The answer is that the custom assessment referenced in the policy does not exist in Microsoft Defender for Cloud. This is the most likely cause because the auditIfNotExists effect in Azure Policy relies on a linked assessment within Defender for Cloud to detect the missing condition—in this case, a web app that does not redirect HTTP to HTTPS. Without that custom assessment present, the policy engine cannot evaluate the existence check, so it defaults to marking the resource as 'Healthy' even when the configuration is non-compliant. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how auditIfNotExists depends on Defender for Cloud’s assessment infrastructure, a common trap where candidates assume the policy alone performs the check. Remember the key dependency: auditIfNotExists is not self-contained—it needs a corresponding assessment to exist. A useful memory tip is "No assessment, no detection"—if the custom assessment is missing, the policy cannot flag the missing redirect.
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. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. You are evaluating an Azure Policy definition that checks whether a web app redirects HTTP to HTTPS. The policy uses 'auditIfNotExists' effect. After assigning this policy to a subscription, you notice that a web app that does not redirect HTTP to HTTPS is marked as 'Healthy'. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The custom assessment referenced in the policy does not exist in Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
The 'auditIfNotExists' effect in Azure Policy requires a linked assessment in Microsoft Defender for Cloud to evaluate the existence condition. If the custom assessment referenced in the policy does not exist in Defender for Cloud, the policy cannot detect the missing HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect, causing non-compliant resources to be incorrectly marked as 'Healthy'.
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.
✗
The policy assignment is scoped to a management group that does not include the web app's subscription.
Why it's wrong here
The question states the policy is assigned to the subscription.
✓
The custom assessment referenced in the policy does not exist in Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Why this is correct
If the custom assessment does not exist, the policy cannot evaluate it and defaults to compliant.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The policy definition has a syntax error in the 'existenceCondition' field.
Why it's wrong here
The syntax appears correct.
✗
The web app is not running and therefore not assessed.
Why it's wrong here
Even if running, the assessment must exist.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume 'auditIfNotExists' works independently like 'audit' or 'deny', but it requires a pre-existing Defender for Cloud assessment to function, and a missing assessment silently produces a 'Healthy' result.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, 'auditIfNotExists' works by querying a linked assessment in Microsoft Defender for Cloud (formerly Azure Security Center). The policy's 'existenceCondition' defines the expected state, but the actual evaluation relies on Defender for Cloud's continuous scan. If the assessment is missing, the policy defaults to 'Healthy' because it cannot confirm the absence of the condition. This is a common pitfall when using custom policies without first creating the corresponding Defender for Cloud recommendation.
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: The custom assessment referenced in the policy does not exist in Microsoft Defender for Cloud. — The 'auditIfNotExists' effect in Azure Policy requires a linked assessment in Microsoft Defender for Cloud to evaluate the existence condition. If the custom assessment referenced in the policy does not exist in Defender for Cloud, the policy cannot detect the missing HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect, causing non-compliant resources to be incorrectly marked as 'Healthy'.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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