The answer is a Conditional Access policy requiring a compliant device. This is correct because Microsoft Entra ID’s Conditional Access evaluates the device compliance status reported by Intune before granting access to corporate email, ensuring only devices meeting security baselines—such as encryption, OS version, and threat level—can authenticate. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how Intune and Entra ID integrate to enforce zero-trust access controls; a common trap is confusing device compliance with device enrollment, as enrollment alone does not guarantee policy adherence. Remember that Conditional Access acts as the gatekeeper, while Intune provides the compliance signal—think of it as “Intune reports, Conditional Access enforces.” A helpful memory tip: “Compliance is the key, Conditional Access is the lock.”
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. 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.
Your organization uses Microsoft Intune for mobile device management. You need to ensure that only devices compliant with security policies can access corporate email. What should you implement?
A is correct because a Conditional Access policy in Microsoft Entra ID can evaluate device compliance status reported by Intune before granting access to corporate email. By configuring a policy that requires a device to be marked as compliant, only devices that meet your security policies (e.g., encryption, OS version, threat level) will be allowed to authenticate and access email. This directly enforces the requirement that only compliant devices can access corporate email.
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.
This enforces device compliance before granting access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management
Why it's wrong here
Data Lifecycle Management governs data retention, not access.
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Microsoft Defender for Endpoint integration
Why it's wrong here
Defender for Endpoint provides threat detection, not access control.
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Microsoft Intune App Protection Policies
Why it's wrong here
App Protection Policies protect data at the app level, not device-level access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse Intune App Protection Policies (MAM) with device-based compliance, but MAM policies protect data at the app level and do not require the device itself to be compliant, so they do not meet the requirement of 'only compliant devices'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Conditional Access policies use the device compliance status that Intune reports to Microsoft Entra ID via the device registration and compliance attestation process. When a device enrolls in Intune, it receives a compliance policy that checks settings like BitLocker encryption, minimum OS version, and jailbreak/root detection; the device periodically reports its compliance state, and Entra ID caches this status. In a real-world scenario, if a device falls out of compliance (e.g., user disables encryption), the next token refresh for email access will be denied, and the user may be prompted to remediate before access is restored.
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.
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: Conditional Access policy requiring compliant device — A is correct because a Conditional Access policy in Microsoft Entra ID can evaluate device compliance status reported by Intune before granting access to corporate email. By configuring a policy that requires a device to be marked as compliant, only devices that meet your security policies (e.g., encryption, OS version, threat level) will be allowed to authenticate and access email. This directly enforces the requirement that only compliant devices can access corporate email.
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.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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