The correct configuration is to include the 'Sign-in risk' level 'High' and set the Grant control to 'Block access' within a Conditional Access policy. This works because Azure AD Identity Protection assigns a risk level—low, medium, or high—to each sign-in attempt based on real-time threat signals, and Conditional Access policies can evaluate this risk as a condition. When the policy detects a high sign-in risk, the Grant control to block access immediately prevents the user from reaching any cloud application, fulfilling the requirement for automatic blocking. On the AZ-500 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Identity Protection and Conditional Access integrate, often appearing as a straightforward policy configuration question. A common trap is confusing sign-in risk with user risk or selecting a grant control like "Require MFA" instead of "Block access," but remember: high risk demands a hard stop, not a challenge. Memory tip: "High risk, block the door."
AZ-500 Manage identity and access Practice Question
This AZ-500 practice question tests your understanding of manage identity and access. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. A key principle to apply: conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions.. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company uses Azure AD Identity Protection and Conditional Access. They want to automatically block user access to cloud applications when Identity Protection detects that a user's sign-in risk level is high. Which configuration should they use in a Conditional Access policy?
Include 'User risk' level 'High' and set Grant to 'Require multi-factor authentication'.
Why wrong: User risk applies to accounts that may be compromised, and requiring MFA is a common remediation, but the scenario specifically targets sign-in risk during a session.
B
Include 'Sign-in risk' level 'High' and set Grant to 'Block access'.
This configuration blocks the specific sign-in if the risk is high, directly preventing access.
C
Include 'Device platforms' 'All' and set Grant to 'Require managed device'.
Why wrong: This addresses device trust, not risk of the sign-in itself.
D
Include 'Locations' 'All trusted locations' and set Grant to 'Block access'.
Why wrong: This blocks access based on location, not risk level.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Include 'Sign-in risk' level 'High' and set Grant to 'Block access'.
Option B is correct because Conditional Access policies can evaluate sign-in risk levels detected by Azure AD Identity Protection. When the sign-in risk level is 'High', setting the Grant control to 'Block access' directly prevents the user from accessing cloud applications, meeting the requirement to automatically block access based on a high sign-in risk.
Key principle: Conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Include 'User risk' level 'High' and set Grant to 'Require multi-factor authentication'.
Why it's wrong here
User risk applies to accounts that may be compromised, and requiring MFA is a common remediation, but the scenario specifically targets sign-in risk during a session.
✓
Include 'Sign-in risk' level 'High' and set Grant to 'Block access'.
Why this is correct
This configuration blocks the specific sign-in if the risk is high, directly preventing access.
Related concept
Conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions.
✗
Include 'Device platforms' 'All' and set Grant to 'Require managed device'.
Why it's wrong here
This addresses device trust, not risk of the sign-in itself.
✗
Include 'Locations' 'All trusted locations' and set Grant to 'Block access'.
Why it's wrong here
This blocks access based on location, not risk level.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing 'User risk' with 'Sign-in risk'; candidates often select Option A because they think high user risk should trigger MFA, but the question specifically requires blocking access based on sign-in risk, not user risk.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
User risk applies to accounts that may be compromised, and requiring MFA is a common remediation, but the scenario specifically targets sign-in risk during a session.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure AD Identity Protection calculates sign-in risk in real time using signals such as anonymous IP addresses, atypical travel, or malware-linked IPs. The sign-in risk level is evaluated during authentication, and Conditional Access policies can use this risk as a condition to enforce controls like block or allow with MFA. A common real-world scenario is blocking high-risk sign-ins from unknown locations while still allowing MFA for medium-risk sign-ins.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions.
Azure AD Identity Protection calculates 'Sign-in risk' for individual authentication attempts.
'Block access' is a grant control in Conditional Access that denies access.
High sign-in risk indicates a high probability of a compromised sign-in attempt.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this AZ-500 question in full detail.
Review conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions., then practise related AZ-500 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
Manage identity and access — This question tests Manage identity and access — Conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Include 'Sign-in risk' level 'High' and set Grant to 'Block access'. — Option B is correct because Conditional Access policies can evaluate sign-in risk levels detected by Azure AD Identity Protection. When the sign-in risk level is 'High', setting the Grant control to 'Block access' directly prevents the user from accessing cloud applications, meeting the requirement to automatically block access based on a high sign-in risk.
What should I do if I get this AZ-500 question wrong?
Review conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions., then practise related AZ-500 questions on the same topic to reinforce the concept.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Conditional Access policies enforce access decisions based on conditions.
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