Quick Answer
The answer is Istio service mesh, as it provides a dedicated infrastructure layer for managing service-to-service communication with automatic mutual TLS (mTLS) between microservices on AKS. Istio injects Envoy sidecar proxies into each pod, handling encryption, authentication, and authorization without requiring application code changes, which enforces zero-trust network security within the cluster. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how service meshes solve east-west traffic encryption challenges, often contrasting Istio with alternatives like Azure Application Gateway or network policies that lack per-service identity and automatic mTLS. A common trap is selecting a simple ingress controller or TLS termination at the gateway, which only protects north-south traffic, not internal microservice-to-microservice calls. Remember the memory tip: “Sidecars seal service secrets” — Istio’s Envoy sidecars automatically encrypt and authenticate every service-to-service call, making mTLS seamless without code changes.
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design a strategy for data and applications. 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.
A company is designing a microservices architecture on Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS). They need to secure communication between services using mutual TLS (mTLS). Which solution should they implement?
Azure Application Gateway
Why wrong: For inbound HTTP load balancing.
Azure Firewall
Why wrong: For network traffic filtering.
Azure API Management
Why wrong: For API gateway, not internal service mesh.
Istio service mesh
Provides mTLS for microservices.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Istio service mesh
Istio service mesh is the correct solution because it provides a dedicated infrastructure layer for managing service-to-service communication, including automatic mutual TLS (mTLS) between microservices. Istio injects Envoy sidecar proxies into each pod, which handle encryption, authentication, and authorization without requiring application code changes. This enables zero-trust network security within the AKS cluster.
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.
Azure Application Gateway
Why it's wrong here
For inbound HTTP load balancing.
Azure Firewall
Why it's wrong here
For network traffic filtering.
Azure API Management
Why it's wrong here
For API gateway, not internal service mesh.
Istio service mesh
Why this is correct
Provides mTLS for microservices.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse ingress/egress security appliances (like Application Gateway or API Management) with internal service-to-service security, assuming a gateway can handle mTLS for east-west traffic when it is designed only for north-south traffic.
Detailed technical explanation
Istio's mTLS implementation uses X.509 certificates issued by a built-in Certificate Authority (Citadel) to each service identity (based on Kubernetes service accounts). The Envoy proxies intercept all TCP traffic via iptables rules and perform TLS handshake and certificate validation, supporting permissive mode for gradual adoption. In real-world scenarios, this prevents man-in-the-middle attacks and ensures that only authenticated services can communicate, even if the underlying network is compromised.
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
Design a strategy for data and applications — This question tests Design a strategy for data and applications — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Istio service mesh — Istio service mesh is the correct solution because it provides a dedicated infrastructure layer for managing service-to-service communication, including automatic mutual TLS (mTLS) between microservices. Istio injects Envoy sidecar proxies into each pod, which handle encryption, authentication, and authorization without requiring application code changes. This enables zero-trust network security within the AKS cluster.
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 11, 2026
This SC-100 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Microsoft certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SC-100 exam.
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