The answer is Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access and Microsoft Intune. These two solutions work together to enforce Zero Trust principles by verifying identity and device health before granting access, ensuring that only authenticated users on compliant, healthy devices can reach corporate resources. Entra ID Conditional Access evaluates real-time signals like user identity and location to apply access policies, while Intune manages device compliance through configuration profiles and health attestation. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this pairing tests your understanding of how identity-driven and device-driven controls converge in a Zero Trust architecture, often appearing in scenario-based questions where you must choose the correct combination for pre-access verification. A common trap is confusing Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps, which focuses on cloud app security, or Microsoft Sentinel, a SIEM, with these core identity and device controls. Memory tip: think “ID + Device = Zero Trust Gate,” where Entra ID handles the “who” and Intune handles the “what.”
SC-100 Practice Question: Design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design solutions that align with security best practices and priorities. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 TWO Microsoft security solutions can help enforce Zero Trust principles by verifying identity and device health before granting access to resources?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Microsoft Intune
Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access verifies identity and enforces policies. Microsoft Intune manages device compliance and health. Both are used together for Zero Trust access. Option C is wrong because Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps focuses on cloud app security. Option D is wrong because Microsoft Sentinel is a SIEM. Option E is wrong because Microsoft Purview is for data governance.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 Intune
Why this is correct
Intune ensures devices are compliant and healthy, supporting conditional access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Microsoft Purview
Why it's wrong here
Purview handles data governance and compliance, not access control.
✓
Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access
Why this is correct
Conditional Access verifies identity and context before granting access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Cloud Apps provides cloud app security, not identity/device verification.
✗
Microsoft Sentinel
Why it's wrong here
Sentinel is for security analytics, not access enforcement.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this SC-100 question in full detail.
Identify which SC-100 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Microsoft Intune — Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access verifies identity and enforces policies. Microsoft Intune manages device compliance and health. Both are used together for Zero Trust access. Option C is wrong because Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps focuses on cloud app security. Option D is wrong because Microsoft Sentinel is a SIEM. Option E is wrong because Microsoft Purview is for data governance.
What should I do if I get this SC-100 question wrong?
Identify which SC-100 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.