- A
Use the Microsoft Sentinel workbook for MDI to visualize the attack timeline.
Why wrong: Workbooks may show alerts but do not provide the level of detail needed to confirm a DCSync attack.
- B
Use the Microsoft Defender XDR advanced hunting to query the IdentityLogonEvents table for the domain controller.
Why wrong: IdentityLogonEvents contains logon events, not directory replication events needed for DCSync.
- C
Use the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation graph to view entities and relationships. Then query the IdentityDirectoryEvents table for the domain controller to see if any directory replication requests were made.
The investigation graph helps identify related entities, and IdentityDirectoryEvents contains the necessary replication events.
- D
Use the Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps activity log to review the domain controller's activities.
Why wrong: Defender for Cloud Apps does not cover on-premises Active Directory activities.
SC-200 Manage a security operations environment Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of manage a security operations environment. 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.
Your organization, Fabrikam, has a hybrid environment with on-premises Active Directory and Microsoft Entra ID. You are using Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender XDR. You have enabled Microsoft Defender for Identity (MDI) to protect on-premises Active Directory. Recently, you received an incident in Microsoft Sentinel indicating a potential DCSync attack from a domain controller. The incident was generated from an MDI alert. You need to investigate the incident and determine if the attack was successful. You have the following options: A) Use the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation graph to view entities and relationships. Then query the IdentityDirectoryEvents table for the domain controller to see if any directory replication requests were made. B) Use the Microsoft Defender XDR advanced hunting to query the IdentityLogonEvents table for the domain controller. C) Use the Microsoft Sentinel workbook for MDI to visualize the attack timeline. D) Use the Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps activity log to review the domain controller's activities. Which option should you choose?
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
Use the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation graph to view entities and relationships. Then query the IdentityDirectoryEvents table for the domain controller to see if any directory replication requests were made.
Option C is correct because a DCSync attack involves an attacker impersonating a domain controller to request directory replication via the MS-DRSR protocol. The IdentityDirectoryEvents table in Microsoft Defender for Identity captures directory service replication activities, including the DirectoryReplication request action. Querying this table for the domain controller allows you to confirm if unauthorized replication requests were made, directly indicating a successful DCSync attack.
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.
- ✗
Use the Microsoft Sentinel workbook for MDI to visualize the attack timeline.
Why it's wrong here
Workbooks may show alerts but do not provide the level of detail needed to confirm a DCSync attack.
- ✗
Use the Microsoft Defender XDR advanced hunting to query the IdentityLogonEvents table for the domain controller.
Why it's wrong here
IdentityLogonEvents contains logon events, not directory replication events needed for DCSync.
- ✓
Use the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation graph to view entities and relationships. Then query the IdentityDirectoryEvents table for the domain controller to see if any directory replication requests were made.
Why this is correct
The investigation graph helps identify related entities, and IdentityDirectoryEvents contains the necessary replication events.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use the Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps activity log to review the domain controller's activities.
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Cloud Apps does not cover on-premises Active Directory activities.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the IdentityLogonEvents table (logon events) with the IdentityDirectoryEvents table (directory service events), or assume a visualization workbook can replace direct querying for forensic evidence of a DCSync attack.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Workbooks may show alerts but do not provide the level of detail needed to confirm a DCSync attack.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DCSync attacks exploit the MS-DRSR (Directory Replication Service Remote Protocol) to replicate sensitive Active Directory data, such as password hashes. The IdentityDirectoryEvents table in Microsoft Defender for Identity specifically logs actions like 'DirectoryReplication' with details such as the source and target domain controllers, replication filters, and result codes. In a real-world scenario, an attacker might use tools like Mimikatz's lsadump::dcsync to trigger these events, and querying this table with a filter on ActionType == 'DirectoryReplication' and a suspicious source IP can confirm the attack's success.
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 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
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-200 question test?
Manage a security operations environment — This question tests Manage a security operations environment — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Use the Microsoft Sentinel incident investigation graph to view entities and relationships. Then query the IdentityDirectoryEvents table for the domain controller to see if any directory replication requests were made. — Option C is correct because a DCSync attack involves an attacker impersonating a domain controller to request directory replication via the MS-DRSR protocol. The IdentityDirectoryEvents table in Microsoft Defender for Identity captures directory service replication activities, including the DirectoryReplication request action. Querying this table for the domain controller allows you to confirm if unauthorized replication requests were made, directly indicating a successful DCSync attack.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
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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