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 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?
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) must be enabled in Microsoft Entra ID
SSPR is the cloud service that triggers writeback.
Password hash synchronization must be enabled
Why wrong: Writeback does not require password hash sync.
Azure MFA must be enabled for all users
Why wrong: MFA is not a prerequisite for writeback.
Microsoft Entra ID P2 licenses must be assigned
Why wrong: P1 licenses are sufficient for writeback.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) must be enabled in Microsoft Entra ID
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.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) must be enabled in Microsoft Entra ID
Why this is correct
SSPR is the cloud service that triggers writeback.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Password hash synchronization must be enabled
Why it's wrong here
Writeback does not require password hash sync.
Azure MFA must be enabled for all users
Why it's wrong here
MFA is not a prerequisite for writeback.
Microsoft Entra ID P2 licenses must be assigned
Why it's wrong here
P1 licenses are sufficient for writeback.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often assume password hash synchronization must be enabled for any password-related feature, but password writeback is a separate SSPR function that does not depend on hash sync and can be used with other authentication methods.
Detailed technical explanation
Password writeback uses a service bus relay and a custom connector in the Entra Connect Sync server to securely transmit password change requests from Azure AD to the on-premises AD. The writeback operation updates the user's password hash in the on-premises domain controller via the standard AD DS password reset protocol, and the change is then replicated across the domain. In a real-world scenario, if SSPR is disabled, the password reset portal will not generate the writeback request, leaving users unable to reset their on-premises passwords from the cloud.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
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FAQ
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..
The correct answer is: Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) must be enabled in Microsoft Entra ID — 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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
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