- A
Assign the Azure Security Benchmark initiative directly to the management group via Azure Policy, and use the Defender for Cloud's Regulatory Compliance dashboard.
Assigning the initiative at the management group scope applies it to all subscriptions within, and the Regulatory Compliance dashboard shows aggregated results for that scope.
- B
Enable Defender for Cloud's enhanced security features on each subscription, and the benchmark will be automatically applied.
Why wrong: Enabling enhanced security features does not automatically assign the Azure Security Benchmark initiative; you must assign it separately.
- C
Create a custom assessment in Defender for Cloud that queries the management group scope.
Why wrong: Defender for Cloud does not have a feature to create custom assessments that aggregate across a management group for compliance tracking.
- D
Assign the initiative to the root management group using Azure Policy, then configure Defender for Cloud to ignore individual subscription assignments.
Why wrong: Assigning to the root management group would apply to all subscriptions, but there is no need to configure Defender for Cloud to ignore subscription assignments; this is not a valid configuration step.
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. 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.
A global organization has Azure subscriptions organized under a single management group. The security team wants to ensure that the Azure Security Benchmark initiative is assigned once to cover all current and future subscriptions within that management group, without needing to assign it individually. They also want to see compliance results aggregated at the management group level. In Microsoft Defender for Cloud, what is the correct approach to achieve this?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Assign the Azure Security Benchmark initiative directly to the management group via Azure Policy, and use the Defender for Cloud's Regulatory Compliance dashboard.
Assigning the Azure Security Benchmark initiative directly to the management group via Azure Policy ensures that the policy initiative is inherited by all current and future subscriptions under that management group. Defender for Cloud's Regulatory Compliance dashboard then aggregates compliance results at the management group level, providing a single view of compliance across the entire hierarchy without requiring individual assignments.
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.
- ✓
Assign the Azure Security Benchmark initiative directly to the management group via Azure Policy, and use the Defender for Cloud's Regulatory Compliance dashboard.
Why this is correct
Assigning the initiative at the management group scope applies it to all subscriptions within, and the Regulatory Compliance dashboard shows aggregated results for that scope.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable Defender for Cloud's enhanced security features on each subscription, and the benchmark will be automatically applied.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling enhanced security features does not automatically assign the Azure Security Benchmark initiative; you must assign it separately.
- ✗
Create a custom assessment in Defender for Cloud that queries the management group scope.
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Cloud does not have a feature to create custom assessments that aggregate across a management group for compliance tracking.
- ✗
Assign the initiative to the root management group using Azure Policy, then configure Defender for Cloud to ignore individual subscription assignments.
Why it's wrong here
Assigning to the root management group would apply to all subscriptions, but there is no need to configure Defender for Cloud to ignore subscription assignments; this is not a valid configuration step.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think enabling enhanced security features in Defender for Cloud automatically applies the Azure Security Benchmark, but in reality, the benchmark must be explicitly assigned as a policy initiative, and the management group scope is the correct way to cover all subscriptions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure Policy supports inheritance at the management group level, meaning any policy or initiative assigned to a management group is automatically applied to all nested subscriptions and resource groups. Defender for Cloud's Regulatory Compliance dashboard uses Azure Policy's compliance state to aggregate results, and when the initiative is assigned at the management group scope, the dashboard can display aggregated compliance data for the entire hierarchy. This approach also ensures that new subscriptions added to the management group automatically receive the benchmark assignment without manual intervention.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
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: Assign the Azure Security Benchmark initiative directly to the management group via Azure Policy, and use the Defender for Cloud's Regulatory Compliance dashboard. — Assigning the Azure Security Benchmark initiative directly to the management group via Azure Policy ensures that the policy initiative is inherited by all current and future subscriptions under that management group. Defender for Cloud's Regulatory Compliance dashboard then aggregates compliance results at the management group level, providing a single view of compliance across the entire hierarchy without requiring individual assignments.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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