SC-200 Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender XDR Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of mitigate threats using microsoft defender xdr. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 security analyst is investigating a malware outbreak and needs to find all devices where a specific malicious file with a known SHA1 hash has been observed in the last 24 hours. Which Advanced Hunting table in Microsoft 365 Defender should be the primary source for this query?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "primary"
Why it matters: Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
Correct. DeviceFileEvents records file creation and modification events with SHA1 hashes, making it suitable for finding devices with a specific file hash.
B
EmailAttachmentInfo
Why wrong: Incorrect. EmailAttachmentInfo contains metadata about email attachments, not file events on devices.
C
DeviceProcessEvents
Why wrong: Incorrect. DeviceProcessEvents logs process creation events, not file events.
D
DeviceNetworkEvents
Why wrong: Incorrect. DeviceNetworkEvents records network connections, not file events.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DeviceFileEvents
DeviceFileEvents is the correct table because it specifically records file creation, modification, and deletion events on endpoints, including the SHA1 hash of files. To find all devices where a specific malicious file with a known SHA1 hash has been observed, this table provides the direct file-level telemetry needed for the query.
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.
✓
DeviceFileEvents
Why this is correct
Correct. DeviceFileEvents records file creation and modification events with SHA1 hashes, making it suitable for finding devices with a specific file hash.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
EmailAttachmentInfo
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. EmailAttachmentInfo contains metadata about email attachments, not file events on devices.
✗
DeviceProcessEvents
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. DeviceProcessEvents logs process creation events, not file events.
✗
DeviceNetworkEvents
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. DeviceNetworkEvents records network connections, not file events.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse file observation with process execution or network activity, leading them to choose DeviceProcessEvents or DeviceNetworkEvents, but DeviceFileEvents is the only table that directly records the presence of a file by its hash on a device.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DeviceFileEvents captures file operations such as Create, Modify, and Delete, and includes the SHA1 hash in the SHA1 column, allowing precise file tracking. Under the hood, this data is collected by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's sensor, which uses kernel-mode callbacks to monitor file system operations, ensuring high-fidelity event capture even for files that are quickly deleted. In a real-world outbreak, this table enables hunting for file prevalence across devices, which is critical for scoping the incident and identifying all affected endpoints.
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 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.
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 XDR — This question tests Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender XDR — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: DeviceFileEvents — DeviceFileEvents is the correct table because it specifically records file creation, modification, and deletion events on endpoints, including the SHA1 hash of files. To find all devices where a specific malicious file with a known SHA1 hash has been observed, this table provides the direct file-level telemetry needed for the query.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
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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