A cloud security administrator receives an alert from Microsoft Defender for Cloud indicating that a virtual machine has been compromised. The administrator wants to quickly isolate the VM from the network to prevent further spread while preserving the disk for forensic analysis. Which action should the administrator take?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Distractor review
Apply a just-in-time (JIT) access policy to the VM.
JIT reduces exposure by controlling access, but does not isolate a compromised VM.
Best answer
Use the "Isolate VM" action in the security alert.
This action isolates the VM from the network while preserving the disk.
Distractor review
Enable the Azure Security Benchmark initiative for the VM.
This applies compliance policies, not immediate isolation.
Distractor review
Configure a custom Azure Policy to deny network access.
Azure Policy is not designed for immediate response actions.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: ACLs stop at the first match
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Standard ACLs match source addresses.
- Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
- The first matching ACL entry is used.
- There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
- Check inbound versus outbound direction.
- Read the ACL from top to bottom.
- Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Related practice questions
Related SC-200 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A Microsoft Sentinel scheduled analytics rule detects impossible travel but creates too many duplicate incidents for the same user within a short period. Which two rule settings should you tune? (Choose 2.)
Question 2
A phishing email was delivered to several users. The analyst wants to find all messages in the campaign, see delivery actions, and perform remediation from the Microsoft 365 Defender portal. Which tool should they use?
Question 3
A security analyst in Microsoft Defender for Cloud receives an alert that an Azure VM has a vulnerability with a high severity. The analyst wants to see the detailed finding, including the steps to remediate. Which blade or page should the analyst open?
Question 4
A company uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud to protect an Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) cluster. The security team wants to receive security alerts about suspicious activities within the cluster, such as a container running with root privileges or attempts to read sensitive host paths. Which Defender for Cloud plan must be enabled to generate these alerts?
Question 5
A security analyst is configuring Microsoft Sentinel scheduled analytics rules to detect brute-force attacks on Microsoft Entra ID. Arrange the steps in the correct order from first to last.
Question 6
An organization uses Microsoft 365 Defender. A security analyst is investigating a malware incident on a user's device. The automated investigation and response (AIR) has already isolated the device from the network. The analyst now needs to collect a copy of a specific suspicious file from the device for further analysis. Which action should the analyst initiate from the device's entity page?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the "Isolate VM" action in the security alert. — When a security alert is raised, Defender for Cloud provides response actions, including isolating the VM. This action blocks network traffic to/from the VM but keeps the VM running for investigation.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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