- A
Microsoft Defender for Identity
It monitors on-premises Active Directory and detects attacker behavior.
- B
Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance
Why wrong: It monitors communications, not security threats.
- C
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Why wrong: It protects email and SharePoint, not on-premises file servers.
- D
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Why wrong: It protects cloud apps, not on-premises servers directly.
Question 969 of 1,411
Microsoft Defender for Identity: Hybrid Ransomware Detection and Response for On-Premises File Servers
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.
A manufacturing company experiences repeated ransomware attacks targeting their on-premises file servers. They have Microsoft 365 E5 and want to implement a solution to detect and automatically respond to such threats across hybrid environments. What should they deploy?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
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
Microsoft Defender for Identity is the correct solution because it uses on-premises Active Directory signals to detect, investigate, and respond to advanced threats like ransomware targeting hybrid environments. It integrates with Microsoft 365 Defender to automatically initiate response actions (e.g., disabling compromised accounts) when suspicious lateral movement or credential theft is detected, directly addressing the scenario of repeated ransomware attacks on on-premises file servers.
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 Defender for Identity
Why this is correct
It monitors on-premises Active Directory and detects attacker behavior.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance
Why it's wrong here
It monitors communications, not security threats.
- ✗
Microsoft Defender for Office 365
Why it's wrong here
It protects email and SharePoint, not on-premises file servers.
- ✗
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Why it's wrong here
It protects cloud apps, not on-premises servers directly.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Defender for Identity (on-premises AD protection) with Defender for Office 365 (email protection) or Defender for Cloud Apps (SaaS shadow IT), failing to recognize that the question explicitly mentions on-premises file servers and hybrid environments, which require identity-based detection and response.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Defender for Identity works by listening to on-premises Active Directory traffic via port mirroring or a lightweight sensor, analyzing Kerberos and NTLM authentication patterns to detect anomalies like Pass-the-Hash or DCSync attacks. In a real-world ransomware scenario, it can automatically isolate a compromised user account or trigger a response in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint to block lateral movement, even if the initial breach occurs on an on-premises file server. This cross-product orchestration is key to hybrid threat protection.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-900 question test?
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 — Microsoft Defender for Identity is the correct solution because it uses on-premises Active Directory signals to detect, investigate, and respond to advanced threats like ransomware targeting hybrid environments. It integrates with Microsoft 365 Defender to automatically initiate response actions (e.g., disabling compromised accounts) when suspicious lateral movement or credential theft is detected, directly addressing the scenario of repeated ransomware attacks on on-premises file servers.
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.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This SC-900 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-900 exam.
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