The answer is to restrict the user from sending email using Microsoft Defender for Office 365 mailbox restrictions. This action directly blocks outbound phishing while preserving the compromised user’s ability to receive emails, which is critical for forensic investigation and monitoring attacker communications. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of granular incident response controls within Microsoft Defender XDR, specifically the difference between user-level restrictions (like disabling the account in Entra ID) and mailbox-level restrictions. A common trap is choosing to disable the user or remove licenses, which would halt all email flow and destroy evidence. Remember the key distinction: you want to stop the bleeding without cutting off the data stream. A useful memory tip is “Restrict, don’t disable” — think of it as putting the mailbox in read-only mode for the compromised user.
SC-200 Manage a security operations environment Practice Question
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.
You are a SOC analyst using Microsoft Defender XDR. You notice that a user's account has been compromised and is being used to send phishing emails. You need to prevent the user from sending any more emails while preserving the ability to receive emails for investigation. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Restrict the user from sending email using Microsoft Defender for Office 365 mailbox restrictions.
In Microsoft Defender XDR, you can restrict a user from sending email by applying a mailbox restriction. Option B is correct. Option A is wrong because disabling the user in Entra ID prevents all access. Option C is wrong because deleting the mailbox removes all data. Option D is wrong because removing licenses removes access to all Microsoft 365 services.
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.
✗
Remove the user's Microsoft 365 license.
Why it's wrong here
This will disable all services, including email receiving.
✗
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the account will block all access, including email receiving.
✓
Restrict the user from sending email using Microsoft Defender for Office 365 mailbox restrictions.
Why this is correct
This blocks outgoing email while allowing incoming email for investigation.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Delete the user's mailbox in Exchange Online.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting the mailbox removes all data and cannot be easily reversed.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Restrict the user from sending email using Microsoft Defender for Office 365 mailbox restrictions. — In Microsoft Defender XDR, you can restrict a user from sending email by applying a mailbox restriction. Option B is correct. Option A is wrong because disabling the user in Entra ID prevents all access. Option C is wrong because deleting the mailbox removes all data. Option D is wrong because removing licenses removes access to all Microsoft 365 services.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Identify which SC-200 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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