The correct answer is to configure the Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector (Legacy). This connector is purpose-built to ingest Microsoft Defender for Cloud alerts into Microsoft Sentinel, automatically streaming all security alerts generated by Defender for Cloud’s policies and threat detection into Sentinel for centralized monitoring and incident response. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between the legacy connector and the newer “Tenant-based” Defender for Cloud connector; the legacy version is specifically required when you need to ingest alerts from a single subscription or a specific set of resources rather than the entire tenant. A common trap is selecting the “Continuous Export” setting in Defender for Cloud, which only exports raw logs, not structured security alerts. Remember the memory tip: “Legacy for alerts, Continuous for logs”—if the goal is alert ingestion, always choose the legacy connector.
SC-200 Manage a security operations environment Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of manage a security operations environment. 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.
Your organization uses Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. You need to ensure that all cloud security alerts are automatically ingested into Sentinel. What should you configure?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure the Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector (Legacy).
The Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector (Legacy) is the correct choice because it specifically ingests security alerts from Microsoft Defender for Cloud into Microsoft Sentinel. This connector ensures that all alerts generated by Defender for Cloud's security policies and threat detection are automatically streamed into Sentinel for centralized monitoring and incident response.
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.
✗
Configure the Microsoft 365 Defender data connector.
Why it's wrong here
This connector ingests signals from Microsoft 365 Defender, not Defender for Cloud alerts.
✗
Configure the Azure Activity data connector.
Why it's wrong here
This connector ingests subscription-level events, not security alerts.
✗
Create a custom log table and a PowerShell script to push alerts.
Why it's wrong here
Custom logs require manual setup and are not the recommended automatic method.
✓
Configure the Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector (Legacy).
Why this is correct
This connector ingests security alerts from Defender for Cloud into Sentinel.
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 often confuse the Microsoft 365 Defender data connector (which handles endpoint and office alerts) with the Defender for Cloud data connector (which handles cloud security alerts), leading them to select option A incorrectly.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector (Legacy) uses the Azure Resource Graph API to pull security alerts and recommendations from Defender for Cloud into Sentinel. In a real-world scenario, if an organization has multiple Azure subscriptions or hybrid environments, this connector ensures that all alerts from Defender for Cloud's integrated workload protections (e.g., VMs, SQL servers, storage accounts) are centrally collected without requiring custom scripting or additional infrastructure.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
Manage a security operations environment — This question tests Manage a security operations environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure the Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector (Legacy). — The Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector (Legacy) is the correct choice because it specifically ingests security alerts from Microsoft Defender for Cloud into Microsoft Sentinel. This connector ensures that all alerts generated by Defender for Cloud's security policies and threat detection are automatically streamed into Sentinel for centralized monitoring and incident response.
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.
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 →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Your organization uses Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. You need to ensure that security alerts from Defender for Cloud are automatically ingested into Sentinel. What should you configure?
medium
A.Enable diagnostic settings on the Defender for Cloud subscription.
B.Configure the 'Azure Activity' data connector.
C.Create an automation rule in Sentinel to fetch alerts from Defender for Cloud.
✓ D.Add the 'Microsoft Defender for Cloud' data connector in Microsoft Sentinel.
Why D: Sentinel can ingest alerts from Defender for Cloud via a data connector specifically for that purpose. Option B is correct. Option A is wrong because diagnostic settings export logs, not alerts directly. Option C is wrong because automation rules work on incidents, not ingestion. Option D is wrong because the connector is for Azure Activity, not Defender for Cloud alerts.
Variation 2. Your organization uses Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. You need to ensure that security incidents from Defender for Cloud are automatically sent to Sentinel. What should you configure?
medium
A.Configure the Azure Active Directory data connector
✓ B.Configure the Microsoft Defender for Cloud data connector
C.Create an Azure Event Hub and push Defender for Cloud alerts to Sentinel via a custom connector
D.Configure the Microsoft 365 Defender data connector
Why B: The data connector 'Microsoft Defender for Cloud' (formerly Azure Security Center) in Sentinel enables continuous ingestion of alerts and incidents. Option B is correct. Option A is a legacy connector for Azure Active Directory (now Entra ID). Option C is for Microsoft 365 Defender. Option D is a custom connector that requires extra setup.
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
Question Discussion
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