The answer is to initiate a live response session on the VM and run the 'dump memory' command. This is the correct approach because Microsoft Defender for Endpoint’s live response capability provides a secure, controlled channel to execute forensic commands directly on the VM, capturing a full memory dump for volatile data analysis without relying on network connectivity or disk snapshots. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your understanding of incident response procedures for compromised Azure VMs, specifically distinguishing between memory and disk-level artifacts. A common trap is confusing a VM snapshot (which captures disk state) or Azure Backup (which captures persistent data) with the volatile memory needed for live forensic analysis. Remember the key distinction: memory is volatile and requires a live session, while disk is persistent and captured by snapshots. Memory tip: “Live response dumps memory; snapshots only dump the disk.”
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.
During an incident involving a compromised Azure VM, the security team wants to capture a memory dump for forensic analysis. The VM is running Windows Server 2022. What is the recommended approach?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Initiate a live response session on the VM and run the 'dump memory' command.
Option B is correct because initiating a live response session in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint allows running a memory dump collection command. Option A is wrong because taking a snapshot captures the disk, not memory. Option C is wrong because PowerShell remoting may not work if the VM is isolated. Option D is wrong because Azure Backup captures disk state, not memory.
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.
✗
Use Azure Backup to create a VM snapshot.
Why it's wrong here
VM snapshot captures disk state, not volatile memory.
✗
Establish a PowerShell remote session and run 'Get-Process | Export-CliXML'.
Why it's wrong here
This exports process information, not a full memory dump.
✓
Initiate a live response session on the VM and run the 'dump memory' command.
Why this is correct
Live response in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint can collect memory dumps for analysis.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Use Azure Disk Encryption to export the disk.
Why it's wrong here
Disk encryption is for security, not for forensic collection.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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: Initiate a live response session on the VM and run the 'dump memory' command. — Option B is correct because initiating a live response session in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint allows running a memory dump collection command. Option A is wrong because taking a snapshot captures the disk, not memory. Option C is wrong because PowerShell remoting may not work if the VM is isolated. Option D is wrong because Azure Backup captures disk state, not memory.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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