Quick Answer
The answer is the Locations condition under Assignments > Conditions. This setting allows administrators to define trusted named locations, such as corporate IP ranges, and then require multi-factor authentication when access originates from any location that is not trusted. By configuring a policy that targets all users and Office 365 as the cloud app, and setting the Locations condition to exclude the corporate network, the policy enforces MFA for every external access attempt, directly meeting the requirement to require MFA outside the corporate network. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this tests your understanding of how Conditional Access policies use location-based controls to enforce security boundaries, often appearing as a scenario where you must distinguish between user risk, device compliance, and location conditions. A common trap is confusing Locations with Sign-in risk or device state; remember that Locations is purely about geographic or IP-based trust. Memory tip: “Location locks the door—risk and device are for the guard inside.”
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of recommend security best practices and priorities. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 using Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) for identity management. They want to implement a policy that requires all users to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) when accessing Office 365 from outside the corporate network. Which conditional access policy setting should they configure?
Assignments > Conditions > Client apps
Why wrong: Client apps target app types, not location.
Assignments > Conditions > Locations
Location condition can be used to enforce MFA for external networks.
Assignments > Conditions > Device platforms
Why wrong: Device platforms target OS types, not location.
Assignments > Conditions > Sign-in risk
Why wrong: Sign-in risk targets risk level, not location.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Assignments > Conditions > Locations
Option B is correct because the Locations condition in Azure AD Conditional Access allows administrators to define named locations (such as corporate IP ranges) and then require MFA when access originates from any location that is not trusted. By configuring a policy that targets 'All users' and 'All cloud apps' (or specifically Office 365), and setting the Locations condition to 'Any location' with the exclusion of the corporate network, the policy enforces MFA for all external access attempts. This directly meets the requirement to require MFA when accessing Office 365 from outside the corporate network.
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.
Assignments > Conditions > Client apps
Why it's wrong here
Client apps target app types, not location.
Assignments > Conditions > Locations
Why this is correct
Location condition can be used to enforce MFA for external networks.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Assignments > Conditions > Device platforms
Why it's wrong here
Device platforms target OS types, not location.
Assignments > Conditions > Sign-in risk
Why it's wrong here
Sign-in risk targets risk level, not location.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the Locations condition with the Sign-in risk condition, thinking that external access is inherently risky, but the question specifically asks for a policy based on network location, not risk level.
Detailed technical explanation
Under the hood, the Locations condition relies on IPv4/IPv6 address ranges or country/region mappings defined in the Named Locations blade. When a user signs in, Azure AD evaluates the originating IP address against these named locations; if the IP is not within a trusted location, the policy applies. A subtle behavior is that if the user's external IP is not routable or is a carrier-grade NAT, the policy may incorrectly treat it as unknown, so administrators should also configure the 'Unknown' location option carefully to avoid blocking legitimate users.
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.
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FAQ
Recommend security best practices and priorities — This question tests Recommend security best practices and priorities — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Assignments > Conditions > Locations — Option B is correct because the Locations condition in Azure AD Conditional Access allows administrators to define named locations (such as corporate IP ranges) and then require MFA when access originates from any location that is not trusted. By configuring a policy that targets 'All users' and 'All cloud apps' (or specifically Office 365), and setting the Locations condition to 'Any location' with the exclusion of the corporate network, the policy enforces MFA for all external access attempts. This directly meets the requirement to require MFA when accessing Office 365 from outside the corporate network.
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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Same concept, more angles
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Variation 1. Refer to the exhibit. A security architect reviews the Azure AD Conditional Access policy JSON. The policy is intended to require MFA for all users accessing Azure management (Microsoft Azure Management app ID 797f4846-ba77-4853-9e6f-4433c3e1d1c5), except for the BreakGlassAdmin account and from trusted locations. However, some users report being prompted for MFA even when connecting from the corporate office (which is marked as a trusted location). What is the most likely cause?
hardWhy A: Option A is correct because the policy is designed to require MFA for all users accessing Azure management, except for the BreakGlassAdmin account and from trusted locations. If the corporate office location is not correctly defined as a trusted location in Azure AD, the Conditional Access policy will not recognize it as an exception, and users connecting from that location will still be prompted for MFA. This mismatch between the intended trusted location definition and the actual location configuration is the most likely cause of the unexpected MFA prompts.
Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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