Quick Answer
The correct first step is to review the user’s sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID. This is because impossible travel alerts in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps are triggered by analyzing sign-in events and geolocation data, so the most direct way to validate the alert is to examine the raw sign-in logs for the specific timestamps, IP addresses, and authentication details. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between initial investigation steps and remediation actions—a common trap is jumping to block the user or reset their password before confirming the alert’s validity. Remember that Defender for Cloud Apps relies on Entra ID as its source of truth for sign-in data, so always start with the logs to check for VPN usage, IP spoofing, or shared accounts that could explain the anomaly. Memory tip: “Logs before locks”—always verify the sign-in logs before taking any enforcement action.
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of respond to security incidents. 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.
Your organization uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. You receive an alert about an impossible travel activity for a user. What is the best first step to validate if this is a true positive?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Block the user immediately
Why wrong: Premature without validation.
Run an advanced hunting query in Microsoft Sentinel
Why wrong: May be useful but not first step.
Contact the user's manager
Why wrong: Indirect and slow.
Review the user's sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID
Corroborate the activity.
Check the user's device compliance in Microsoft Intune
Why wrong: Does not verify travel.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Review the user's sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID
Option D is correct because impossible travel alerts in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps are generated based on sign-in activity and user location data. The most direct way to validate whether the alert is a true positive is to review the user's sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), which provides detailed information about each sign-in attempt, including IP addresses, locations, timestamps, and authentication details. This allows you to confirm whether the two sign-ins occurred within an unrealistic time frame for the geographic distance, or if there are anomalies such as VPN usage or IP spoofing that indicate a false positive.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Block the user immediately
Why it's wrong here
Premature without validation.
Run an advanced hunting query in Microsoft Sentinel
Why it's wrong here
May be useful but not first step.
Contact the user's manager
Why it's wrong here
Indirect and slow.
Review the user's sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID
Why this is correct
Corroborate the activity.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Check the user's device compliance in Microsoft Intune
Why it's wrong here
Does not verify travel.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often jump to advanced hunting in Sentinel (Option B) as the first step, forgetting that the alert originates from Defender for Cloud Apps and the most immediate and authoritative source for sign-in details is the Entra ID sign-in logs, which are the same data that Defender for Cloud Apps uses to generate the alert.
Detailed technical explanation
Impossible travel detection in Defender for Cloud Apps uses machine learning to compare the time and location of two or more sign-in events within a short window. The detection relies on the user's IP geolocation data and the calculated travel time between locations; if the travel time is less than the expected minimum, an alert is raised. A common subtlety is that VPNs, proxy servers, or mobile network handoffs can cause IP geolocation inaccuracies, leading to false positives—reviewing the sign-in logs in Entra ID allows you to see the actual IP addresses, client app details, and whether the sign-in was from a trusted network or a known VPN endpoint.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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.
What to study next
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FAQ
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Review the user's sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID — Option D is correct because impossible travel alerts in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps are generated based on sign-in activity and user location data. The most direct way to validate whether the alert is a true positive is to review the user's sign-in logs in Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), which provides detailed information about each sign-in attempt, including IP addresses, locations, timestamps, and authentication details. This allows you to confirm whether the two sign-ins occurred within an unrealistic time frame for the geographic distance, or if there are anomalies such as VPN usage or IP spoofing that indicate a false positive.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Yes — watch for: "best", "first". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 25, 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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