- A
Verify that the Microsoft 365 Defender connector is configured to ingest MDE alerts.
Why wrong: The connector ingests all alerts by default; there is no specific configuration for MDE alerts.
- B
Check if the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint data connector is added.
Why wrong: There is no separate MDE data connector; MDE alerts come through the Microsoft 365 Defender connector.
- C
Verify that the ingestion rules in Sentinel are not filtering out MDE alerts.
Why wrong: Ingestion rules are for filtering after data is received; if no data is received, the rule is not the issue.
- D
Check the Microsoft 365 Defender portal to ensure MDE alerts are being generated and forwarded to Microsoft 365 Defender.
If MDE alerts are not in Microsoft 365 Defender, they won't appear in Sentinel.
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.
A company uses Microsoft Sentinel with the Microsoft 365 Defender connector. The security team notices that alerts from Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) are not appearing in Sentinel. The MDE data connector status shows 'Connected'. Which step should you take to troubleshoot this issue?
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
Check the Microsoft 365 Defender portal to ensure MDE alerts are being generated and forwarded to Microsoft 365 Defender.
Option D is correct because the Microsoft 365 Defender connector in Microsoft Sentinel ingests alerts that have already been generated and forwarded by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) to the Microsoft 365 Defender portal. Even if the connector status shows 'Connected', if MDE alerts are not being generated or forwarded to Microsoft 365 Defender (e.g., due to a licensing issue, misconfigured alert policy, or service health problem), they will never reach Sentinel. Therefore, the first troubleshooting step is to verify alert generation and forwarding at the source in the Microsoft 365 Defender portal.
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.
- ✗
Verify that the Microsoft 365 Defender connector is configured to ingest MDE alerts.
Why it's wrong here
The connector ingests all alerts by default; there is no specific configuration for MDE alerts.
- ✗
Check if the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint data connector is added.
Why it's wrong here
There is no separate MDE data connector; MDE alerts come through the Microsoft 365 Defender connector.
- ✗
Verify that the ingestion rules in Sentinel are not filtering out MDE alerts.
Why it's wrong here
Ingestion rules are for filtering after data is received; if no data is received, the rule is not the issue.
- ✓
Check the Microsoft 365 Defender portal to ensure MDE alerts are being generated and forwarded to Microsoft 365 Defender.
Why this is correct
If MDE alerts are not in Microsoft 365 Defender, they won't appear in Sentinel.
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 assume a 'Connected' status guarantees data flow, but the connector status only reflects the API connection to Microsoft 365 Defender, not the actual generation or forwarding of alerts from the underlying MDE service.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the Microsoft 365 Defender connector uses the Microsoft 365 Defender API to pull alerts that have been correlated and enriched in the Microsoft 365 Defender portal. MDE alerts are first generated on endpoints, then forwarded to Microsoft 365 Defender via the unified alert pipeline, where they may be combined with alerts from other Microsoft 365 Defender services. If the MDE service fails to forward alerts (e.g., due to a licensing gap or a service outage), the connector will show 'Connected' because the API connection is healthy, but no alert data will flow. In a real-world scenario, a common cause is that the MDE license (e.g., Microsoft 365 E5 or standalone MDE Plan 2) has expired, which stops alert generation but does not break the connector's API connection.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
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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: Check the Microsoft 365 Defender portal to ensure MDE alerts are being generated and forwarded to Microsoft 365 Defender. — Option D is correct because the Microsoft 365 Defender connector in Microsoft Sentinel ingests alerts that have already been generated and forwarded by Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) to the Microsoft 365 Defender portal. Even if the connector status shows 'Connected', if MDE alerts are not being generated or forwarded to Microsoft 365 Defender (e.g., due to a licensing issue, misconfigured alert policy, or service health problem), they will never reach Sentinel. Therefore, the first troubleshooting step is to verify alert generation and forwarding at the source in the Microsoft 365 Defender portal.
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: Jul 4, 2026
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