The answer is a Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy in Microsoft Purview. This is correct because DLP policies are purpose-built to detect sensitive data like credit card numbers in transit and enforce real-time actions, such as blocking outgoing emails and displaying a policy tip to the user, all without requiring manual labeling. On the MS-102 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to configure Exchange Online mail flow rules within a DLP policy using built-in sensitive info types, with a common trap being confusion with Microsoft Defender for Office 365 or retention policies, which do not offer the same blocking and policy tip functionality. Remember the key distinction: DLP policies are the only solution that can both block the message and show a policy tip immediately upon detection. A useful memory tip is "DLP: Detect, Lock, Prompt" — it detects sensitive data, locks the message from being sent, and prompts the user with a policy tip.
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 company must ensure that all outgoing emails containing credit card numbers are blocked from being sent to external recipients. When a user attempts to send such an email, it should be blocked immediately, and the user should see a policy tip explaining the rule. Which Microsoft Purview solution should the administrator configure?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "immediately / without restart"
Why it matters: Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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
A Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy is the correct solution because it is specifically designed to detect sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, in transit (email) and enforce real-time actions like blocking the message and displaying a policy tip to the user. DLP policies in Microsoft Purview can be configured with conditions that match credit card number patterns using built-in sensitive info types, and the action 'Block messages' with a policy tip notification is available for Exchange Online mail flow. This ensures immediate blocking and user notification without requiring any manual labeling or classification.
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.
✓
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy
Why this is correct
DLP policies can block emails containing sensitive info and display policy tips to users.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "immediately / without restart" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Sensitivity labels
Why it's wrong here
Sensitivity labels classify and protect data but do not block email transmission.
✗
Retention labels
Why it's wrong here
Retention labels manage how long data is kept and when it is deleted, not real-time blocking.
✗
Communication compliance
Why it's wrong here
Communication compliance monitors communications for policy violations but does not block messages.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse sensitivity labels with DLP because both involve 'protection,' but sensitivity labels require manual or automatic classification and do not perform real-time content inspection or blocking of outbound emails based on sensitive data patterns.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Microsoft Purview DLP uses built-in sensitive information types (SITs) that rely on regex patterns, keyword lists, and checksums (e.g., Luhn algorithm for credit card numbers) to accurately detect sensitive data. When a DLP rule matches in Exchange Online, it triggers a transport rule agent that can reject the message at the SMTP level before it leaves the organization, and the policy tip is delivered via Outlook's client-side or OWA's policy tip infrastructure. A real-world scenario where this matters is a financial services firm that must comply with PCI DSS; a DLP policy ensures that even if a user accidentally pastes a credit card number into an email, the message is blocked and the user is educated immediately, preventing data exfiltration.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this MS-102 question in full detail.
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 — A Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policy is the correct solution because it is specifically designed to detect sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, in transit (email) and enforce real-time actions like blocking the message and displaying a policy tip to the user. DLP policies in Microsoft Purview can be configured with conditions that match credit card number patterns using built-in sensitive info types, and the action 'Block messages' with a policy tip notification is available for Exchange Online mail flow. This ensures immediate blocking and user notification without requiring any manual labeling or classification.
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: "immediately / without restart". Time or reboot constraint — the correct answer must take effect right away without requiring a reboot or reload.
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. Your company is implementing Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to protect credit card numbers in emails. Which THREE actions can a DLP policy take when a match is found?
easy
A.Delete the email from the recipient's inbox.
B.Encrypt the email automatically.
✓ C.Allow the user to override the block with a business justification.
✓ D.Send a notification to the user with a policy tip.
✓ E.Block the email from being sent.
Why C: Options A, B, and C are correct because DLP can block sending, send notification, and allow override. Option D is wrong because encrypting email with rights management is an action, but not listed as a standard DLP action (it is an exception). Option E is wrong because DLP does not delete emails automatically.
Variation 2. Your company has a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription. You need to prevent users from sharing files containing credit card numbers with external users. What should you configure?
medium
A.A retention policy for SharePoint sites.
B.An information barrier policy.
C.A sensitivity label with encryption.
✓ D.A DLP policy that blocks sharing of content with sensitive info type.
Why D: Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies can detect sensitive information like credit card numbers and block sharing. Option B is correct. Option A is wrong because retention policies manage lifecycle, not prevent sharing. Option C is wrong because sensitivity labels require manual or automatic classification but do not block sharing directly. Option D is wrong because information barriers restrict communication between groups, not data sharing.
Variation 3. A compliance officer needs to prevent users from sharing confidential documents with external users outside the organization. The policy should block sharing via email attachments or sharing links from SharePoint Online. Which Microsoft Purview solution should be configured?
medium
A.Sensitivity labels
✓ B.Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
C.Retention policies
D.Information barriers
Why B: Data Loss Prevention (DLP) in Microsoft Purview is designed to identify, monitor, and automatically protect sensitive information across Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive for Business. By creating a DLP policy with a rule that blocks sharing of confidential documents via email attachments or sharing links to external users, the compliance officer can enforce the required restriction. DLP policies can inspect content for sensitive data types (e.g., credit card numbers, custom confidential labels) and apply actions such as blocking the sharing action or sending a notification.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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