The answer is a list of user accounts and computers where the account has more than 5 failed logins in the last 24 hours. This KQL query for brute-force detection works by filtering SecurityEvent logs to only user accounts (AccountType == 'User') within the last 24 hours, then using a summarize operator to group by both Account and Computer while counting the number of failed login events. The where clause then filters the results to show only those groups where the count exceeds 5, effectively surfacing accounts that have triggered a suspicious number of authentication failures from a specific machine. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this tests your ability to read KQL aggregation logic and understand that brute-force detection often relies on threshold-based filtering of failed logins per distinct endpoint, not just per account globally. A common trap is assuming the query returns only the account name or only the computer name, but the group-by clause ensures both are returned together. Remember the mnemonic “AC” for Account and Computer—if you see both in the summarize, the output must include both.
SC-100 Practice Question: Design security solutions for applications and data
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design security solutions for applications and data. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Exhibit
Log Analytics query:
SecurityEvent
| where TimeGenerated > ago(24h)
| where AccountType == "User"
| summarize FailedLogins = count() by Account, Computer
| where FailedLogins > 5
Refer to the exhibit. You are investigating a security incident in Microsoft Sentinel. The KQL query above is used to identify potential brute-force attacks. What does the query return?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A list of user accounts and computers where the account has more than 5 failed logins in the last 24 hours.
Option C is correct. The query filters SecurityEvent for user accounts (AccountType == 'User') in the last 24 hours, groups by Account and Computer, counts the number of events (FailedLogins), and then filters to only those accounts with more than 5 failed logins. Option A is wrong because it returns both Account and Computer. Option B is wrong because it does not return successful logins. Option D is wrong because it counts per account and computer, not just per computer.
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.
✗
A list of computers with more than 5 failed logins from any account.
Why it's wrong here
Query groups by Account and Computer, not just Computer.
✗
A list of user accounts with more than 5 failed logins across all computers.
Why it's wrong here
Query groups by both Account and Computer, so not aggregated across all computers.
✓
A list of user accounts and computers where the account has more than 5 failed logins in the last 24 hours.
Why this is correct
Returns Account and Computer with FailedLogins > 5.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A list of user accounts with more than 5 successful logins in the last 24 hours.
Why it's wrong here
Query counts failed logins, not successful.
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
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.
Identify which SC-100 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.
Design security solutions for applications and data — This question tests Design security solutions for applications and data — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A list of user accounts and computers where the account has more than 5 failed logins in the last 24 hours. — Option C is correct. The query filters SecurityEvent for user accounts (AccountType == 'User') in the last 24 hours, groups by Account and Computer, counts the number of events (FailedLogins), and then filters to only those accounts with more than 5 failed logins. Option A is wrong because it returns both Account and Computer. Option B is wrong because it does not return successful logins. Option D is wrong because it counts per account and computer, not just per computer.
What should I do if I get this SC-100 question wrong?
Identify which SC-100 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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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