MS-900 Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services Practice Question
A user is trying to access Microsoft 365 services but is prompted for additional verification via a phone call. Which Microsoft 365 feature is enforcing this?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse Microsoft Defender XDR (a security monitoring tool) with identity security features, or they mistakenly think Intune or Purview handle authentication challenges, when in fact only Microsoft Entra ID (the identity provider) can enforce MFA prompts like phone call verification.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Entra ID
Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) is the identity and access management service that enforces Conditional Access policies. When a user is prompted for additional verification via a phone call, it means a Conditional Access policy requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) has been triggered. Entra ID evaluates the sign-in risk, user location, or device compliance and then invokes MFA through the Microsoft Authenticator service, which can deliver a phone call as one of the verification methods.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Microsoft Entra ID
Why this is correct
Microsoft Entra ID is the cloud identity and access management service that authenticates user credentials and issues security tokens for Microsoft 365. When a user attempts to access services, Entra ID validates their sign-in and can enforce multifactor authentication (MFA) and conditional access policies for additional verification. Thus, any authentication failure or prompt for MFA is handled at the Entra ID layer, making it the correct service for sign-in problems.
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Microsoft Purview
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Purview is a suite for data governance, compliance, and risk management, encompassing capabilities such as data classification, retention policies, eDiscovery, and insider risk management. It does not validate user identities or process login requests for Microsoft 365. A user being unable to access services would not be resolved by Purview, because authentication is outside its scope entirely.
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Microsoft Defender XDR
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Defender XDR unifies threat detection and response across email, endpoints, identities, and cloud apps to identify and remediate security incidents. It consumes authentication logs to spot risky sign-ins or compromised accounts, but it never issues credentials or gates access at sign-in. Therefore, it can alert on authentication-related threats but does not provide the actual authentication mechanism for a user trying to access services.
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Microsoft Intune
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management service that handles device enrollment, configuration profiles, and compliance policies for protecting organizational data on mobile devices and PCs. It integrates with conditional access to block noncompliant devices, but it does not perform user authentication itself; credential validation remains with the identity provider. As a result, Intune manages the state of the device, not the user's sign-on, so it cannot address a user's inability to authenticate.
Go deeper
Related to this question
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Microsoft Teams Phone and Calling Plans
Key term
MFA
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security method that requires a user to verify their identity using two or more different types of evidence, such as a password plus a code from a phone, before they can access an account or system.
Key term
Conditional Access policy
A Conditional Access policy is a set of rules in Microsoft Entra ID that automatically grants or blocks access to cloud apps based on signals like user identity, location, device health, and risk level.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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