- A
An alert threshold set to trigger when the count exceeds 10 failed attempts in 5 minutes.
Threshold reduces false positives.
- B
A reference to the SQLInsights table for performance data.
Why wrong: SQLInsights is for performance, not security events.
- C
A summarize operator in KQL to count failed login attempts per IP address within a timebin.
Summarize aggregates the failures per IP.
- D
A KQL query against the AzureDiagnostics table filtering for failed login events.
AzureDiagnostics contains SQL audit logs.
- E
A watchlist containing known malicious IP addresses.
Why wrong: Watchlists are optional; the rule should detect any IP with high failures.
Question 378 of 1,639
SC-200 Respond to security incidents Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of respond to security incidents. 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.
Your organization uses Microsoft Sentinel. A new analytics rule is needed to detect brute-force attacks against your Azure SQL databases. The rule should minimize false positives and trigger only when multiple failed logins occur from a single IP address within a short time window. Which THREE components are essential for building this rule?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"minimum / minimize"Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
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
✓
An alert threshold set to trigger when the count exceeds 10 failed attempts in 5 minutes.
Option A is correct because setting an alert threshold to trigger when the count exceeds 10 failed attempts in 5 minutes directly reduces false positives by requiring a meaningful number of failures before alerting. This threshold aligns with common brute-force detection patterns, ensuring the rule only fires when there is a high likelihood of an actual attack rather than occasional user errors.
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.
- ✓
An alert threshold set to trigger when the count exceeds 10 failed attempts in 5 minutes.
Why this is correct
Threshold reduces false positives.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A reference to the SQLInsights table for performance data.
Why it's wrong here
SQLInsights is for performance, not security events.
- ✓
A summarize operator in KQL to count failed login attempts per IP address within a timebin.
Why this is correct
Summarize aggregates the failures per IP.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
A KQL query against the AzureDiagnostics table filtering for failed login events.
Why this is correct
AzureDiagnostics contains SQL audit logs.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A watchlist containing known malicious IP addresses.
Why it's wrong here
Watchlists are optional; the rule should detect any IP with high failures.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think a watchlist of known malicious IPs (option E) is necessary for detection, but brute-force rules should detect patterns from any IP, not just pre-listed ones, and the SQLInsights table (option B) is a distractor because its name sounds relevant but it lacks authentication event data.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The KQL query in option C uses the summarize operator with a timebin (e.g., bin(TimeGenerated, 5m)) to aggregate failed login attempts per IP address, which is essential for identifying the temporal clustering characteristic of brute-force attacks. The AzureDiagnostics table in option D stores audit logs for Azure SQL, including authentication failures (e.g., EventID 18456 for SQL Server), making it the correct data source for filtering failed login events. Under the hood, the rule’s threshold and time window work together to balance sensitivity and specificity, as a single failed login from an IP is often benign, but 10 in 5 minutes strongly indicates an automated attack.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Respond to security incidents — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: An alert threshold set to trigger when the count exceeds 10 failed attempts in 5 minutes. — Option A is correct because setting an alert threshold to trigger when the count exceeds 10 failed attempts in 5 minutes directly reduces false positives by requiring a meaningful number of failures before alerting. This threshold aligns with common brute-force detection patterns, ensuring the rule only fires when there is a high likelihood of an actual attack rather than occasional user errors.
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: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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