Microsoft SC-200 Microsoft Security Operations Analyst Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 3 Q31-45
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Question 31 :
Your organization wants to prevent sensitive information in cloud applications from being accidentally or maliciously shared, detect abnormal user behavior, and enforce compliance policies in real time. Which Microsoft solution is most suitable?
A) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
B) Microsoft Cloud App Security
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Sentinel
Answer: B) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Explanation:
Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS) is specifically designed as a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) to address risks associated with cloud applications. Organizations that deal with sensitive data must protect against both accidental leaks and insider threats. MCAS offers real-time session control, detailed analytics, and automated policy enforcement that allows organizations to manage data securely in cloud environments.
Option A – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: While Defender for Endpoint (MDE) provides endpoint threat protection, including malware and ransomware detection, it focuses primarily on endpoint-based attacks. MDE does not provide real-time controls for cloud application usage or monitor the movement of sensitive data in cloud apps, making it insufficient for this scenario.
Option B – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS integrates with Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) labels to automatically classify and protect sensitive content. For instance, files labeled as “Highly Confidential” can be blocked from being shared externally, prevented from downloaded on unmanaged devices, or automatically encrypted. Its behavioral analytics engine detects anomalies such as mass downloads, unusual sharing patterns, or suspicious access from unfamiliar locations. MCAS can enforce session policies in real time, providing automated remediation and compliance reporting.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection focuses on monitoring authentication risks, such as impossible travel or leaked credentials. Although it mitigates identity-related threats, it does not provide visibility into cloud app usage, content sharing, or session-based control over data.
Option D – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR platform that aggregates logs, applies analytics, and enables automated response. While it can collect data from cloud apps, it does not provide the same level of real-time enforcement, policy-based controls, or session monitoring that MCAS offers.
Implementation considerations:
Discover all cloud applications in use and classify them as sanctioned or unsanctioned.
Apply session policies to prevent high-risk actions such as external sharing, downloads, or uploads of sensitive data.
Integrate with MIP labels to enforce classification-based controls.
Use dashboards and reports to continuously monitor user behavior and refine policies.
MCAS uniquely combines real-time enforcement, visibility, and anomaly detection to prevent both insider threats and accidental data leaks while maintaining compliance. Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS) provides a comprehensive framework to secure cloud environments by offering both visibility and control over cloud application usage. One of its key strengths is the ability to detect shadow IT—applications that employees use without IT approval. This capability is critical for organizations that need to maintain regulatory compliance and protect sensitive intellectual property. By scanning network traffic and analyzing log data, MCAS can identify risky applications and categorize them based on risk level. Organizations can then make informed decisions about whether to sanction, restrict, or block the usage of these applications, effectively reducing exposure to potential data breaches or compliance violations.
Another essential feature of MCAS is its ability to enforce conditional access policies in real-time. Unlike traditional security tools that react to incidents after they occur, MCAS can actively control user actions during sessions. For example, if a user attempts to download confidential documents to a personal device, MCAS can block the download or require additional verification steps. This dynamic control is particularly valuable for organizations operating in highly regulated sectors such as finance, healthcare, or government, where the unauthorized movement of sensitive data can have severe legal and financial consequences.
Behavioral analytics in MCAS is a major differentiator compared to other Microsoft security solutions. By establishing baselines of normal user behavior, the system can detect anomalies that may indicate potential insider threats or compromised accounts. Suspicious activities such as bulk file downloads, access from unusual geographic locations, or excessive sharing of sensitive documents are flagged automatically. This proactive detection reduces the likelihood of data exfiltration and helps security teams respond before a minor risk escalates into a major breach.
MCAS also integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Information Protection (MIP), allowing organizations to extend their data classification and labeling strategies to cloud applications. Policies can be set to enforce automatic encryption, block sharing outside the organization, or restrict access based on device compliance and user risk levels. This integration ensures that sensitive data is consistently protected across endpoints, cloud applications, and storage, supporting a unified security posture.
When considering alternative solutions, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint focuses primarily on device-based threats such as malware, ransomware, and advanced persistent threats. While it is a powerful tool for endpoint protection, it does not offer real-time visibility into cloud application activity or the ability to enforce session-level policies. Similarly, Azure AD Identity Protection specializes in identity risk management, including monitoring for compromised credentials and risky sign-ins, but it lacks granular control over content within cloud applications. Microsoft Sentinel, as a SIEM and SOAR platform, excels in aggregating and analyzing logs, orchestrating incident responses, and providing broad visibility across the enterprise. However, Sentinel cannot provide real-time control over data actions within cloud applications, making it less effective in preventing immediate risks such as accidental data leaks.
In summary, MCAS stands out because it combines discovery, control, anomaly detection, and integration with data protection frameworks into a single solution. Organizations leveraging MCAS can not only detect potential risks in their cloud environments but also enforce protective measures automatically. Its capabilities ensure that sensitive information remains secure while enabling users to access cloud services productively. By preventing data loss, reducing insider threat risks, and supporting compliance requirements, MCAS provides a robust, proactive approach to modern cloud security.
Question 32 :
Your organization wants to detect suspicious endpoint activity, including malware, abnormal processes, and lateral movement, while minimizing manual intervention through automation. Which Microsoft solution should you use?
A) Microsoft Cloud App Security
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
D) Azure AD Identity Protection
Answer: C) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Explanation:
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) provides comprehensive endpoint detection and response (EDR) capabilities. Its Automated Investigation and Remediation (AIR) functionality allows organizations to detect suspicious activity, analyze root causes, and remediate threats automatically.
Option A – Microsoft Cloud App Security: While MCAS can detect risky activity in cloud apps, it is not designed for endpoint-specific behavior, such as process execution, ransomware detection, or lateral movement across devices. It cannot remediate malware infections or manage endpoint threats effectively.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel provides centralized logging and analysis across multiple data sources. It enables threat correlation and SOAR workflows but requires integration with endpoint telemetry from MDE. Sentinel itself cannot perform automated remediation directly at the endpoint level.
Option C – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: MDE continuously collects endpoint telemetry, including process activity, network traffic, and registry changes. Its AIR engine automatically investigates alerts, terminates malicious processes, isolates compromised devices, quarantines files, and restores affected configurations. Advanced hunting capabilities enable security teams to proactively search for threats across the environment.
Option D – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection focuses on detecting risky sign-ins, compromised accounts, and identity-related threats. It does not monitor endpoint activity, malware behavior, or lateral movement.
Implementation considerations:
Onboard endpoints to MDE to capture telemetry and alerts.
Configure AIR for automated investigation and remediation.
Use advanced hunting queries to detect anomalies proactively.
Integrate with Sentinel for correlation and enterprise-wide visibility.
MDE is uniquely suited to detect, investigate, and remediate endpoint threats with minimal manual intervention while maintaining a high level of security across the environment. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) is a cornerstone solution in modern endpoint security strategies, designed to provide deep visibility, proactive threat hunting, and rapid remediation across enterprise networks. Unlike traditional antivirus solutions that focus primarily on signature-based malware detection, MDE leverages behavioral analysis, machine learning, and cloud intelligence to detect advanced threats, including zero-day exploits, ransomware campaigns, and sophisticated attack techniques that evade conventional security tools. By continuously monitoring endpoint activity, MDE creates a detailed picture of each device’s state, enabling organizations to detect threats early and respond effectively before they escalate into serious security incidents.
A key strength of MDE is its ability to provide automated remediation and response at the endpoint level. The Automated Investigation and Remediation (AIR) engine significantly reduces the workload on security operations teams by autonomously analyzing alerts, determining the scope of potential compromise, and executing remediation steps without requiring manual intervention. These steps may include isolating compromised devices from the network, terminating malicious processes, quarantining affected files, and rolling back harmful changes to restore systems to a safe state. This capability ensures that endpoints are protected in near real-time, limiting the impact of attacks and reducing the potential for lateral movement across the network.
Another critical feature of MDE is advanced hunting, which empowers security teams to perform proactive threat searches using detailed telemetry data. Advanced hunting enables analysts to query endpoint behaviors, identify anomalous patterns, and detect emerging threats before they manifest as active incidents. This proactive approach not only strengthens security posture but also allows organizations to uncover potential vulnerabilities and gaps in policy enforcement. By integrating with Microsoft Sentinel, MDE telemetry can also contribute to enterprise-wide visibility, enabling correlation across endpoints, identities, and cloud resources. This integration helps create a holistic security ecosystem where alerts from multiple sources can be analyzed collectively, providing a more comprehensive understanding of threat activity across the organization.
MDE’s capability to monitor device-level events is unmatched when compared to other solutions. While Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS) excels in securing cloud applications and monitoring user activity within those services, it does not provide insight into endpoint processes, registry changes, or local malware activity. Similarly, Microsoft Sentinel offers powerful SIEM and SOAR capabilities for aggregating logs, correlating events, and automating responses across the enterprise, but it relies on endpoint telemetry from MDE or other agents to detect device-specific threats. Azure AD Identity Protection focuses primarily on identity-related risks, such as compromised credentials or risky sign-ins, and does not provide visibility into device-level attacks or malware execution.
From an implementation perspective, organizations deploying MDE must ensure that endpoints are fully onboardedand that relevant policies are configured to leverage AIR and advanced hunting. Continuous monitoring and proactive threat detection strategies are essential to maximize the value of MDE. Integrating MDE with other security tools, such as Sentinel for enterprise-wide alert correlation, enhances situational awareness and ensures that endpoints, identities, and cloud resources are collectively monitored for potential threats.
In conclusion, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint is uniquely positioned to protect modern enterprise environments against a wide range of endpoint threats. By combining continuous monitoring, automated investigation and remediation, and proactive hunting capabilities, MDE allows organizations to reduce response times, mitigate risks quickly, and maintain a robust security posture. Its integration with broader Microsoft security solutions further amplifies its effectiveness, providing a coordinated and resilient defense strategy that addresses both current and emerging cybersecurity challenges.
Question 33 :
Your organization wants to detect compromised user accounts, risky sign-ins, and authentication anomalies, and automatically enforce risk-based access policies. Which Microsoft solution should you deploy?
A) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Answer: C) Azure AD Identity Protection
Explanation:
Azure AD Identity Protection is designed to protect organizations from identity-based threats. It uses machine learning and Microsoft Threat Intelligence to detect suspicious sign-ins, compromised credentials, and anomalous user activity.
Option A – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Defender for Endpoint protects endpoints against malware, ransomware, and suspicious processes. It does not address authentication risks or identity compromise directly.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel aggregates logs from endpoints, cloud apps, and identity systems. While it can detect identity threats, it does not provide automated enforcement of risk-based access policies out of the box. Security teams must configure custom rules and playbooks.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection evaluates user and sign-in risk, assigns risk scores, and integrates with Conditional Access policies to automatically remediate high-risk accounts. For instance, users flagged as high-risk may be blocked or required to reset passwords, while medium-risk users may be prompted for MFA. It provides dashboards and risk reports to continuously monitor the security posture.
Option D – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS monitors cloud application activity and enforces data protection policies, but it does not detect or respond to compromised credentials at the authentication level.
Implementation considerations:
Configure risk detection policies to monitor user behavior and sign-ins.
Integrate Conditional Access policies to automate responses based on risk.
Monitor dashboards to prioritize high-risk users for remediation.
Deploy MFA and user education campaigns to strengthen identity security.
Identity Protection is uniquely designed for detecting compromised credentials, evaluating risk, and enforcing automated, risk-based access policies.
Question 34 :
Your organization wants to correlate security events across endpoints, cloud apps, and identities, perform advanced threat hunting, and automate responses to detected incidents. Which Microsoft solution is most appropriate?
A) Microsoft Cloud App Security
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Answer: B) Microsoft Sentinel
Explanation:
Microsoft Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution that provides centralized visibility, threat detection, and automated response across multiple domains. It is ideal for organizations seeking to integrate logs from endpoints, cloud applications, and identities for comprehensive security operations.
Option A – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS monitors cloud app activity and enforces session policies, but is not designed as a centralized SIEM or orchestration platform.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel collects and correlates security events from multiple sources, applies analytics, and enables automated responses through playbooks. Security teams can perform advanced threat hunting using KQL queries to uncover hidden threats. Playbooks automate actions such as isolating endpoints, disabling compromised accounts, or creating ITSM tickets. Dashboards provide continuous monitoring and insights into trends and incidents.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection is focused on authentication and identity-related risks. While it provides automated remediation for risky users, it does not provide SIEM-style correlation, cross-domain analytics, or advanced threat hunting capabilities.
Option D – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: While MDE collects telemetry and protects endpoints, it is not designed for enterprise-wide event correlation or orchestration across multiple data sources.
Implementation considerations:
Connect multiple data sources to Sentinel, including endpoints, cloud apps, and identity systems.
Configure analytics rules to detect anomalous activity.
Create dashboards for real-time visibility of threats and incidents.
Build automated playbooks for consistent incident response.
Sentinel provides a centralized platform to detect, investigate, and respond to threats across the enterprise, combining SIEM and SOAR capabilities effectively.
Question 35 :
Your organization wants to prevent ransomware and malware by restricting the execution of untrusted scripts, macros, and executables on endpoints. Which Microsoft solution and feature should you implement?
A) Microsoft Defender Antivirus
B) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Answer: B) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules
Explanation:
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) includes Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules, which prevent risky actions on endpoints, reducing the likelihood of malware and ransomware infection. ASR rules target behaviors such as executing untrusted macros, scripts, and executables from unverified locations.
Option A – Microsoft Defender Antivirus: While it provides signature-based malware detection, it does not offer behavior-based blocking of scripts, macros, or high-risk actions. It is reactive rather than proactive.
Option B – MDE with ASR rules: ASR rules block risky behaviors like running Office macros from email attachments, executing scripts from temporary folders, and launching untrusted executables. These behavior-based protections help prevent ransomware attacks before they execute, providing proactive endpoint security. Integration with MDE allows alerts, automated remediation, and telemetry for analysis.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Focuses on authentication and risky sign-ins, not endpoint behavior or ransomware prevention.
Option D – Microsoft Cloud App Security: Monitors cloud application activity and enforces data policies, but it does not control endpoint execution of scripts or prevent ransomware.
Implementation considerations:
Test ASR rules in a controlled environment to reduce false positives.
Deploy rules gradually across endpoints, monitoring alerts, and impact.
Integrate with automated remediation workflows for immediate threat response.
Review alerts and telemetry to optimize rules and balance productivity.
MDE with ASR rules provides proactive, behavior-based protection against ransomware and malware, reducing attack surfaces while complementing other security controls.
Question 36 :
Your organization wants to detect and respond to insider threats, monitor risky user behavior across cloud applications, and prevent exfiltration of sensitive data. Which Microsoft solution should you implement?
A) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
B) Microsoft Cloud App Security
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Sentinel
Answer: B) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Explanation:
Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS) is a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solution specifically designed to provide visibility, control, and threat protection across cloud applications. Insider threats and risky user behavior in cloud apps pose a significant challenge because traditional endpoint solutions or identity tools cannot monitor session-level activities, file sharing patterns, or data exfiltration attempts in real time.
Option A – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: While MDE is essential for endpoint protection, malware detection, and automated remediation, it is focused on device-level threats. It does not provide monitoring of cloud application activity or real-time prevention of sensitive data exfiltration. Endpoint detection alone cannot capture anomalies such as excessive downloads, unusual external sharing, or abnormal collaboration patterns.
Option B – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS provides advanced monitoring and analytics for user activity in cloud applications. Integration with Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) allows classification of sensitive data, which can then be protected with policies that prevent sharing outside the organization, block downloads on unmanaged devices, or enforce encryption automatically. MCAS uses behavior analytics to detect anomalies, such as rapid mass downloads, access from atypical locations, or suspicious file sharing. Alerts and policy enforcement enable organizations to mitigate insider threats in real time. The solution also provides dashboards, reports, and audit logs for compliance and forensic investigation.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection focuses on detecting risky sign-ins and compromised credentials. It provides risk-based access control but does not monitor activities inside cloud applications, so it cannot prevent insider-driven data exfiltration in real time.
Option D – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR platform that aggregates logs, applies analytics, and enables automated incident response. Although it can collect data from cloud applications, it does not provide the real-time session controls, behavioral monitoring, or granular enforcement policies needed to prevent insider threats effectively.
Implementation steps:
Discover all cloud applications in use, categorize as sanctioned or unsanctioned.
Apply session policies to control downloads, external sharing, and uploads.
Integrate with MIP labels to classify sensitive data and enforce automated protection policies.
Monitor alerts, dashboards, and reports to analyze user behavior and refine policies.
Establish workflows for incident response when suspicious activities are detected.
MCAS provides a comprehensive solution for monitoring risky behavior, preventing insider-driven exfiltration, and maintaining compliance, which cannot be achieved by endpoints, identity solutions, or SIEM alone.
Question 37 :
Your organization wants to protect endpoints from ransomware and malware, automatically investigate alerts, and remediate threats without manual intervention. Which Microsoft solution should you deploy?
A) Microsoft Cloud App Security
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
D) Azure AD Identity Protection
Answer: C) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Explanation:
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) provides enterprise-grade endpoint protection, including advanced threat detection, automated investigation, and remediation. The rise of ransomware and malware highlights the importance of proactive endpoint security. MDE’s Automated Investigation and Remediation (AIR) engine leverages machine learning, threat intelligence, and behavioral analytics to reduce manual effort and mitigate attacks quickly.
Option A – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS is effective for monitoring cloud applications and enforcing data protection policies, but does not provide endpoint-specific threat detection, malware remediation, or automated response for ransomware infections.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel aggregates security events, performs threat correlation, and enables automation via playbooks, but it relies on integrated endpoint telemetry. Sentinel does not directly remediate malware on endpoints.
Option C – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: MDE collects detailed telemetry from endpoints, including process execution, network connections, and registry activity. The AIR engine can automatically investigate alerts, contain compromised devices, terminate malicious processes, quarantine files, and restore configurations. Advanced hunting capabilities allow proactive detection of anomalies, unusual behavior, and emerging threats. Integration with Sentinel allows centralized correlation and visibility.
Option D – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection focuses on detecting compromised credentials, risky sign-ins, and identity anomalies. It does not monitor endpoints for malware, ransomware, or suspicious processes.
Implementation steps:
Onboard all endpoints to MDE to ensure full telemetry collection.
Configure Automated Investigation and Remediation (AIR) for proactive threat management.
Perform advanced hunting queries to detect unusual behavior across endpoints.
Integrate MDE telemetry with Sentinel for correlation and comprehensive security monitoring.
Regularly review alerts and remediation actions to refine policies and improve accuracy.
By deploying MDE, organizations gain proactive endpoint protection, automated investigation, and consistent remediation, reducing both manual effort and the impact of ransomware and malware.
Question 38 :
Your organization wants to detect risky sign-ins, compromised user accounts, and enforce risk-based access policies automatically. Which Microsoft solution is most suitable?
A) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Answer: C) Azure AD Identity Protection
Explanation:
Azure AD Identity Protection is designed to detect identity-based threats, such as compromised credentials and risky sign-ins, and apply risk-based policies automatically. Identity compromise is a major security concern because it can provide attackers with access to sensitive resources and escalate privileges.
Option A – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: MDE protects endpoints against malware, ransomware, and suspicious processes. It does not monitor authentication risk or enforce risk-based access policies.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel collects logs and can detect identity threats through correlation and analytics. However, it does not natively enforce risk-based policies without custom playbooks.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection evaluates user and sign-in risk using machine learning and threat intelligence. Integration with Conditional Access allows automated enforcement based on risk scores—medium-risk users may be prompted for MFA, while high-risk users may be blocked or forced to reset credentials. The solution provides dashboards, reporting, and trend analysis to continuously monitor identity security across the organization.
Option D – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS monitors cloud app usage and can detect anomalies in app behavior, but it does not enforce access policies based on identity risk or authentication anomalies.
Implementation steps:
Configure risk detection policies for sign-ins and user activity.
Integrate Conditional Access policies to enforce risk-based access.
Monitor dashboards to prioritize high-risk users for investigation and remediation.
Deploy MFA and user awareness programs to strengthen security.
Identity Protection ensures automated, risk-based control of access, protecting against compromised credentials while reducing manual intervention.
Question 39 :
Your organization wants centralized visibility into security events from endpoints, cloud apps, and identities, to perform advanced threat hunting, and automate incident response workflows. Which Microsoft solution is best?
A) Microsoft Cloud App Security
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Answer: B) Microsoft Sentinel
Explanation:
Microsoft Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR platform that provides enterprise-wide security monitoring, threat detection, investigation, and automation. It aggregates logs from endpoints, identities, cloud applications, and network devices, applying analytics and correlation rules to identify complex threats.
Option A – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS monitors cloud app activity and enforces data protection policies. It does not provide enterprise-wide log aggregation, threat correlation, or automation workflows across endpoints, identities, and cloud applications.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel collects and correlates events across multiple domains, applies analytics to detect anomalies, and automates responses using playbooks with Azure Logic Apps. Security teams can perform proactive threat hunting with KQL queries, and dashboards provide visibility into incident trends and ongoing investigations. Playbooks can automatically isolate endpoints, disable compromised accounts, notify teams, or open tickets in ITSM systems.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection focuses solely on detecting risky sign-ins and compromised accounts. It cannot provide enterprise-wide event correlation or automated response for cross-domain incidents.
Option D – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: MDE focuses on endpoint threat detection and remediation. While it integrates with Sentinel for centralized monitoring, it does not provide SIEM or SOAR capabilities across the organization by itself.
Implementation steps:
Connect all relevant data sources to Sentinel.
Configure analytics rules and alerts for anomalies and suspicious activity.
Create dashboards for visibility into incidents and trends.
Develop automated playbooks for rapid and consistent response to incidents.
Conduct regular threat hunting to proactively detect emerging threats.
Sentinel provides a holistic approach to security operations, combining SIEM and SOAR functionalities for proactive threat detection, investigation, and automated response.
Question 40 :
Your organization wants to prevent ransomware and malware by restricting the execution of untrusted scripts, macros, and executables on endpoints. Which Microsoft solution and feature should you deploy?
A) Microsoft Defender Antivirus
B) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Answer: B) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules
Explanation:
Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) prevent risky behaviors that could trigger ransomware, malware, or other attacks. These rules focus on blocking untrusted scripts, macros, and executable files from running in high-risk scenarios.
Option A – Microsoft Defender Antivirus: While traditional antivirus software provides signature-based malware detection, it is reactive and cannot prevent the execution of untrusted scripts or macros proactively.
Option B – MDE with ASR rules: ASR rules block high-risk behaviors, such as macros from email attachments, scripts from temporary folders, and execution of untrusted executables. Combined with telemetry and automated remediation, ASR rules reduce the attack surface significantly, prevent ransomware propagation, and allow security teams to respond to alerts efficiently.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Focuses on authentication risk and compromised accounts, not endpoint behavior or malware prevention.
Option D – Microsoft Cloud App Security: Monitors cloud application usage and data activity, but cannot prevent execution of malicious scripts or ransomware on endpoints.
Implementation steps:
Test ASR rules in a controlled environment to reduce false positives.
Deploy ASR rules gradually across endpoints.
Monitor alerts and integrate automated remediation workflows.
Analyze telemetry to optimize protection while minimizing impact on user productivity.
MDE with ASR rules proactively reduces ransomware and malware risk by limiting high-risk behaviors and protecting endpoints from advanced threats.
Question 41 :
Your organization wants to detect suspicious activity in cloud applications, protect sensitive information, and enforce real-time compliance policies while monitoring user behavior. Which Microsoft solution should you deploy?
A) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
B) Microsoft Cloud App Security
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Sentinel
Answer: B) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Explanation:
Microsoft Cloud App Security (MCAS) is a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solution that provides real-time monitoring, control, and protection across cloud applications. Insider threats, accidental data leaks, and compromised accounts are major risks in modern cloud environments, and MCAS is designed specifically to mitigate these risks.
Option A – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: Defender for Endpoint (MDE) is an endpoint protection platform that monitors devices for malware, ransomware, and suspicious processes. While it is highly effective for endpoint threats, it does not provide session-level monitoring or enforce data protection policies within cloud applications, making it unsuitable for real-time cloud compliance enforcement.
Option B – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS provides real-time visibility into user activity, detects anomalies, and enforces policies to protect sensitive data. It integrates with Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) to automatically classify data and apply restrictions such as blocking external sharing, preventing downloads on unmanaged devices, or enforcing encryption. Behavioral analytics detect unusual activity, such as rapid downloads, mass sharing, or access from suspicious locations. MCAS also provides dashboards and reports for compliance auditing and forensics, enabling organizations to respond proactively to insider threats or policy violations.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection monitors authentication risk, such as compromised credentials or risky sign-ins, and applies conditional access policies. However, it does not monitor activity within cloud applications or prevent data exfiltration in real time.
Option D – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel aggregates security events, performs correlation, and automates response through playbooks. While Sentinel can analyze cloud activity when integrated with MCAS or other sources, it does not provide the same level of real-time enforcement, session control, or anomaly detection in cloud applications.
Implementation steps:
Discover all cloud applications in use and categorize them as sanctioned or unsanctioned.
Apply session policies to enforce controls on downloads, sharing, and uploads.
Integrate with MIP labels to classify and protect sensitive data automatically.
Monitor dashboards, alerts, and reports to detect risky behavior and adjust policies.
Implement workflows for responding to insider threats or policy violations.
MCAS ensures comprehensive protection and compliance in cloud applications, preventing data leaks, mitigating insider threats, and providing actionable visibility into risky behavior.
Question 42 :
Your organization wants to protect endpoints from ransomware, automatically investigate alerts, and remediate threats without requiring manual intervention. Which Microsoft solution should you implement?
A) Microsoft Cloud App Security
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
D) Azure AD Identity Protection
Answer: C) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Explanation:
Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) is an enterprise-grade endpoint protection platform that provides advanced threat detection, automated investigation, and remediation. As ransomware and malware threats evolve, proactive endpoint protection and automated response are critical to minimizing business disruption.
Option A – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS focuses on monitoring cloud applications and enforcing data protection policies. It is not designed to detect endpoint malware or automatically remediate threats.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR platform that aggregates logs, applies analytics, and automates workflows. While it can trigger alerts and initiate actions, it does not directly remediate endpoint malware or ransomware. It relies on telemetry from MDE or other sources.
Option C – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: MDE continuously collects endpoint telemetry, including process execution, network connections, and registry activity. Its Automated Investigation and Remediation (AIR) engine can analyze alerts, contain compromised devices, terminate malicious processes, quarantine files, and restore configurations. Advanced hunting allows proactive detection of anomalies, lateral movement, and emerging threats. Integration with Sentinel provides centralized visibility and correlation across the enterprise.
Option D – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection detects risky sign-ins and compromised accounts. It does not monitor endpoints for malware or ransomware and cannot remediate endpoint threats.
Implementation steps:
Onboard all endpoints to MDE for continuous monitoring.
Configure AIR for automatic threat investigation and remediation.
Use advanced hunting queries to identify suspicious activity across endpoints proactively.
Integrate MDE telemetry with Sentinel for enterprise-wide correlation.
Regularly review remediation outcomes and adjust policies for accuracy and efficiency.
MDE ensures rapid detection and automated remediation of endpoint threats, reducing the operational impact of ransomware and malware while minimizing manual intervention.
Question 43 :
Your organization wants to detect compromised credentials, risky sign-ins, and automatically enforce risk-based access policies across all users. Which Microsoft solution should you use?
A) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Answer: C) Azure AD Identity Protection
Explanation:
Azure AD Identity Protection detects identity-based threats and enforces risk-based access policies to prevent unauthorized access. Compromised credentials are a primary attack vector, allowing attackers to access sensitive data and escalate privileges. Identity Protection helps mitigate these risks by continuously assessing user and sign-in behavior.
Option A – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: MDE protects endpoints from malware, ransomware, and suspicious activity. It does not monitor authentication or enforce access policies based on risk.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel can detect identity threats through log aggregation and analytics. However, it does not natively enforce risk-based access policies. Custom playbooks are required to automate remediation.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection uses machine learning and global threat intelligence to calculate risk scores for users and sign-ins. It integrates with Conditional Access policies, allowing automated enforcement: medium-risk users may require MFA, high-risk users may be blocked or forced to reset credentials. Dashboards and reports allow security teams to monitor trends, investigate high-risk accounts, and continuously improve protection strategies.
Option D – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS monitors cloud application activity but does not enforce authentication or risk-based access policies at the identity level.
Implementation steps:
Configure risk detection policies for user sign-ins and behavior.
Enforce Conditional Access policies based on risk scores for automated remediation.
Monitor dashboards to prioritize high-risk users and investigate anomalies.
Deploy MFA and educate users to strengthen identity security.
Continuously review and refine risk policies to adapt to emerging threats.
Identity Protection ensures proactive detection and automated enforcement of access controls, reducing the risk of account compromise and unauthorized access.
Question 44 :
Your organization wants centralized visibility of security events across endpoints, cloud applications, and identities, to perform advanced threat hunting, and to automate incident response. Which Microsoft solution should you implement?
A) Microsoft Cloud App Security
B) Microsoft Sentinel
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
Answer: B) Microsoft Sentinel
Explanation:
Microsoft Sentinel is a cloud-native SIEM and SOAR solution designed to provide enterprise-wide visibility, analytics, threat hunting, and automated response. Organizations require centralized monitoring to detect and respond to complex threats across endpoints, identities, and cloud applications.
Option A – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS monitors cloud applications, detects anomalies, and enforces session policies. It does not provide centralized aggregation of security events or enterprise-wide threat hunting capabilities.
Option B – Microsoft Sentinel: Sentinel collects data from multiple sources, applies analytics and correlation rules, and allows security teams to investigate and respond to incidents. Advanced threat hunting can be performed using KQL queries to identify anomalies, emerging threats, or patterns indicative of sophisticated attacks. Sentinel’s SOAR capabilities enable automated response via playbooks, which can isolate endpoints, disable accounts, notify teams, and create tickets in ITSM systems. Dashboards provide real-time visibility into incidents and trends.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Identity Protection focuses solely on identity and authentication risks. It does not provide centralized visibility or an automated response for cross-domain security incidents.
Option D – Microsoft Defender for Endpoint: MDE protects endpoints and provides telemetry. While it integrates with Sentinel, it cannot perform centralized correlation or enterprise-wide threat hunting independently.
Implementation steps:
Connect all endpoints, cloud apps, and identity sources to Sentinel.
Configure analytics rules to detect suspicious activity and correlate events.
Develop dashboards for real-time visibility into security posture and ongoing investigations.
Create playbooks for automated incident response.
Conduct regular threat hunting to proactively identify hidden threats.
Sentinel enables comprehensive, centralized monitoring, investigation, and automated response, combining SIEM and SOAR capabilities effectively for enterprise security operations.
Question 45 :
Your organization wants to prevent ransomware and malware on endpoints by restricting execution of untrusted scripts, macros, and executables. Which Microsoft solution and feature should you implement?
A) Microsoft Defender Antivirus
B) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules
C) Azure AD Identity Protection
D) Microsoft Cloud App Security
Answer: B) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint with Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules
Explanation:
Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules in Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (MDE) proactively block high-risk behaviors on endpoints that could lead to ransomware or malware infections. ASR rules focus on behavior-based prevention rather than signature-based detection, restricting execution of untrusted scripts, macros, and executables.
Option A – Microsoft Defender Antivirus: Traditional antivirus is primarily signature-based, reactive, and cannot block untrusted scripts, macros, or executables proactively. It provides limited protection against zero-day or behavior-based attacks.
Option B – MDE with ASR rules: ASR rules block risky behaviors, including executing macros from email attachments, scripts from temporary folders, or untrusted executable files. Combined with telemetry and automated remediation, ASR rules reduce the attack surface, prevent ransomware propagation, and allow rapid containment. Integration with MDE enables alerting, telemetry analysis, and automated remediation workflows.
Option C – Azure AD Identity Protection: Focuses on identity and authentication risk. It does not protect endpoints from ransomware or malware execution.
Option D – Microsoft Cloud App Security: MCAS monitors cloud application activity and enforces data policies. It does not control endpoint execution of malicious scripts or ransomware.
Implementation steps:
Test ASR rules in a controlled environment to minimize false positives.
Deploy ASR rules incrementally across endpoints while monitoring impact.
Configure automated remediation workflows to isolate or remediate threats immediately.
Review alerts and telemetry continuously to refine ASR policies for maximum protection.
Educate users about safe practices to complement technical protections.
MDE with ASR rules provides proactive, behavior-based endpoint protection, reducing ransomware and malware risk while maintaining productivity and operational efficiency.