The correct combination is Pass-through Authentication with Seamless Single Sign-On. PTA validates user passwords directly against on-premises Active Directory without ever storing password hashes in the cloud, which directly satisfies the requirement to avoid hash synchronization. Seamless SSO then eliminates credential re-prompts on domain-joined devices by using Kerberos delegation to silently authenticate users against Microsoft Entra ID. On the MS-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of when to choose PTA over Password Hash Sync—specifically when security or compliance policies forbid cloud-stored hashes. A common trap is selecting Password Hash Sync with Seamless SSO, but that still synchronizes hashes, violating the core constraint. Remember the memory tip: “No hashes in the cloud? PTA is the proud choice; Seamless SSO makes the sign-in silent.”
MS-102 Practice Question: Implement and manage identity and access in Microsoft Entra ID
This MS-102 practice question tests your understanding of implement and manage identity and access in microsoft entra id. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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.
An organization wants to allow users to sign in to Microsoft 365 using their on-premises Active Directory credentials but does not want to synchronize password hashes to the cloud. They also want to eliminate the need for users to re-enter their credentials when accessing cloud resources from domain-joined devices. Which combination of authentication methods should they implement?
Pass-through Authentication (PTA) with Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO)
PTA validates passwords on-premises without storing hashes, and Seamless SSO provides automatic sign-in for domain-joined devices.
B
Federation with Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
Why wrong: AD FS also avoids password hash sync and provides SSO, but it requires additional on-premises servers and is more complex to manage than PTA.
C
Password Hash Sync (PHS) with Seamless SSO
Why wrong: PHS synchronizes password hashes to the cloud, which the organization explicitly wants to avoid.
D
Cloud-only authentication with MFA
Why wrong: Cloud-only authentication does not use on-premises Active Directory credentials, so it does not meet the requirement.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Pass-through Authentication (PTA) with Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO)
Pass-through Authentication (PTA) validates user passwords directly against on-premises Active Directory without storing password hashes in the cloud, satisfying the requirement to avoid hash synchronization. Seamless SSO eliminates the need for users to re-enter credentials on domain-joined devices by using Kerberos delegation to silently authenticate against Microsoft Entra ID, meeting both stated needs.
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.
✓
Pass-through Authentication (PTA) with Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO)
Why this is correct
PTA validates passwords on-premises without storing hashes, and Seamless SSO provides automatic sign-in for domain-joined devices.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Federation with Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
Why it's wrong here
AD FS also avoids password hash sync and provides SSO, but it requires additional on-premises servers and is more complex to manage than PTA.
✗
Password Hash Sync (PHS) with Seamless SSO
Why it's wrong here
PHS synchronizes password hashes to the cloud, which the organization explicitly wants to avoid.
✗
Cloud-only authentication with MFA
Why it's wrong here
Cloud-only authentication does not use on-premises Active Directory credentials, so it does not meet the requirement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Seamless SSO as being exclusive to Password Hash Sync, but it is also fully supported with Pass-through Authentication, and the key differentiator is the requirement to avoid password hash synchronization.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
PTA uses a lightweight agent on-premises that receives authentication requests from Microsoft Entra ID and validates them against Active Directory via standard Kerberos or NTLM protocols; the password is never stored in Azure. Seamless SSO leverages the Azure AD Connect Seamless SSO feature, which creates a computer account in on-premises AD named AZUREADSSOACC and uses Kerberos ticket exchange to provide silent sign-in on domain-joined devices without prompting for credentials.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MS-102 question in full detail.
Implement and manage identity and access in Microsoft Entra ID — This question tests Implement and manage identity and access in Microsoft Entra ID — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Pass-through Authentication (PTA) with Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO) — Pass-through Authentication (PTA) validates user passwords directly against on-premises Active Directory without storing password hashes in the cloud, satisfying the requirement to avoid hash synchronization. Seamless SSO eliminates the need for users to re-enter credentials on domain-joined devices by using Kerberos delegation to silently authenticate against Microsoft Entra ID, meeting both stated needs.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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. An organization uses Microsoft Entra ID with Pass-through Authentication (PTA) and Seamless Single Sign-On (SSO). They notice that password changes in on-premises Active Directory are not reflecting immediately in Microsoft Entra ID for some users. What is the most likely cause?
hard
A.The PTA agents are overloaded
✓ B.The user's password change has not replicated to all domain controllers
C.The Seamless SSO feature is disabled
D.Microsoft Entra ID has a password hash sync delay
Why B: In a Pass-through Authentication environment, password changes are processed by on-premises Active Directory. The password change must replicate to all domain controllers before Microsoft Entra ID can authenticate the new password via the PTA agent. If replication is incomplete, the PTA agent may contact a domain controller that still has the old password, causing the delay.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.