- A
Revoke the user's access to the file share.
Why wrong: Revoking access does not stop the ransomware process.
- B
Run a full antivirus scan on the server.
Why wrong: Antivirus may not stop active ransomware.
- C
Restore the encrypted files from backup.
Why wrong: Restoration does not stop ongoing encryption.
- D
Isolate the server from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation.
Isolation prevents further communication and spread.
Question 1,448 of 1,639
First Containment Action for Ransomware: Isolate the Server
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 responding to a ransomware incident. The analyst identifies that the ransomware encrypted files on a file share and left a ransom note. The analyst needs to prevent the ransomware from spreading to other shares. Which action should the analyst take first?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
✓
Isolate the server from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation.
The immediate priority in a ransomware incident is containment to prevent lateral movement and further encryption. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation feature disconnects the compromised server from the network while allowing communication with the Defender for Cloud backend, stopping the ransomware from spreading to other shares. This aligns with the NIST incident response framework's containment phase, which must occur before eradication or recovery actions.
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.
- ✗
Revoke the user's access to the file share.
Why it's wrong here
Revoking access does not stop the ransomware process.
- ✗
Run a full antivirus scan on the server.
Why it's wrong here
Antivirus may not stop active ransomware.
- ✗
Restore the encrypted files from backup.
Why it's wrong here
Restoration does not stop ongoing encryption.
- ✓
Isolate the server from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation.
Why this is correct
Isolation prevents further communication and spread.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse containment actions with recovery or eradication steps, mistakenly choosing to restore files or run a scan first, when the correct first action is to isolate the compromised device to stop the spread.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation uses a firewall rule to block all inbound and outbound network traffic except traffic to the Defender service (via specific IP ranges and ports 443/80). This effectively quarantines the device at the network layer, preventing SMB (port 445) and other protocols used by ransomware to spread. The isolation can be applied via the Microsoft 365 Defender portal or API, and the device remains isolated until explicitly released, even if the attacker tries to disable the Defender agent.
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
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.
- →
Respond to security incidents — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Respond to security incidents 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?
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: Isolate the server from the network using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation. — The immediate priority in a ransomware incident is containment to prevent lateral movement and further encryption. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint's device isolation feature disconnects the compromised server from the network while allowing communication with the Defender for Cloud backend, stopping the ransomware from spreading to other shares. This aligns with the NIST incident response framework's containment phase, which must occur before eradication or recovery actions.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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
- Which TWO are valid sources of evidence in a Microsoft Sentinel incident? (Choose two.)
- An organization uses Microsoft 365 Defender. During an incident, the analyst wants to automatically isolate a compromise…
- Which THREE steps are part of the incident response process when using Microsoft Sentinel?
- Refer to the exhibit. You are reviewing a Microsoft Sentinel scheduled analytics rule configured as above. An incident w…
- A security analyst is preparing to use a Jupyter notebook for threat hunting in Microsoft Sentinel. Which of the followi…
- You are investigating a ransomware incident in Microsoft Sentinel. The incident contains multiple alerts. You need to gr…
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.
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.