The answer is enabling Azure Policy for AKS to enforce pod security policies and integrating Azure AD for RBAC-based access control. Azure Policy for AKS works by applying guardrails directly to the cluster, automatically auditing or denying deployments that violate defined security standards, such as restricting privileged containers or enforcing read-only root filesystems. Azure AD integration, on the other hand, replaces static Kubernetes service account tokens with Azure AD identities, enabling fine-grained role-based access control, conditional access policies, and full audit logging through Azure AD sign-in logs—eliminating shared credentials entirely. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this pairing tests your understanding of identity-driven security versus policy-driven enforcement; a common trap is confusing Azure RBAC with Kubernetes RBAC, but remember that Azure AD integration handles who can act, while Azure Policy controls what actions are allowed. Memory tip: think “Who vs. What”—Azure AD answers who, Azure Policy answers what.
SC-100 Practice Question: Recommend security best practices and priorities
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of recommend 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 TWO of the following are best practices for securing Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS)?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "best"
Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Use Azure AD integration for authentication
Azure AD integration for AKS enables role-based access control (RBAC) using Azure AD identities, allowing fine-grained permissions for cluster operations. This eliminates the need for shared static credentials and supports conditional access policies, multi-factor authentication, and audit logging via Azure AD sign-in logs. It is a foundational security best practice for identity management in Kubernetes clusters.
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.
✓
Use Azure AD integration for authentication
Why this is correct
Azure AD integration provides identity-based access control.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Deploy all applications in the default namespace
Why it's wrong here
Default namespace should be avoided; use namespaces for isolation.
✗
Use service principals instead of managed identities for pod identity
Why it's wrong here
Managed identities are preferred over service principals for security.
✓
Enable Azure Policy for AKS to enforce pod security policies
Why this is correct
Azure Policy can enforce security standards on AKS clusters.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "best" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Enable SSH access to all worker nodes for troubleshooting
Why it's wrong here
SSH access should be restricted or disabled to reduce attack surface.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates may think service principals are more secure than managed identities because they are explicit credentials, but managed identities eliminate credential management and are the recommended approach for pod identity in Azure.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Azure AD integration for AKS leverages OIDC (OpenID Connect) to authenticate users and groups, mapping Azure AD objects to Kubernetes RBAC roles via `kubectl` with `az aks get-credentials`. Managed identities for pods use Azure Instance Metadata Service (IMDS) to obtain tokens without storing secrets, while service principals require client secrets or certificates that must be rotated and can be leaked. Azure Policy for AKS uses the Azure Policy Add-on to enforce built-in or custom policies like disallowing privileged containers or enforcing read-only root filesystems, which are implemented as OPA/Gatekeeper constraints under the hood.
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.
TExam Day Tips
→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.
Recommend security best practices and priorities — This question tests Recommend 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: Use Azure AD integration for authentication — Azure AD integration for AKS enables role-based access control (RBAC) using Azure AD identities, allowing fine-grained permissions for cluster operations. This eliminates the need for shared static credentials and supports conditional access policies, multi-factor authentication, and audit logging via Azure AD sign-in logs. It is a foundational security best practice for identity management in Kubernetes clusters.
What should I do if I get this SC-100 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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