SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions
A company wants to prevent employees from accidentally sharing a document containing personally identifiable information (PII) with external users. The document is stored in OneDrive for Business. Which Microsoft Purview solution should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse Information Protection (labeling) with DLP (enforcement). Labeling alone does not block sharing; DLP is the solution that enforces the actual prevention action. In Microsoft Purview, DLP policies can automatically block external sharing of documents containing PII.
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
✓
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is the correct solution because it is specifically designed to detect and prevent the accidental sharing of sensitive data, such as PII, with external users. DLP policies can be configured to scan documents in OneDrive for Business for PII patterns (e.g., Social Security numbers, credit card numbers) and automatically block sharing with external users or trigger a policy tip to warn the employee. This directly addresses the requirement to prevent accidental external sharing of PII.
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 Purview Communication Compliance
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance is designed to help organizations detect and remediate regulatory compliance violations, harassment, or other inappropriate conduct within internal and external communications, such as email and Microsoft Teams chats. It focuses on the content of messages and attachments for policy violations, rather than proactively blocking file sharing actions based on the sensitivity of the data itself. Therefore, it monitors what is being said, not directly preventing the sharing of sensitive files.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Information Protection
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Purview Information Protection (MIP) provides sensitivity labels to classify and protect data, applying encryption, visual markings, or access restrictions directly to the content. While these labels are crucial for identifying sensitive data and can be used as conditions, MIP itself does not enforce sharing restrictions; it's a classification and protection framework. It helps users understand data sensitivity and applies protection to the content, but it's not the enforcement mechanism to block sharing actions.
- ✗
Microsoft Purview Audit
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Purview Audit provides a comprehensive logging service that records user and administrator activities across Microsoft 365 services, including file sharing events. Its primary function is to enable forensic investigations, compliance reporting, and to identify potential risks *after* an event has occurred. Audit is a reactive monitoring tool for accountability and analysis, not a proactive control mechanism designed to prevent accidental sharing in real-time.
- ✓
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Why this is correct
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies are specifically engineered to identify, monitor, and automatically protect sensitive information across various locations, including cloud services, on-premises repositories, and endpoints. DLP can detect specific sensitive information types within files, such as Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and then enforce actions like blocking external sharing, notifying users, or encrypting content. This direct enforcement capability makes DLP the ideal solution for preventing accidental data exfiltration by employees.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Core Security Concepts
Key term
Data Loss Prevention
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is a set of tools and processes that help organizations stop sensitive information from being shared, leaked, or stolen, whether accidentally or on purpose.
Key term
OneDrive for Business
OneDrive for Business is a cloud-based file storage and synchronization service from Microsoft, part of Microsoft 365, that lets users store, access, and share work files securely from anywhere.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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