The correct answer is Option A, which configures password protection with a custom banned password list, enables self-service password reset (SSPR) with MFA, and creates risk-based Conditional Access policies. This solution directly addresses the need to enforce a strong password policy by blocking common passwords through a custom banned list, while SSPR allows users to securely reset their own passwords without help desk intervention, and the Conditional Access policies block anonymous IP sign-ins and require MFA for high-risk sign-ins. On the MS-102 exam, this scenario tests your ability to combine Microsoft Entra ID Protection, SSPR, and Conditional Access into a layered security strategy, often appearing as a multi-requirement question where distractors like password expiration or security defaults fail to meet all conditions. A common trap is choosing security defaults (Option D), which lack custom banned password lists and granular risk policies. Memory tip: think "Banned + Reset + Risk" as the three pillars for a complete password security solution.
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. 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.
Your organization, Contoso Ltd., has a Microsoft 365 E5 tenant with Microsoft Entra ID P2. You are the Global Administrator. The security team reports that several users have been compromised due to weak passwords. You need to implement a solution that enforces strong password policies and blocks common passwords. The solution must also provide users with the ability to reset their own passwords securely if they forget them, without requiring help desk intervention. Additionally, you need to configure risk-based Conditional Access policies to block sign-ins from anonymous IP addresses and require MFA for high-risk sign-ins. You have the following options: A. Configure password protection in Microsoft Entra ID to enforce a custom banned password list and enable self-service password reset (SSPR) with MFA. Then create Conditional Access policies for sign-in risk and anonymous IP. B. Enable password hash sync and configure pass-through authentication. Create a Conditional Access policy to require MFA for all users. C. Implement Microsoft Entra ID Protection and enable MFA registration policy. Configure password expiration to 90 days. D. Use security defaults in Microsoft Entra ID and enable automatic password rollback. Which option should you choose?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Configure password protection with custom banned list, SSPR with MFA, and risk-based Conditional Access policies
Option A is correct because it covers all requirements: custom banned password list, SSPR, and risk-based Conditional Access policies. Option B is wrong because it does not address common passwords or SSPR. Option C is wrong because password expiration is not effective and no SSPR. Option D is wrong because security defaults do not allow custom banned password list and risk-based policies.
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.
✓
Configure password protection with custom banned list, SSPR with MFA, and risk-based Conditional Access policies
Why this is correct
Meets all requirements.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable password hash sync, pass-through authentication, and require MFA for all
Why it's wrong here
Does not address common passwords or SSPR.
✗
Implement Identity Protection, enable MFA registration policy, set password expiration to 90 days
Why it's wrong here
No SSPR and password expiration is outdated.
✗
Use security defaults and enable automatic password rollback
Why it's wrong here
No custom policies or SSPR.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→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.
Identify which MS-102 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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: Configure password protection with custom banned list, SSPR with MFA, and risk-based Conditional Access policies — Option A is correct because it covers all requirements: custom banned password list, SSPR, and risk-based Conditional Access policies. Option B is wrong because it does not address common passwords or SSPR. Option C is wrong because password expiration is not effective and no SSPR. Option D is wrong because security defaults do not allow custom banned password list and risk-based policies.
What should I do if I get this MS-102 question wrong?
Identify which MS-102 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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. Contoso uses Microsoft Entra ID P2. Users report that password reset self-service does not work. You verify that the users have the required license. What should you check next?
easy
A.Ensure the users are in a group scoped for SSPR
B.Check that the users have registered for SSPR
C.Confirm the users have Microsoft Entra ID P1 licenses
✓ D.Verify SSPR is enabled in Microsoft Entra ID
Why D: The users already have the required Microsoft Entra ID P2 license, which includes SSPR functionality. However, SSPR must be explicitly enabled at the tenant level in Microsoft Entra ID under 'Password reset' settings before users can use the self-service password reset feature. Without this tenant-wide enablement, even licensed users cannot reset their passwords.
Variation 2. Your organization has a hybrid identity deployment using Microsoft Entra Connect Sync. You need to ensure that password writeback is enabled so that users can reset their own passwords from the cloud. Which prerequisite must be met?
hard
✓ A.Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) must be enabled in Microsoft Entra ID
B.Password hash synchronization must be enabled
C.Azure MFA must be enabled for all users
D.Microsoft Entra ID P2 licenses must be assigned
Why A: Password writeback requires that Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) is enabled in Microsoft Entra ID because writeback is a feature of SSPR that allows password changes initiated in the cloud to be written back to the on-premises Active Directory. Without SSPR enabled, the cloud tenant has no mechanism to trigger the writeback operation, even if the Entra Connect Sync configuration is correct.
Last reviewed: Jun 21, 2026
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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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