A security administrator needs to ensure that only approved applications can run on a set of Windows Server virtual machines. The administrator has already enabled Microsoft Defender for Cloud's enhanced security features. Which Defender for Cloud feature should the administrator configure to define a list of allowed applications and get alerts when unapproved applications are executed?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Best answer
Adaptive Application Controls
Correct. Adaptive Application Controls learns typical application usage and creates an allowlist; alerts are generated when an application outside the allowlist runs.
Distractor review
File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)
Incorrect. FIM monitors changes to system files and registry keys, not application execution.
Distractor review
Just-in-Time VM Access (JIT)
Incorrect. JIT controls inbound RDP/SSH access, not application execution on the VM.
Distractor review
Vulnerability Assessment
Incorrect. Vulnerability assessment scans for software vulnerabilities (missing patches, misconfigurations), not for controlling which applications can run.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
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.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
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Question 2
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Question 3
A security analyst in Microsoft Defender for Cloud receives an alert that an Azure VM has a vulnerability with a high severity. The analyst wants to see the detailed finding, including the steps to remediate. Which blade or page should the analyst open?
Question 4
A company uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud to protect an Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) cluster. The security team wants to receive security alerts about suspicious activities within the cluster, such as a container running with root privileges or attempts to read sensitive host paths. Which Defender for Cloud plan must be enabled to generate these alerts?
Question 5
A security analyst is configuring Microsoft Sentinel scheduled analytics rules to detect brute-force attacks on Microsoft Entra ID. Arrange the steps in the correct order from first to last.
Question 6
An organization uses Microsoft 365 Defender. A security analyst is investigating a malware incident on a user's device. The automated investigation and response (AIR) has already isolated the device from the network. The analyst now needs to collect a copy of a specific suspicious file from the device for further analysis. Which action should the analyst initiate from the device's entity page?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Adaptive Application Controls — Adaptive Application Controls (AAC) is a feature in Microsoft Defender for Cloud that uses machine learning to create an allowlist of known-safe applications for a set of VMs. It alerts when an application that is not on the allowlist is executed. File Integrity Monitoring (FIM) tracks changes to registry and file system. Just-in-Time (JIT) VM access manages remote access. Vulnerability assessment scans for known vulnerabilities, not application execution control.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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