The answer is Microsoft Defender for Identity. This is the correct detection source because Defender for Identity is specifically designed to monitor on-premises Active Directory signals and network traffic for identity-based threats such as lateral movement, privilege escalation, and compromised credentials. The alert in the exhibit points to suspicious activity tied to an on-premises domain controller, which falls squarely within Defender for Identity’s domain. On the SC-900 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between Microsoft’s security products: Defender for Identity focuses on on-premises identity threats, while Defender for Endpoint covers devices, and Defender for Office 365 handles email and collaboration. A common trap is confusing Defender for Identity with Azure AD Identity Protection, but remember that Identity Protection deals with cloud-based sign-in risks, whereas Defender for Identity is the on-premises counterpart. Memory tip: think “on-premises = Defender for Identity” — if the alert involves a domain controller or Kerberos/NTLM traffic, the detection source is almost always Defender for Identity.
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. 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.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Defender for Identity
The exhibit shows an alert from Microsoft Defender XDR with a detection source of 'Microsoft Defender for Identity'. Defender for Identity uses on-premises Active Directory signals and network traffic to detect identity-based threats like lateral movement, privilege escalation, and compromised credentials. The alert details indicate suspicious activity tied to an on-premises domain controller, which is the core focus of Defender for Identity.
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.
✗
Microsoft Sentinel
Why it's wrong here
Not the detection source.
✗
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Why it's wrong here
Not the detection source.
✓
Microsoft Defender for Identity
Why this is correct
The detection source is explicitly stated.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "primary" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Why it's wrong here
Not the detection source.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Microsoft Defender XDR's unified alert interface with the underlying detection source, assuming that because the alert appears in the XDR portal, it must come from a more familiar product like Defender for Endpoint or Sentinel, rather than recognizing the identity-specific indicators (e.g., domain controller involvement, Kerberos anomalies) that point to Defender for Identity.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Defender for Identity uses a lightweight sensor installed on domain controllers to capture network traffic (e.g., Kerberos, NTLM, LDAP) and Windows Event Logs (e.g., Event ID 4624, 4672, 4776). It correlates these signals to detect pass-the-hash, overpass-the-hash, and golden ticket attacks. In a real-world scenario, an alert for 'Suspected overpass-the-hash attack' would originate from Defender for Identity because it analyzes Kerberos ticket requests and NTLM authentication patterns that endpoints alone cannot see.
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 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-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: Microsoft Defender for Identity — The exhibit shows an alert from Microsoft Defender XDR with a detection source of 'Microsoft Defender for Identity'. Defender for Identity uses on-premises Active Directory signals and network traffic to detect identity-based threats like lateral movement, privilege escalation, and compromised credentials. The alert details indicate suspicious activity tied to an on-premises domain controller, which is the core focus of Defender for Identity.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "primary". Asks for the main purpose or function, not a secondary benefit. Eliminate answers that describe side-effects or partial functions.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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