MS-102 Practice Question: Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR
A company wants to receive alerts when a user account is used from an unauthorized location. They have Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (MDA). Which policy type should they create?
⚠ Common exam trap
MS-102 often tests the distinction between MDA policy types — candidates pick session or file policies because they sound security-relevant, but only anomaly detection policies are behavior-based and location-aware.
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
✓
Create an anomaly detection policy.
Anomaly detection policies in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps use machine learning and behavioral baselines to flag activities that deviate from a user's normal pattern — including logins from unfamiliar or unauthorized geographic locations. This is the correct policy type because the requirement is to detect unusual user behavior (impossible travel, atypical location) rather than to control sessions, permissions, or files. MDA's anomaly detection engine automatically surfaces alerts such as 'Activity from infrequent country' or 'Impossible travel' without needing a predefined rule.
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 a session policy.
Why it's wrong here
Session policies apply Conditional Access App Control to proxy and restrict live user sessions, not to generate alerts on sign-ins from unauthorised locations. It is tempting because session controls are a headline MDA feature, and this policy type would be correct when you need to block downloads or actions within a session in real time.
- ✗
Create an app permissions policy.
Why it's wrong here
App permissions policies govern OAuth scopes granted to third-party apps, so they cannot detect a sign-in from an unauthorised location. It is tempting because app governance is a core MDA capability, and this policy type would be correct when you need to alert on or revoke risky OAuth permissions granted to connected applications.
- ✗
Create a file policy.
Why it's wrong here
File policies scan stored files in connected cloud services for sensitive content or malware, so they cannot alert on a user account signing in from an unauthorised location. It is tempting because file policies are a common MDA use case, and this policy type would be correct when you need to detect or quarantine files containing sensitive data.
- ✓
Create an anomaly detection policy.
Why this is correct
Anomaly detection policies in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps baseline normal user behaviour and alert on deviations such as impossible travel or unfamiliar sign-in locations. This directly satisfies the requirement to flag account use from unauthorised locations.
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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 MS-102 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 MS-102 exam.