SC-200 Respond to security incidents Practice Question
This SC-200 practice question tests your understanding of respond to security incidents. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 incident: 'Malicious PowerShell command executed on endpoint.' The incident shows that a PowerShell command was executed on a server that attempted to download a payload from a known malicious IP. The process was terminated by MDE, but the server may still be compromised. You need to respond to the incident. Which of the following actions should you take 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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Isolate the server using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
Option A is correct: isolating the server in MDE ensures that if any malware is present, it cannot communicate or spread. Option B is wrong: blocking the IP does not contain the server. Option C is wrong: resetting passwords is not necessary if no credential compromise. Option D is wrong: running a playbook for evidence collection can wait until after containment.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Run a Microsoft Sentinel playbook to collect forensic data.
Why it's wrong here
Forensic collection should follow containment.
✓
Isolate the server using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
Why this is correct
Immediately contains the server to prevent further damage.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
Reset the local administrator password on the server.
Why it's wrong here
No evidence of credential theft.
✗
Block the malicious IP address at the firewall.
Why it's wrong here
This does not address potential malware already on the server.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A healthcare organisation deploys an application with a public-facing web tier and a private database tier. The database subnet has no public IP and only accepts connections from the web tier's security group. Questions like this test whether you can design cloud network isolation using VNets/VPCs, subnets, and security group rules.
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 the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SC-200 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Respond to security incidents — This question tests Respond to security incidents — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Isolate the server using Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. — Option A is correct: isolating the server in MDE ensures that if any malware is present, it cannot communicate or spread. Option B is wrong: blocking the IP does not contain the server. Option C is wrong: resetting passwords is not necessary if no credential compromise. Option D is wrong: running a playbook for evidence collection can wait until after containment.
What should I do if I get this SC-200 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SC-200 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". 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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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