- A
Block an IP address in Azure Firewall.
Why wrong: Blocking IP addresses is not a direct action of automation rules; it must be done via a playbook.
- B
Change the severity of an incident.
Automation rules can modify incident properties including severity.
- C
Assign a user to an incident owner.
Correct. Automation rules can assign a user as incident owner as part of property changes.
- D
Trigger a playbook.
Automation rules can run playbooks as a response action.
- E
Run a KQL query against a Log Analytics workspace.
Why wrong: Automation rules do not run queries; they respond to incidents.
Question 688 of 1,639
SC-200 Automation rules 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. A key principle to apply: automation rules. 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 actions can be performed using Microsoft Sentinel's automation rules? (Choose two.)
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
✓
Change the severity of an incident.
Automation rules in Microsoft Sentinel can perform several actions on incidents, including changing severity (B), assigning owner (C), and triggering a playbook (D). Option A is incorrect because blocking an IP address is a more complex remediation typically done via a playbook, not directly by an automation rule. Option E is incorrect because running a KQL query is not an action available in automation rules; queries are executed in the Log Analytics workspace or via analytics rules.
Key principle: Automation rules
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Block an IP address in Azure Firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking IP addresses is not a direct action of automation rules; it must be done via a playbook.
- ✓
Change the severity of an incident.
Why this is correct
Automation rules can modify incident properties including severity.
Related concept
Automation rules
- ✓
Assign a user to an incident owner.
Why this is correct
Correct. Automation rules can assign a user as incident owner as part of property changes.
Related concept
Automation rules
- ✓
Trigger a playbook.
Why this is correct
Automation rules can run playbooks as a response action.
Related concept
Automation rules
- ✗
Run a KQL query against a Log Analytics workspace.
Why it's wrong here
Automation rules do not run queries; they respond to incidents.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap is that candidates may assume automation rules cannot modify ownership, but Microsoft Sentinel documentation confirms that owner assignment is a supported action. This leads to selecting only B and D while missing C.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Automation rules in Microsoft Sentinel operate at the incident creation or update trigger, evaluating conditions and executing actions like changing severity, adding tags, or triggering playbooks. Under the hood, these rules are processed by the Sentinel backend, which applies actions in order of priority; if multiple rules match, only the highest-priority rule's actions are executed. A real-world scenario: an automation rule can automatically escalate an incident to 'High' severity if it contains a known ransomware indicator, then trigger a playbook to isolate the affected host.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Automation rules
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
Automation rules
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Review automation rules, then practise related SC-200 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Automation rules.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Change the severity of an incident. — Automation rules in Microsoft Sentinel can perform several actions on incidents, including changing severity (B), assigning owner (C), and triggering a playbook (D). Option A is incorrect because blocking an IP address is a more complex remediation typically done via a playbook, not directly by an automation rule. Option E is incorrect because running a KQL query is not an action available in automation rules; queries are executed in the Log Analytics workspace or via analytics rules.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Review automation rules, then practise related SC-200 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Automation rules
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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.
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