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Manage a security operations environment →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is D because the Azure Policy for NSG rule denial is missing conditions to evaluate whether the rule is actually allowing traffic, causing it to deny all security rules instead of only those matching blocked IPs. The policy rule uses the `sourceAddressPrefix` condition with the parameter `listOfBlockedIPs`, but it fails to include checks for `direction` (Inbound) and `access` (Allow), so it incorrectly blocks every NSG rule, including deny rules or outbound rules that pose no threat. On the SC-200 exam, this tests your ability to identify flawed policy logic in Azure Policy definitions, a common trap where candidates focus only on the IP list and overlook the need to scope the denial to specific traffic flows. Remember the memory tip: “Deny only what you allow”—always pair source IP conditions with direction and access filters to avoid blanket denials.

SC-200 Manage a security operations environment Practice Question

This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of manage a security operations environment. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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.

```json
{
  "properties": {
    "displayName": "Block malicious IPs",
    "description": "Blocks IPs from threat intelligence feed",
    "policyType": "Custom",
    "mode": "Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks",
    "parameters": {
      "listOfBlockedIPs": {
        "type": "Array",
        "metadata": {
          "displayName": "List of blocked IPs",
          "description": "IP addresses to block"
        }
      }
    },
    "policyRule": {
      "if": {
        "field": "type",
        "equals": "Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/securityRules"
      },
      "then": {
        "effect": "deny"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Refer to the exhibit. You are reviewing an Azure Policy definition intended to block malicious IPs by denying the creation of network security group rules that allow traffic from a list of blocked IPs. However, the policy is not working as expected. What is the most likely reason?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "most likely"

    Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →

Exhibit

Refer to the exhibit.

```json
{
  "properties": {
    "displayName": "Block malicious IPs",
    "description": "Blocks IPs from threat intelligence feed",
    "policyType": "Custom",
    "mode": "Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks",
    "parameters": {
      "listOfBlockedIPs": {
        "type": "Array",
        "metadata": {
          "displayName": "List of blocked IPs",
          "description": "IP addresses to block"
        }
      }
    },
    "policyRule": {
      "if": {
        "field": "type",
        "equals": "Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/securityRules"
      },
      "then": {
        "effect": "deny"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

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 rule does not evaluate the source IP address; it denies all security rules.

Option D is correct because the policy rule in the exhibit uses the 'sourceAddressPrefix' condition with the parameter 'listOfBlockedIPs', but it does not include a condition to evaluate the 'sourcePortRange' or 'destinationAddressPrefix'. More critically, the rule denies all security rules regardless of the source IP because the condition logic is flawed: it denies if the source IP is in the blocked list, but it does not also check that the rule is allowing traffic (e.g., direction 'Inbound' and access 'Allow'). Without these additional conditions, the policy incorrectly denies all NSG rules, including those that are not allowing traffic from blocked IPs.

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.

  • ✗

    The policy mode is incorrect; it should be 'All' instead of 'Microsoft.Network/virtualNetworks'.

    Why it's wrong here

    Incorrect. The mode is fine for networking resources.

  • ✗

    The parameter 'listOfBlockedIPs' is not used in the policy rule.

    Why it's wrong here

    Incorrect. The parameter is defined but not referenced, but that is not the primary issue; the rule logic is missing.

  • ✗

    The effect 'deny' is not supported for this resource type.

    Why it's wrong here

    Incorrect. 'deny' is supported for security rules.

  • ✓

    The policy rule does not evaluate the source IP address; it denies all security rules.

    Why this is correct

    Correct. The condition only checks the resource type, not the IP address.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" 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

The trap here is that candidates focus on the parameter usage or mode setting, but the real issue is the missing condition logic that fails to restrict the deny effect to only inbound allow rules, causing the policy to deny all security rules indiscriminately.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Azure Policy for network security groups evaluates the 'Microsoft.Network/networkSecurityGroups/securityRules' resource type. The policy rule must explicitly check the 'access' property (Allow/Deny) and 'direction' property (Inbound/Outbound) to target only rules that permit inbound traffic from blocked IPs. Without these checks, the policy denies all rules that match the source IP, including those that are already denying traffic or are outbound, leading to unintended blocking of legitimate configurations.

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.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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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: The policy rule does not evaluate the source IP address; it denies all security rules. — Option D is correct because the policy rule in the exhibit uses the 'sourceAddressPrefix' condition with the parameter 'listOfBlockedIPs', but it does not include a condition to evaluate the 'sourcePortRange' or 'destinationAddressPrefix'. More critically, the rule denies all security rules regardless of the source IP because the condition logic is flawed: it denies if the source IP is in the blocked list, but it does not also check that the rule is allowing traffic (e.g., direction 'Inbound' and access 'Allow'). Without these additional conditions, the policy incorrectly denies all NSG rules, including those that are not allowing traffic from blocked IPs.

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.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026

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