- A
Run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel to review the SigninLogs table for the user within the alert time range.
SigninLogs directly shows login success/failure and details.
- B
Use Microsoft Defender XDR to check the user's device timeline for suspicious activity.
Why wrong: Device timeline may not show login details from external IPs.
- C
Run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel to check Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps alerts for the user.
Why wrong: Defender for Cloud Apps alerts may not include sign-in success details directly.
- D
Check the firewall logs in Azure Firewall for outbound connections from the user's IP.
Why wrong: Firewall logs do not show login success, only network traffic.
Question 166 of 1,639
SC-200 Respond to security incidents Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of respond to security incidents. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 security analyst receives a high-severity alert for a suspicious login from an unusual location. The alert was generated by Microsoft Sentinel from Microsoft Entra ID sign-in logs. The analyst needs to determine if the login was successful and if any data exfiltration occurred. What is the MOST efficient first step?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
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.
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
✓
Run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel to review the SigninLogs table for the user within the alert time range.
The most efficient first step is to run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel against the SigninLogs table for the specific user within the alert time range. This directly confirms whether the suspicious login was successful by checking the 'ResultType' and 'ResultDescription' fields, which is the fastest way to validate the alert's core claim before investigating data exfiltration.
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.
- ✓
Run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel to review the SigninLogs table for the user within the alert time range.
Why this is correct
SigninLogs directly shows login success/failure and details.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use Microsoft Defender XDR to check the user's device timeline for suspicious activity.
Why it's wrong here
Device timeline may not show login details from external IPs.
- ✗
Run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel to check Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps alerts for the user.
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Cloud Apps alerts may not include sign-in success details directly.
- ✗
Check the firewall logs in Azure Firewall for outbound connections from the user's IP.
Why it's wrong here
Firewall logs do not show login success, only network traffic.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often jump to investigating data exfiltration (e.g., checking firewall logs or Defender for Cloud Apps) without first confirming the login was successful, which wastes time and resources if the login actually failed.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Device timeline may not show login details from external IPs.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The SigninLogs table in Microsoft Sentinel contains detailed authentication data from Microsoft Entra ID, including fields like 'ResultType' (0 for success, 50125 for failure due to password reset, etc.) and 'Location'. A KQL query such as `SigninLogs | where UserPrincipalName == "user@domain.com" | where TimeGenerated between (datetime... | project ResultType, ResultDescription, IPAddress, Location` allows rapid triage. In real-world scenarios, a successful login from an unusual location might indicate a compromised account, and confirming this first dictates whether to escalate to incident response or close the alert as a false positive.
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 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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel to review the SigninLogs table for the user within the alert time range. — The most efficient first step is to run a KQL query in Microsoft Sentinel against the SigninLogs table for the specific user within the alert time range. This directly confirms whether the suspicious login was successful by checking the 'ResultType' and 'ResultDescription' fields, which is the fastest way to validate the alert's core claim before investigating data exfiltration.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 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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