated in priority order (lowest number first). The Allow rule for HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 at priority 100 permits the desired traffic, and the subsequent Deny all inbound rule at priority 200 blocks all other traffic, including HTTP from any other source. This satisfies the security policy of allowing only HTTP from the specified IP range and denying everything else.
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.
- ✓
Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 100), then Deny all inbound (priority 200)
Why this is correct
Correct. The allow rule has a lower priority number (100) and is evaluated first. The subsequent deny-all rule (priority 200) blocks any traffic not matching the allow rule.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Deny all inbound (priority 100), then Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 200)
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The deny-all rule has a lower priority, so it will be evaluated first and block all traffic, including HTTP from the allowed source. The allow rule would never be reached.
- ✗
Allow HTTP from any (priority 100), then Deny all inbound (priority 200)
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This would allow HTTP from any source, including from outside the specified range, violating the policy.
- ✗
Only Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 100) with no explicit deny
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Without an explicit deny rule to block other traffic, the default NSG rule (allow inbound from virtual network and load balancer) would allow other traffic not explicitly denied. To deny all other inbound, an explicit deny-all rule is needed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often think a single Allow rule with no explicit Deny is sufficient, forgetting that NSGs have default implicit allow rules (e.g., AllowVNetInBound) that would permit other traffic unless explicitly denied.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NSGs use a priority-based rule evaluation where the first matching rule is applied; lower priority numbers are evaluated first. The default rules (e.g., AllowVNetInBound, DenyAllInBound) are present but have high priority numbers (65000+), so explicit rules take precedence. In this scenario, the explicit Deny all inbound rule at priority 200 overrides the default allow rules, ensuring only the explicitly allowed HTTP traffic from the specified range is permitted. A common real-world pitfall is forgetting that NSG rules are stateful—if you allow inbound HTTP, the corresponding outbound response is automatically allowed, but this does not affect the inbound filtering logic.
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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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: Allow HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 (priority 100), then Deny all inbound (priority 200) — Option A is correct because NSG rules are evaluated in priority order (lowest number first). The Allow rule for HTTP from 203.0.113.0/24 at priority 100 permits the desired traffic, and the subsequent Deny all inbound rule at priority 200 blocks all other traffic, including HTTP from any other source. This satisfies the security policy of allowing only HTTP from the specified IP range and denying everything else.
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.
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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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