- A
Playbooks
Why wrong: Playbooks are automation workflows, not evidence.
- B
Watchlists
Why wrong: Watchlists are used for enrichment, not as evidence.
- C
Alerts
Alerts are the primary evidence linked to an incident.
- D
Bookmarks
Bookmarks capture specific search results and can be added as evidence.
- E
Hunting queries
Why wrong: Hunting queries are not stored as evidence; only their results can be bookmarked.
SC-200 Respond to security incidents Practice Question
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.
Which TWO are valid sources of evidence in a Microsoft Sentinel incident? (Choose two.)
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
Alerts
Alerts are a core evidence type in Microsoft Sentinel incidents because they represent the raw security findings that trigger an incident. When an alert is generated from a detection rule (e.g., analytics rule, fusion, or scheduled query), it is automatically linked to the incident as evidence, providing the initial context and supporting data for investigation.
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.
- ✗
Playbooks
Why it's wrong here
Playbooks are automation workflows, not evidence.
- ✗
Watchlists
Why it's wrong here
Watchlists are used for enrichment, not as evidence.
- ✓
Alerts
Why this is correct
Alerts are the primary evidence linked to an incident.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Bookmarks
Why this is correct
Bookmarks capture specific search results and can be added as evidence.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Hunting queries
Why it's wrong here
Hunting queries are not stored as evidence; only their results can be bookmarked.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'sources of evidence' with 'tools used during investigation'—playbooks and hunting queries are actions or workflows, not static evidence records stored within the incident.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Microsoft Sentinel incidents aggregate alerts from multiple sources (e.g., Microsoft Defender, Azure Activity, custom analytics) and store them as evidence with a unique alert ID, severity, and product name. Bookmarks, on the other hand, are created by analysts during hunting or investigation to preserve specific KQL query results (including entities, time range, and notes) as evidence; they can be promoted to an incident or added to an existing one via the 'Add to incident' action. This dual evidence model ensures both automated detections and manual findings are captured for full audit trails.
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.
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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: Alerts — Alerts are a core evidence type in Microsoft Sentinel incidents because they represent the raw security findings that trigger an incident. When an alert is generated from a detection rule (e.g., analytics rule, fusion, or scheduled query), it is automatically linked to the incident as evidence, providing the initial context and supporting data for investigation.
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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