- A
Sensitivity labels with auto-labeling
Why wrong: Sensitivity labels can encrypt documents and emails, but auto-labeling does not occur on send; it is applied via the client or automatically based on conditions but not triggered in-transit like DLP.
- B
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy with encryption action
DLP policies can monitor email for sensitive data and, when detected, automatically apply encryption via Office 365 Message Encryption and notify the user.
- C
Office 365 Message Encryption (OME) configuration
Why wrong: OME provides encryption capabilities, but it is not a detection mechanism; a DLP policy is needed to trigger encryption based on content.
- D
Retention policy and labels
Why wrong: Retention policies preserve or delete data, they do not provide encryption at send.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy with an encryption action. This solution works because Microsoft Purview DLP policies can detect sensitive information types like Social Security numbers within email content and automatically apply Office 365 Message Encryption (OME) to any message sent to external recipients, meeting the compliance requirement without manual user steps. On the MS-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how DLP integrates with Exchange Online to enforce content-based protection, often appearing as a distractor against manual sensitivity labels or transport rules—the key trap is that labels require user or admin classification, while DLP triggers automatically on PII detection. Remember the mnemonic: DLP Detects, Labels Protect; for automatic encryption of external PII, always choose the DLP policy with the encrypt action.
MS-102 Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview Practice Question
This MS-102 practice question tests your understanding of manage compliance by using microsoft purview. 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. 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 compliance officer needs to ensure that any email sent from the organization that contains personally identifiable information (PII) such as social security numbers is automatically encrypted when the recipient is outside the organization. Which Microsoft Purview solution should the officer configure?
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
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy with encryption action
Option B is correct because a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy in Microsoft Purview can be configured with an 'Encrypt email messages' action that automatically applies Office 365 Message Encryption (OME) to emails containing sensitive information types (e.g., Social Security Number) when sent to external recipients. This meets the compliance requirement for automatic encryption based on content detection, without requiring user intervention or manual label application.
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.
- ✗
Sensitivity labels with auto-labeling
Why it's wrong here
Sensitivity labels can encrypt documents and emails, but auto-labeling does not occur on send; it is applied via the client or automatically based on conditions but not triggered in-transit like DLP.
- ✓
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy with encryption action
Why this is correct
DLP policies can monitor email for sensitive data and, when detected, automatically apply encryption via Office 365 Message Encryption and notify the user.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Office 365 Message Encryption (OME) configuration
Why it's wrong here
OME provides encryption capabilities, but it is not a detection mechanism; a DLP policy is needed to trigger encryption based on content.
- ✗
Retention policy and labels
Why it's wrong here
Retention policies preserve or delete data, they do not provide encryption at send.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the underlying encryption technology (OME) with the policy that triggers it, leading them to select OME configuration (Option C) instead of the DLP policy that actually detects PII and enforces the encryption action.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a DLP policy with the encryption action uses Exchange Online mail flow rules (transport rules) to apply OME via Azure Rights Management (Azure RMS). The policy matches sensitive information types defined in the Microsoft 365 compliance center (e.g., U.S. Social Security Number pattern with checksum validation) and triggers a 'Modify message security' action that wraps the email with an encrypted OME message. A real-world scenario: if an employee accidentally includes a social security number in the body of an email to a partner, the DLP policy intercepts the message at the transport layer and encrypts it before delivery, ensuring the external recipient must authenticate to read it.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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?
Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview — This question tests Manage compliance by using Microsoft Purview — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy with encryption action — Option B is correct because a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy in Microsoft Purview can be configured with an 'Encrypt email messages' action that automatically applies Office 365 Message Encryption (OME) to emails containing sensitive information types (e.g., Social Security Number) when sent to external recipients. This meets the compliance requirement for automatic encryption based on content detection, without requiring user intervention or manual label application.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This MS-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 MS-102 exam.
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