- A
Assign the built-in Azure Policy initiative 'Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on all subscriptions' at the management group level.
This policy initiative automatically enables the defined Defender plans for current and future subscriptions under the management group.
- B
Configure 'Continuous export' settings in Defender for Cloud to export policies to Log Analytics for each subscription.
Why wrong: Continuous export sends security data to Log Analytics but does not enable Defender plans on new subscriptions.
- C
Set the default security policies at the management group level in Defender for Cloud's environment settings.
Why wrong: Security policies define which controls are monitored, but they do not automatically enable the Defender plans themselves.
- D
Enable 'Auto provisioning' for the Log Analytics agent in Defender for Cloud.
Why wrong: Auto provisioning only installs the Log Analytics agent on existing VMs; it does not enable Defender plans on new subscriptions.
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 large enterprise uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud with all enhanced security plans enabled. They want to automatically enable the Defender for Cloud plans on new Azure subscriptions that are created under their management group. Which approach should they use?
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 built-in Azure Policy initiative 'Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on all subscriptions' at the management group level.
Option A is correct because the built-in Azure Policy initiative 'Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on all subscriptions' is designed to be assigned at a management group scope, automatically enabling all Defender for Cloud plans on new subscriptions as they are created under that management group. This leverages Azure Policy's compliance evaluation and remediation tasks to enforce the security plans across the entire hierarchy without manual intervention.
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 built-in Azure Policy initiative 'Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on all subscriptions' at the management group level.
Why this is correct
This policy initiative automatically enables the defined Defender plans for current and future subscriptions under the management group.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure 'Continuous export' settings in Defender for Cloud to export policies to Log Analytics for each subscription.
Why it's wrong here
Continuous export sends security data to Log Analytics but does not enable Defender plans on new subscriptions.
- ✗
Set the default security policies at the management group level in Defender for Cloud's environment settings.
Why it's wrong here
Security policies define which controls are monitored, but they do not automatically enable the Defender plans themselves.
- ✗
Enable 'Auto provisioning' for the Log Analytics agent in Defender for Cloud.
Why it's wrong here
Auto provisioning only installs the Log Analytics agent on existing VMs; it does not enable Defender plans on new subscriptions.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse configuring default security policies (which only set recommendation baselines) with the Azure Policy initiative that actually enables the pricing tiers for Defender for Cloud plans on new subscriptions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Azure Policy initiative 'Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on all subscriptions' uses a combination of policy definitions that set the 'pricingTier' property of the Microsoft.Security/pricings resource to 'Standard' for each Defender for Cloud plan. When assigned at a management group, Azure Policy evaluates new subscriptions against the initiative and triggers a remediation task to enable the plans, ensuring compliance even for subscriptions created after the assignment. This approach is idempotent and handles large-scale environments efficiently.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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 built-in Azure Policy initiative 'Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on all subscriptions' at the management group level. — Option A is correct because the built-in Azure Policy initiative 'Enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud on all subscriptions' is designed to be assigned at a management group scope, automatically enabling all Defender for Cloud plans on new subscriptions as they are created under that management group. This leverages Azure Policy's compliance evaluation and remediation tasks to enforce the security plans across the entire hierarchy without manual intervention.
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
This SC-200 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-200 exam.
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