- A
Authorization
Why wrong: Authorization determines what resources a user can access, not how they prove their identity.
- B
Authentication
Authentication verifies identity. Multi-factor authentication requires two or more forms of verification, such as a password and a code from a phone.
- C
Accounting
Why wrong: Accounting involves tracking user activities for auditing and logging purposes, not verifying identity at sign-in.
- D
Non-repudiation
Why wrong: Non-repudiation ensures that a user cannot deny an action (e.g., digitally signing a document), but it is not the primary principle being enforced during sign-in.
Question 621 of 1,411
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 company implements a sign-in process where a user must provide their password and then enter a temporary code sent to their mobile phone. Which security principle is this process primarily enforcing?
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
✓
Authentication
The process of verifying a user's identity by requiring both a password (something they know) and a temporary code sent to their mobile phone (something they have) is a classic implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA). Authentication is the security principle that confirms the identity of a user, device, or system before granting access. This sign-in flow directly enforces authentication by combining two distinct factors to prove the user is who they claim to be.
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.
- ✗
Authorization
Why it's wrong here
Authorization determines what resources a user can access, not how they prove their identity.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asking: 'After a user logs in, the system checks whether they can access a specific file. Which security principle is being applied?' — here Authorization is correct because it controls access rights after identity is verified.
- ✓
Authentication
Why this is correct
Authentication verifies identity. Multi-factor authentication requires two or more forms of verification, such as a password and a code from a phone.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Accounting
Why it's wrong here
Accounting involves tracking user activities for auditing and logging purposes, not verifying identity at sign-in.
When this WOULD be correct
A question that asks: 'Which security principle is primarily enforced when an organization logs user access times, data modifications, and resource usage for auditing purposes?' would make Accounting the correct answer.
- ✗
Non-repudiation
Why it's wrong here
Non-repudiation ensures that a user cannot deny an action (e.g., digitally signing a document), but it is not the primary principle being enforced during sign-in.
When this WOULD be correct
An exam question might ask: 'A company uses digital signatures on all financial transactions to ensure that employees cannot deny authorizing payments. Which security principle is this?' In that case, non-repudiation would be correct because it provides proof of origin and integrity.
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.
✓AuthenticationCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Authentication verifies identity. Multi-factor authentication requires two or more forms of verification, such as a password and a code from a phone.
✗AuthorizationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The process described (password + temporary code) is about verifying identity, not granting permissions. Authorization determines what an authenticated user is allowed to do, not how they prove who they are.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asking: 'After a user logs in, the system checks whether they can access a specific file. Which security principle is being applied?' — here Authorization is correct because it controls access rights after identity is verified.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse authentication (proving identity) with authorization (granting permissions), especially when the scenario involves multiple steps and they think the code is 'authorizing' access.
✗AccountingWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The sign-in process described (password + temporary code) is a method of verifying identity, which is authentication. Accounting refers to tracking user activities and resource usage, not verifying identity.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question that asks: 'Which security principle is primarily enforced when an organization logs user access times, data modifications, and resource usage for auditing purposes?' would make Accounting the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'accounting' with 'authentication' because both are part of AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting) and the term 'account' appears in both contexts, leading to a mix-up.
✗Non-repudiationWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Non-repudiation ensures that a party cannot deny having performed an action, typically through digital signatures or audit trails. The described sign-in process (password + temporary code) is about verifying identity (authentication), not preventing denial of actions.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
An exam question might ask: 'A company uses digital signatures on all financial transactions to ensure that employees cannot deny authorizing payments. Which security principle is this?' In that case, non-repudiation would be correct because it provides proof of origin and integrity.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse authentication with non-repudiation because both involve identity verification. However, non-repudiation goes further by providing evidence that can be used to prove an action occurred, which is not the primary goal of the sign-in process described.
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 often confuse authentication (proving identity) with authorization (granting permissions), especially when the question describes a multi-step sign-in process that seems to 'allow access' — but the core principle being enforced is identity verification, not access control.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, this process implements MFA by requiring two different authentication factors: a knowledge factor (password) and a possession factor (temporary code from an authenticator app or SMS). Protocols such as TOTP (RFC 6238) generate time-based one-time passwords that are valid for a short window (typically 30 seconds), adding a layer of security against credential theft. In a real-world scenario, even if an attacker obtains the user's password through phishing, they cannot complete authentication without also possessing the user's mobile device.
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: Authentication — The process of verifying a user's identity by requiring both a password (something they know) and a temporary code sent to their mobile phone (something they have) is a classic implementation of multi-factor authentication (MFA). Authentication is the security principle that confirms the identity of a user, device, or system before granting access. This sign-in flow directly enforces authentication by combining two distinct factors to prove the user is who they claim to be.
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.
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 →
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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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