- A
Defense in depth
Why wrong: Defense in depth refers to deploying multiple layers of security controls to protect assets, not the division of responsibilities between provider and customer.
- B
Zero Trust
Why wrong: Zero Trust is a security model that assumes no implicit trust and verifies every access request, not a description of responsibility allocation.
- C
Shared responsibility model
The shared responsibility model correctly defines the split of security tasks between the cloud provider and the customer based on the service model (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS). In this SaaS example, the provider handles infrastructure, and the customer handles data and access.
- D
CIA triad
Why wrong: The CIA triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability) is a set of security objectives, not a model for dividing responsibilities between parties.
SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity. 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 company subscribes to a SaaS human resources application hosted by an external provider. The provider is responsible for maintaining the physical data centers, network infrastructure, and the underlying application software. The company is responsible for managing user accounts, configuring user permissions, and classifying the data they upload. Which security model does this arrangement primarily describe?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Shared responsibility model
Option C is correct because the scenario explicitly describes a division of security responsibilities between the SaaS provider and the customer. The provider handles physical security, network infrastructure, and application software (security *of* the cloud), while the company manages user accounts, permissions, and data classification (security *in* the cloud). This is the core definition of the shared responsibility model, which is foundational to cloud computing and directly tested in SC-900.
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.
- ✗
Defense in depth
Why it's wrong here
Defense in depth refers to deploying multiple layers of security controls to protect assets, not the division of responsibilities between provider and customer.
- ✗
Zero Trust
Why it's wrong here
Zero Trust is a security model that assumes no implicit trust and verifies every access request, not a description of responsibility allocation.
- ✓
Shared responsibility model
Why this is correct
The shared responsibility model correctly defines the split of security tasks between the cloud provider and the customer based on the service model (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS). In this SaaS example, the provider handles infrastructure, and the customer handles data and access.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
CIA triad
Why it's wrong here
The CIA triad (Confidentiality, Integrity, Availability) is a set of security objectives, not a model for dividing responsibilities between parties.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the shared responsibility model with defense in depth or Zero Trust, because all three involve 'security layers' or 'trust boundaries,' but only the shared responsibility model specifically defines the split of security obligations between a cloud provider and a customer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the shared responsibility model, the exact boundary of responsibility varies by service model: for SaaS, the provider typically handles the entire stack up to the application, while the customer is responsible for data, identities, and access management (e.g., using Azure AD for user provisioning and role-based access control). A subtle behavior is that even in SaaS, the customer may still be responsible for compliance with regulations like GDPR regarding the data they upload, even though the provider secures the infrastructure. In a real-world scenario, if a company misconfigures user permissions in a SaaS HR app (e.g., granting excessive privileges), that data exposure falls under the customer's responsibility, not the provider's.
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.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-900 question test?
Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity — This question tests Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Shared responsibility model — Option C is correct because the scenario explicitly describes a division of security responsibilities between the SaaS provider and the customer. The provider handles physical security, network infrastructure, and application software (security *of* the cloud), while the company manages user accounts, permissions, and data classification (security *in* the cloud). This is the core definition of the shared responsibility model, which is foundational to cloud computing and directly tested in SC-900.
What should I do if I get this SC-900 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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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This SC-900 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-900 exam.
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