A company uses Microsoft 365 (a SaaS offering). A security incident occurs where an employee's account is compromised because the employee reused their corporate password on a personal website. According to the shared responsibility model, who is primarily responsible for this security failure?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Best answer
The customer (the company using Microsoft 365)
Correct. The customer is responsible for managing user identities, credentials, and access policies. The breach was due to weak password practices.
Distractor review
Microsoft, because they provide the SaaS platform
Incorrect. Microsoft is responsible for securing the infrastructure, applications, and platform, but not for user password choices or reuse on external sites.
Distractor review
Both Microsoft and the customer share equal responsibility
Incorrect. While both have responsibilities, the specific failure (password reuse) falls under the customer's domain of identity management.
Distractor review
It depends on the contract terms with Microsoft
Incorrect. The shared responsibility model is standardized; identity security is always the customer's responsibility regardless of contract details.
Common exam trap
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.
Technical deep dive
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.
Related practice questions
Related MS-900 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
During requirements gathering, an IT manager says the organization must let users provision resources from a portal without provider interaction. Cloud concept or benefit best matches this requirement?
Question 2
A compliance-aware administrator is selecting the right Microsoft 365 capability to use Microsoft 365 and another public cloud provider for different workloads. Cloud concept or benefit best matches this requirement?
Question 3
While preparing a Microsoft 365 adoption plan, a consultant is asked to manage leads, opportunities, customer accounts, and sales processes. Microsoft 365 app or service is the best fit?
Question 4
A project manager needs to create a detailed project schedule with a Gantt chart view, task dependencies, critical path analysis, and milestones. The schedule must be shared with team members who can update their tasks, and the manager wants to track progress against a baseline. Which Microsoft 365 app is specifically designed for this type of project management?
Question 5
A project manager wants to schedule a meeting with team members to discuss project progress. They need to find a time that works for everyone based on their calendars. Which Microsoft 365 app should they use?
Question 6
A project manager wants to create a visual dashboard that tracks project tasks, deadlines, and progress. The dashboard should pull data from a Microsoft List and update in real time. Which Microsoft 365 app is best suited for building this interactive dashboard?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this MS-900 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The customer (the company using Microsoft 365) — In the shared responsibility model, the customer is responsible for managing identity and access security, including enforcing strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Microsoft is responsible for the security of the underlying cloud infrastructure (physical data centers, network, etc.). Since the breach resulted from a weak/compromised credential, the customer bears the responsibility. Both parties are not equally responsible because the failure is on the side of customer practices. The contract generally does not alter this fundamental division.
What should I do if I get this MS-900 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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