Quick Answer
The answer is diagnostic settings on the Azure Activity Log. This is the correct choice because the Azure Activity Log records all control-plane events, including every creation, modification, or deletion of network security group rules, which are considered management-plane operations. By enabling a diagnostic setting on the Activity Log and streaming it to a central Log Analytics workspace, you capture every NSG change automatically, ensuring centralized monitoring and alerting without needing agent-based logging. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this tests your understanding of the separation between control-plane logging (Activity Log) and data-plane logging (NSG flow logs); a common trap is confusing NSG flow logs with NSG change logging. Remember that flow logs track traffic, not configuration changes. A helpful memory tip: “Activity Log for admin actions, flow logs for traffic patterns.”
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities. 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.
You are designing a security solution for Azure resources. You need to ensure that any changes to network security groups (NSGs) are automatically logged and sent to a central Log Analytics workspace. Which Azure feature should you use?
Diagnostic settings on the Azure Activity Log
Activity Log records control plane events; diagnostic settings can stream these to Log Analytics.
Azure Policy
Why wrong: Azure Policy can audit but does not send logs to Log Analytics automatically.
NSG flow logs
Why wrong: Flow logs capture IP traffic, not changes to the NSG.
Azure Monitor alerts
Why wrong: Alerts notify but do not automatically send logs to a workspace.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Diagnostic settings on the Azure Activity Log
Diagnostic settings on the Azure Activity Log capture all control-plane operations, including changes to NSGs (e.g., rule additions or deletions). By configuring a diagnostic setting to stream the Activity Log to a Log Analytics workspace, you ensure that every NSG modification is automatically logged and centralized for monitoring and alerting.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Diagnostic settings on the Azure Activity Log
Why this is correct
Activity Log records control plane events; diagnostic settings can stream these to Log Analytics.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Azure Policy
Why it's wrong here
Azure Policy can audit but does not send logs to Log Analytics automatically.
NSG flow logs
Why it's wrong here
Flow logs capture IP traffic, not changes to the NSG.
Azure Monitor alerts
Why it's wrong here
Alerts notify but do not automatically send logs to a workspace.
Common exam traps
The trap here is confusing NSG flow logs (which log network traffic) with the Activity Log (which logs configuration changes), leading candidates to select NSG flow logs instead of diagnostic settings on the Activity Log.
Detailed technical explanation
The Azure Activity Log is a platform log in Azure that records all write operations (PUT, POST, DELETE) on resources at the control plane. Diagnostic settings allow you to route this log to multiple destinations, including Log Analytics workspaces, Event Hubs, or storage accounts. Under the hood, the Activity Log uses the Azure Resource Manager to capture operations like 'Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/write', which includes any modification to NSG rules. This is distinct from data-plane logs like NSG flow logs, which operate at the network layer using the Azure Network Watcher agent.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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FAQ
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..
The correct answer is: Diagnostic settings on the Azure Activity Log — Diagnostic settings on the Azure Activity Log capture all control-plane operations, including changes to NSGs (e.g., rule additions or deletions). By configuring a diagnostic setting to stream the Activity Log to a Log Analytics workspace, you ensure that every NSG modification is automatically logged and centralized for monitoring and alerting.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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