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. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 uses Microsoft Entra ID and has a custom role that grants 'microsoft.directory/applications/credentials/update' permission. A security audit reveals that a user assigned this role has modified credentials for an application. You need to prevent such actions while allowing other application updates. What should you do?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Create a custom role that excludes the 'microsoft.directory/applications/credentials/update' permission and assign it to the user.
The custom role currently includes the 'microsoft.directory/applications/credentials/update' permission, which allows modifying application credentials. To prevent credential updates while still permitting other application updates, you must create a new custom role that explicitly excludes this permission and assign it to the user. This approach preserves granular control without granting unnecessary privileges, unlike built-in roles that would either over-scope or under-scope permissions.
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.
✗
Assign the user the built-in Application Administrator role instead.
Why it's wrong here
Application Administrator includes credential update permission.
✗
Enable multi-factor authentication for the user.
Why it's wrong here
MFA does not prevent the action, only adds authentication step.
✗
Remove the user from the custom role and assign them another role with fewer permissions.
Why it's wrong here
This would remove all update permissions, not just credentials.
✓
Create a custom role that excludes the 'microsoft.directory/applications/credentials/update' permission and assign it to the user.
Why this is correct
A custom role can be defined to exclude specific permissions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think removing the user from the custom role and assigning a different role (Option C) is the simplest fix, but that would likely revoke all application update permissions, failing the requirement to allow other updates.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Custom roles in Microsoft Entra ID are defined using a set of permissions under the 'microsoft.directory/applications' namespace, where each permission controls a specific action like 'credentials/update' or 'properties/update'. By creating a custom role that includes all desired application permissions except 'credentials/update', you achieve least-privilege access. This granularity is essential in scenarios where application developers need to manage app settings but must be prevented from rotating secrets or certificates that could compromise security.
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 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: Create a custom role that excludes the 'microsoft.directory/applications/credentials/update' permission and assign it to the user. — The custom role currently includes the 'microsoft.directory/applications/credentials/update' permission, which allows modifying application credentials. To prevent credential updates while still permitting other application updates, you must create a new custom role that explicitly excludes this permission and assign it to the user. This approach preserves granular control without granting unnecessary privileges, unlike built-in roles that would either over-scope or under-scope permissions.
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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Question Discussion
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