- A
Block the recipient domain on the email gateway
Prevents further emails to that domain.
- B
Place a legal hold on the user's mailbox
Preserves evidence for investigation.
- C
Disable the user's account immediately
Why wrong: Not necessary if exfiltration is via email; account may be legit.
- D
Delete all sent items from the user's mailbox
Why wrong: Destroys evidence.
- E
Run a full antivirus scan on the user's device
Why wrong: Not directly related to email exfiltration.
Question 1,035 of 1,639
SC-200 Respond to security incidents Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of respond to security incidents. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
Which TWO actions are appropriate when responding to a confirmed data exfiltration incident via email?
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
✓
Block the recipient domain on the email gateway
Blocking the recipient domain on the email gateway (A) is appropriate because it immediately prevents further data exfiltration to that external domain by rejecting all outbound emails to that domain at the transport layer. Placing a legal hold on the user's mailbox (B) preserves all mailbox content, including deleted items, as an immutable copy for forensic investigation and potential legal proceedings, ensuring evidence is not lost during the incident response.
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.
- ✓
Block the recipient domain on the email gateway
Why this is correct
Prevents further emails to that domain.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Place a legal hold on the user's mailbox
Why this is correct
Preserves evidence for investigation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Disable the user's account immediately
Why it's wrong here
Not necessary if exfiltration is via email; account may be legit.
- ✗
Delete all sent items from the user's mailbox
Why it's wrong here
Destroys evidence.
- ✗
Run a full antivirus scan on the user's device
Why it's wrong here
Not directly related to email exfiltration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse immediate containment (disabling the account) with proper forensic preservation, forgetting that disabling the account can destroy volatile evidence and alert the adversary, while blocking the recipient domain is a more precise containment action.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, email gateways use transport rules (e.g., Exchange Transport Rules or Microsoft 365 mail flow rules) to block domains by matching the recipient domain against an SMTP envelope or header, rejecting the message at the organization boundary with a 550 5.7.1 status code. A legal hold in Exchange Online or on-premises places the mailbox in a litigation hold state, preventing the purge of items by the Managed Folder Assistant and retaining all versions of items, including those modified or deleted, for the duration of the hold.
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.
Quick reference
OSI Model Reference
| Layer | Name | PDU | Key Protocols / Devices |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Application | Data | HTTP, HTTPS, DNS, SMTP, FTP, SSH |
| 6 | Presentation | Data | TLS / SSL, JPEG, ASCII encoding |
| 5 | Session | Data | NetBIOS, RPC, SIP |
| 4 | Transport | Segment / Datagram | TCP, UDP |
| 3 | Network | Packet | IP, ICMP, OSPF — Routers |
| 2 | Data Link | Frame | Ethernet, Wi-Fi, PPP — Switches, Bridges |
| 1 | Physical | Bits | Cables, NICs, Hubs, Repeaters |
What to study next
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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: Block the recipient domain on the email gateway — Blocking the recipient domain on the email gateway (A) is appropriate because it immediately prevents further data exfiltration to that external domain by rejecting all outbound emails to that domain at the transport layer. Placing a legal hold on the user's mailbox (B) preserves all mailbox content, including deleted items, as an immutable copy for forensic investigation and potential legal proceedings, ensuring evidence is not lost during the incident response.
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: Jul 4, 2026
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