Implement knowledge mining and information extraction solutions →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
PII Redaction Using Custom Skills in Azure AI Search
You are designing a knowledge mining solution that must handle sensitive customer data. The solution must ensure that personally identifiable information (PII) is not returned in search results. What should you do?
Quick Answer
The correct choice is to use a custom skill in the skillset to detect and redact PII before indexing. This works because Azure AI Search’s enrichment pipeline allows you to integrate a custom skill—such as one leveraging Azure Cognitive Services for PII detection—that processes documents during the indexing phase, removing or masking sensitive fields like names, social security numbers, or email addresses before they are written to the search index. On the AI-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the knowledge mining lifecycle, specifically how to safeguard sensitive data within the enrichment pipeline rather than relying on post-index controls. A common trap is confusing encryption or access control with content redaction; encryption protects data at rest but does not strip PII from search results, while access control only limits who can query the index. Remember the pipeline principle: redact before you index, not after. A useful memory tip is “Redact in the pipeline, protect the index line.”
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use a custom skill in the skillset to detect and redact PII before indexing
Using a custom skill in the enrichment pipeline allows you to detect and redact PII from documents before they are indexed, ensuring that sensitive data is not stored in the index or returned in search results. Option A is incorrect because encryption at rest protects data at the storage level but does not prevent PII from being returned. Option B is incorrect because role-based access control restricts who can search but does not remove PII from results. Option D is incorrect because field mappings control which fields are imported but do not remove PII content from those fields.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Use Azure AI Search with encryption at rest
Why it's wrong here
Encryption protects data at rest but does not filter results.
- ✗
Implement role-based access control on the search index
Why it's wrong here
Access control does not remove PII; it only restricts who can search.
- ✓
Use a custom skill in the skillset to detect and redact PII before indexing
Why this is correct
Redacting PII in the enrichment pipeline prevents it from appearing in search results.
- ✗
Configure field mappings to exclude PII fields
Why it's wrong here
Field mappings exclude fields, but PII may be in unstructured text.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on AI-102
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. You need to extract personally identifiable information (PII) from a set of text documents before indexing them in Azure AI Search. The PII must be redacted. Which Azure AI service and configuration should you use?
medium- A.Use the entity recognition skill in Azure AI Search and map to a target field
- B.Use Azure AI Document Intelligence with a custom model to identify PII fields
- ✓ C.Use the built-in PII detection skill in Azure AI Search with redaction mode enabled
- D.Use Azure AI Language's key phrase extraction to find PII
Why C: Azure AI Search provides a built-in PII detection skill that can automatically identify and redact PII entities (such as names, phone numbers, and email addresses) from text documents during the indexing pipeline. The skill supports a 'redactionMode' configuration that replaces detected PII with a placeholder (e.g., '***'), meeting the requirement to redact PII before indexing.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This AI-102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the AI-102 exam.