The answer is to isolate affected devices and revoke user sessions as the two recommended first steps for ransomware containment in Microsoft Defender XDR. These actions immediately sever the attacker’s access and prevent lateral movement, while requiring reauthentication ensures compromised tokens cannot be reused. On the SC-200 exam, this tests your ability to prioritize containment over investigation or remediation—a common trap is selecting “disable accounts” first, but revoking sessions is faster and less disruptive. Another pitfall is running a full antivirus scan, which can alert the attacker and waste critical time. Remember the memory tip: “Cut the cords first—isolate and revoke before you disable or scan.”
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 recommended first steps when responding to a confirmed ransomware incident in Microsoft Defender XDR?
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
✓
Isolate affected devices using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
The correct answers are A and D. Isolating affected devices and revoking user sessions are immediate containment steps. Disabling accounts is also important but can be done after revoking sessions. Running a full antivirus scan is not a first step; it may alert the attacker. Assessing impact is part of investigation, not first containment.
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.
✗
Assess the financial impact of the incident
Why it's wrong here
Impact assessment is important but not the first step.
✗
Disable all user accounts
Why it's wrong here
Disabling all accounts is too broad; target only compromised accounts.
✗
Run a full antivirus scan on all devices
Why it's wrong here
A full scan may take time and alert the attacker; containment is priority.
✓
Isolate affected devices using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Why this is correct
Isolation stops lateral movement and communication with C2.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
Revoke user sessions and require reauthentication
Why this is correct
Revoking sessions stops attacker access to accounts.
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
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: Isolate affected devices using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint — The correct answers are A and D. Isolating affected devices and revoking user sessions are immediate containment steps. Disabling accounts is also important but can be done after revoking sessions. Running a full antivirus scan is not a first step; it may alert the attacker. Assessing impact is part of investigation, not first containment.
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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