This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities. 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.
Which THREE components are part of the Microsoft Zero Trust architecture? (Choose three.)
Networks
Network segmentation and micro-perimeters are part of zero trust.
Devices
Device health and compliance are critical.
Data
Why wrong: Data is a pillar but not one of the three selected here.
Applications
Why wrong: Applications are a pillar but not selected.
Identities
Identities are a key pillar; verify explicitly.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Networks
Networks are a core component of the Microsoft Zero Trust architecture because the model assumes that the network is always hostile and should not be implicitly trusted. Instead of relying on a traditional perimeter, Zero Trust enforces micro-segmentation, real-time threat protection, and end-to-end encryption to control traffic between resources. Microsoft implements this through Azure Firewall, Azure Virtual Network security groups, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud to monitor and filter network traffic based on identity and device posture.
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.
Networks
Why this is correct
Network segmentation and micro-perimeters are part of zero trust.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Devices
Why this is correct
Device health and compliance are critical.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Data
Why it's wrong here
Data is a pillar but not one of the three selected here.
Applications
Why it's wrong here
Applications are a pillar but not selected.
Identities
Why this is correct
Identities are a key pillar; verify explicitly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
The trap here is that candidates may confuse the six pillars of Microsoft Zero Trust (Identities, Devices, Applications, Networks, Infrastructure, Data) with the three components asked in the question, leading them to select Applications or Data instead of recognizing that the question specifically requires Networks, Devices, and Identities as the correct trio.
Detailed technical explanation
Microsoft's Zero Trust architecture is built on six pillars: Identities, Devices, Applications, Networks, Infrastructure, and Data. Each pillar has specific controls; for example, the Networks pillar uses micro-segmentation with Azure Virtual Network service endpoints and Azure Firewall to enforce least-privilege access, while the Identities pillar relies on Azure AD Conditional Access policies that evaluate user risk, device compliance, and location in real time. In a real-world scenario, a compromised device would be blocked from accessing corporate resources even if the user's identity is valid, demonstrating the interplay between the Identities and Devices pillars.
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 solutions that align with security best practices and priorities — This question tests Design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Networks — Networks are a core component of the Microsoft Zero Trust architecture because the model assumes that the network is always hostile and should not be implicitly trusted. Instead of relying on a traditional perimeter, Zero Trust enforces micro-segmentation, real-time threat protection, and end-to-end encryption to control traffic between resources. Microsoft implements this through Azure Firewall, Azure Virtual Network security groups, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud to monitor and filter network traffic based on identity and device posture.
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 24, 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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