AZ-802 Secure Windows Server Infrastructure Practice Question
You are hardening a Windows Server 2022 instance. You need to implement Credential Guard to protect NTLM and Kerberos credentials from memory-based attacks. Which prerequisite must be met on the server?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse Credential Guard with Windows Defender Application Guard (Option B) or think it is a software-only configuration.
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
✓
Ensure the hardware supports Second Level Address Translation (SLAT).
Credential Guard requires Virtualization-Based Security (VBS). The core hardware prerequisites are UEFI with Secure Boot, and CPU support for virtualization extensions (Intel VT-x or AMD-V) and Second Level Address Translation (SLAT). While SLAT is a correct prerequisite, the explanation should explicitly mention that VBS/Hyper-V hypervisor support is the underlying requirement.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) Restricted Admin mode.
Why it's wrong here
Restricted Admin mode for RDP prevents credentials from being stored on the remote host during a session, but it is a separate security feature. While it complements Credential Guard, it is not a technical requirement for enabling the virtualized container that Credential Guard uses for memory isolation.
- ✗
Install the Windows Defender Application Guard feature.
Why it's wrong here
Windows Defender Application Guard is designed to isolate untrusted web browsing sessions in a Hyper-V container. It relies on similar hardware virtualization capabilities but is an entirely distinct feature from Credential Guard. Installing it does not fulfill the core requirement for Credential Guard's underlying memory protection mechanism.
- ✓
Ensure the hardware supports Second Level Address Translation (SLAT).
Why this is correct
Credential Guard requires virtualization-based security (VBS), which depends on hardware support for SLAT and advanced virtualization extensions. These features allow the hypervisor to manage memory pages efficiently for the secure container. Without these hardware capabilities enabled in the BIOS/UEFI, the virtualized environment cannot initialize properly to host secrets.
- ✗
Disable the Windows Update service.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling Windows Update significantly degrades the security posture of the server by preventing critical security patches and definitions. Credential Guard does not rely on the state of the Windows Update service; in fact, maintaining a fully patched system is essential for the overall integrity of the VBS environment.
About these practice questions
This AZ-802 question is part of Courseiva's 116-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Microsoft exam blueprint
This AZ-802 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-802 exam.