Courseiva
← SC-200
Full test
Perform threat hunting →mediumMultiple Choice

SC-200 Perform threat hunting Practice Question

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.
```kusto
let suspiciousIPs = externaldata(IP:string)
["https://raw.githubusercontent.com/threatlist/suspicious-ips.txt"]
with(format="csv");
IdentityLogonEvents
| where Timestamp > ago(1d)
| where IPAddress in (suspiciousIPs)
| summarize LogonCount = count() by IPAddress, AccountUpn
| where LogonCount > 5
```

A threat hunter runs the KQL query above in Microsoft Sentinel. What is the main limitation of this query?

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

✓

The query relies on an external data source that may be slow or unavailable

The query uses the externaldata() operator to fetch a list of IP addresses from an external URL. This introduces a dependency on that external source, which may be slow, fail, or be out of date. Option A correctly identifies this limitation. Option B is incorrect because the IdentityLogonEvents table does have an IPAddress column. Option C is incorrect because the let statement is correctly defined with a schema. Option D is incorrect because the with(format='csv') is valid for CSV files.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✓

    The query relies on an external data source that may be slow or unavailable

    Why this is correct

    The query calls an external data source, so its reliability and latency depend on that service rather than Microsoft Sentinel's own log store. If the source is unavailable or slow, the hunt returns incomplete or delayed results, unlike queries against native workspace tables.

  • ✗

    The IdentityLogonEvents table does not have an IPAddress column

    Why it's wrong here

    IdentityLogonEvents does, in fact, expose an IPAddress column, so this claim is false; the query's real limitation lies elsewhere. Hunters query that column legitimately when correlating sign-in source addresses across Microsoft Entra ID logon telemetry.

  • ✗

    The let statement is incorrectly defined because it uses externaldata without a schema

    Why it's wrong here

    externaldata accepts an optional schema clause, so omitting one is valid and does not break the let binding; the real limitation lies elsewhere in the query's logic. It tempts because declaring a schema does improve parsing performance and type safety when ingesting CSV or blob data, making it a genuine best practise in other queries.

  • ✗

    The with(format="csv") is invalid

    Why it's wrong here

    The `format` argument is valid for externaldata, so the query parses and runs; it simply does not constrain results to the hunting window. Externaldata with format suits ingesting reference lists, such as watchlists of known-bad IPs, not limiting a query's time range.

About these practice questions

This SC-200 question is part of Courseiva's 1,303-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

JA

Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security

Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva

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.