SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions
A compliance officer needs to create a policy that automatically detects and blocks the sharing of credit card numbers in emails and Teams messages. Which Microsoft Purview solution should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse Communication Compliance (which monitors for inappropriate behavior) with DLP (which blocks sensitive data), leading them to choose Communication Compliance because it also deals with communications, but it lacks automatic blocking capabilities for specific data types like credit card numbers.
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 automatically block sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, from being shared in emails and Teams messages. DLP uses built-in sensitive information types (e.g., Credit Card Number) and policies that can enforce actions like blocking the message or sending an alert, directly meeting the compliance officer's requirement.
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 Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Why this is correct
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is the correct solution because it is specifically designed to identify, monitor, and automatically protect sensitive information across various locations and applications. DLP policies can be configured to detect specific sensitive content, such as financial data or personal health information, and then enforce preventative actions like blocking the sharing of that content, quarantining it, or notifying administrators. This directly fulfills the requirement for an automatic policy that blocks sharing based on sensitive content.
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Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance focuses on detecting and investigating potential code of conduct or regulatory policy violations within an organization's communications, such as email, Teams, or Yammer. While it can identify problematic content and alert reviewers to facilitate human intervention, its primary function is to provide insights and audit trails for compliance officers. It does not possess the capability to automatically block sharing actions in real-time.
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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 access, sharing events, and policy changes. Its purpose is to offer forensic evidence, support compliance investigations, and enable security monitoring by detailing *who did what, when, and where*. However, it is a reactive tool for recording events and does not possess the capability to actively prevent or block data sharing actions as they occur.
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Microsoft Purview Information Protection
Why it's wrong here
Microsoft Purview Information Protection (MIP) enables organizations to classify, label, and protect sensitive data by applying encryption, visual markings, and access restrictions directly to the content itself, regardless of where it resides. While MIP labels can be used as conditions within DLP policies to identify sensitive content, MIP's core function is to provide persistent protection of data. It secures the data itself but does not inherently perform the automatic blocking of sharing actions without a separate policy engine like DLP.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Compliance Concepts
Key term
Policy
A policy is a set of rules or guidelines that defines how an organization manages, secures, and operates its IT systems and services.
Key term
Alert
An alert is a notification that something unusual or potentially harmful has happened in a computer system or network.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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