- A
Verify explicitly
Correct. Verify Explicitly is the Zero Trust principle that requires continuous verification of every access request regardless of network location. It ensures that no implicit trust is granted based on being inside the corporate network.
- B
Least privilege
Why wrong: Incorrect. Least privilege limits access rights to only what is needed, but it does not address the explicit verification of each request based on location.
- C
Assume breach
Why wrong: Incorrect. Assume breach is about designing systems to limit the impact of a breach (e.g., micro-segmentation), not about verifying access requests.
- D
Segregation of duties
Why wrong: Incorrect. Segregation of duties is a security control that prevents a single person from having conflicting roles, but it is not a core Zero Trust principle.
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. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 architect is designing a Zero Trust strategy. Which principle ensures that network location alone does not grant trust, and all access requests must be verified?
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
Verify explicitly
The 'Verify explicitly' principle is the core of Zero Trust, stating that every access request must be authenticated and authorized based on all available data points—including user identity, device health, location, and data sensitivity—regardless of network location. This ensures that being on a corporate network does not automatically grant trust, as all requests are verified in real time.
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.
- ✓
Verify explicitly
Why this is correct
Correct. Verify Explicitly is the Zero Trust principle that requires continuous verification of every access request regardless of network location. It ensures that no implicit trust is granted based on being inside the corporate network.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Least privilege
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Least privilege limits access rights to only what is needed, but it does not address the explicit verification of each request based on location.
- ✗
Assume breach
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Assume breach is about designing systems to limit the impact of a breach (e.g., micro-segmentation), not about verifying access requests.
- ✗
Segregation of duties
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. Segregation of duties is a security control that prevents a single person from having conflicting roles, but it is not a core Zero Trust principle.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse 'Least privilege' with 'Verify explicitly' because both involve access control, but 'Least privilege' is about limiting permissions after trust is established, not about verifying trust based on network location.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, 'Verify explicitly' enforces conditional access policies using identity providers (e.g., Azure AD) and real-time risk signals such as user behavior analytics (UEBA) and device compliance status (e.g., Intune). In a real-world scenario, a user on a trusted corporate VLAN would still need to pass MFA and device health checks before accessing a sensitive database, preventing lateral movement even if the network perimeter is compromised.
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.
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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: Verify explicitly — The 'Verify explicitly' principle is the core of Zero Trust, stating that every access request must be authenticated and authorized based on all available data points—including user identity, device health, location, and data sensitivity—regardless of network location. This ensures that being on a corporate network does not automatically grant trust, as all requests are verified in real time.
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.
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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