Question 124 of 975

Quick Answer

The answer is to create two conditional access policies: one for compliant devices requiring only the compliant device grant, and one for non-compliant devices requiring both MFA and compliant device. This approach is correct because a single policy cannot differentiate behavior based on device compliance state—since compliant devices already satisfy the "Require compliant device" grant, adding MFA to that same policy would force MFA on compliant devices too, which violates the requirement. On the MS-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how conditional access grant controls interact, with a common trap being the assumption that a single policy with multiple conditions can handle both paths. The key insight is that you must separate the logic into two policies to enforce different access requirements depending on device compliance. Memory tip: think of it as "two doors, one key"—compliant devices use the compliance key only, while non-compliant devices need both the compliance key and MFA to enter.

MS-102 Practice Question: Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access

This MS-102 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage microsoft entra identity and access. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. 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 has Microsoft Entra ID P2 licenses. They need to implement a conditional access policy that requires multifactor authentication (MFA) when accessing the Microsoft Entra admin center from a non-compliant device. However, they want to allow access from compliant devices without MFA. What is the best approach?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "best"

    Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.

Question 1hardmultiple choice
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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

Create two conditional access policies: one for compliant devices requiring only compliant device, and one for non-compliant devices requiring MFA and compliant device

Option C is correct because the requirement is to allow access from compliant devices without MFA while requiring MFA from non-compliant devices. This conditional logic cannot be achieved in a single policy with a single grant block because 'Require compliant device' and 'Require multifactor authentication' are both satisfied by compliant devices (which are already compliant), but you need to differentiate behavior based on device compliance state. By creating two policies—one targeting compliant devices with only 'Require compliant device' as a grant, and another targeting non-compliant devices with both 'Require compliant device' and 'Require multifactor authentication'—you can enforce different access requirements based on the device's compliance status.

Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • Create one conditional access policy with a grant control that combines 'Require compliant device' and 'Require multifactor authentication' as a single control

    Why it's wrong here

    Grant controls cannot combine both as a single control; they are separate controls.

  • Create one conditional access policy with grant controls set to 'Require one of the selected controls' and select both 'Require compliant device' and 'Require multifactor authentication'

    Why it's wrong here

    This would allow either compliance OR MFA, not both for non-compliant devices.

  • Create two conditional access policies: one for compliant devices requiring only compliant device, and one for non-compliant devices requiring MFA and compliant device

    Why this is correct

    This allows MFA only for non-compliant devices, and compliant devices can access without MFA.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • Create one conditional access policy with grant controls set to 'Require all the selected controls' and select both 'Require compliant device' and 'Require multifactor authentication', and include all devices

    Why it's wrong here

    This would require both MFA and compliance for all devices, not just non-compliant ones.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The trap here is that candidates often think a single policy with 'Require one of the selected controls' can differentiate behavior based on device state, but in reality, a single policy applies the same grant logic to all matching devices, so you must use separate policies to enforce different requirements for compliant vs. non-compliant devices.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Conditional Access policies evaluate conditions and apply grant controls based on the user and device state at the time of authentication. When you need different access requirements based on device compliance, you must create separate policies because a single policy's grant controls apply uniformly to all devices that match the conditions. Under the hood, the 'Require compliant device' grant uses the device's compliance status reported by Microsoft Intune (via the Microsoft Entra device registration), and MFA is enforced via the Microsoft Entra authentication stack. In a real-world scenario, if you attempt to use a single policy with 'Require all the selected controls', compliant devices would be forced to complete MFA every time, leading to user friction and potential adoption issues, while using two policies allows you to exclude compliant devices from MFA by not including the MFA grant in their policy.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
  • Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
  • Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.

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

Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.

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.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this MS-102 question test?

Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access — This question tests Implement and manage Microsoft Entra identity and access — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Create two conditional access policies: one for compliant devices requiring only compliant device, and one for non-compliant devices requiring MFA and compliant device — Option C is correct because the requirement is to allow access from compliant devices without MFA while requiring MFA from non-compliant devices. This conditional logic cannot be achieved in a single policy with a single grant block because 'Require compliant device' and 'Require multifactor authentication' are both satisfied by compliant devices (which are already compliant), but you need to differentiate behavior based on device compliance state. By creating two policies—one targeting compliant devices with only 'Require compliant device' as a grant, and another targeting non-compliant devices with both 'Require compliant device' and 'Require multifactor authentication'—you can enforce different access requirements based on the device's compliance status.

What should I do if I get this MS-102 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026

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