Quick Answer
The correct actions are to report the phishing email, delete it from the user’s mailbox, and block the sender. Reporting the email trains Microsoft Defender XDR’s detection engine through automated analysis, while deleting it from the mailbox immediately removes the threat from the user’s view, and blocking the sender prevents any further malicious messages from reaching the organization. On the SC-200 exam, this question tests your ability to prioritize containment over remediation: resetting the user’s password or running a device scan are secondary steps that may be taken later, but the immediate priority is to stop the attack’s spread and train the system. A common trap is choosing “reset password” first, but remember that password resets are not urgent unless credential theft is confirmed. For a quick memory tip, think of the three R’s: Report, Remove, and Restrict—report the email, remove it from the mailbox, and restrict the sender.
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.
Which THREE actions should be taken when a phishing attack is detected in Microsoft Defender XDR?
Run a full antivirus scan on the user's device
Why wrong: Not immediately necessary.
Report the email as phishing in Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Helps improve detection.
Reset the user's password
Why wrong: Not a primary action for phishing.
Block the sender's email address or domain
Prevents further phishing.
Delete the phishing email from the user's mailbox
Removes access to the email.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Report the email as phishing in Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Options B, C, and D are correct. Reporting the email trains the system, deleting from user's mailbox removes access, and blocking the sender prevents further emails. Option A is wrong because resetting password is not immediate. Option E is wrong because running a scan on the user's device may be done later, but not a priority.
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.
Run a full antivirus scan on the user's device
Why it's wrong here
Not immediately necessary.
Report the email as phishing in Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Why this is correct
Helps improve detection.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Reset the user's password
Why it's wrong here
Not a primary action for phishing.
Block the sender's email address or domain
Why this is correct
Prevents further phishing.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Delete the phishing email from the user's mailbox
Why this is correct
Removes access to the email.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
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
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.
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
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.
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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: Report the email as phishing in Microsoft Defender for Office 365 — Options B, C, and D are correct. Reporting the email trains the system, deleting from user's mailbox removes access, and blocking the sender prevents further emails. Option A is wrong because resetting password is not immediate. Option E is wrong because running a scan on the user's device may be done later, but not a priority.
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.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 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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