The answer is the ASR rule with GUID 01443614-cd74-433a-b99e-2ecdc07bfc25, titled "Block executable files from running unless they meet a prevalence, age, or trusted list criteria." This rule is correct because it leverages the Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph to evaluate each executable against global telemetry, blocking files that are too new, too rare, or lack a trusted signature—directly enforcing the prevalence, age, and trust level conditions described. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this question tests your ability to map a specific security requirement to the correct ASR rule among similar-sounding options; a common trap is confusing it with rules that block Office apps from creating child processes or that block untrusted fonts. Remember the memory tip: "P-A-T" stands for Prevalence, Age, and Trust—if a file fails any of these three checks, this rule blocks it. Focus on the GUID and the phrase "prevalence, age, or trusted list" as the exact match for any scenario requiring cloud-backed reputation filtering of executables.
SC-100 Practice Question: Design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 uses Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to protect endpoints. They want to configure attack surface reduction rules to block executable files from running unless they meet a specific prevalence, age, or trust level. Which ASR rule should they enable?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Block executable files from running unless they meet a prevalence, age, or trusted list criteria
Option D is correct because the ASR rule 'Block executable files from running unless they meet a prevalence, age, or trusted list criteria' (GUID: 01443614-cd74-433a-b99e-2ecdc07bfc25) is specifically designed to block executables that do not meet Microsoft's cloud-based prevalence, age, or trustworthiness criteria. This rule uses the Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph to evaluate files against global telemetry, blocking those that are new, rare, or unsigned, which directly matches the requirement to block executables based on prevalence, age, or trust 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.
✗
Block Office communication application from creating child processes
Why it's wrong here
This rule blocks Office apps from creating child processes, not prevalence based.
✗
Block credential stealing from the Windows local security authority subsystem
Why it's wrong here
This rule prevents credential theft, not executable blocking.
✗
Block untrusted and unsigned processes that run from USB
Why it's wrong here
This rule blocks USB execution, not prevalence based.
✓
Block executable files from running unless they meet a prevalence, age, or trusted list criteria
Why this is correct
This ASR rule uses cloud-delivered reputation to block risky executables.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the USB-specific rule (Option C) with the global executable prevalence rule (Option D), because both mention 'untrusted' or 'unsigned', but only Option D explicitly includes prevalence, age, and trusted list criteria as stated in the question.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This ASR rule leverages Microsoft's cloud-based threat intelligence and the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint backend to assign a trust score to each executable based on global prevalence (how many devices have seen it), file age (first seen timestamp), and digital signature trust. When an executable is blocked, the event ID 1121 is logged in Windows Event Viewer under Microsoft-Windows-Windows Defender/Operational, and the rule can be configured in audit mode (GUID: 01443614-cd74-433a-b99e-2ecdc07bfc25) to test impact before enabling block mode. A real-world scenario is blocking a zero-day executable that has low prevalence and no valid signature, preventing ransomware from executing on endpoints.
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 SC-100 question in full detail.
Design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities — This question tests Design solutions that align with 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: Block executable files from running unless they meet a prevalence, age, or trusted list criteria — Option D is correct because the ASR rule 'Block executable files from running unless they meet a prevalence, age, or trusted list criteria' (GUID: 01443614-cd74-433a-b99e-2ecdc07bfc25) is specifically designed to block executables that do not meet Microsoft's cloud-based prevalence, age, or trustworthiness criteria. This rule uses the Microsoft Intelligent Security Graph to evaluate files against global telemetry, blocking those that are new, rare, or unsigned, which directly matches the requirement to block executables based on prevalence, age, or trust 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.
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