AZ-900 Describe Azure management and governance Practice Question
What is the purpose of Azure AD Identity Protection?
⚠ Common exam trap
Candidates often confuse Azure AD Identity Protection with Azure AD Identity Governance or Azure AD Connect, mistakenly thinking it handles account lifecycle or synchronization instead of focusing on risk detection and automated response.
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
✓
To detect and automatically respond to suspicious identity-related risks
Azure AD Identity Protection is a security tool that uses machine learning and heuristics to detect suspicious activities such as leaked credentials, impossible travel, and anonymous IP address sign-ins. It can automatically respond to these risks by requiring multi-factor authentication or blocking sign-ins, thereby protecting identities without manual intervention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
To encrypt user passwords stored in Azure AD
Why it's wrong here
Azure AD never stores plaintext passwords; it stores password hashes, and encryption at rest is handled by the platform's internal security controls. Identity Protection does not encrypt passwords; instead, it analyzes telemetry such as leaked credential reports and anomalous sign-in patterns to evaluate risk, so password hashing is outside its scope.
- ✓
To detect and automatically respond to suspicious identity-related risks
Why this is correct
Identity Protection is a Microsoft Entra ID feature that uses machine learning algorithms to detect suspicious activities such as impossible travel, anonymous IP addresses, atypical sign-ins, and leaked credentials. It assigns a risk level to sign-ins and users, and can automatically enforce policies (via Conditional Access) to require MFA, block access, or trigger a secure password change.
- ✗
To manage the lifecycle of user accounts in Azure AD
Why it's wrong here
User account lifecycle management—such as creating, updating, or deactivating accounts—is handled by Microsoft Entra ID provisioning services (e.g., HR-driven provisioning or SCIM synchronization). Identity Protection does not provision or manage accounts; it evaluates the risk of existing identities to determine whether a sign-in or user account has been compromised.
- ✗
To synchronize identities between on-premises AD and Azure AD
Why it's wrong here
Identity synchronization between on-premises Active Directory and Azure AD is performed by Microsoft Entra Connect (formerly Azure AD Connect), not by Identity Protection. Identity Protection is a risk-based monitoring service; it does not copy or replicate directory objects, passwords, or group memberships between identity stores.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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