- A
Users should have only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions.
This correctly defines least privilege: granting exactly the permissions needed to complete required tasks and nothing more.
- B
Users should have all permissions disabled by default.
Why wrong: While a default-deny approach is related, least privilege does not mean disabling all permissions entirely; it means granting specific needed permissions.
- C
Users should be given administrator rights to ensure they can perform any task.
Why wrong: Giving administrator rights violates least privilege by granting excessive permissions beyond what is necessary.
- D
Users should share one account with elevated privileges for their team.
Why wrong: Shared accounts violate the principle of least privilege because they provide excessive, non-individualized access and reduce accountability.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is that users should have only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions. This is the core of the least privilege principle, which minimizes the attack surface by ensuring no user or system has excess rights that could be exploited or misused. On the Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals SC-900 exam, this concept often appears in questions about Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Azure AD roles, testing your understanding that permissions should be scoped to specific tasks or administrative units. A common trap is confusing least privilege with "need to know" or assuming it applies only to data access, when in fact it governs all permissions, including administrative and system-level rights. To remember it, think of a bank vault: a teller gets keys only to their drawer, not the entire vault.
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 security analyst is explaining the concept of 'Least Privilege' to a new team member. Which statement best describes the principle of least privilege?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"best"Why it matters: Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
Clue:
"least"Why it matters: You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
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
Users should have only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions.
Option A is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to complete their job functions. This reduces the attack surface and limits potential damage from accidental or malicious actions. In Microsoft 365, this is implemented through Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Azure AD roles, where permissions are scoped to specific administrative units or tasks.
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.
- ✓
Users should have only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions.
Why this is correct
This correctly defines least privilege: granting exactly the permissions needed to complete required tasks and nothing more.
Clue confirmation
The clue words "best", "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Users should have all permissions disabled by default.
Why it's wrong here
While a default-deny approach is related, least privilege does not mean disabling all permissions entirely; it means granting specific needed permissions.
- ✗
Users should be given administrator rights to ensure they can perform any task.
Why it's wrong here
Giving administrator rights violates least privilege by granting excessive permissions beyond what is necessary.
- ✗
Users should share one account with elevated privileges for their team.
Why it's wrong here
Shared accounts violate the principle of least privilege because they provide excessive, non-individualized access and reduce accountability.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse 'least privilege' with 'default deny' (Option B), but least privilege is about granting the minimal necessary permissions after initial access, not disabling all permissions upfront.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, least privilege is enforced through granular permission models like Azure RBAC, where roles such as 'User Administrator' or 'Security Reader' are assigned at specific scopes (management group, subscription, resource group). A real-world scenario is a helpdesk analyst who needs to reset passwords but not modify global admin settings; assigning the 'Helpdesk Administrator' role in Azure AD ensures they can perform only that task. This principle is also foundational to the Microsoft Zero Trust model, which assumes breach and verifies each access request.
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.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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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: Users should have only the permissions necessary to perform their job functions. — Option A is correct because the principle of least privilege dictates that users should be granted only the minimum permissions necessary to complete their job functions. This reduces the attack surface and limits potential damage from accidental or malicious actions. In Microsoft 365, this is implemented through Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and Azure AD roles, where permissions are scoped to specific administrative units or tasks.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "best", "least". Signals that multiple options may be partially correct. Choose the option that most directly solves the exact problem described, not the one that sounds most complete.
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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