The answer is Azure AD Conditional Access and Azure AD Application Proxy. This combination is correct because Conditional Access enforces authentication, authorization, and device compliance policies before granting access, while Application Proxy provides encrypted remote access to Azure and on-premises resources without requiring a VPN. On the Microsoft Cybersecurity Architect exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how to implement zero trust access Azure resources device compliance by layering identity-driven controls rather than network perimeter tools. A common trap is choosing Azure VPN Gateway or Azure Firewall, which handle network-level security but cannot evaluate device health or user context. Remember that Conditional Access is the policy engine for compliance checks, and Application Proxy is the secure publishing gateway—together they enforce zero trust without exposing the network. A useful memory tip is “Conditional Access checks the device, App Proxy checks the route.”
SC-100 Design security solutions for infrastructure Practice Question
This SC-100 practice question tests your understanding of design security solutions for infrastructure. 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.
A global company with branches worldwide wants to secure access to Azure resources using a zero-trust approach. They require that all access requests be authenticated, authorized, and encrypted, and that the user's device must be compliant with corporate policies. Which combination of services should they use?
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Azure AD Conditional Access and Azure AD Application Proxy
Option C is correct because Azure AD Conditional Access can enforce authentication and device compliance, while Azure AD Application Proxy provides secure remote access to on-premises apps without VPN. Option A is wrong because Azure VPN Gateway does not enforce device compliance. Option B is wrong because Azure Firewall does not enforce authentication. Option D is wrong because Azure AD B2C is for external identities, not internal access.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Azure VPN Gateway and Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication
B2C is for external identities, not internal access.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
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.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SC-100 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Design security solutions for infrastructure — This question tests Design security solutions for infrastructure — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Azure AD Conditional Access and Azure AD Application Proxy — Option C is correct because Azure AD Conditional Access can enforce authentication and device compliance, while Azure AD Application Proxy provides secure remote access to on-premises apps without VPN. Option A is wrong because Azure VPN Gateway does not enforce device compliance. Option B is wrong because Azure Firewall does not enforce authentication. Option D is wrong because Azure AD B2C is for external identities, not internal access.
What should I do if I get this SC-100 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related SC-100 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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