The answer is that the policy denies deployment of virtual machines using Standard_LRS or StandardSSD_LRS managed disks. This is correct because the Azure Policy deny effect enforces a condition that checks the `Microsoft.Compute/disks/sku.name` property, and when it is not equal to `Premium_LRS`, the deployment is blocked. The technical concept here is that the deny effect acts as a hard gate, preventing any non-compliant resource creation at the moment of deployment, which is distinct from audit or modify effects that only flag or alter resources after the fact. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Azure Policy can enforce security best practices for disk encryption in production environments, often appearing as a trick where candidates confuse the deny effect with audit. A common trap is assuming the policy allows Standard disks and only warns; instead, remember that deny stops the action entirely. Memory tip: think of “Deny = Door closed” for any SKU that isn’t Premium.
SC-100 Design security for infrastructure Practice Question
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design security for infrastructure. 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.
Refer to the exhibit. You are reviewing an Azure Policy definition that will be assigned to a subscription containing production virtual machines. The policy is intended to enforce security best practices for disk encryption. What is the effect of this policy?
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
✓
The policy denies deployment of virtual machines using Standard_LRS or StandardSSD_LRS managed disks.
The policy uses the 'deny' effect with a condition that checks if the 'Microsoft.Compute/disks/sku.name' property is not equal to 'Premium_LRS'. This means any virtual machine deployment that uses Standard_LRS or StandardSSD_LRS managed disks will be denied, enforcing the use of Premium_LRS disks for production VMs to meet security best practices for disk encryption.
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 denies deployment of virtual machines using Standard_LRS or StandardSSD_LRS managed disks.
Why this is correct
The policy uses the 'deny' effect to block VMs with those disk types.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The policy modifies existing virtual machines to change their disk type to Premium_LRS.
Why it's wrong here
The policy does not modify existing resources; it only denies new or updated deployments.
✗
The policy allows deployment of virtual machines only if they use Standard_LRS or StandardSSD_LRS disks.
Why it's wrong here
The policy denies those disk types, not allows them.
✗
The policy audits virtual machines to ensure they have Azure Disk Encryption enabled.
Why it's wrong here
The policy does not check encryption; it checks disk storage account type.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Microsoft often tests the distinction between 'deny', 'audit', and 'modify' effects, and the trap here is assuming that a policy that checks disk SKU is related to encryption (ADE) rather than disk performance or redundancy, leading candidates to select the audit option D.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Policy 'deny' effects are evaluated at resource creation or update time, preventing non-compliant resources from being provisioned. The condition uses the 'notEquals' operator on the 'sku.name' property, which is case-sensitive and must match exactly 'Premium_LRS'. In real-world scenarios, this policy is often paired with a 'modify' or 'deployIfNotExists' policy to automatically convert existing disks to Premium_LRS, but this specific definition only denies non-compliant new deployments.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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 security for infrastructure — This question tests Design security for infrastructure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The policy denies deployment of virtual machines using Standard_LRS or StandardSSD_LRS managed disks. — The policy uses the 'deny' effect with a condition that checks if the 'Microsoft.Compute/disks/sku.name' property is not equal to 'Premium_LRS'. This means any virtual machine deployment that uses Standard_LRS or StandardSSD_LRS managed disks will be denied, enforcing the use of Premium_LRS disks for production VMs to meet security best practices for disk encryption.
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: "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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