Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A company runs critical applications on Windows Server virtual machines in Azure and on-premises. The security team wants to reduce the exposure of administrative ports (e.g., RDP, SSH) by requiring administrators to request just-in-time (JIT) access. The request should require approval from a central team, and the port should be opened only for a limited time. Which Microsoft security solution provides this JIT capability for both Azure and on-premises servers (when connected via Azure Arc)?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Distractor review
Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
PIM provides just-in-time and approval workflows for Azure AD roles and Azure resource roles, but not for administrative ports on virtual machines.
B
Distractor review
Microsoft Defender for Identity
Defender for Identity monitors on-premises Active Directory for identity attacks, but does not offer just-in-time access to server ports.
C
Best answer
Microsoft Defender for Cloud (with just-in-time VM access)
Defender for Cloud's JIT feature allows you to manage and approve temporary access to management ports (RDP, SSH) on Azure VMs and, via Azure Arc, on on-premises servers, thereby reducing the attack surface.
D
Distractor review
Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps
Defender for Cloud Apps is a CASB that provides visibility and control over cloud applications, not just-in-time access to VM ports.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: authentication is not authorization
Logging in proves the user can authenticate. It does not automatically mean the user is allowed to enter privileged or configuration mode. Watch for AAA authorization, privilege level and command authorization details.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This kind of question is testing the difference between identity and permission. A user may successfully log in to a router because authentication is working, but still fail to enter configuration mode because authorization is missing, misconfigured or mapped to a lower privilege level.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Authentication checks who the user is.
- Authorization controls what the user is allowed to do after login.
- Privilege levels affect access to EXEC and configuration commands.
- AAA, TACACS+ and RADIUS can separate login success from command access.
TExam Day Tips
- Do not assume successful login means full administrative access.
- Look for words such as cannot enter configuration mode, privilege level, authorization or command access.
- Separate login problems from permission problems before choosing the answer.
Related practice questions
Related SC-900 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A company must retain all customer contracts for 10 years to comply with industry regulations. After 10 years, the contracts must be permanently deleted. Which Microsoft Purview solution should be used to automate this process?
Question 2
A company uses a cloud-based SaaS (Software as a Service) application for customer relationship management. According to the shared responsibility model, which security responsibility is primarily handled by the customer?
Question 3
A company runs a mix of on-premises servers and Azure virtual machines. They deploy Microsoft Defender for Endpoint on all servers. The security team wants to create custom queries to hunt for a specific attack pattern that involves a sequence of events across multiple machines, such as a PowerShell script being downloaded and then executed on several servers. They need to write their own detection rules based on advanced hunting data. Which Microsoft 365 Defender capability should they use?
Question 4
A company runs a consumer-facing e-commerce website and wants to allow customers to sign in using their existing social media accounts such as Google, Facebook, or LinkedIn. Which Microsoft Entra ID solution should they implement?
Question 5
A company has a hybrid identity environment with Active Directory synchronizing to Microsoft Entra ID. They want users to be able to reset their own on-premises passwords via the cloud SSPR portal. What is the minimum license required for this capability?
Question 6
A company uses a cloud-based Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that is delivered as Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). According to the shared responsibility model, which security responsibility is primarily handled by the customer?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-900 question test?
Authentication checks who the user is.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Microsoft Defender for Cloud (with just-in-time VM access) — Microsoft Defender for Cloud includes just-in-time (JIT) VM access as a feature. It allows you to lock down inbound traffic to your VMs, reducing exposure to attacks while providing easy access to connect to VMs when needed. JIT can be applied to Azure VMs and also to on-premises servers that are onboarded via Azure Arc. Privileged Identity Management (PIM) manages just-in-time for Azure AD and Azure resource roles, not for server administrative ports. Microsoft Defender for Identity detects identity-based threats on-premises but does not provide JIT port access. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a cloud access security broker (CASB).
What should I do if I get this SC-900 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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