- A
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Why wrong: Defender for Cloud Apps monitors cloud application usage, not local file execution.
- B
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Why wrong: Defender for Office 365 detects phishing emails before delivery, but the file detection occurs on the endpoint.
- C
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Defender for Endpoint detects malware on the device via real-time protection.
- D
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention
Why wrong: Purview DLP prevents data loss, not malware detection.
Question 220 of 1,639
Earliest Detection of Malicious Files on Endpoint
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 SOC analyst is reviewing an incident in Microsoft Sentinel that involves a user receiving a phishing email with a malicious attachment. The attachment was opened on a device managed by Microsoft Intune. Which Microsoft Defender XDR component would have provided the earliest detection of the malicious file?
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
✓
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) provides the earliest detection of malicious files at the endpoint level. When the user opens the malicious attachment on an Intune-managed device, MDE's real-time protection (antivirus and behavior monitoring) scans the file immediately upon execution or write, blocking the threat before it can execute further. This is faster than cloud-based or email-level detections because the file is already on the device.
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.
- ✗
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Cloud Apps monitors cloud application usage, not local file execution.
- ✗
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Office 365 detects phishing emails before delivery, but the file detection occurs on the endpoint.
- ✓
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Why this is correct
Defender for Endpoint detects malware on the device via real-time protection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention
Why it's wrong here
Purview DLP prevents data loss, not malware detection.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Option B) because they focus on the phishing email vector, but the question explicitly states the attachment was already opened on the device, shifting the earliest detection point to the endpoint protection layer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, MDE uses a combination of cloud-delivered protection (MAPS) and local machine learning models to classify files in milliseconds. The earliest detection occurs via the Microsoft Malware Protection Engine (MsMpEng.exe) which scans files on create, rename, or execute using signature-based and heuristic analysis. In a real-world scenario, if the attachment is a zero-day exploit, MDE's behavior monitoring (e.g., AMSI integration for script-based attacks) can detect malicious activity even if the file itself is not yet signature-matched.
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.
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: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint — Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) provides the earliest detection of malicious files at the endpoint level. When the user opens the malicious attachment on an Intune-managed device, MDE's real-time protection (antivirus and behavior monitoring) scans the file immediately upon execution or write, blocking the threat before it can execute further. This is faster than cloud-based or email-level detections because the file is already on the device.
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
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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