SC-200 Respond to security incidents Practice Question
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 organization uses Microsoft Defender for Cloud to protect Azure resources. A security alert indicates that a virtual machine (VM) is communicating with a known malicious IP. The analyst needs to isolate the VM from the network to prevent further data exfiltration. What should the analyst do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Apply a Just-in-time VM access policy in Microsoft Defender for Cloud to deny all inbound and outbound traffic.
Option B is correct because Defender for Cloud's Just-in-time VM access can create a network security group (NSG) rule to deny all traffic, effectively isolating the VM. Option A is wrong because Azure Bastion provides RDP/SSH access, not isolation. Option C is wrong because Azure Firewall rules apply to the entire network, not a single VM. Option D is wrong because Azure Monitor does not isolate VMs.
Key principle: ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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 Azure Bastion to connect to the VM and shut it down.
Why it's wrong here
Bastion is for remote access, not isolation.
✗
Use Azure Monitor to create an alert and then manually stop the VM.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Monitor does not provide isolation capabilities.
✗
Create an Azure Firewall rule to block traffic to the malicious IP.
Why it's wrong here
Azure Firewall applies to the entire virtual network, not just one VM.
✓
Apply a Just-in-time VM access policy in Microsoft Defender for Cloud to deny all inbound and outbound traffic.
ACLs are processed top to bottom. The first matching entry wins, and an implicit deny usually exists at the end.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
ACL questions test precision: source, destination, protocol, port and direction. A generally correct ACL can still fail if it is applied on the wrong interface or in the wrong direction.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
Extended ACLs can match source, destination, protocol and ports.
The first matching ACL entry is used.
There is usually an implicit deny at the end.
TExam Day Tips
→Check inbound versus outbound direction.
→Read the ACL from top to bottom.
→Look for a broader permit or deny above the intended line.
Key takeaway
ACLs process entries top to bottom and stop at the first match. Entry order and interface direction matter as much as the permit or deny statement.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-200 question in full detail.
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SC-200 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Standard ACLs match source addresses..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Apply a Just-in-time VM access policy in Microsoft Defender for Cloud to deny all inbound and outbound traffic. — Option B is correct because Defender for Cloud's Just-in-time VM access can create a network security group (NSG) rule to deny all traffic, effectively isolating the VM. Option A is wrong because Azure Bastion provides RDP/SSH access, not isolation. Option C is wrong because Azure Firewall rules apply to the entire network, not a single VM. Option D is wrong because Azure Monitor does not isolate VMs.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Review ACL processing order, placement rules (standard near destination, extended near source), and inbound vs outbound direction. Study wildcard masks and implicit deny. Then practise related SC-200 ACL questions on filtering logic and placement.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Standard ACLs match source addresses.
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Question Discussion
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