The answer is to initiate an automated investigation in Microsoft Defender XDR. This is the correct next step because when you need to determine if an account is compromised after a suspicious login, Defender XDR’s automated investigation correlates signals across Microsoft Defender for Identity, Defender for Cloud Apps, and other Microsoft 365 services, providing a unified verdict without manual guesswork. On the MS-102 exam, this question tests your understanding of incident response workflows and the importance of leveraging cross-domain correlation rather than taking isolated actions like disabling the account or resetting the password, which could miss lateral movement or additional malicious activity. A common trap is jumping to a reactive fix—such as immediately blocking the user—instead of letting the platform’s automated logic analyze the full scope of the alert. Remember the memory tip: “Investigate before you isolate” to ensure you let Defender XDR’s correlation engine confirm compromise before taking disruptive action.
MS-102 Practice Question: Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR
This MS-102 practice question tests your understanding of manage security and threats by using microsoft defender xdr. 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 uses Microsoft Defender for Identity (MDI) and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. You receive an alert about a user account that is exhibiting suspicious behavior: unusual login times from an IP address that is not in the user's typical location. The alert recommends action. You need to determine if the account is compromised. What is the best next step?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Initiate an automated investigation in Microsoft Defender XDR
Option B is correct because initiating an automated investigation in Microsoft Defender XDR will correlate signals across MDI, Defender for Cloud Apps, and other Microsoft 365 services to determine if the account is compromised. Option A is wrong because disabling the account immediately might be premature and could disrupt legitimate access. Option C is wrong because resetting password alone without investigation may not detect other malicious activity. Option D is wrong because configuring an access policy in Microsoft Entra ID is a longer-term fix, not immediate investigation.
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.
✓
Initiate an automated investigation in Microsoft Defender XDR
Why this is correct
Automated investigation will analyze signals and determine if compromised.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Configure a conditional access policy in Microsoft Entra ID to block the IP
Why it's wrong here
This is a reactive step that doesn't confirm compromise.
✗
Immediately disable the user account
Why it's wrong here
This could be too aggressive if it's a false positive.
✗
Reset the user's password
Why it's wrong here
Password reset is helpful but doesn't investigate other possible anomalies.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MS-102 question in full detail.
Identify which MS-102 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR — This question tests Manage security and threats by using Microsoft Defender XDR — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Initiate an automated investigation in Microsoft Defender XDR — Option B is correct because initiating an automated investigation in Microsoft Defender XDR will correlate signals across MDI, Defender for Cloud Apps, and other Microsoft 365 services to determine if the account is compromised. Option A is wrong because disabling the account immediately might be premature and could disrupt legitimate access. Option C is wrong because resetting password alone without investigation may not detect other malicious activity. Option D is wrong because configuring an access policy in Microsoft Entra ID is a longer-term fix, not immediate investigation.
What should I do if I get this MS-102 question wrong?
Identify which MS-102 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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