The answer is to disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID from the Microsoft Defender XDR incident and simultaneously disable the on-premises account using a playbook that runs a PowerShell script. This is the correct approach because disabling the account stops all authentication—including Kerberos abuse—across both cloud and on-premises environments, while preserving the account object and its associated logs for forensic analysis. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of hybrid identity containment and the critical distinction between disabling and deleting an account when you need to disable account preserve forensics. A common trap is choosing password reset or MFA enforcement, but these do not block cached Kerberos tickets or on-premises authentication. Remember the key principle: containment requires disabling, not deleting, and the action must cover both identity sources. Memory tip: "Disable to preserve, delete to destroy"—if you need the evidence, never delete the account.
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 has a hybrid identity environment with Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD) and on-premises Active Directory. You are using Microsoft Defender for Identity (MDI) integrated with Microsoft Defender XDR. An incident is raised indicating that a user account has been compromised because of an anomaly in Kerberos protocol activity. The incident severity is High. You need to contain the incident immediately by disabling the user account across both on-premises and cloud. However, you also want to preserve the account for forensic analysis. What is the recommended course of action?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Delete the user account from Microsoft Entra ID and on-premises AD immediately.
Why wrong: Deleting the account loses forensic evidence.
B
Reset the user's password in Microsoft Entra ID and force a password change at next logon on-premises.
Why wrong: Password reset may not stop Kerberos ticket abuse.
C
Enable conditional access policy to require MFA for the user and revoke all refresh tokens.
Why wrong: Does not block on-premises Kerberos attacks.
D
From Microsoft Defender XDR incident, use the action to disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID and also disable the on-premises account using a playbook that runs a PowerShell script.
Disabling the account stops access and preserves the account for forensics.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
From Microsoft Defender XDR incident, use the action to disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID and also disable the on-premises account using a playbook that runs a PowerShell script.
To contain the incident, you can disable the account in Microsoft Entra ID and on-premises AD. However, to preserve the account for forensics, you should disable it rather than delete it. Option A is correct because disabling the account in both locations stops access while preserving the account. Option B is wrong because resetting password alone does not prevent Kerberos abuse if the account is already compromised. Option C is wrong because requiring MFA does not block on-premises authentication. Option D is wrong because deleting the account would lose forensic evidence.
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.
✗
Delete the user account from Microsoft Entra ID and on-premises AD immediately.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting the account loses forensic evidence.
✗
Reset the user's password in Microsoft Entra ID and force a password change at next logon on-premises.
Why it's wrong here
Password reset may not stop Kerberos ticket abuse.
✗
Enable conditional access policy to require MFA for the user and revoke all refresh tokens.
Why it's wrong here
Does not block on-premises Kerberos attacks.
✓
From Microsoft Defender XDR incident, use the action to disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID and also disable the on-premises account using a playbook that runs a PowerShell script.
Why this is correct
Disabling the account stops access and preserves the account for forensics.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: From Microsoft Defender XDR incident, use the action to disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID and also disable the on-premises account using a playbook that runs a PowerShell script. — To contain the incident, you can disable the account in Microsoft Entra ID and on-premises AD. However, to preserve the account for forensics, you should disable it rather than delete it. Option A is correct because disabling the account in both locations stops access while preserving the account. Option B is wrong because resetting password alone does not prevent Kerberos abuse if the account is already compromised. Option C is wrong because requiring MFA does not block on-premises authentication. Option D is wrong because deleting the account would lose forensic evidence.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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