- A
Ransomware
Why wrong: No encryption or ransom note mentioned.
- B
Lateral movement
Why wrong: No evidence of moving to other systems.
- C
Data exfiltration
Downloading many files suggests theft of data.
- D
Privilege escalation
Why wrong: No indication of permission changes.
Question 941 of 1,639
Data Exfiltration Detection from SharePoint
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.
A security analyst in your SOC receives an alert from Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps indicating that a user downloaded a large number of files from SharePoint in a short time. What is the most likely classification of this activity?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
✓
Data exfiltration
Option C is correct because a sudden, large-volume download of files from SharePoint within a short time window is a classic indicator of data exfiltration. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps uses anomaly detection policies to flag such activity based on user baseline behavior, download velocity, and the total number of files accessed, which aligns with the exfiltration phase of the cyber kill chain.
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.
- ✗
Ransomware
Why it's wrong here
No encryption or ransom note mentioned.
- ✗
Lateral movement
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of moving to other systems.
- ✓
Data exfiltration
Why this is correct
Downloading many files suggests theft of data.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Privilege escalation
Why it's wrong here
No indication of permission changes.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse bulk file downloads with ransomware activity (Option A) because both involve unusual file operations, but ransomware focuses on encryption/modification, not exfiltration, and Defender for Cloud Apps has separate detections for each behavior.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Defender for Cloud Apps uses machine learning to establish a baseline of normal user activity, including typical download rates and file counts. When a user downloads an unusually high number of files (e.g., >100 files in 10 minutes), the anomaly detection engine triggers an alert with a severity score based on deviation from the baseline. In real-world scenarios, this could indicate an insider threat or a compromised account exfiltrating data via SharePoint's REST API or sync client, often bypassing traditional DLP controls if the download is performed through authorized channels.
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: Data exfiltration — Option C is correct because a sudden, large-volume download of files from SharePoint within a short time window is a classic indicator of data exfiltration. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps uses anomaly detection policies to flag such activity based on user baseline behavior, download velocity, and the total number of files accessed, which aligns with the exfiltration phase of the cyber kill chain.
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: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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
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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