The correct answer is to suspend the user’s account in Microsoft Entra ID. This is the first containment step because a sudden bulk download of 500 files from SharePoint Online within 10 minutes strongly indicates a data exfiltration attempt, and immediately disabling the account stops the attacker’s access while preserving forensic evidence. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your ability to prioritize containment over investigation—common traps include jumping to audit logs or running a Google Dorking search, which is a reconnaissance technique used by attackers to identify exposed sensitive data via queries like site:domain.com filetype:pdf, not a security analyst’s containment tool. Remember the incident response order: contain first, then investigate. A quick memory tip: “Suspend first, search later”—if a user’s activity screams theft, cut the pipe before you check the water.
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.
A security analyst receives an alert from Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps indicating that a user from the finance department downloaded 500 files from SharePoint Online in 10 minutes. The analyst needs to determine if this is a true positive and, if so, contain the incident. 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 the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Suspend the user's account in Microsoft Entra ID.
The correct answer is B. Google Dorking is a technique used by attackers to find exposed sensitive information via Google search queries. Searching for the domain with site: and filetype: is an example of Google Dorking, which is not a standard security tool. The other options are legitimate security features.
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.
✗
Run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel to correlate with other alerts.
Why it's wrong here
Running a query is investigative, not a containment action.
✓
Suspend the user's account in Microsoft Entra ID.
Why this is correct
Suspending the account immediately prevents further data exfiltration while investigation proceeds.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Create an alert in Microsoft Sentinel for similar behavior.
Why it's wrong here
Creating an alert is a reactive step that doesn't provide immediate containment.
✗
Check the user's risk score in Microsoft Entra ID Identity Protection.
Why it's wrong here
Checking risk score is informative but does not contain the incident.
Common exam traps
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.
Detailed technical explanation
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.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Suspend the user's account in Microsoft Entra ID. — The correct answer is B. Google Dorking is a technique used by attackers to find exposed sensitive information via Google search queries. Searching for the domain with site: and filetype: is an example of Google Dorking, which is not a standard security tool. The other options are legitimate security features.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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.
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