The answer is to disable the public IP address and apply an NSG rule blocking all inbound and outbound traffic to the server's subnet. This is the most immediate containment action because it severs all network paths to and from the compromised Azure VM while preserving the disk for forensic analysis, effectively isolating the VM without destroying evidence. On the SC-200 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of incident response prioritization—specifically that containment must stop lateral movement without compromising data integrity, a key distinction from destructive or ineffective actions like deleting the VM or changing passwords. A common trap is choosing to move the VM to a different subnet, but that fails to block traffic from the original IP address, allowing the ransomware to continue spreading. Remember the memory tip: “Block the path, keep the disk”—the fastest way to isolate compromised Azure VMs using network security groups is to cut all traffic at the subnet level while leaving the resource intact for investigation.
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 Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. A critical server in Azure was compromised by ransomware. The incident response team needs to ensure that no other resources in the same resource group are affected. What is the most immediate containment action?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Disable the public IP address and apply an NSG rule to block all inbound/outbound traffic to the server's subnet.
Option A is correct because disabling the public IP and applying a network security group (NSG) block isolates the server while preserving the disk. Option B is wrong because deleting the VM destroys evidence. Option C is wrong because moving the VM to a different subnet does not prevent lateral movement from the original IP. Option D is wrong because changing the administrator password does not stop ransomware from running.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Delete the virtual machine immediately to stop the ransomware.
Why it's wrong here
Deleting the VM destroys evidence and may not stop lateral movement if other machines are already affected.
✓
Disable the public IP address and apply an NSG rule to block all inbound/outbound traffic to the server's subnet.
Why this is correct
This network isolation prevents lateral movement while preserving the VM for forensic analysis.
Change the local administrator password on the VM.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the password does not stop the ransomware process or network communication.
✗
Move the VM to a different virtual network and subnet.
Why it's wrong here
Moving the VM does not block existing network connections and is not immediate.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
An e-commerce site experiences heavy traffic on Black Friday and near-zero traffic during off-peak weeks. Rather than provisioning permanent large VMs, the team uses auto-scaling groups that add capacity automatically under load and reduce it overnight. Questions like this test whether you understand elasticity, availability zones, and cloud compute scaling patterns.
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 block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SC-200 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Disable the public IP address and apply an NSG rule to block all inbound/outbound traffic to the server's subnet. — Option A is correct because disabling the public IP and applying a network security group (NSG) block isolates the server while preserving the disk. Option B is wrong because deleting the VM destroys evidence. Option C is wrong because moving the VM to a different subnet does not prevent lateral movement from the original IP. Option D is wrong because changing the administrator password does not stop ransomware from running.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related SC-200 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Your organization uses Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud. During an incident, you need to automatically disable a compromised Azure VM from the network. Which playbook action should you use?
hard
A.Apply an Azure Policy to deny network changes.
B.Create an Azure Firewall rule to block the VM's IP.
✓ C.Add a rule to the VM's network security group to deny all traffic.
D.Remove the VM's role assignment from Azure RBAC.
Why C: Option A is correct because you can use Azure Network Security Group to deny all inbound/outbound traffic to the VM. Option B is wrong because Azure RBAC does not affect network access. Option C is wrong because Azure Policy does not apply runtime network controls. Option D is wrong because Azure Firewall rules are not VM-specific.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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