This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of perform threat hunting. 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.
```kql
let IPs = dynamic(['10.0.0.1', '10.0.0.2']);
DeviceNetworkEvents
| where Timestamp > ago(7d)
| where RemoteIP in (IPs)
| summarize count() by RemoteIP, DeviceName
| where count_ > 5
```
Refer to the exhibit. You are analyzing a potential C2 communication pattern. The KQL query returns no results despite known malicious IPs being active. What is the most likely cause?
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.
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit.
```kql
let IPs = dynamic(['10.0.0.1', '10.0.0.2']);
DeviceNetworkEvents
| where Timestamp > ago(7d)
| where RemoteIP in (IPs)
| summarize count() by RemoteIP, DeviceName
| where count_ > 5
```
A
The query is missing a filter for Direction equal to 'Outbound'.
Why wrong: Incorrect. While the query may not filter by Direction, the lack of results is due to devices not being onboarded, not the absence of a Direction filter.
B
The devices generating the events are not onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
Correct. DeviceNetworkEvents only logs events from devices onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. If the devices are not onboarded, no events are generated, resulting in no results.
C
The query does not include a filter for ActionType equal to 'ConnectionSuccess'.
Why wrong: Incorrect. The query does not require a filter for ActionType equal to 'ConnectionSuccess'; DeviceNetworkEvents includes all connection events regardless of success or failure.
D
The RemoteIP field should be replaced with DestinationIpAddress.
Why wrong: Incorrect. RemoteIP is the correct field for destination IP in DeviceNetworkEvents; replacing it with DestinationIpAddress would not resolve the issue.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The devices generating the events are not onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
Option B is correct because if the devices generating the network events are not onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, they will not produce any DeviceNetworkEvents, resulting in no query results even when malicious IPs are active. Option A is incorrect because the query does not need a Direction filter to return results; it may include both inbound and outbound by default. Option C is incorrect because filtering on ActionType is not necessary to see the connection events; the absence of a filter does not cause empty results. Option D is incorrect because RemoteIP is the correct field for the destination IP address in DeviceNetworkEvents; replacing it with DestinationIpAddress would not fix the missing data issue.
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 query is missing a filter for Direction equal to 'Outbound'.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While the query may not filter by Direction, the lack of results is due to devices not being onboarded, not the absence of a Direction filter.
✓
The devices generating the events are not onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
Why this is correct
Correct. DeviceNetworkEvents only logs events from devices onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. If the devices are not onboarded, no events are generated, resulting in no results.
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.
✗
The query does not include a filter for ActionType equal to 'ConnectionSuccess'.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. The query does not require a filter for ActionType equal to 'ConnectionSuccess'; DeviceNetworkEvents includes all connection events regardless of success or failure.
✗
The RemoteIP field should be replaced with DestinationIpAddress.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. RemoteIP is the correct field for destination IP in DeviceNetworkEvents; replacing it with DestinationIpAddress would not resolve the issue.
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 healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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.
Perform threat hunting — This question tests Perform threat hunting — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The devices generating the events are not onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. — Option B is correct because if the devices generating the network events are not onboarded to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, they will not produce any DeviceNetworkEvents, resulting in no query results even when malicious IPs are active. Option A is incorrect because the query does not need a Direction filter to return results; it may include both inbound and outbound by default. Option C is incorrect because filtering on ActionType is not necessary to see the connection events; the absence of a filter does not cause empty results. Option D is incorrect because RemoteIP is the correct field for the destination IP address in DeviceNetworkEvents; replacing it with DestinationIpAddress would not fix the missing data issue.
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.
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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