SC-200 Manage a security operations environment Practice Question
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```json
{
"properties": {
"displayName": "Block malicious IPs",
"policyType": "Custom",
"mode": "All",
"description": "This policy denies deployment if the source IP is in a predefined list.",
"metadata": {
"version": "1.0.0",
"category": "Network"
},
"parameters": {
"listOfBlockedIPs": {
"type": "Array",
"metadata": {
"displayName": "Blocked IPs",
"description": "List of IPs to block"
}
}
},
"policyRule": {
"if": {
"field": "sourceIP",
"in": "[parameters('listOfBlockedIPs')]"
},
"then": {
"effect": "deny"
}
}
}
}Refer to the exhibit. You are reviewing a custom Azure Policy definition that should block deployments from specific IP addresses. However, the policy does not seem to be evaluating any resources. What is the most likely issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates focus on syntax errors or operator misuse in the policy definition, overlooking the prerequisite that a policy must be assigned to a scope before it can evaluate any resources.
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
✓
The policy definition has not been assigned to any scope
The exhibit shows a custom Azure Policy definition that is syntactically correct, but the policy is not evaluating any resources. The most likely cause is that the policy definition has not been assigned to a scope (e.g., management group, subscription, or resource group). In Azure Policy, a definition alone does nothing; it must be assigned to a scope to take effect and begin evaluating resources.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The 'in' operator cannot be used with an array parameter
Why it's wrong here
The 'in' operator is fully supported for array parameters in Azure Policy. It evaluates whether a given value matches any item in the array, so it can be used to compare a resource field against a parameter that holds multiple allowed values. Therefore, the operator itself is not the cause of the policy not taking effect; the issue is the absence of a scope assignment.
- ✓
The policy definition has not been assigned to any scope
Why this is correct
A custom policy definition is merely a rule set that remains dormant until it is assigned to a management group, subscription, or resource group. Without an assignment, Azure Policy does not evaluate resources against the definition, so no deny actions or compliance results will appear. In this exhibit, the policy definition has no assigned scope, which is why it has no effect on any resources.
- ✗
The policy mode should be 'Indexed' for network policies
Why it's wrong here
The policy mode 'All' is required when the policy rule needs to evaluate resource types that do not support tags and location, such as network-related resources. Setting the mode to 'Indexed' would restrict evaluation to tagged resources, which could cause the policy to miss many network resources. Therefore, the existing 'All' mode is appropriate, and changing it to 'Indexed' would introduce a different problem.
- ✗
The 'effect' should be 'audit' instead of 'deny'
Why it's wrong here
'Deny' is a valid and commonly used effect in Azure Policy to block non-compliant deployments, whereas 'audit' only logs non-compliance without preventing creation. The choice between effects depends on whether the goal is to enforce compliance or merely report on it. Since the policy is intended to prevent certain network configurations, 'deny' is appropriate; the real problem is still the missing assignment.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.