SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions
A compliance officer needs to create a policy that prevents users from sharing files containing medical record numbers (MRN) via email. Which Microsoft Purview solution should they use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse sensitivity labels (which classify and protect data at rest) with DLP (which monitors and controls data in motion), leading them to choose A, even though labels alone cannot block email transmission of sensitive content.
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
✓
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is the correct solution because it is specifically designed to detect and block the sharing of sensitive information, such as medical record numbers (MRN), via email. DLP policies can inspect email content and attachments for patterns (e.g., regex for MRNs) and automatically enforce actions like blocking the message or notifying the user, preventing data exfiltration.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Sensitivity labels
Why it's wrong here
Sensitivity labels classify data and apply protective actions like encryption or visual markings, indicating the data's sensitivity. However, the labels themselves do not inherently block sharing; they define the protection. Enforcement of sharing restrictions based on these labels typically relies on other mechanisms, such as Data Loss Prevention policies, to actively prevent unauthorized dissemination.
- ✓
Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
Why this is correct
Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies are specifically designed to identify, monitor, and protect sensitive information across various locations within an organization. A compliance officer can configure DLP policies to detect specific sensitive information types, such as Medical Record Numbers (MRNs), and then enforce actions like blocking emails or other sharing attempts containing that data, thereby directly preventing unauthorized disclosure.
- ✗
eDiscovery
Why it's wrong here
eDiscovery tools, including Content Search and eDiscovery (Standard/Premium), are primarily utilized for identifying, preserving, collecting, and exporting electronic data for legal or investigative purposes. While crucial for post-incident analysis or legal holds, these tools do not implement proactive controls to prevent sensitive data from being shared in the first place. Their function is reactive, focusing on data retrieval rather than preventative sharing blocks.
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Insider risk management
Why it's wrong here
Insider risk management solutions focus on identifying, investigating, and acting on potentially risky activities by users within an organization, whether malicious or inadvertent. While it can detect patterns indicative of data exfiltration attempts, its primary role is to provide insights and facilitate investigations into user behavior. It does not directly implement content-based policies to block the sharing of specific sensitive data types, which is a core function of a preventative compliance policy.
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
General Data Protection Regulation
A European Union law that gives individuals control over their personal data and sets strict rules for how organizations collect, store, and process that data.
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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.