- A
Enable the Microsoft Defender for Servers plan on the subscription.
Why wrong: Defender for Servers protects VMs, not containerized workloads or Kubernetes control plane.
- B
Enable the Microsoft Defender for Containers plan on the subscription.
Defender for Containers includes detection for Kubernetes threats, runtime security, and vulnerability assessment for images.
- C
Enable the Microsoft Defender for App Service plan on the subscription.
Why wrong: Defender for App Service protects Azure App Service web applications, not AKS clusters.
- D
Enable the Microsoft Defender for Container Registries plan (legacy) on the registry.
Why wrong: While this covers registry scanning, it does not provide runtime or control plane detection. Defender for Containers is the recommended plan.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to enable the Microsoft Defender for Containers plan on the subscription. This single plan is the only option that delivers integrated threat detection for the Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) control plane and container runtime, while simultaneously performing vulnerability assessments on images stored in Azure Container Registry (ACR). It unifies the capabilities of the legacy Defender for Kubernetes and Defender for Container Registries plans, providing a comprehensive security solution for containerized workloads. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your understanding of how Microsoft Defender for Cloud consolidates container security features; a common trap is selecting the older, separate plans instead of the unified Defender for Containers plan. To remember this, think of the phrase "one plan to rule them all"—Defender for Containers covers both the cluster and the registry, so when you see a scenario involving both AKS and ACR, always choose the consolidated plan.
SC-200 Practice Question: Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of mitigate threats using microsoft defender for cloud. 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.
A security engineer is responsible for protecting containerized workloads in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) clusters. They want to enable Microsoft Defender for Cloud to detect threats against the Kubernetes control plane and container runtime. Additionally, they want to ensure vulnerability assessments are performed on images stored in Azure Container Registry. Which Defender for Cloud plan should the engineer enable?
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
Enable the Microsoft Defender for Containers plan on the subscription.
Option B is correct because the Microsoft Defender for Containers plan is the only plan that provides integrated threat detection for the AKS control plane and container runtime, as well as vulnerability assessment for images in Azure Container Registry. This plan replaces the legacy Defender for Container Registries and Defender for Kubernetes plans, offering a unified solution for container security.
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.
- ✗
Enable the Microsoft Defender for Servers plan on the subscription.
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Servers protects VMs, not containerized workloads or Kubernetes control plane.
- ✓
Enable the Microsoft Defender for Containers plan on the subscription.
Why this is correct
Defender for Containers includes detection for Kubernetes threats, runtime security, and vulnerability assessment for images.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable the Microsoft Defender for App Service plan on the subscription.
Why it's wrong here
Defender for App Service protects Azure App Service web applications, not AKS clusters.
- ✗
Enable the Microsoft Defender for Container Registries plan (legacy) on the registry.
Why it's wrong here
While this covers registry scanning, it does not provide runtime or control plane detection. Defender for Containers is the recommended plan.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the legacy Defender for Container Registries plan (Option D) as sufficient, not realizing it lacks control plane threat detection and has been replaced by the unified Defender for Containers plan.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Defender for Containers uses the Kubernetes audit log stream and container runtime logs (e.g., from containerd) to detect suspicious activities like privilege escalations or crypto-mining. For vulnerability assessment, it integrates with Qualys to scan images in ACR at rest and in AKS clusters, providing continuous monitoring without requiring agent installation on nodes. In a real-world scenario, enabling this plan on the subscription automatically protects all AKS clusters and ACR registries within that subscription, simplifying management.
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
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.
- →
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SC-200 questions
1,639 questions across all exam domains
- →
Microsoft Security Operations Analyst SC-200 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SC-200 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SC-200 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Manage a security operations environment practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Manage a security operations environment.
Respond to security incidents practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Respond to security incidents.
Perform threat hunting practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Perform threat hunting.
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender XDR practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender XDR.
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to Mitigate threats using Microsoft Sentinel.
SC-200 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to SC-200 fundamentals.
SC-200 scenario practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to SC-200 scenario.
SC-200 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SC-200 questions linked to SC-200 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SC-200 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — This question tests Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable the Microsoft Defender for Containers plan on the subscription. — Option B is correct because the Microsoft Defender for Containers plan is the only plan that provides integrated threat detection for the AKS control plane and container runtime, as well as vulnerability assessment for images in Azure Container Registry. This plan replaces the legacy Defender for Container Registries and Defender for Kubernetes plans, offering a unified solution for container security.
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.
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 →
Keep practising
More SC-200 practice questions
- An organization uses Microsoft 365 Defender. During an incident, the analyst wants to automatically isolate a compromise…
- A security analyst is preparing to use a Jupyter notebook for threat hunting in Microsoft Sentinel. Which of the followi…
- An organization has enabled enhanced security features for a hybrid infrastructure including SQL servers on-premises and…
- A phishing email was delivered to several users. The analyst wants to find all messages in the campaign, see delivery ac…
- A company uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud and wants to automatically ensure that all Azure virtual machines have a spe…
- A company uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud and wants to automatically remediate non-compliant Azure resources by deploy…
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.