- A
Deploy the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension on each VM and enable Azure Defender for SQL in Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Correct. The SQL IaaS Agent extension registers the VM with the SQL resource provider. After that, enabling Azure Defender for SQL (under Defender for Cloud plans) provides Advanced Threat Protection and vulnerability assessment for the SQL Server instances.
- B
Enable Azure Defender for Servers on the subscription; it automatically protects SQL Server workloads.
Why wrong: Azure Defender for Servers provides host-level threat detection (e.g., file integrity monitoring, network anomalies) but does not include SQL-specific protections like SQL injection detection. SQL workloads require Azure Defender for SQL.
- C
Enable Azure Defender for SQL on the Log Analytics workspace used by the VMs.
Why wrong: Azure Defender for SQL is enabled per subscription or per SQL server resource, not per Log Analytics workspace. The workspace configuration is for data ingestion, not for enabling the Defender plan.
- D
Configure the Microsoft Sentinel SQL connector to ingest SQL audit logs.
Why wrong: The SQL connector in Sentinel ingests audit logs for analysis but does not enable the built-in threat detection capabilities of Azure Defender for SQL. The two are separate: Defender generates alerts, Sentinel can ingest them.
SC-200 Practice Question: Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of mitigate threats using microsoft defender for cloud. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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.
A company has several Azure virtual machines running SQL Server (IaaS). The security team wants to enable Advanced Threat Protection for these SQL Server instances to detect threats like SQL injection. What should they do?
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
Deploy the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension on each VM and enable Azure Defender for SQL in Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
To enable Advanced Threat Protection for SQL Server IaaS, you must deploy the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension on each VM, which allows the VM to register with the SQL IaaS platform. Then, you enable Azure Defender for SQL in Microsoft Defender for Cloud, which provides threat detection for SQL injection and other anomalous activities. This combination ensures the SQL Server instances are monitored by Defender for Cloud's SQL-specific protections.
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.
- ✓
Deploy the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension on each VM and enable Azure Defender for SQL in Microsoft Defender for Cloud.
Why this is correct
Correct. The SQL IaaS Agent extension registers the VM with the SQL resource provider. After that, enabling Azure Defender for SQL (under Defender for Cloud plans) provides Advanced Threat Protection and vulnerability assessment for the SQL Server instances.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable Azure Defender for Servers on the subscription; it automatically protects SQL Server workloads.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Defender for Servers provides host-level threat detection (e.g., file integrity monitoring, network anomalies) but does not include SQL-specific protections like SQL injection detection. SQL workloads require Azure Defender for SQL.
- ✗
Enable Azure Defender for SQL on the Log Analytics workspace used by the VMs.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Defender for SQL is enabled per subscription or per SQL server resource, not per Log Analytics workspace. The workspace configuration is for data ingestion, not for enabling the Defender plan.
- ✗
Configure the Microsoft Sentinel SQL connector to ingest SQL audit logs.
Why it's wrong here
The SQL connector in Sentinel ingests audit logs for analysis but does not enable the built-in threat detection capabilities of Azure Defender for SQL. The two are separate: Defender generates alerts, Sentinel can ingest them.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Azure Defender for Servers with Azure Defender for SQL, assuming server-level protection automatically covers SQL workloads, but SQL-specific threat detection requires the dedicated SQL Defender plan and the IaaS Agent extension.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The SQL Server IaaS Agent extension (SqlIaasExtension) registers the VM with the SQL IaaS platform, enabling features like automated patching and backup, and is a prerequisite for Azure Defender for SQL on IaaS. Under the hood, Defender for SQL uses machine learning models on the SQL audit logs to detect suspicious patterns, and the extension ensures these logs are forwarded to the Defender for Cloud backend. In a real-world scenario, if the extension is missing, Defender for SQL will show the SQL Server as 'Not configured' even if Defender for Cloud is enabled at the subscription level.
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
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — This question tests Mitigate threats using Microsoft Defender for Cloud — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Deploy the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension on each VM and enable Azure Defender for SQL in Microsoft Defender for Cloud. — To enable Advanced Threat Protection for SQL Server IaaS, you must deploy the SQL Server IaaS Agent extension on each VM, which allows the VM to register with the SQL IaaS platform. Then, you enable Azure Defender for SQL in Microsoft Defender for Cloud, which provides threat detection for SQL injection and other anomalous activities. This combination ensures the SQL Server instances are monitored by Defender for Cloud's SQL-specific protections.
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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 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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