- A
Manually enable JIT in Defender for Cloud's 'Just-in-time VM access' blade for each subscription.
Why wrong: Manual enablement does not provide automatic enforcement for new VMs.
- B
Assign the built-in policy initiative 'Configure just-in-time network access on virtual machines' at the management group level.
This initiative automatically deploys JIT configuration to VMs, covers new VMs, and remediates non-compliant ones.
- C
Configure Azure Policy Guest Configuration to require JIT on virtual machines.
Why wrong: Azure Policy Guest Configuration is used for in-guest settings, not for network access policies like JIT.
- D
Create a custom Azure Policy definition to enforce JIT and assign it to each subscription.
Why wrong: While possible, using the built-in initiative is simpler and already includes deployment logic for remediation.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to assign the built-in policy initiative 'Configure just-in-time network access on virtual machines' at the management group level. This initiative uses a DeployIfNotExists effect, which automatically enables Just-In-Time VM access for Azure VMs by deploying the required JIT configuration on new resources and remediating any existing non-compliant VMs across all subscriptions under that management group. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how policy initiatives in Microsoft Defender for Cloud enforce security controls at scale, distinguishing between a simple policy (which only audits) and an initiative with remediation tasks. A common trap is selecting a per-subscription assignment or a manual enablement setting, but the key is recognizing that a management group–level initiative ensures consistent, automated enforcement without manual intervention. Memory tip: think "Initiative at the Initiative" — for automated JIT enforcement, assign the initiative at the highest scope to initiate remediation everywhere.
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. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 administrator wants to enforce Just-in-Time (JIT) VM access for all Azure virtual machines in a management group to reduce the attack surface. The administrator wants to automatically enable JIT on any new VM and remediate existing non-compliant VMs. What should the administrator configure in Microsoft Defender for Cloud?
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
Assign the built-in policy initiative 'Configure just-in-time network access on virtual machines' at the management group level.
The built-in policy initiative 'Configure just-in-time network access on virtual machines' can be assigned at the management group scope to automatically enable JIT on new VMs and remediate existing non-compliant VMs via a DeployIfNotExists effect. This ensures consistent enforcement across all subscriptions under that management group without manual per-subscription configuration.
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.
- ✗
Manually enable JIT in Defender for Cloud's 'Just-in-time VM access' blade for each subscription.
Why it's wrong here
Manual enablement does not provide automatic enforcement for new VMs.
- ✓
Assign the built-in policy initiative 'Configure just-in-time network access on virtual machines' at the management group level.
Why this is correct
This initiative automatically deploys JIT configuration to VMs, covers new VMs, and remediates non-compliant ones.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configure Azure Policy Guest Configuration to require JIT on virtual machines.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Policy Guest Configuration is used for in-guest settings, not for network access policies like JIT.
- ✗
Create a custom Azure Policy definition to enforce JIT and assign it to each subscription.
Why it's wrong here
While possible, using the built-in initiative is simpler and already includes deployment logic for remediation.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think manual configuration (A) or custom policies (D) are needed, but the exam tests knowledge of built-in policy initiatives that can be assigned at a management group for automated, scalable enforcement.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The built-in policy initiative uses a DeployIfNotExists effect to deploy the JIT network access policy configuration on VMs that lack it, and it can be assigned with a remediation task to automatically fix non-compliant resources. Under the hood, this leverages Azure Policy's 'deployIfNotExists' evaluation cycle and the Microsoft.Security/justInTimeNetworkAccessPolicies resource type to enforce JIT rules at the network security group (NSG) level, reducing the attack surface by limiting open ports to approved requests only.
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 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.
What to study next
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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: Assign the built-in policy initiative 'Configure just-in-time network access on virtual machines' at the management group level. — The built-in policy initiative 'Configure just-in-time network access on virtual machines' can be assigned at the management group scope to automatically enable JIT on new VMs and remediate existing non-compliant VMs via a DeployIfNotExists effect. This ensures consistent enforcement across all subscriptions under that management group without manual per-subscription configuration.
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: 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.
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