SC-200 Respond to security incidents Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of respond to security incidents. 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 uses Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender XDR. You receive an alert about a suspicious sign-in from an IP address associated with a known malicious actor. The sign-in was for a privileged account. You need to immediately contain the incident. What should you do 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.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID.
Option B is correct because disabling the user account immediately stops the attacker from using the compromised credentials. Option A is wrong because resetting the password might not be fast enough if the attacker has an active session. Option C is wrong because blocking the IP in the firewall is reactive and may not be effective if the attacker uses a different IP. Option D is wrong because creating an analytics rule does not contain the incident immediately.
Key principle: Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Reset the user's password.
Why it's wrong here
Resetting the password is a good step but may not terminate active sessions immediately.
✓
Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID.
Why this is correct
Disabling the account immediately prevents further sign-ins.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "first", "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Authentication checks who the user is.
✗
Create a custom analytics rule in Sentinel to detect similar sign-ins.
Why it's wrong here
This is a detection measure, not containment.
✗
Block the IP address in the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
Blocking the IP may help but does not address the compromised account itself.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Authentication checks who the user is.
Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
→Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
→Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
→Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Key takeaway
Authentication proves identity; authorization controls what that identity can do after login. Both must work for full privileged access.
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 Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SC-200 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Authentication checks who the user is..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Disable the user account in Microsoft Entra ID. — Option B is correct because disabling the user account immediately stops the attacker from using the compromised credentials. Option A is wrong because resetting the password might not be fast enough if the attacker has an active session. Option C is wrong because blocking the IP in the firewall is reactive and may not be effective if the attacker uses a different IP. Option D is wrong because creating an analytics rule does not contain the incident immediately.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Review Cisco AAA concepts — authentication, authorization, and accounting. Study privilege levels (0–15), command authorization under TACACS+, and how RADIUS differs. Then practise related SC-200 questions on access control and AAA configuration.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first", "immediately / without restart". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Authentication checks who the user is.
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