- A
Enable Defender for Servers plan
Enabling the Defender for Servers plan activates the built-in vulnerability assessment, which automatically deploys the Qualys agent to discover missing security updates.
- B
Install the Log Analytics agent manually
Why wrong: The Log Analytics agent is used for log collection but is not required for the Defender for Cloud built-in vulnerability assessment; the assessment uses its own agent extension.
- C
Configure a vulnerability assessment solution from Azure Marketplace
Why wrong: Third-party vulnerability assessment solutions from Azure Marketplace are optional; the built-in solution is included with Defender for Servers.
- D
Enable the regulatory compliance dashboard
Why wrong: The regulatory compliance dashboard provides compliance posture visibility but does not perform vulnerability assessment.
Quick Answer
The answer is to enable the Defender for Servers plan. This is correct because Microsoft Defender for Cloud’s built-in vulnerability assessment for Azure VMs is powered by Qualys and is automatically provisioned once the Defender for Servers plan is activated—no manual agent installation or third-party tool is required. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your understanding of how Defender for Cloud integrates native scanning to identify missing security updates, often appearing as a distractor where candidates mistakenly look for a separate “vulnerability assessment” toggle or a manual Qualys connector. A common trap is assuming you need to deploy the Log Analytics agent or enable Azure Policy, but the key is that enabling the plan itself triggers the scanner on supported Windows Server VMs. Memory tip: think “Plan first, scan second”—Defender for Servers is the single switch that turns on the built-in vulnerability assessment.
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 company has Azure virtual machines running Windows Server. The security team wants to use Microsoft Defender for Cloud's vulnerability assessment solution to identify missing security updates. Which of the following is required to enable built-in vulnerability assessment for VMs?
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
Enable Defender for Servers plan
The built-in vulnerability assessment solution in Microsoft Defender for Cloud for Azure VMs is powered by Qualys and is automatically provisioned when the Defender for Servers plan is enabled. This integration does not require manual agent installation or third-party solutions; enabling the plan activates the scanner on supported VMs to identify missing security updates and other vulnerabilities.
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.
- ✓
Enable Defender for Servers plan
Why this is correct
Enabling the Defender for Servers plan activates the built-in vulnerability assessment, which automatically deploys the Qualys agent to discover missing security updates.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Install the Log Analytics agent manually
Why it's wrong here
The Log Analytics agent is used for log collection but is not required for the Defender for Cloud built-in vulnerability assessment; the assessment uses its own agent extension.
- ✗
Configure a vulnerability assessment solution from Azure Marketplace
Why it's wrong here
Third-party vulnerability assessment solutions from Azure Marketplace are optional; the built-in solution is included with Defender for Servers.
- ✗
Enable the regulatory compliance dashboard
Why it's wrong here
The regulatory compliance dashboard provides compliance posture visibility but does not perform vulnerability assessment.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a separate agent or marketplace solution is required, but Microsoft’s built-in assessment is automatically included with the Defender for Servers plan, making the other options unnecessary.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The built-in vulnerability assessment uses the Qualys agent, which is deployed as a VM extension when the Defender for Servers plan is enabled. This agent scans the OS and installed software against Qualys’s vulnerability database, reporting findings to Defender for Cloud without requiring outbound connectivity to Qualys’s cloud. In a real-world scenario, if the Defender for Servers plan is disabled, the scanner is removed, and no vulnerability data is collected until the plan is re-enabled.
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
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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: Enable Defender for Servers plan — The built-in vulnerability assessment solution in Microsoft Defender for Cloud for Azure VMs is powered by Qualys and is automatically provisioned when the Defender for Servers plan is enabled. This integration does not require manual agent installation or third-party solutions; enabling the plan activates the scanner on supported VMs to identify missing security updates and other vulnerabilities.
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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