- A
Isolate the device from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Isolation immediately stops C2 communication.
- B
Run a full antivirus scan on the device
Why wrong: Scanning is reactive, not immediate containment.
- C
Notify the user to disconnect the device
Why wrong: Notifying the user could alert the attacker.
- D
Kill the suspicious processes on the device
Why wrong: Killing processes may not stop network communication.
Question 1,419 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.
You are a security analyst for a company using Microsoft Defender XDR. An incident is detected involving a device that has been communicating with a known command-and-control (C2) server. The device is currently online and the user is active. What should you do first to contain the threat?
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
✓
Isolate the device from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Isolating the device from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint immediately cuts off all communication with the C2 server, preventing data exfiltration and further command execution. This is the fastest containment action that does not rely on user compliance or process-level responses, and it preserves the device's state for forensic analysis. In an active incident, stopping network-level communication is the priority over scanning or process termination.
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.
- ✓
Isolate the device from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Why this is correct
Isolation immediately stops C2 communication.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Run a full antivirus scan on the device
Why it's wrong here
Scanning is reactive, not immediate containment.
- ✗
Notify the user to disconnect the device
Why it's wrong here
Notifying the user could alert the attacker.
- ✗
Kill the suspicious processes on the device
Why it's wrong here
Killing processes may not stop network communication.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose to kill suspicious processes (Option D) thinking it directly stops the threat, but they overlook that network isolation is the only action that guarantees the C2 channel is severed immediately and completely, regardless of process behavior.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation feature uses a network-level policy that blocks all inbound and outbound traffic except for communication with the Defender for Endpoint service itself (via specific IP ranges and ports). This is implemented by pushing a firewall rule to the device's Windows Filtering Platform (WFP), which overrides local firewall settings and ensures the device cannot reach any external IP, including the C2 server. In a real-world scenario, if the C2 server uses non-standard ports or encrypted tunnels, process killing alone would be ineffective because the malware could respawn or use alternate processes.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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: Isolate the device from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint — Isolating the device from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint immediately cuts off all communication with the C2 server, preventing data exfiltration and further command execution. This is the fastest containment action that does not rely on user compliance or process-level responses, and it preserves the device's state for forensic analysis. In an active incident, stopping network-level communication is the priority over scanning or process termination.
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.
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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