- A
Verify explicitly
This principle states that every access request must be fully authenticated, authorized, and encrypted before granting access, regardless of network location or device.
- B
Use least privilege access
Why wrong: This principle limits user access rights to the minimum needed to perform tasks. While important, it does not explicitly require verification of every request.
- C
Assume breach
Why wrong: This principle assumes an attacker is present and focuses on minimizing blast radius and segmenting access. It does not directly address verification of every request.
- D
Never trust, always verify
Why wrong: This is a common phrase associated with Zero Trust, but it is not one of the three official guiding principles defined by Microsoft. The correct principle for explicit verification is 'Verify explicitly'.
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.
An organization adopts a Zero Trust security model. Which principle requires that every access request must be explicitly verified and granted least privilege regardless of the user's location or device?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
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
Verify explicitly
The Zero Trust principle 'Verify explicitly' mandates that every access request—regardless of the user's location, device, or network—must be authenticated and authorized based on all available data points (e.g., user identity, device health, location, and real-time risk signals). This ensures that no implicit trust is granted, and least privilege is applied as a separate but complementary principle. In Microsoft's Zero Trust model, this is enforced through conditional access policies and continuous evaluation of session risk.
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
This principle states that every access request must be fully authenticated, authorized, and encrypted before granting access, regardless of network location or device.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "least" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Use least privilege access
Why it's wrong here
This principle limits user access rights to the minimum needed to perform tasks. While important, it does not explicitly require verification of every request.
- ✗
Assume breach
Why it's wrong here
This principle assumes an attacker is present and focuses on minimizing blast radius and segmenting access. It does not directly address verification of every request.
- ✗
Never trust, always verify
Why it's wrong here
This is a common phrase associated with Zero Trust, but it is not one of the three official guiding principles defined by Microsoft. The correct principle for explicit verification is 'Verify explicitly'.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates confuse the popular phrase 'Never trust, always verify' with the official Microsoft Zero Trust principle 'Verify explicitly,' but the exam expects the exact terminology from the Microsoft documentation, not the generic slogan.
Trap categories for this question
Keyword trap
This is a common phrase associated with Zero Trust, but it is not one of the three official guiding principles defined by Microsoft. The correct principle for explicit verification is 'Verify explicitly'.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, 'Verify explicitly' is implemented in Azure AD via Conditional Access policies that evaluate signals like user risk, device compliance (e.g., Intune compliance policies), and real-time sign-in risk (from Identity Protection). For example, a request from a non-compliant device on a public Wi-Fi network would be blocked or require MFA even if the user has valid credentials, because the verification must be explicit at every access attempt. This principle also integrates with Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps for session-level monitoring and token-based access control.
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.
- →
Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All SC-900 questions
1,411 questions across all exam domains
- →
Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals SC-900 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
SC-900 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related SC-900 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra practice questions
Practise SC-900 questions linked to Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra.
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions practice questions
Practise SC-900 questions linked to Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions.
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions practice questions
Practise SC-900 questions linked to Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions.
Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity practice questions
Practise SC-900 questions linked to Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity.
SC-900 fundamentals practice questions
Practise SC-900 questions linked to SC-900 fundamentals.
SC-900 scenario practice questions
Practise SC-900 questions linked to SC-900 scenario.
SC-900 troubleshooting practice questions
Practise SC-900 questions linked to SC-900 troubleshooting.
Practice this exam
Start a free SC-900 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
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 Zero Trust principle 'Verify explicitly' mandates that every access request—regardless of the user's location, device, or network—must be authenticated and authorized based on all available data points (e.g., user identity, device health, location, and real-time risk signals). This ensures that no implicit trust is granted, and least privilege is applied as a separate but complementary principle. In Microsoft's Zero Trust model, this is enforced through conditional access policies and continuous evaluation of session risk.
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: "least". You want the option with minimum overhead, fewest steps, or lowest impact — not the most feature-rich or comprehensive answer.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.