Quick Answer
The answer is Advanced hunting, which is the correct feature for searching for indicators of compromise across all endpoints in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. This tool allows security analysts to run powerful Kusto Query Language (KQL) queries against raw, long-term data from your endpoints, enabling you to proactively hunt for patterns, anomalies, and specific IOCs like file hashes or IP addresses that signal a malware outbreak. On the SC-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of the different Defender for Endpoint capabilities—specifically distinguishing between reactive alerting and proactive hunting. A common trap is confusing Advanced hunting with the Threat analytics dashboard, which provides curated threat intelligence and reports but does not allow you to write custom queries to search across your own environment. Remember: if you need to write a query to find IOCs, think "Advanced hunting." For a quick memory tip, associate "Advanced" with "active querying" and "Threat analytics" with "passive reading."
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.
Your organization uses Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. You need to investigate a potential malware outbreak on several endpoints. Which feature allows you to search for indicators of compromise (IOCs) across all endpoints?
Incidents and alerts
Why wrong: Incidents and alerts show triggered events, not search for custom IOCs.
Advanced hunting
Advanced hunting uses KQL to search for IOCs across endpoints in Defender for Endpoint.
Threat analytics
Why wrong: Threat analytics provides overview of threats but not interactive search across endpoints.
Device inventory
Why wrong: Device inventory lists devices but does not allow searching for IOCs.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Advanced hunting
Option C is correct because Advanced hunting in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint enables KQL queries to search for IOCs across endpoints. Option A is wrong because the Device page shows details, not search. Option B is wrong because the Threat analytics dashboard provides threat intelligence, not interactive search. Option D is wrong because alerts are for incidents, not for searching IOCs.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Incidents and alerts
Why it's wrong here
Incidents and alerts show triggered events, not search for custom IOCs.
Advanced hunting
Why this is correct
Advanced hunting uses KQL to search for IOCs across endpoints in Defender for Endpoint.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Threat analytics
Why it's wrong here
Threat analytics provides overview of threats but not interactive search across endpoints.
Device inventory
Why it's wrong here
Device inventory lists devices but does not allow searching for IOCs.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
Incidents and alerts show triggered events, not search for custom IOCs.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
A cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
What to study next
Identify which SC-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
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..
The correct answer is: Advanced hunting — Option C is correct because Advanced hunting in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint enables KQL queries to search for IOCs across endpoints. Option A is wrong because the Device page shows details, not search. Option B is wrong because the Threat analytics dashboard provides threat intelligence, not interactive search. Option D is wrong because alerts are for incidents, not for searching IOCs.
Identify which SC-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
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. An organization uses Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE). The security team wants to identify devices that have not received a security update in the last 30 days. Which report should they use?
easyWhy B: Correct: Device health report in MDE shows missing updates. Option A: Threat analytics is for threat intelligence. Option B: Vulnerability management dashboard shows vulnerabilities but not specifically missing updates. Option D: Secure Score is for overall posture.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 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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