The correct answer is to use Intune compliance policies with the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint category and Microsoft Defender XDR device health reports. Intune compliance policies evaluate real-time protection by checking the Defender Antivirus status reported through the Intune Management Extension, marking devices noncompliant if Defender is disabled. Microsoft Defender XDR device health reports aggregate antivirus status across enrolled devices, showing whether Defender is active and up to date. On the MD-102 exam, this tests your ability to distinguish between configuration enforcement via compliance policies and broad monitoring via security reports—a common trap is confusing device health reports with endpoint security configurations. Remember: compliance policies enforce the rule, XDR reports verify the result. Memory tip: “Policy for enforcement, XDR for reporting.”
MD-102 Manage and maintain devices Practice Question
This MD-102 practice question tests your understanding of manage and maintain devices. 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.
Your organization requires that all managed Windows devices have Microsoft Defender Antivirus enabled and running. Which TWO methods can you use to verify this compliance?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create an Intune compliance policy for Windows Defender.
Option A is correct because Intune compliance policies include a 'Microsoft Defender for Endpoint' category that allows you to require Defender Antivirus to be enabled and running. When a device reports its Defender status via the Intune Management Extension, the compliance policy evaluates the real-time protection state and marks the device as noncompliant if Defender is off or disabled. Option C is correct because Microsoft Defender XDR (formerly Microsoft 365 Defender) provides device health reports that aggregate antivirus status across all enrolled devices, including whether Defender is active and up to date.
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.
✓
Create an Intune compliance policy for Windows Defender.
Why this is correct
Correct. Compliance policies can check Defender state.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Check Microsoft Entra ID device settings.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Entra ID does not track Defender state.
✓
Use Microsoft Defender XDR device health reports.
Why this is correct
Correct. Defender XDR provides health status.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Review the Local Group Policy Editor on each device.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Local policy does not provide centralized reporting.
✗
Run a Configuration Manager hardware inventory.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This is not a direct Microsoft 365 method.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Microsoft Entra ID device settings (which manage device identity and registration) with device compliance monitoring, leading them to incorrectly select Option B as a verification method.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Intune compliance policies for Windows Defender use the 'DeviceHealthStatus' CSP (Configuration Service Provider) to query the real-time protection state of Microsoft Defender Antivirus. The policy evaluates the 'Defender' node under 'Device Status' and can trigger automatic remediation actions, such as sending a notification or requiring the user to enable Defender. In a hybrid environment, you can combine Intune compliance policies with Conditional Access to block access to corporate resources if Defender is not running, creating a zero-trust enforcement loop.
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 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 MD-102 question in full detail.
Manage and maintain devices — This question tests Manage and maintain devices — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Create an Intune compliance policy for Windows Defender. — Option A is correct because Intune compliance policies include a 'Microsoft Defender for Endpoint' category that allows you to require Defender Antivirus to be enabled and running. When a device reports its Defender status via the Intune Management Extension, the compliance policy evaluates the real-time protection state and marks the device as noncompliant if Defender is off or disabled. Option C is correct because Microsoft Defender XDR (formerly Microsoft 365 Defender) provides device health reports that aggregate antivirus status across all enrolled devices, including whether Defender is active and up to date.
What should I do if I get this MD-102 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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Question Discussion
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