- A
Enable port mirroring on the domain controller switches.
Correct: Allows sensor to see network traffic.
- B
Install the MDI sensor on all domain controllers.
Correct: Sensors capture network traffic.
- C
Integrate with Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Why wrong: Not required for lateral movement detection.
- D
Configure Azure AD Connect to sync identities.
Why wrong: Not required for lateral movement detection.
- E
Configure site-to-site VPN to Azure.
Why wrong: Not required.
Question 457 of 1,639
Configure Microsoft Defender for Identity to Detect Lateral Movement
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.
You are configuring Microsoft Defender for Identity (MDI) in your on-premises Active Directory environment. You need to ensure that MDI can detect lateral movement attacks. Which two configurations are required?
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
✓
Enable port mirroring on the domain controller switches.
Option A is correct because port mirroring (SPAN) on domain controller switches allows the MDI sensor to capture network traffic without being in the direct data path, enabling it to analyze authentication and authorization packets (e.g., Kerberos, NTLM) for lateral movement patterns like pass-the-hash or pass-the-ticket. Option B is correct because installing the MDI sensor directly on all domain controllers provides deep visibility into local security event logs (e.g., Event ID 4624, 4672) and Active Directory replication traffic, which is essential for detecting lateral movement attempts that use compromised credentials or privilege escalation.
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.
- ✓
Enable port mirroring on the domain controller switches.
Why this is correct
Correct: Allows sensor to see network traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✓
Install the MDI sensor on all domain controllers.
Why this is correct
Correct: Sensors capture network traffic.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Integrate with Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Why it's wrong here
Not required for lateral movement detection.
- ✗
Configure Azure AD Connect to sync identities.
Why it's wrong here
Not required for lateral movement detection.
- ✗
Configure site-to-site VPN to Azure.
Why it's wrong here
Not required.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume integrating with cloud services (like Defender for Cloud or Azure AD Connect) is necessary for MDI functionality, when in fact MDI's core lateral movement detection is purely on-premises and requires only sensor placement and network traffic visibility.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Lateral movement detection in MDI relies on analyzing Kerberos ticket requests (TGS-REQ/TGS-REP) and NTLM authentication events to identify abnormal patterns, such as a user authenticating from multiple workstations in rapid succession or using a service ticket from a non-typical source. The sensor uses Windows Event Forwarding (WEF) and network packet capture (via WinPcap or Npcap) to correlate these events, and port mirroring ensures the sensor sees all traffic to and from domain controllers, including encrypted Kerberos exchanges that contain ticket information.
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.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
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: Enable port mirroring on the domain controller switches. — Option A is correct because port mirroring (SPAN) on domain controller switches allows the MDI sensor to capture network traffic without being in the direct data path, enabling it to analyze authentication and authorization packets (e.g., Kerberos, NTLM) for lateral movement patterns like pass-the-hash or pass-the-ticket. Option B is correct because installing the MDI sensor directly on all domain controllers provides deep visibility into local security event logs (e.g., Event ID 4624, 4672) and Active Directory replication traffic, which is essential for detecting lateral movement attempts that use compromised credentials or privilege escalation.
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
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