The correct choice is to add a deployIfNotExists policy assignment, which enables automatic remediation for non-compliant storage accounts by actively deploying the encryption configuration. Unlike an audit-only policy that merely reports non-compliance, deployIfNotExists triggers a remediation task that sets the encryption property to enabled on each non-compliant resource without manual intervention. On the SC-900 exam, this concept tests your understanding of Azure Policy effects and how they enforce security controls in Microsoft Defender for Cloud; a common trap is confusing audit (which only flags issues) with deployIfNotExists (which fixes them). Remember the memory tip: "Audit tells you it's broken, deployIfNotExists fixes it."
SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the capabilities of microsoft security solutions. 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 to protect Azure subscriptions. You need to enforce that all storage accounts must have encryption at rest enabled. You have enabled Azure Policy to audit this configuration. However, you notice that some storage accounts are non-compliant. You need to automatically remediate non-compliant storage accounts. 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
✓
Add a 'deployIfNotExists' policy to automatically enable encryption on storage accounts.
Option C is correct because a 'deployIfNotExists' policy assignment in Azure Policy can automatically remediate non-compliant storage accounts by enabling encryption at rest. This policy effect triggers a remediation task that deploys the required configuration (e.g., setting the 'Encryption' property to 'Enabled' on the storage account resource) without manual intervention. The audit policy only reports non-compliance, while deployIfNotExists actively enforces the desired state.
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 Microsoft Defender for Cloud recommendation to enable encryption.
Why it's wrong here
Recommendations do not automatically remediate.
✗
Use the compliance dashboard to manually enable encryption on non-compliant accounts.
Why it's wrong here
This is not automated.
✓
Add a 'deployIfNotExists' policy to automatically enable encryption on storage accounts.
Why this is correct
This remediates non-compliant accounts automatically.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Change the policy effect from 'audit' to 'deny' to prevent creation of non-compliant accounts.
Why it's wrong here
This does not remediate existing accounts.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'deny' (which only blocks future non-compliant resources) with 'deployIfNotExists' (which remediates existing resources), or assume Defender for Cloud recommendations can automatically fix non-compliance without additional policy configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
The 'deployIfNotExists' policy effect works by evaluating resources after creation or update, and if the required configuration (e.g., storage account encryption) is missing, it deploys a nested deployment to enable it. This relies on a managed identity assigned to the policy assignment, which must have appropriate permissions (e.g., Contributor role on the resource group) to modify the storage account. In a real-world scenario, combining 'audit' and 'deployIfNotExists' policies ensures both visibility and automatic remediation, reducing security debt.
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 media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-900 question in full detail.
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions — This question tests Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Add a 'deployIfNotExists' policy to automatically enable encryption on storage accounts. — Option C is correct because a 'deployIfNotExists' policy assignment in Azure Policy can automatically remediate non-compliant storage accounts by enabling encryption at rest. This policy effect triggers a remediation task that deploys the required configuration (e.g., setting the 'Encryption' property to 'Enabled' on the storage account resource) without manual intervention. The audit policy only reports non-compliance, while deployIfNotExists actively enforces the desired state.
What should I do if I get this SC-900 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.
About these practice questions
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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 Defender for Cloud to secure Azure resources. You need to ensure that all storage accounts have soft delete enabled to protect against accidental deletion. Which policy should you implement?
medium
A.Azure Blueprints
✓ B.Azure Policy with a built-in policy for storage accounts
C.Azure role-based access control (RBAC)
D.Defender for Cloud security recommendations
Why B: Option A is correct because Azure Policy can audit or enforce configurations on resources, including enabling soft delete on storage accounts. Option B is wrong because Defender for Cloud recommendations suggest actions but do not enforce them automatically. Option C is wrong because Azure RBAC controls permissions, not configurations. Option D is wrong because Azure Blueprints package resources but do not enforce individual settings.
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Question Discussion
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