SC-900 Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra Practice Question
A company uses Microsoft Entra ID. Employees often forget their passwords and contact the IT helpdesk to reset them. The company wants to reduce helpdesk costs by allowing users to reset their own passwords using a verified mobile phone number or email address. Which Microsoft Entra ID feature should the administrator enable?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse Privileged Identity Management (PIM) with self-service password reset, because both involve 'management' of identities, but PIM is strictly for privileged role activation, not end-user password changes.
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
✓
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) is the correct feature because it allows users to reset their own passwords without helpdesk intervention, using a verified mobile phone number or email address as authentication methods. This directly reduces helpdesk costs by shifting password reset responsibility to the user, while maintaining security through verification of registered contact methods.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Microsoft Entra ID Identity Protection
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Entra ID Identity Protection is a security module designed to detect and automatically remediate identity-based risks, such as compromised credentials, anomalous sign-ins, and risky users. It leverages machine learning to identify suspicious activities and can trigger actions like requiring multi-factor authentication or blocking access. However, its core function is risk detection and response, not providing a direct mechanism for users to initiate a password reset themselves.
- ✓
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
Why this is correct
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) is a crucial Microsoft Entra ID feature that empowers users to reset their forgotten passwords without requiring assistance from IT helpdesk staff. Users must pre-register at least two authentication methods, such as a mobile phone number or an alternate email address, which are then used to verify their identity during the reset process. This capability significantly reduces helpdesk call volumes and improves user productivity by enabling immediate password recovery.
- ✗
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Why it's wrong here
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) in Microsoft Entra ID is a service focused on managing, controlling, and monitoring access to important resources within an organization. It provides just-in-time (JIT) access to privileged roles, requiring users to activate their elevated permissions for a limited time, thereby minimizing the attack surface. PIM is specifically designed for securing administrative roles and auditing their usage, not for general user password management or self-service password recovery.
- ✗
Conditional Access
Why it's wrong here
Conditional Access is a powerful policy engine within Microsoft Entra ID that evaluates various signals, including user identity, device state, location, and application, to enforce access decisions. It can require multi-factor authentication, block access, or mandate a compliant device before granting entry to resources. While Conditional Access policies can be applied to the *outcome* of a password reset (e.g., requiring MFA on first sign-in after reset), it does not provide the functionality for users to initiate or perform the password reset itself.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Core Security Concepts
Key term
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying that someone or something is who or what it claims to be before granting access to a system or resource.
Key term
User
A user is any person, system, or device that interacts with an IT service, resource, or identity system, typically authenticated through credentials and authorized to perform specific actions.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.