- A
It identifies VMs that have an open network security group inbound rule that should be closed.
Why wrong: Network security group rules are covered by other recommendations (e.g., 'All network ports should be restricted'). This recommendation is specifically about endpoint protection.
- B
It suggests enabling Azure Firewall on the virtual network to protect the VM from external threats.
Why wrong: Azure Firewall is a network security service, not an endpoint protection solution. Defender for Cloud has separate recommendations for network protections.
- C
It recommends enabling disk encryption for the VM's OS and data disks.
Why wrong: Disk encryption is covered under 'Disk encryption should be applied on virtual machines' recommendation. This recommendation is about endpoint protection software, not encryption.
- D
It advises deploying a supported endpoint protection solution, such as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, to protect the VM from malware and other threats.
Correct. The recommendation prompts installation of endpoint protection software. Defender for Cloud integrates with Microsoft Defender Antivirus and supports partner solutions.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is that the recommendation advises deploying a supported endpoint protection solution, such as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, to protect the VM from malware and other threats. This is because Microsoft Defender for Cloud continuously assesses your Azure virtual machines against security best practices, and when it detects that no supported endpoint protection agent is installed or running, it flags the resource with this recommendation as part of its cloud security posture management (CSPM) capabilities. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your understanding of how Defender for Cloud translates security findings into actionable recommendations—a common trap is confusing this with a vulnerability assessment or a compliance mandate, when in fact it is purely about ensuring a baseline antimalware agent is present. Remember the memory tip: “If it’s missing the shield, the recommendation says ‘install’—it’s about the agent, not the policy.”
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 security analyst reviews Microsoft Defender for Cloud recommendations for an Azure virtual machine. The VM has a recommendation titled 'Install endpoint protection solution on virtual machines'. The analyst clicks on the recommendation and sees affected resources. Which of the following best describes the purpose of this recommendation in the context of Defender for Cloud?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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
It advises deploying a supported endpoint protection solution, such as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, to protect the VM from malware and other threats.
Option D is correct because the recommendation 'Install endpoint protection solution on virtual machines' in Microsoft Defender for Cloud specifically identifies VMs that lack a supported endpoint protection solution (e.g., Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Trend Micro, Symantec). Its purpose is to ensure that VMs are protected against malware, viruses, and other threats by deploying an endpoint protection solution, which is a core security control in the cloud security posture management (CSPM) framework.
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.
- ✗
It identifies VMs that have an open network security group inbound rule that should be closed.
Why it's wrong here
Network security group rules are covered by other recommendations (e.g., 'All network ports should be restricted'). This recommendation is specifically about endpoint protection.
- ✗
It suggests enabling Azure Firewall on the virtual network to protect the VM from external threats.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Firewall is a network security service, not an endpoint protection solution. Defender for Cloud has separate recommendations for network protections.
- ✗
It recommends enabling disk encryption for the VM's OS and data disks.
Why it's wrong here
Disk encryption is covered under 'Disk encryption should be applied on virtual machines' recommendation. This recommendation is about endpoint protection software, not encryption.
- ✓
It advises deploying a supported endpoint protection solution, such as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, to protect the VM from malware and other threats.
Why this is correct
Correct. The recommendation prompts installation of endpoint protection software. Defender for Cloud integrates with Microsoft Defender Antivirus and supports partner solutions.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'endpoint protection' with network-level controls (like NSG rules or Azure Firewall) or data-at-rest protections (like disk encryption), leading them to select options A, B, or C instead of recognizing the specific focus on malware protection at the OS level.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Defender for Cloud uses the Microsoft Monitoring Agent (MMA) or Azure Monitor Agent (AMA) to assess the VM's installed security solutions. It checks for the presence of a registered endpoint protection solution via the Windows Security Center API or the Linux WMI interface. In a real-world scenario, if a VM is running a custom or unsupported antivirus, Defender for Cloud may still flag it as non-compliant, requiring deployment of a solution from the supported list (e.g., Microsoft Defender Antivirus, McAfee, or Sophos).
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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: It advises deploying a supported endpoint protection solution, such as Microsoft Defender Antivirus, to protect the VM from malware and other threats. — Option D is correct because the recommendation 'Install endpoint protection solution on virtual machines' in Microsoft Defender for Cloud specifically identifies VMs that lack a supported endpoint protection solution (e.g., Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Trend Micro, Symantec). Its purpose is to ensure that VMs are protected against malware, viruses, and other threats by deploying an endpoint protection solution, which is a core security control in the cloud security posture management (CSPM) framework.
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: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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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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