Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services →hardMultiple Select

MS-900 Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services Practice Question

Which TWO Microsoft 365 compliance features are available in Microsoft Purview to help organizations manage and protect sensitive data?

⚠ Common exam trap

Microsoft often tests the distinction between security tools (Defender, Entra ID Protection) and compliance tools (Purview features), so candidates mistakenly select Defender for Cloud Apps or Defender XDR because they associate 'protect sensitive data' with security rather than data governance and loss prevention.

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

✓

Data Lifecycle Management

Data Lifecycle Management (B) is correct because it enables organizations to govern their data through retention policies and retention labels, automatically retaining or deleting content based on regulatory requirements. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (E) is correct because it identifies, monitors, and protects sensitive data across Microsoft 365 services (Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams) by applying policies that prevent unauthorized sharing or leakage.

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 Defender for Cloud Apps
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) that provides real-time monitoring, conditional access control, and shadow IT discovery for sanctioned and unsanctioned cloud services. It operates under the Microsoft Defender security stack, not Microsoft Purview, so its focus is on session-level threat protection rather than compliance tasks like retention, classification, or data governance.
✓
Data Lifecycle Management
Why this is correct
Data Lifecycle Management is a Microsoft Purview compliance solution that enables organizations to define retention and deletion policies for content across workloads such as Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. It helps meet legal, regulatory, and business requirements by ensuring data is retained only as long as necessary and then systematically disposed of, reducing risk of over-retention or premature deletion.
✗
Microsoft Entra ID Protection
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Entra ID Protection is an identity security feature that detects and responds to identity-based risks including leaked credentials, unusual sign-in patterns, and compromised accounts. It enforces conditional access policies such as requiring multi-factor authentication or blocking suspicious sign-ins, but it operates within Microsoft Entra (formerly Azure Active Directory), not as a Microsoft Purview compliance feature for data governance and protection.
✗
Microsoft Defender XDR
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Defender XDR, also known as Microsoft 365 Defender, is a unified security operations suite that integrates signals across endpoints, emails, identities, and cloud apps to detect, investigate, and remediate sophisticated attacks. Its purpose is threat hunting and incident response in the security domain, completely distinct from compliance capabilities like data lifecycle management, eDiscovery, and DLP that reside in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal.
✓
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Why this is correct
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) in Microsoft Purview protects sensitive data by applying policies that scan content across Exchange, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams for sensitive info types such as credit card numbers, tax IDs, and personally identifiable information. When a risk is detected, DLP can block, restrict, or display policy tips to users, preventing unauthorized sharing or exfiltration—making it a core compliance feature for data governance and privacy.

Go deeper

MS-900 Describe Microsoft 365 apps and services Practice Question

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

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