The answer is network segmentation using NSGs and application security groups. This control is prioritized because it directly governs east-west traffic between virtual machines within the same virtual network, which is the primary vector for lateral movement after an initial compromise. By defining explicit inbound and outbound rules that restrict communication to only necessary ports and protocols, such as TCP 443 for HTTPS, an NSG at the subnet or NIC level will drop any unauthorized traffic, effectively isolating a compromised VM and preventing it from reaching adjacent hosts. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of defense-in-depth lateral movement prevention at the network layer, often contrasting NSGs with Azure Firewall or just-in-time VM access—a common trap is choosing a host-based control like endpoint protection, which does not block network-level traversal. Remember the memory tip: “NSGs stop the spread, not just the symptom.”
SC-100 Practice Question: Recommend security best practices and priorities
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of recommend security best practices and priorities. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 is designing a defense-in-depth strategy for their Azure environment. They want to ensure that if a virtual machine is compromised, the attacker cannot move laterally to other VMs in the same virtual network. Which security control should they prioritize?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Implement network segmentation using NSGs and application security groups
Network segmentation using NSGs and application security groups is the correct priority because it directly controls east-west traffic between VMs within the same virtual network. By defining explicit inbound and outbound rules that restrict communication to only necessary ports and protocols (e.g., TCP 443 for HTTPS), an attacker who compromises one VM cannot initiate lateral movement to other VMs, as the NSG will drop unauthorized traffic at the subnet or NIC level.
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.
✗
Enable Azure DDoS Protection on the virtual network
Why it's wrong here
DDoS protection only mitigates volumetric attacks, not lateral movement.
✓
Implement network segmentation using NSGs and application security groups
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all admin accounts
Why it's wrong here
MFA is important for identity security but does not prevent lateral movement after a VM is compromised.
✗
Deploy Azure Bastion for secure remote access
Why it's wrong here
Azure Bastion secures RDP/SSH access but does not segment network traffic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse network-level controls (NSGs) with identity or access controls (MFA, Bastion) or perimeter defenses (DDoS Protection), failing to recognize that lateral movement is a network traffic problem that requires explicit east-west traffic filtering.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NSGs are stateful packet filters that evaluate rules based on 5-tuple (source IP, source port, destination IP, destination port, protocol). Application security groups allow grouping of VMs by application tier (e.g., web, app, database) and referencing those groups in NSG rules, enabling micro-segmentation without managing individual IP addresses. In a real-world attack like the 2021 Exchange Server compromise, lateral movement was achieved because VMs in the same subnet had overly permissive NSG rules allowing SMB (TCP 445) and RDP (TCP 3389); proper segmentation would have blocked those ports between tiers.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-100 question in full detail.
Recommend security best practices and priorities — This question tests Recommend security best practices and priorities — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Implement network segmentation using NSGs and application security groups — Network segmentation using NSGs and application security groups is the correct priority because it directly controls east-west traffic between VMs within the same virtual network. By defining explicit inbound and outbound rules that restrict communication to only necessary ports and protocols (e.g., TCP 443 for HTTPS), an attacker who compromises one VM cannot initiate lateral movement to other VMs, as the NSG will drop unauthorized traffic at the subnet or NIC level.
What should I do if I get this SC-100 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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Which THREE of the following are key components of a defense-in-depth strategy?
medium
✓ A.Physical security
B.Flat network topology
C.Single sign-on (SSO)
✓ D.Identity and access management
✓ E.Network segmentation
Why A: Physical security is a foundational layer in defense-in-depth, protecting hardware assets from unauthorized physical access, theft, or tampering. It includes measures like biometric locks, surveillance cameras, and secure server rooms, which prevent attackers from bypassing logical controls by directly interacting with systems.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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