The answer is DeviceFileEvents with the where operator. This is the correct choice because DeviceFileEvents is the advanced hunting table specifically designed to capture file creation, modification, and deletion events on endpoints, making it the ideal source for identifying files written during a ransomware incident. By applying the where operator to filter on the device name and a timestamp range—such as the five minutes preceding the ransomware process start time—you efficiently narrow the results to only the relevant file creation events without scanning unrelated data. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match the right hunting table to the event type and to use time-based filters effectively, a common trap being the misuse of the project or extend operators instead of where for row-level filtering. A solid memory tip is to think of DeviceFileEvents as your “file activity diary” and where as your “time-and-place bookmark”—together, they pinpoint exactly what changed and when.
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 ransomware incident and needs to find all files that were written to a specific device within a 5-minute window before the ransomware process started. The analyst knows the device name and the ransomware process start time. Which advanced hunting table and KQL operator combination would be most efficient to find the file creation events?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
DeviceFileEvents with where
DeviceFileEvents is the correct table because it specifically captures file creation, modification, and deletion events on devices. Using the `where` operator to filter by device name and a timestamp range (5 minutes before the ransomware process start time) is the most efficient way to retrieve the exact file creation events needed for the investigation.
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 with where
Why this is correct
DeviceFileEvents contains file creation events; filtering with 'where' on device and time is the simplest approach.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
DeviceProcessEvents with join
Why it's wrong here
DeviceProcessEvents tracks processes, not files; joining would be inefficient and indirect.
✗
DeviceEvents with where
Why it's wrong here
DeviceEvents includes various events but not a specialized file creation log; it may miss information.
✗
DeviceImageLoadEvents with where
Why it's wrong here
DeviceImageLoadEvents logs image (DLL) loads, not file writes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse DeviceProcessEvents (process creation) with file creation events, or they think a `join` is needed to correlate process start time with file events, when a simple `where` on DeviceFileEvents is sufficient and more efficient.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, DeviceFileEvents is populated by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's sensor, which monitors file system operations via kernel callbacks (e.g., IRP_MJ_CREATE). The `where` operator applies predicate filtering at the Kusto query engine level, which can leverage shard-level statistics and indexes on the Timestamp and DeviceName columns for fast retrieval. In a real-world incident, the analyst would use a query like `DeviceFileEvents | where DeviceName == "target-device" | where Timestamp between (datetime(2025-03-20T10:00:00) .. datetime(2025-03-20T10:05:00))` to isolate the file creation window.
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.
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 with where — DeviceFileEvents is the correct table because it specifically captures file creation, modification, and deletion events on devices. Using the `where` operator to filter by device name and a timestamp range (5 minutes before the ransomware process start time) is the most efficient way to retrieve the exact file creation events needed for the investigation.
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.
About these practice questions
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These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. 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?
easy
✓ A.DeviceFileEvents
B.EmailAttachmentInfo
C.DeviceProcessEvents
D.DeviceNetworkEvents
Why A: 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.
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Question Discussion
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