Quick Answer
The answer is to remove the mailbox forwarding rule as the first action. This is correct because the immediate priority in a suspicious mailbox forwarding rule incident is to stop active data exfiltration; the rule is the direct mechanism sending sensitive emails to an external address, and removing it cuts off the threat vector without delay. On the Microsoft Security Operations Analyst SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your ability to prioritize containment over investigation or remediation of unrelated account issues—a common trap is to reset the user’s password, but since the account shows no other suspicious activity, the forwarding rule itself is the sole compromise vector. Remember that blocking the external domain is too broad and may disrupt legitimate business, while running a playbook is a secondary investigative step. For a quick memory tip: think “Rule first, rule worst”—the forwarding rule is the active leak, so stop the leak before touching the account.
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 company uses Microsoft Sentinel with the Microsoft Defender XDR connector. You receive an incident: 'Suspicious mailbox forwarding rule created.' The incident indicates that a user's mailbox in Exchange Online has a forwarding rule to an external email address. The user's account shows no other suspicious activity. You need to respond to the incident. The company policy requires preserving evidence for 30 days. Which action should you take FIRST?
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.
Run an automated playbook to collect additional evidence.
Why wrong: Investigation can wait; containment first.
Reset the user's password and require MFA.
Why wrong: No evidence of credential compromise.
Block the external email domain in Exchange Online.
Why wrong: May block legitimate emails and not necessary.
Remove the mailbox forwarding rule.
Immediately stops the exfiltration.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Remove the mailbox forwarding rule.
Option B is correct: removing the forwarding rule stops data exfiltration immediately. Option A is wrong because resetting password is not needed if account is not compromised. Option C is wrong because blocking the external domain may be too broad. Option D is wrong because running a playbook is investigative, not immediate.
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 an automated playbook to collect additional evidence.
Why it's wrong here
Investigation can wait; containment first.
Reset the user's password and require MFA.
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of credential compromise.
Block the external email domain in Exchange Online.
Why it's wrong here
May block legitimate emails and not necessary.
Remove the mailbox forwarding rule.
Why this is correct
Immediately stops the exfiltration.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
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: Remove the mailbox forwarding rule. — Option B is correct: removing the forwarding rule stops data exfiltration immediately. Option A is wrong because resetting password is not needed if account is not compromised. Option C is wrong because blocking the external domain may be too broad. Option D is wrong because running a playbook is investigative, not immediate.
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.
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
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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