The answer is Azure Policy’s DeployIfNotExists effect, which should be configured to automatically remediate non-compliant Azure resources when a policy violation is detected. This effect works by deploying a predefined resource configuration—such as enabling encryption on a storage account—during policy evaluation or a remediation task, directly fixing the non-compliance without manual intervention. On the SC-200 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how Defender for Cloud integrates with Azure Policy to enforce security baselines; a common trap is confusing DeployIfNotExists with the simpler Deny effect, which only blocks non-compliant creation but does not remediate existing resources. Remember the mnemonic “DINE” for DeployIfNotExists—it “dines” on non-compliance by automatically deploying the fix.
SC-200 Practice Question: Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of mitigate threats using microsoft defender for cloud. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
A company uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud to manage security across multiple Azure subscriptions. They want to automatically remediate non-compliant resources when a policy violation is detected—for example, enabling encryption on a storage account that has it disabled. Which feature should they configure?
Why wrong: The regulatory compliance dashboard provides visibility into compliance against standards but does not perform automatic remediation.
B
Azure Policy's DeployIfNotExists effect
DeployIfNotExists policies automatically deploy the required configuration (e.g., enable encryption) when a non-compliant resource is created or updated.
C
Adaptive network hardening
Why wrong: Adaptive network hardening strengthens network security group rules based on traffic patterns, but it does not remediate storage encryption configurations.
D
Just-In-Time VM access
Why wrong: Just-In-Time VM access reduces exposure by controlling access to VMs, not related to storage encryption.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure Policy's DeployIfNotExists effect
Azure Policy's DeployIfNotExists effect is the correct feature because it automatically deploys a resource configuration (such as enabling encryption on a storage account) when a policy evaluation detects non-compliance. This effect runs during policy evaluation and remediation tasks, ensuring that the resource is brought into compliance without manual intervention. It is specifically designed for automated remediation of non-compliant resources in Azure, aligning with the requirement to fix violations like missing 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.
✗
Regulatory compliance dashboard
Why it's wrong here
The regulatory compliance dashboard provides visibility into compliance against standards but does not perform automatic remediation.
✓
Azure Policy's DeployIfNotExists effect
Why this is correct
DeployIfNotExists policies automatically deploy the required configuration (e.g., enable encryption) when a non-compliant resource is created or updated.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Adaptive network hardening
Why it's wrong here
Adaptive network hardening strengthens network security group rules based on traffic patterns, but it does not remediate storage encryption configurations.
✗
Just-In-Time VM access
Why it's wrong here
Just-In-Time VM access reduces exposure by controlling access to VMs, not related to storage encryption.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the Regulatory compliance dashboard (a monitoring tool) with an automated remediation feature, overlooking that Azure Policy's DeployIfNotExists effect is the actual mechanism for enforcing and fixing compliance violations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The DeployIfNotExists effect works by associating a policy definition with a template deployment that runs when the policy engine detects a resource that does not have the required configuration (e.g., encryption disabled). Under the hood, it uses Azure Resource Manager templates to deploy the missing resource or setting, and it can be triggered automatically via a remediation task or during policy evaluation cycles. A subtle behavior is that the effect only applies to new or updated resources by default; for existing non-compliant resources, a manual remediation task must be initiated unless the policy is assigned with a managed identity and the 'remediation' scope is configured.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — This question tests Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure Policy's DeployIfNotExists effect — Azure Policy's DeployIfNotExists effect is the correct feature because it automatically deploys a resource configuration (such as enabling encryption on a storage account) when a policy evaluation detects non-compliance. This effect runs during policy evaluation and remediation tasks, ensuring that the resource is brought into compliance without manual intervention. It is specifically designed for automated remediation of non-compliant resources in Azure, aligning with the requirement to fix violations like missing encryption.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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