Microsoft SC-401 Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365 Exam Dumps and Practice Test Questions Set 08 141-160

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Question 141

Your organization wants to detect abnormal sign-in activities, such as impossible travel or unfamiliar device logins, and automatically require multi-factor authentication for risky accounts. Which solution should you implement?

A) Azure AD Identity Protection
B) Microsoft Intune
C) Azure Firewall
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: A) Azure AD Identity Protection

Explanation

Organizations face frequent risks from compromised credentials, which can allow unauthorized access to sensitive Microsoft 365 resources. Azure AD Identity Protection evaluates both user and sign-in risk using multiple signals, including impossible travel (sign-ins from geographically distant locations within an unrealistic timeframe), unfamiliar devices, and leaked credentials from breached databases.

Each user or sign-in is assigned a risk score. Administrators can configure automated policies that trigger remediation actions when risk levels exceed defined thresholds. These actions include requiring multi-factor authentication, forcing a password reset, or temporarily blocking access. Integration with Azure AD Conditional Access allows for real-time, context-aware enforcement of policies, balancing security with productivity.

Alternative solutions, such as Intune, manage device compliance but do not evaluate user risk. Azure Firewall protects network traffic, and Purview handles data governance, neither addressing identity risk. Key benefits of Azure AD Identity Protection include real-time detection of risky sign-ins, automated mitigation actions, granular risk scoring, audit logging for regulatory compliance, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Deploying this solution allows organizations to proactively reduce account compromise risks and protect sensitive information.

Question 142

Your organization wants to classify and protect sensitive documents automatically based on content, applying encryption and access restrictions across Microsoft 365 services. Which solution is appropriate?

A) Microsoft Information Protection
B) Microsoft Intune
C) Azure Firewall
D) Microsoft Sentinel

Answer: A) Microsoft Information Protection

Explanation

Protecting sensitive information across cloud applications such as SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Exchange is essential to prevent data breaches, accidental sharing, and to meet compliance requirements. Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) enables administrators to define sensitivity labels, such as Confidential, Highly Confidential, or Public, which can be applied automatically, manually by users, or via machine learning classifiers.

Once a label is applied, it enforces protection such as encryption, access restrictions, and rights management, preventing unauthorized users from viewing or sharing content. Integration across Microsoft 365 applications ensures consistent enforcement, and hybrid deployments allow protection for on-premises file servers and applications.

Alternative solutions, like Intune, manage device compliance and endpoints but do not classify or protect data. Azure Firewall protects network traffic but cannot enforce content policies, and Microsoft Sentinel monitors security events but does not provide data classification or protection.

Benefits of deploying MIP include automatic classification and protection of sensitive information, support for regulatory compliance (such as GDPR and HIPAA), integration with Data Loss Prevention policies to prevent accidental leakage, consistent protection across applications, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Using MIP ensures sensitive documents are automatically protected without disrupting business workflows.

Question 143

Your organization wants to continuously monitor cloud workloads, detect misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and threats, and provide actionable remediation recommendations. Which solution should you deploy?

A) Microsoft Defender for Cloud
B) Azure Key Vault
C) Microsoft Purview
D) Microsoft Intune

Answer: A) Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Explanation

Cloud workloads are dynamic and prone to misconfigurations, unpatched systems, and insecure settings, all of which can expose organizational resources to attacks. Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides continuous security monitoring for Azure, hybrid, and multi-cloud workloads. It assesses resources against security best practices and regulatory frameworks such as CIS, NIST, and ISO.

Defender for Cloud identifies issues like unencrypted storage accounts, exposed management ports, missing patches, and misconfigured network settings. It also leverages behavioral analytics and Microsoft threat intelligence to detect suspicious activity. Alerts are prioritized by risk so administrators can focus on high-impact threats. Integration with Microsoft Sentinel enables centralized monitoring, automated investigation, and remediation through playbooks.

Alternative solutions, including Azure Key Vault (managing secrets), Microsoft Purview (data governance), and Microsoft Intune (device compliance), do not provide comprehensive cloud workload security monitoring. Benefits of Defender for Cloud include continuous security assessment, actionable recommendations for remediation, threat detection, compliance reporting, and automated response capabilities. This solution strengthens cloud security posture and supports Zero Trust principles by continuously validating workload security.

Question 144

Your organization wants to detect insider threats in hybrid Active Directory environments, including unusual user activity, lateral movement, and privilege escalation attempts. Which solution should you implement?

A) Microsoft Defender for Identity
B) Azure Firewall
C) Microsoft Intune
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: A) Microsoft Defender for Identity

Explanation

Insider threats are challenging to detect because they originate from trusted accounts with legitimate access. Microsoft Defender for Identity monitors hybrid Active Directory environments by analyzing authentication requests, Kerberos tickets, LDAP queries, and group modifications. It uses behavioral analytics to detect abnormal activity, such as unusual logins, lateral movement, or attempts at privilege escalation.

Defender for Identity provides detailed alerts with context, including the user account, device, and affected systems. Integration with Microsoft Sentinel allows alerts to be correlated with endpoint and cloud data, giving a holistic view of potential threats. Automated response capabilities allow security teams to remediate suspicious activity quickly, preventing potential damage.

Alternative solutions like Azure Firewall, Intune, and Purview do not provide identity-based monitoring or insider threat detection. Benefits include real-time monitoring of suspicious behavior, behavioral analytics for anomaly detection, centralized alerting, SIEM integration, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Deploying Defender for Identity ensures organizations can proactively identify and mitigate insider threats.

Question 145

Your organization wants to ensure only compliant devices can access Microsoft 365 applications, enforcing OS version, encryption, and antivirus requirements. Which solution combination supports this requirement?

A) Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access
B) Azure Firewall + Network Security Groups
C) Microsoft Purview + Microsoft Sentinel
D) Azure Key Vault + Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Answer: A) Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access

Explanation

Device compliance is fundamental to Zero Trust security. Microsoft Intune allows administrators to create device compliance policies that define requirements such as OS version, encryption status, antivirus installation, and device configuration. Devices that fail to meet these requirements are flagged as non-compliant.

Azure AD Conditional Access enforces access policies based on device compliance state. Non-compliant devices can be blocked or required to remediate issues before accessing Microsoft 365 applications. Conditional Access also supports additional conditions such as user risk, location, and application sensitivity for granular access control.

Alternative solutions like Azure Firewall + NSGs, Purview + Sentinel, or Azure Key Vault + Defender for Endpoint cannot enforce access based on device compliance. Benefits include real-time verification of device compliance, automated remediation prompts, contextual access decisions, audit logging for compliance reporting, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Deploying Intune with Conditional Access ensures that only secure, compliant devices can access organizational resources, reducing risk.

Question 146

Your organization wants to protect sensitive emails and documents by automatically applying encryption and access restrictions based on the content type. Which solution should you use?

A) Microsoft Information Protection
B) Microsoft Intune
C) Azure Firewall
D) Microsoft Sentinel

Answer: Microsoft Information Protection

Explanation

Organizations need to protect sensitive emails and documents to prevent data breaches and maintain compliance with regulations like GDPR or HIPAA. Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) allows administrators to define sensitivity labels, such as Confidential or Highly Confidential. These labels can be applied automatically using content inspection, machine learning classifiers, or manually by users.

Once a label is applied, encryption, access restrictions, and rights management are enforced D This ensures only authorized users can access the content, and sharing outside the organization can be restricted D Integration with Exchange, SharePoint, Teams, and OneDrive provides consistent protection across Microsoft 365 applications.

Alternative solutions, such as Intune, manage devices, Azure Firewall manages network traffic, and Microsoft Sentinel focuses on security monitoring but cannot classify or protect content. Benefits of MIP include automated classification and protection, compliance support, integration with DLP policies to prevent accidental sharing, and seamless enforcement across hybrid and cloud environments. Implementing MIP ensures sensitive emails and documents remain secure without disrupting business operations.

Question 147

Your organization wants to continuously monitor cloud workloads for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and potential threats, providing actionable remediation recommendations. Which solution should you deploy?

A) Microsoft Defender for Cloud
B) Azure Key Vault
C) Microsoft Purview
D) Microsoft Intune

Answer: Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Explanation

Cloud workloads are prone to misconfigurations, unpatched systems, and insecure network settings that expose organizations to risk. Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides continuous security monitoring for Azure, hybrid, and multi-cloud workloads. It assesses resources against best practices and compliance benchmarks such as CIS, NIST, and ISO standards.

Defender for Cloud identifies issues like unencrypted storage accounts, open management ports, missing patches, and misconfigured network settings. It also uses behavioral analytics and Microsoft threat intelligence to detect suspicious activities. Alerts are prioritized by risk to help security teams focus on critical threats. Integration with Microsoft Sentinel enables centralized monitoring, investigation, and automated remediation through playbooks.

Other solutions, such as Azure Key Vault, manage secrets, Microsoft Purview focuses on data governance, and Intune manages device compliance, but none provide comprehensive cloud workload security monitoring. Defender for Cloud offers continuous assessment, actionable remediation recommendations, threat detection, compliance reporting, and automated response capabilities. It strengthens the cloud security posture and supports Zero Trust principles by validating workload security continuously.

Question 148

Your organization wants to detect risky Azure AD sign-ins from unfamiliar devices or locations and enforce MFA or password resets automatically. Which solution is most suitable?

A) Azure AD Identity Protection
B) Microsoft Intune
C) Azure Firewall
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: Azure AD Identity Protection

Explanation

Compromised user accounts are a common security risk. Azure AD Identity Protection evaluates user and sign-in risks using signals such as impossible travel, unfamiliar devices, and leaked credentials. Each sign-in and user is assigned a risk score.

Administrators can configure policies that trigger automatic remediation actions when risk exceeds thresholds. Actions include requiring multi-factor authentication, enforcing password resets, or temporarily blocking access. Integration with Conditional Access ensures real-time, risk-based enforcement, balancing security and user experience.

Alternative solutions, such as Intune, manage devices but not identity risks, Azure Firewall protects network traffic, and Microsoft Purview focuses on data governance. Benefits include real-time detection of risky sign-ins, automated remediation, granular risk scoring, audit logging, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Azure AD Identity Protection allows organizations to proactively reduce account compromise risk and protect sensitive resources.

Question 149

Your organization wants to detect insider threats in a hybrid Active Directory environment, including unusual user activity, lateral movement, and privilege escalation. Which solution should you implement?

A) Microsoft Defender for Identity
B) Azure Firewall
C) Microsoft Intune
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: Microsoft Defender for Identity

Explanation

Insider threats originate from trusted accounts, making them difficult to detect. Microsoft Defender for Identity monitors hybrid Active Directory by analyzing authentication requests, Kerberos tickets, LDAP queries, and group modifications. Behavioral analytics identify anomalies, such as unusual logins, lateral movement, or privilege escalation attempts.

Defender for Identity provides detailed alerts with context, including affected users, devices, and systems. Integration with Microsoft Sentinel allows correlation with endpoint and cloud events, giving a complete picture of potential threats. Automated responses can be configured to block or remediate suspicious activity.

Alternative solutions, like Azure Firewall, Intune, and Purview, do not provide identity monitoring or insider threat detection. Benefits include real-time monitoring, behavioral analytics for anomaly detection, centralized alerting, SIEM integration, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Implementing Defender for Identity ensures proactive detection and mitigation of insider threats.

Question 150

Your organization wants to ensure that only compliant devices can access Microsoft 365 applications, verifying OS version, encryption, and antivirus status. Which solution combination supports this requirement?

A) Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access
B) Azure Firewall + Network Security Groups
C) Microsoft Purview + Microsoft Sentinel
D) Azure Key Vault + Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Answer: Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access

Explanation

Device compliance is a fundamental aspect of Zero Trust security. Microsoft Intune enables administrators to define compliance policies that specify OS version, encryption status, antivirus presence, and device configuration. Devices that fail compliance requirements are marked non-compliant.

Azure AD Conditional Access enforces access policies based on compliance status. Non-compliant devices can be blocked from accessing Microsoft 365 applications or prompted to remediate issues before access is granted D Conditional Access also supports additional criteria like user risk and location, enabling granular, context-aware access control.

Alternative solutions, such as Azure Firewall + NSGs, Purview + Sentinel, and Azure Key Vault + Defender for Endpoint, cannot enforce access based on device compliance. Benefits include real-time verification of device compliance, automated remediation, contextual access decisions, audit logs for compliance reporting, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. This combination ensures that only secure, compliant devices can access organizational resources.

Question 151

Your organization wants to monitor endpoints for malware, ransomware, and other advanced threats, and automatically investigate and remediate security incidents. Which solution should you deploy?

A) Microsoft Defender for Endpoint
B) Azure Firewall
C) Microsoft Intune
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Explanation

Endpoints are a primary target for cyberattacks, including malware, ransomware, and advanced persistent threats. Microsoft Defender for Endpoint provides a comprehensive Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) platform capable of detecting threats in real-time, investigating alerts automatically, and remediating incidents.

The solution continuously monitors device activity, processes, network connections, and files using behavioral analytics, machine learning, and threat intelligence. It can detect anomalies like unusual process execution, lateral movement, or unauthorized privilege escalation. Alerts are analyzed automatically, and the system can take remedial actions such as isolating devices, terminating malicious processes, or restoring files affected by malware.

Alternative solutions, such as Azure Firewall, focus on network security but do not monitor endpoints. Intune manages device compliance and configuration, but cannot detect or respond to threats. Purview focuses on data governance rather than endpoint security. Benefits of deploying Microsoft Defender for Endpoint include real-time threat detection, automated investigation and response, proactive threat hunting, cross-platform coverage, and integration with SIEM and SOAR solutions. This ensures endpoints are continuously protected and reduces operational risk.

Question 152

Your organization wants to continuously assess cloud workloads for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and security threats, while providing actionable remediation recommendations. Which solution should you implement?

A) Microsoft Defender for Cloud
B) Azure Key Vault
C) Microsoft Purview
D) Microsoft Intune

Answer: Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Explanation

Cloud workloads are highly dynamic, making them susceptible to misconfigurations, unpatched systems, and insecure network settings. Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides continuous security posture management and threat detection for Azure, hybrid, and multi-cloud workloads.

It evaluates resources against best practices and regulatory frameworks such as CIS, NIST, and ISO. It identifies risks such as unencrypted storage, exposed management ports, missing patches, and insecure network configurations. Additionally, Defender for Cloud leverages behavioral analytics and Microsoft threat intelligence to detect suspicious activity. Alerts are prioritized by risk to help security teams focus on critical issues.

Integration with Microsoft Sentinel allows central monitoring, automated investigation, and remediation through playbooks. Other solutions like Azure Key Vault manage secrets, Purview handles data governance, and Intune manages device compliance,c, but none provide full cloud workload security monitoring. Benefits include continuous assessment, actionable remediation recommendations, threat detection, compliance reporting, and automated response, ensuring a stronger cloud security posture and Zero Trust alignment. Microsoft Defender for Cloud is a unified cloud security posture management and threat protection platform designed to safeguard resources across Azure, multi-cloud environments (such as AWS and Google Cloud), and hybrid infrastructures. Its capabilities go far beyond simple configuration monitoring, offering a full suite of tools that help organizations strengthen their overall cloud security posture while detecting active threats in real time.

One of the core strengths of Defender for Cloud is Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM). This component continuously assesses cloud environments against security best practices, regulatory standards, and organizational policies. Using built-in benchmarks like CIS, NIST, and Azure Security Benchmark, it identifies misconfigurations, weak controls, and compliance gaps. Organizations benefit from actionable recommendations that highlight what needs to be fixed, why it matters, and how to implement the required improvements. This proactive assessment helps prevent common cloud vulnerabilities such as overly permissive access, exposed storage containers, unpatched virtual machines, and insecure network configurations.

In addition to posture management, Defender for Cloud delivers Cloud Workload Protection (CWP). This includes advanced threat detection and protection for workloads such as virtual machines, containers (AKS), databases, web applications, storage accounts, and serverless functions. By using behavioral analytics, threat intelligence, and machine learning, Defender for Cloud identifies suspicious activities like unauthorized access attempts, lateral movement patterns, malware, brute-force attacks, and exploitation of known vulnerabilities. These alerts help organizations detect complex cloud-based attacks early, before they can escalate into major incidents.

Another key advantage is its integration across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Many enterprises operate workloads across Azure, on-premises datacenters, and third-party clouds. Defender for Cloud unifies visibility and security across all these environments, reducing complexity and eliminating blind spots. Through native connectors, users can seamlessly onboard AWS and GCP resources and apply the same security policies, scan results, and protection measures across all cloud platforms.

Moreover, Defender for Cloud supports Zero Trust principles by monitoring identity configurations, privileged access, network segmentation, and just-in-time VM access. It helps enforce least privilege practices, ensures that sensitive workloads are protected, and identifies risky access patterns that could weaken overall security.

The platform’s threat detection capabilities are further enhanced through integration with Microsoft Sentinel. When connected, Defender for Cloud sends security alerts, vulnerability findings, and configuration insights into Sentinel, enabling deeper investigation, correlation with endpoint and identity events, and automated response workflows. This strengthens the organization’s security operations and accelerates threat remediation.

Defender for Cloud also includes built-in runtime protection features for workloads, including file integrity monitoring, application control, vulnerability scanning, and container image scanning. These tools ensure that workloads remain protected even after deployment, providing ongoing security throughout the lifecycle.

Ultimately, Microsoft Defender for Cloud stands out because it offers a holistic approach to securing cloud environments—improving security posture, detecting active threats, supporting compliance, and protecting workloads at scale. Among the options provided, it is the only service specifically designed to deliver both cloud posture management and threat protection across hybrid and multi-cloud environments.

Question 153

Your organization wants to detect risky Azure AD sign-ins, such as logins from unfamiliar locations or devices, and automatically enforce multi-factor authentication or password resets. Which solution is most suitable?

A) Azure AD Identity Protection
B) Microsoft Intune
C) Azure Firewall
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: Azure AD Identity Protection

Explanation

Compromised accounts are one of the most common attack vectors in organizations. Azure AD Identity Protection evaluates user and sign-in risk using signals like impossible travel, unfamiliar devices, and leaked credentials. Risk scores are calculated for each user and sign-in.

Administrators can create policies that automatically enforce remediation actions for high-risk users or sign-ins, including requiring multi-factor authentication, forcing password resets, or blocking access. Integration with Conditional Access enables dynamic, risk-based enforcement for secure application access while maintaining user productivity.

Alternative solutions like Intune focus on device compliance, Azure Firewall protects network traffic, and Purview focuses on data governance; these do not provide identity risk detection or automatic risk mitigation. Key benefits of Azure AD Identity Protection include real-time risk detection, automated remediation, granular risk scoring, audit logging for compliance, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Deploying this solution reduces account compromise risk and protects sensitive resources proactively.

Question 154

Your organization wants to detect insider threats in hybrid Active Directory environments, including abnormal activity, lateral movement, and privilege escalation attempts. Which solution should you deploy?

A) Microsoft Defender for Identity
B) Azure Firewall
C) Microsoft Intune
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: Microsoft Defender for Identity

Explanation

Insider threats are difficult to detect because they originate from trusted accounts with legitimate access. Microsoft Defender for Identity monitors hybrid Active Directory environments by analyzing authentication requests, Kerberos tickets, LDAP queries, and group modifications. Behavioral analytics detect anomalies such as unusual logins, lateral movement, or attempts at privilege escalation.

Defender for Identity generates detailed alerts with context, including affected users, devices, and systems. Integration with Microsoft Sentinel enables correlation with endpoint and cloud data, providing a holistic view of potential threats. Automated responses can block or remediate suspicious activity quickly, limiting potential damage. Microsoft Defender for Identity is a specialized security solution designed to protect on-premises Active Directory (AD) environments from advanced attacks, insider threats, and compromised identities. As identity-based attacks continue to rise—such as credential theft, lateral movement, and privilege escalation—Defender for Identity plays a crucial role in detecting and mitigating these threats before they cause significant damage.

At its core, Defender for Identity focuses on identity threat detection and behavioral analytics. Rather than relying solely on static rules or signatures, the platform continuously monitors user activities, authentication patterns, and domain controller traffic. This allows it to establish behavioral baselines and identify suspicious or anomalous actions, such as unusual login times, abnormal resource access, or authentication attempts from unexpected locations. These detections help security teams uncover hidden threats early, especially when attackers attempt to exploit legitimate credentials to move through the network undetected D)

One of the most powerful capabilities of Defender for Identity is its ability to detect classic Active Directory attack techniques. These include Pass-the-Hash, Pass-the-Ticket, Golden Ticket attacks, reconnaissance activities, and skeleton key malware. Because these attacks exploit inherent AD protocols and trust relationships, traditional security tools often overlook them. Defender for Identity, however, monitors these interactions directly at the domain controller level, giving it deep visibility into identity-related risks.

Defender for Identity also strengthens an organization’s Zero Trust strategy, particularly the identity pillar. It provides insights into users with excessive privileges, insecure configurations, stale accounts, and risky trust relationships. Highlighting these weaknesses helps organizations reduce their attack surface long before an adversary attempts to exploit it.

Alternative solutions, such as Azure Firewall, Intune, and Purview, do not offer identity-based monitoring or insider threat detection. Benefits include real-time detection of suspicious behavior, anomaly detection via behavioral analytics, centralized alerting, SIEM integration, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Deploying Defender for Identity allows organizations to proactively mitigate insider threats.

Microsoft Defender for Identity is a specialized security solution designed to detect and investigate identity-based threats within on-premises Active Directory environments. As modern cyberattacks increasingly focus on compromising identities rather than bypassing perimeter defenses, Defender for Identity plays a crucial role in protecting organizations from lateral movement, privilege escalation, and credential theft.

This solution continuously monitors domain controllers, user activity, authentication patterns, and network traffic associated with Active Directory. By analyzing these signals, it can identify suspicious or malicious behavior such as pass-the-hash attacks, pass-the-ticket attacks, golden ticket exploitation, DCShadow attacks, reconnaissance behaviors, and unusual privilege escalations. These are advanced attack techniques frequently used by threat actors once they gain an initial foothold inside a network, making the tool essential for detecting stealthy intrusions.

One of the core strengths of Defender for Identity is its behavioral analytics. Instead of relying solely on static rules or known signatures, it builds a baseline of normal user and device behavior. When activity deviates from this baseline—such as unusual login times, unexpected access attempts, or anomalous Kerberos ticket usage—the system generates alerts. This behavioral approach allows organizations to detect attacks even when the attacker uses previously unseen tactics.

Another advantage is its ability to identify compromised accounts early in an attack chain. For example, if an attacker steals a privileged account’s credentials, Defender for Identity can flag unusual administrative behavior immediately, preventing the attacker from escalating privileges or accessing sensitive systems. The detailed incident timelines provided help security teams understand what happened, how the attack began, and what systems were impacted D)

Defender for Identity also integrates tightly with other Microsoft security platforms, including Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender for Cloud D This integration enables a unified view of identity-related threats across hybrid environments, correlating identity signals with endpoint, network, and cloud activity. This gives security operations teams deeper insight into multi-vector attacks and supports more effective investigation and response.

Because identity is now the primary target in modern cyberattacks—and Active Directory remains at the center of most enterprise authentication—Defender for Identity acts as a critical line of defense. It helps organizations detect advanced threats that often bypass traditional security tools, strengthens visibility into potential misuse of credentials, and supports Zero Trust by ensuring that identity behaviors remain continuously monitored and verified D)

This is why the correct answer is Microsoft Defender for Identity: among the options provided, it is the only technology dedicated to detecting identity-based threats, protecting on-premises Active Directory, and stopping attacks that target user credentials and authentication processes.

Question 155

Your organization wants to ensure only compliant devices can access Microsoft 365 applications, enforcing OS version, encryption, and antivirus requirements. Which solution combination supports this requirement?

A) Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access
B) Azure Firewall + Network Security Groups
C) Microsoft Purview + Microsoft Sentinel
D) Azure Key Vault + Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Answer: Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access

Explanation

Device compliance is a key aspect of Zero Trust security. Microsoft Intune allows administrators to define compliance policies specifying OS version, encryption status, antivirus installation, and device configuration. Devices that fail compliance are marked as non-compliant.

Azure AD Conditional Access enforces access policies based on device compliance status. Non-compliant devices can be blocked from accessing Microsoft 365 applications or prompted to remediate issues. Conditional Access also supports additional conditions, such as user risk and location, allowing fine-grained, context-aware access control.

Alternative solutions, like Azure Firewall + NSGs, Purview + Sentinel, or Azure Key Vault + Defender for Endpoint, cannot enforce application access based on device compliance. Benefits include real-time verification of device compliance, automated remediation prompts, contextual access decisions, audit logs for compliance reporting, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. This ensures only secure, compliant devices can access organizational resources.

Question 156

Your organization wants to prevent accidental data leakage by applying policies that restrict the sharing of sensitive files both internally and externally. Which solution should you use?

A) Microsoft Information Protection
B) Microsoft Intune
C) Azure Firewall
D) Microsoft Sentinel

Answer: Microsoft Information Protection

Explanation

Data leakage can occur when sensitive files are shared inappropriately within or outside the organization. Microsoft Information Protection (MIP) allows organizations to define sensitivity labels that classify data as Confidential, Highly Confidential, or Public. Policies can be applied automatically or manually to enforce access restrictions.

Once labeled, documents and emails are protected through encryption, access controls, and rights management. Internal sharing can be restricted to specific groups, while external sharing can be blocked or limited. D) MIP integrates with Microsoft 365 applications, including SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, and Exchange, ensuring consistent protection across platforms.

Alternative solutions, such as Intune, manage devices but not data classification, Azure Firewall protects network traffic, and Sentinel monitors security events but does not control data sharing. Benefits of MIP include automatic classification, prevention of accidental data leaks, regulatory compliance support, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365. Deploying MIP ensures sensitive information is protected without disrupting user workflows.

Question 157

Your organization wants to continuously monitor cloud workloads for vulnerabilities, configuration errors, and suspicious activities, while providing recommendations for remediation. Which solution is appropriate?

A) Microsoft Defender for Cloud
B) Azure Key Vault
C) Microsoft Purview
D) Microsoft Intune

Answer: Microsoft Defender for Cloud

Explanation

Cloud environments are constantly changing, making them susceptible to misconfigurations, vulnerabilities, and attacks. Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides continuous monitoring for Azure, hybrid, and multi-cloud workloads. It evaluates security configurations against best practices and regulatory standards such as CIS, NIST, and ISO.

Defender for Cloud detects misconfigurations such as open management ports, unencrypted storage accounts, and missing patches. It also leverages threat intelligence and behavioral analytics to identify suspicious activities. Alerts are prioritized based on risk, allowing security teams to address high-impact issues first. Integration with Microsoft Sentinel allows centralized monitoring, automated investigation, and remediation using playbooks.

Other solutions like Azure Key Vault manage secrets, Purview handles data governance, and Intune manages device compliance, but none provide end-to-end cloud workload security monitoring. Benefits include continuous security assessment, actionable remediation recommendations, threat detection, compliance reporting, and automation to improve cloud security posture and support Zero Trust principles.

Question 158

Your organization wants to detect risky Azure AD sign-ins, such as logins from unfamiliar locations or devices, and enforce MFA or password reset actions automatically. Which solution should you implement?

A) Azure AD Identity Protection
B) Microsoft Intune
C) Azure Firewall
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: Azure AD Identity Protection

Explanation

User accounts are frequently targeted by attackers using compromised credentials. Azure AD Identity Protection evaluates risk for each user and sign-in using signals like impossible travel, unfamiliar devices, and leaked credentials. A risk score is assigned to each sign-in or account.

Administrators can configure policies to enforce automated remediation for high-risk sign-ins, such as requiring MFA, enforcing a password reset, or temporarily blocking access. Integration with Conditional Access allows dynamic, real-time enforcement while maintaining user productivity.

Alternative solutions such as Intune, Azure Firewall, and Purview do not provide identity risk detection or automatic risk mitigation. Benefits include real-time detection of risky sign-ins, automated remediation, granular risk scoring, audit logging for compliance, and Zero Trust alignment. Using Azure AD Identity Protection enables proactive reduction of account compromise risk and protects critical resources.

Azure AD Identity Protection is a specialized security service designed to detect, assess, and automatically respond to identity-based risks within Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure Active Directory). As identity-related attacks like credential theft, phishing, impossible travel logins, and brute-force password attacks continue to rise, Identity Protection plays a critical role in strengthening an organization’s Zero Trust posture by ensuring that access decisions are based on real-time risk analysis rather than static policies.

At its core, Identity Protection uses Microsoft’s global threat intelligence, machine learning, and behavioral analytics to detect risky sign-ins and risky users. This includes anomalies such as login attempts from unusual locations, sign-ins from TOR networks, password spray attacks, and sign-ins from unfamiliar devices or IP addresses. By correlating signals across Microsoft’s massive ecosystem—including consumer accounts, enterprise tenants, and threat intelligence networks—Identity Protection identifies identity threats faster and more accurately than manual monitoring tools.

One of its most powerful capabilities is risk-based Conditional Access. Instead of relying solely on fixed rules, Identity Protection assigns a real-time risk level (low, medium, or high) to each sign-in attempt and user account. Organizations can then create automatic responses based on these risk levels. For example, high-risk sign-ins may require multi-factor authentication, while high-risk users might be required to reset their password before they can access any resources. This automation allows organizations to reduce the window of exposure dramatically, often preventing attacks before a human analyst even detects them.

Identity Protection also helps security teams prioritize investigations. Its dashboards show risky sign-ins, vulnerabilities in authentication methods, and users flagged for suspicious behavior. Administrators can quickly drill down into individual incidents, view timelines of suspicious activity, and determine if the risk should be remediated automatically or investigated further. This reduces the burden on security analysts while ensuring no critical identity risk goes unnoticed D)

Another key strength is the ability to detect and mitigate compromised credentials—one of the most common causes of data breaches. If a user’s password appears in known breach repositories or dark-web credential dumps, Azure AD Identity Protection can flag it and trigger actions such as password resets or blocked sign-ins. This proactive monitoring dramatically reduces the likelihood that attackers can use leaked credentials to infiltrate the environment.

In addition, Identity Protection integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Sentinel and other SOC tools, allowing identity risks to be correlated with endpoint, network, and cloud workload signals. This gives security teams end-to-end visibility into attack chains and makes identity the foundation of holistic threat detection strategies.

In summary, Azure AD Identity Protection is the correct answer because it:

Detects identity-based risks using advanced analytics
• Automates responses through risk-based Conditional Access
• Identifies compromised accounts and enforces remediation
• Enhances Zero Trust by requiring continuous verification
• Strengthens security operations with visibility and intelligent investigation tools

By focusing on identity risk—the new security perimeter—Azure AD Identity Protection helps organizations block attacks before they escalate, making it an essential element of a modern cloud security strategy.

Question 159

Your organization wants to detect insider threats in hybrid Active Directory environments, including abnormal behavior, lateral movement, and privilege escalation attempts. Which solution should you deploy?

A) Microsoft Defender for Identity
B) Azure Firewall
C) Microsoft Intune
D) Microsoft Purview

Answer: Microsoft Defender for Identity

Explanation

Insider threats are challenging because they originate from trusted users with legitimate access. Microsoft Defender for Identity monitors hybrid Active Directory environments by analyzing authentication requests, Kerberos tickets, LDAP queries, and group modifications. Behavioral analytics detect anomalous activity such as unusual logins, lateral movement, or privilege escalation.

Defender for Identity provides detailed alerts with context, including the affected user, device, and systems. Integration with Microsoft Sentinel enables correlation with endpoint and cloud events, giving a full picture of potential insider threats. Automated responses can block or remediate suspicious activity quickly, preventing damage.

Alternative solutions like Azure Firewall, Intune, and Purview do not monitor identity behavior or detect insider threats. Benefits include real-time monitoring, anomaly detection via behavioral analytics, centralized alerting, SIEM integration, and Zero Trust alignment. Deploying Defender for Identity allows organizations to proactively mitigate insider threats and reduce organizational risk.

Question 160

Your organization wants to ensure only compliant devices can access Microsoft 365 applications, enforcing OS version, encryption, and antivirus requirements. Which solution combination should be deployed?

A) Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access
B) Azure Firewall + Network Security Groups
C) Microsoft Purview + Microsoft Sentinel
D) Azure Key Vault + Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

Answer: Microsoft Intune + Azure AD Conditional Access

Explanation

Device compliance is critical for implementing a Zero Trust security model. Microsoft Intune allows administrators to define device compliance policies, including OS version, encryption, antivirus, and configuration requirements. Non-compliant devices are flagged, and access can be restricted D)

Azure AD Conditional Access enforces access policies based on device compliance. Non-compliant devices can be blocked or prompted to remediate issues before accessing Microsoft 365 applications. Conditional Access also allows additional conditions, such as user risk and location, for more granular, context-aware access control.

Alternative solutions like Azure Firewall + NSGs, Purview + Sentinel, and Azure Key Vault + Defender for Endpoint cannot enforce access based on device compliance. Benefits include real-time verification of compliance, automated remediation, contextual access control, audit logs for regulatory reporting, and alignment with Zero Trust principles. Deploying Intune with Conditional Access ensures that only secure, compliant devices can access corporate resources. Microsoft Intune, combined with Azure AD Conditional Access, provides one of the strongest, policy-driven approaches to securing access to organizational resources, especially in modern cloud and hybrid environments. The pairing allows organizations to enforce compliance checks, control device health, and enforce identity-based access decisions—all fundamental elements of a Zero Trust security model.

Intune serves as the central platform for Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Mobile Application Management (MAM). It ensures that endpoints—whether corporate-owned laptops, employee smartphones, or BYOD devices—meet defined compliance policies. These compliance policies may include encryption requirements, OS version minimums, device health checks, jailbreak/root detection, or the presence of security controls such as antivirus and firewalls. By continuously evaluating device posture, Intune establishes whether devices are considered trusted before granting them access to corporate apps or data.

Azure AD Conditional Access builds on this by enforcing smart, context-aware access controls based on identity, device compliance, risk level, location, and resource sensitivity. Conditional Access evaluates authentication attempts in real time and determines whether access should be granted, blocked, or allowed only under more secure conditions like multi-factor authentication (MFA). When integrated with Intune, Conditional Access can restrict access exclusively to devices marked as compliant, ensuring that only secured endpoints interact with corporate data.

This combination reduces the attack surface significantly. Even if user credentials are compromised, an attacker cannot gain access without a compliant, trusted device. This stops many threat vectors, including credential theft, session hijacking, and phishing-based abuses. Users are also guided toward secure behaviors, as access failures often prompt them to bring their devices into compliance.

Moreover, the integration helps organizations enforce data protection across apps such as Microsoft 365, SaaS platforms, or line-of-business applications. Application protection policies in Intune can restrict data copy/paste actions, require encrypted app storage, and remotely wipe corporate data without affecting personal information—enabling secure and privacy-friendly BYOD deployments.

Reporting and monitoring also improve. Intune provides detailed device compliance insights, while Conditional Access logs access patterns and risk-based decisions within Azure A D Together, they create an auditable control environment useful for meeting regulatory requirements and demonstrating robust security governance.