The answer is to upload the CSV to a custom threat intelligence feed using the Threat Intelligence - Upload Indicators API. This is correct because Microsoft Sentinel’s threat intelligence platform can ingest custom indicators of compromise (IOCs) from structured files like CSV through the Upload Indicators API, which stores them as persistent threat intelligence objects that can trigger automated alerting and detection rules. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your understanding of how to operationalize hunting findings—specifically, that watchlists are for temporary lookups, not long-term detection, and that custom analytics rules need stored indicators to reference. A common trap is choosing the watchlist option, but remember: watchlists are for quick joins, not for feeding detection pipelines. The memory tip is “API for persistence, watchlist for assistance”—the Upload Indicators API persists IOCs for automated alerting, while a watchlist only supports manual or temporary correlation.
SC-200 Perform threat hunting Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of perform threat hunting. 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.
During a threat hunt in Microsoft Sentinel, an analyst creates a custom hunting query that uses the 'externaldata' operator to reference a CSV file stored in Azure Blob Storage. The hunt identifies several suspicious IP addresses that need to be added to a threat intelligence indicator. Which method should the analyst use to persist the findings as indicators of compromise (IOCs) for automated alerting?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Upload the CSV to a custom threat intelligence feed using the Threat Intelligence - Upload Indicators API
Option C is correct because Microsoft Sentinel can ingest threat intelligence from custom CSV files via a Threat Intelligence - Upload Indicators API or TAXII connector; the analyst can upload the CSV as a new threat intelligence feed. Option A (watchlist) is for temporary lookups, not persistent IOCs for detection. Option B (custom analytics rule) would require the rule to reference the data, but the IOCs are not stored as indicators. Option D (Azure Logic Apps) could automate but is not the primary method for persisting IOCs.
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.
✓
Upload the CSV to a custom threat intelligence feed using the Threat Intelligence - Upload Indicators API
Why this is correct
This makes the IPs available as threat intelligence indicators for use in detection rules.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Add the IPs to a Microsoft Sentinel watchlist and reference the watchlist in an analytics rule
Why it's wrong here
Watchlists are for temporary reference data, not for formal threat intelligence indicators.
✗
Create a custom analytics rule that includes the IPs as inline indicators
Why it's wrong here
This embeds IOCs in a rule but does not create reusable threat intelligence objects.
✗
Use Azure Logic Apps to create a playbook that blocks the IPs automatically
Why it's wrong here
This is a response action, not a method to persist IOCs for detection.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
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: Upload the CSV to a custom threat intelligence feed using the Threat Intelligence - Upload Indicators API — Option C is correct because Microsoft Sentinel can ingest threat intelligence from custom CSV files via a Threat Intelligence - Upload Indicators API or TAXII connector; the analyst can upload the CSV as a new threat intelligence feed. Option A (watchlist) is for temporary lookups, not persistent IOCs for detection. Option B (custom analytics rule) would require the rule to reference the data, but the IOCs are not stored as indicators. Option D (Azure Logic Apps) could automate but is not the primary method for persisting IOCs.
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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