- A
Run a full antivirus scan on the unmanaged device.
Why wrong: This does not address the ongoing data transfer and may take time during which more data can be exfiltrated.
- B
Contact the user to verify if the download was intentional.
Why wrong: Contacting the user may alert a malicious actor and does not stop the ongoing activity.
- C
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID.
Immediately stops the user's access and prevents further data download, containing the incident.
- D
Create a detection rule for similar behavior in Microsoft Sentinel.
Why wrong: This is a long-term improvement, not an immediate response action.
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.
A SOC analyst receives an alert from Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps indicating that a user downloaded 500 GB of data from SharePoint to an unmanaged device. The user has no history of such behavior. What is the best first step in the incident response process?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID.
Option C is correct because the immediate priority in an incident response process for a potential data exfiltration scenario is to contain the threat. Disabling the user account in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is the fastest way to revoke access to SharePoint and other cloud resources, preventing further unauthorized data transfer. This aligns with the 'containment' phase of the NIST incident response lifecycle, before any investigation or remediation steps.
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.
- ✗
Run a full antivirus scan on the unmanaged device.
Why it's wrong here
This does not address the ongoing data transfer and may take time during which more data can be exfiltrated.
- ✗
Contact the user to verify if the download was intentional.
Why it's wrong here
Contacting the user may alert a malicious actor and does not stop the ongoing activity.
- ✓
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID.
Why this is correct
Immediately stops the user's access and prevents further data download, containing the incident.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Create a detection rule for similar behavior in Microsoft Sentinel.
Why it's wrong here
This is a long-term improvement, not an immediate response action.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose 'Contact the user' (Option B) as a first step, confusing the 'identification' or 'verification' phase with the immediate containment priority required in a potential data exfiltration incident.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
In Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, the 'unmanaged device' detection relies on device tags from Conditional Access App Control or device signals like user agent strings. Disabling the user account in Entra ID immediately invalidates the user's access tokens and refresh tokens, cutting off any active sessions to SharePoint Online within minutes. This is more effective than simply revoking a single session because it prevents re-authentication from any device, including the unmanaged one.
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 company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
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.
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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: Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID. — Option C is correct because the immediate priority in an incident response process for a potential data exfiltration scenario is to contain the threat. Disabling the user account in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is the fastest way to revoke access to SharePoint and other cloud resources, preventing further unauthorized data transfer. This aligns with the 'containment' phase of the NIST incident response lifecycle, before any investigation or remediation steps.
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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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