Intended Outcome of a PowerShell Script for Automated Response
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of manage a security operations environment. 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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
$alert = Get-MpThreatDetection | Where-Object {$_.ThreatName -like "*Trojan*"}
if ($alert) {
Start-MpScan -ScanType QuickScan
}
You are reviewing a PowerShell script used for automated response on a Windows 10 device managed by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. What is the intended outcome of this script?
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
$alert = Get-MpThreatDetection | Where-Object {$_.ThreatName -like "*Trojan*"}
if ($alert) {
Start-MpScan -ScanType QuickScan
}
A
It removes all Trojan threats from the device.
Why wrong: The script only scans, not removes.
B
It updates the antimalware signatures and then performs a scan.
Why wrong: No signature update is performed.
C
It triggers a quick scan if any Trojan detection exists.
The condition checks for Trojan detections and then runs a quick scan.
D
It configures Windows Defender to exclude Trojan files.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It triggers a quick scan if any Trojan detection exists.
The script checks for Trojan detections using Get-MpThreat with a threat category filter for Trojans. If any Trojan is found, it triggers Start-MpScan -ScanType QuickScan to perform a quick scan. This matches option C exactly.
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.
✗
It removes all Trojan threats from the device.
Why it's wrong here
The script only scans, not removes.
✗
It updates the antimalware signatures and then performs a scan.
Why it's wrong here
No signature update is performed.
✓
It triggers a quick scan if any Trojan detection exists.
Why this is correct
The condition checks for Trojan detections and then runs a quick scan.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
It configures Windows Defender to exclude Trojan files.
Why it's wrong here
No exclusion is configured.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may assume the script performs remediation (option A) or updates signatures (option B) because those are common steps in response workflows, but the script only triggers a scan based on detection, not removal or update actions.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The script uses Get-MpThreat with the -ThreatCategoryFilter parameter set to 'Trojan' to retrieve only Trojan-class threats from the Windows Defender threat catalog. The Start-MpScan cmdlet with -ScanType QuickScan initiates a scan of common infection locations, which is faster than a full scan but still effective for active threats. This approach is commonly used in automated response playbooks to minimize performance impact while addressing immediate risks.
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: It triggers a quick scan if any Trojan detection exists. — The script checks for Trojan detections using Get-MpThreat with a threat category filter for Trojans. If any Trojan is found, it triggers Start-MpScan -ScanType QuickScan to perform a quick scan. This matches option C exactly.
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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