- A
Access Reviews
Access Reviews allow administrators to create recurring reviews of membership in Entra ID roles or groups. Designated reviewers approve or deny each member, and after the review period ends, non-approved members are automatically removed.
- B
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Why wrong: PIM provides time-bound and approved activation of privileged roles, but it does not natively automate periodic reviews and removal of non-approved members without also using Access Reviews. The scenario describes a review process, which is a core feature of Access Reviews.
- C
Identity Protection
Why wrong: Identity Protection detects and remediates risky sign-ins and compromised users. It does not provide periodic review or removal of role memberships.
- D
Conditional Access
Why wrong: Conditional Access enforces policies based on signals such as user, device, or location at sign-in time. It does not conduct periodic membership reviews.
Access Reviews — Periodic Attestation for Global Administrators | Microsoft SC-900 Explained
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the capabilities of microsoft entra. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. 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 company uses Microsoft Entra ID. The IT department needs to ensure that membership in the 'Global Administrator' role is regularly reviewed. Every quarter, the designated reviewers (e.g., senior managers) receive an email asking them to confirm whether each user in the role should keep their assignment. After the review deadline, any member not approved is automatically removed. Which Microsoft Entra ID feature should they configure?
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
Access Reviews
Access Reviews in Microsoft Entra ID are specifically designed for periodic attestation of group memberships, application access, and role assignments. The scenario describes a quarterly review where designated reviewers receive email notifications and unapproved members are automatically removed after the deadline, which is the exact workflow that Access Reviews automate. This feature ensures compliance by requiring explicit confirmation for each user in the Global Administrator role.
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.
- ✓
Access Reviews
Why this is correct
Access Reviews allow administrators to create recurring reviews of membership in Entra ID roles or groups. Designated reviewers approve or deny each member, and after the review period ends, non-approved members are automatically removed.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Why it's wrong here
PIM provides time-bound and approved activation of privileged roles, but it does not natively automate periodic reviews and removal of non-approved members without also using Access Reviews. The scenario describes a review process, which is a core feature of Access Reviews.
When this WOULD be correct
PIM would be correct if the question asked: 'The IT department needs to allow users to request temporary elevation to the Global Administrator role, with approval from senior managers and automatic expiration after a set time.'
- ✗
Identity Protection
Why it's wrong here
Identity Protection detects and remediates risky sign-ins and compromised users. It does not provide periodic review or removal of role memberships.
When this WOULD be correct
An organization wants to automatically detect and block sign-ins from anonymous IP addresses or locations with atypical travel patterns, and require multi-factor authentication for high-risk users.
- ✗
Conditional Access
Why it's wrong here
Conditional Access enforces policies based on signals such as user, device, or location at sign-in time. It does not conduct periodic membership reviews.
When this WOULD be correct
A company wants to require that all users accessing a sensitive application from outside the corporate network must use multi-factor authentication. They need a policy that evaluates conditions (e.g., location, device compliance) and grants or blocks access accordingly.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The SC-900 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Access ReviewsCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Access Reviews allow administrators to create recurring reviews of membership in Entra ID roles or groups. Designated reviewers approve or deny each member, and after the review period ends, non-approved members are automatically removed.
✗Privileged Identity Management (PIM)Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
PIM provides just-in-time privileged access and activation workflows, but it does not include the recurring review and automatic removal process described. The question specifically requires periodic reviews with automatic removal, which is a core feature of Access Reviews, not PIM.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
PIM would be correct if the question asked: 'The IT department needs to allow users to request temporary elevation to the Global Administrator role, with approval from senior managers and automatic expiration after a set time.'
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often confuse PIM with Access Reviews because both are part of Microsoft Entra ID Governance and involve privileged roles. PIM includes review capabilities, but the question's emphasis on recurring reviews and automatic removal points specifically to Access Reviews.
✗Identity ProtectionWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Identity Protection is designed to detect and remediate identity-based risks (e.g., compromised accounts, risky sign-ins), not to manage periodic review and removal of role assignments.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An organization wants to automatically detect and block sign-ins from anonymous IP addresses or locations with atypical travel patterns, and require multi-factor authentication for high-risk users.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'reviewing role membership' with 'protecting identities' because both involve security oversight, but Identity Protection focuses on risk detection, not role governance.
✗Conditional AccessWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Conditional Access is used to enforce access controls based on conditions like location or device state, not for reviewing and attesting role memberships. The question specifically requires a review and attestation process, which is handled by Access Reviews.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company wants to require that all users accessing a sensitive application from outside the corporate network must use multi-factor authentication. They need a policy that evaluates conditions (e.g., location, device compliance) and grants or blocks access accordingly.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Conditional Access with access governance features, thinking it can be used to review role assignments, but it is actually a policy engine for enforcing access requirements.
Analysis generated from the official SC-900blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse Privileged Identity Management (PIM) with Access Reviews because both deal with privileged roles, but PIM handles activation and approval, while Access Reviews handle periodic attestation and removal of stale assignments.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
PIM provides time-bound and approved activation of privileged roles, but it does not natively automate periodic reviews and removal of non-approved members without also using Access Reviews. The scenario describes a review process, which is a core feature of Access Reviews.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Access Reviews leverage the Microsoft Entra ID access review API to create recurring review schedules tied to specific role assignments or groups. When a reviewer does not respond by the deadline, the system can be configured to automatically remove the user from the role, enforcing a 'default deny' model. In real-world scenarios, this is critical for compliance frameworks like SOC 2 or ISO 27001, which require periodic recertification of privileged access.
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
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this SC-900 question test?
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra — This question tests Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Access Reviews — Access Reviews in Microsoft Entra ID are specifically designed for periodic attestation of group memberships, application access, and role assignments. The scenario describes a quarterly review where designated reviewers receive email notifications and unapproved members are automatically removed after the deadline, which is the exact workflow that Access Reviews automate. This feature ensures compliance by requiring explicit confirmation for each user in the Global Administrator role.
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
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