The correct answer is to enable the 'Multiple failed login attempts' anomaly detection policy in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. This built-in anomaly detection for multiple failed logins is specifically designed to identify brute-force or password-spray patterns by monitoring when a single user exceeds a configurable threshold of failed sign-ins within a short window, such as 50 attempts in 10 minutes. On the SC-200 exam, this tests your understanding of out-of-the-box detection policies versus custom detections; a common trap is assuming you must create a custom policy or use a third-party tool, when in fact Defender for Cloud Apps already includes this policy, often enabled by default. Remember the mnemonic "MFA" for Multiple Failed Attempts—it’s a built-in, not a build-it-yourself.
SC-200 Manage a security operations environment Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of manage a security operations environment. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 to monitor SaaS application usage. You need to generate an alert when a user performs more than 50 failed login attempts in 10 minutes, and the alert must be based on a built-in anomaly detection policy. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Enable the 'Multiple failed login attempts' anomaly detection policy in Defender for Cloud Apps.
Option D is correct because Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps includes a built-in anomaly detection policy named 'Multiple failed login attempts' that specifically monitors for a high volume of failed logins from a single user within a short time window. This policy is enabled by default and can be customized to trigger alerts when the threshold (e.g., more than 50 failed attempts in 10 minutes) is exceeded, without requiring any additional configuration or custom policy creation.
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.
✗
Create a data loss prevention (DLP) policy in Microsoft Purview that triggers on failed logins.
Why it's wrong here
DLP policies are for data protection, not anomaly detection.
✗
Deploy a session policy in Defender for Cloud Apps that blocks after 50 failed logins.
Why it's wrong here
Session policies control access in real time but do not generate alerts.
✗
Configure an app connector for each SaaS app and then create a custom activity policy.
Why it's wrong here
App connectors are for visibility, but anomaly detection policies do not require them.
✓
Enable the 'Multiple failed login attempts' anomaly detection policy in Defender for Cloud Apps.
Why this is correct
Anomaly detection policies include built-in templates for failed login attempts.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the purpose of session policies (which control real-time access) with anomaly detection policies (which detect behavioral patterns), leading them to incorrectly select Option B, or they assume a custom policy is always required (Option C) when a built-in policy already exists for this exact scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'Multiple failed login attempts' anomaly detection policy in Defender for Cloud Apps uses machine learning to establish a baseline of normal login behavior per user and then detects deviations, such as a sudden spike in failed attempts. Under the hood, it analyzes authentication logs collected via app connectors (e.g., for Office 365, Salesforce, or AWS) and compares the count of failed logins against the user's historical pattern within a sliding 10-minute window. In a real-world scenario, this policy helps identify brute-force attacks or credential stuffing attempts early, and it can be configured to automatically suspend the user or trigger a response via Microsoft Power Automate.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
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: Enable the 'Multiple failed login attempts' anomaly detection policy in Defender for Cloud Apps. — Option D is correct because Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps includes a built-in anomaly detection policy named 'Multiple failed login attempts' that specifically monitors for a high volume of failed logins from a single user within a short time window. This policy is enabled by default and can be customized to trigger alerts when the threshold (e.g., more than 50 failed attempts in 10 minutes) is exceeded, without requiring any additional configuration or custom policy creation.
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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Question Discussion
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