- A
summarize count() by SourceIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and set threshold >100
Why wrong: This counts total connections, not distinct destinations. The requirement is for different destinations, so distinct count is needed.
- B
summarize dcount(DestinationIP) by SourceIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and set threshold >100
This correctly counts distinct destination IPs per source IP per minute and triggers when that count exceeds 100.
- C
summarize count() by DestinationIP and threshold >100
Why wrong: This counts total connections to each destination, ignoring source IP and time window.
- D
summarize dcount(SourceIP) by DestinationIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and threshold >100
Why wrong: This counts distinct source IPs per destination, which is the reverse of what is needed.
SC-200 Mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of mitigate threats using microsoft sentinel. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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.
An organization ingests its Palo Alto firewall logs into a custom table named 'PaloAlto_CL' in Microsoft Sentinel. A security analyst wants to create a scheduled analytics rule that triggers an incident when a single source IP is involved in more than 100 outbound connections to different destinations in 1 minute. Which KQL query and configuration would trigger the alert correctly?
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
summarize dcount(DestinationIP) by SourceIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and set threshold >100
Option B is correct because the requirement is to count distinct destination IPs per source IP per minute, not total connections. Using `dcount(DestinationIP)` with `bin(TimeGenerated,1m)` ensures we count unique destinations, and setting the threshold to >100 triggers when a single source IP connects to more than 100 different destinations in one minute, exactly matching the alert condition.
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.
- ✗
summarize count() by SourceIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and set threshold >100
Why it's wrong here
This counts total connections, not distinct destinations. The requirement is for different destinations, so distinct count is needed.
- ✓
summarize dcount(DestinationIP) by SourceIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and set threshold >100
Why this is correct
This correctly counts distinct destination IPs per source IP per minute and triggers when that count exceeds 100.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
summarize count() by DestinationIP and threshold >100
Why it's wrong here
This counts total connections to each destination, ignoring source IP and time window.
- ✗
summarize dcount(SourceIP) by DestinationIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and threshold >100
Why it's wrong here
This counts distinct source IPs per destination, which is the reverse of what is needed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing `count()` (total events) with `dcount()` (distinct values), leading candidates to select Option A, which would trigger on repeated connections to the same destination rather than the specified condition of different destinations.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The `dcount()` function uses the HyperLogLog algorithm to estimate distinct counts, which is efficient for large datasets but provides approximate results (within ~1% error by default). In a real-world scenario, a single compromised host performing port scanning or brute-force attacks would generate many connections to different destinations, making `dcount(DestinationIP)` the precise metric to detect such behavior. The `bin(TimeGenerated,1m)` creates fixed 1-minute time buckets, ensuring the threshold is evaluated per minute rather than across sliding windows.
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.
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 Sentinel — This question tests Mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: summarize dcount(DestinationIP) by SourceIP, bin(TimeGenerated,1m) and set threshold >100 — Option B is correct because the requirement is to count distinct destination IPs per source IP per minute, not total connections. Using `dcount(DestinationIP)` with `bin(TimeGenerated,1m)` ensures we count unique destinations, and setting the threshold to >100 triggers when a single source IP connects to more than 100 different destinations in one minute, exactly matching the alert condition.
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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