- A
Conditions
Why wrong: Conditions define the signals that trigger the policy (e.g., location, device platform, risk). While important for scoping, they do not enforce the MFA requirement itself.
- B
Assignments
Why wrong: Assignments specify the users, groups, and cloud apps to which the policy applies. They define 'who' and 'what' but not the actions to take.
- C
Session controls
Why wrong: Session controls manage experiences such as initiating a session with a compliant device or blocking downloads from unmanaged devices. They do not directly enforce MFA.
- D
Grant controls
Grant controls determine whether access is blocked or allowed and can require additional conditions like MFA, device compliance, or terms of use. Configuring 'Require multi-factor authentication' under Grant controls enforces the MFA requirement.
Conditional Access Grant Controls: Enforcing MFA
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 requires that all users accessing a financial application from outside the corporate network must complete multi-factor authentication (MFA). The IT team is configuring a Microsoft Entra ID Conditional Access policy to enforce this requirement. Which component of the policy should be configured to apply the MFA requirement?
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
Grant controls
Grant controls are the component of a Conditional Access policy that enforce the actual access requirements, such as requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA). By configuring the 'Require multi-factor authentication' checkbox under Grant controls, the policy ensures that users must complete MFA before accessing the financial application. This is the correct setting to apply the MFA requirement.
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.
- ✗
Conditions
Why it's wrong here
Conditions define the signals that trigger the policy (e.g., location, device platform, risk). While important for scoping, they do not enforce the MFA requirement itself.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asks: 'Which component of a Conditional Access policy specifies that access is only allowed from trusted locations?' In that case, Conditions would be correct because it includes location conditions like IP ranges or countries.
- ✗
Assignments
Why it's wrong here
Assignments specify the users, groups, and cloud apps to which the policy applies. They define 'who' and 'what' but not the actions to take.
When this WOULD be correct
In a scenario where the question asks which component specifies which users or groups are targeted by a Conditional Access policy (e.g., 'Configure a policy to require MFA for all users in the Finance group'), Assignments would be the correct answer.
- ✗
Session controls
Why it's wrong here
Session controls manage experiences such as initiating a session with a compliant device or blocking downloads from unmanaged devices. They do not directly enforce MFA.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asks: 'Which policy component should be configured to require users to re-authenticate every hour when accessing a sensitive app?' In that scenario, Session controls (specifically sign-in frequency) would be the correct answer.
- ✓
Grant controls
Why this is correct
Grant controls determine whether access is blocked or allowed and can require additional conditions like MFA, device compliance, or terms of use. Configuring 'Require multi-factor authentication' under Grant controls enforces the MFA requirement.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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.
✓Grant controlsCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Grant controls determine whether access is blocked or allowed and can require additional conditions like MFA, device compliance, or terms of use. Configuring 'Require multi-factor authentication' under Grant controls enforces the MFA requirement.
✗ConditionsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Conditions define when the policy applies (e.g., location, device state), not what happens when conditions are met. The MFA requirement is enforced via Grant controls, which specify the access requirements.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asks: 'Which component of a Conditional Access policy specifies that access is only allowed from trusted locations?' In that case, Conditions would be correct because it includes location conditions like IP ranges or countries.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'Conditions' with the overall policy logic, thinking that specifying MFA is a condition rather than a control action. The term 'conditions' sounds like it could include requirements, but in Conditional Access, conditions are the triggers, not the enforcement.
✗AssignmentsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Assignments define which users, groups, or applications the policy applies to, not what happens after access is granted. The MFA requirement is enforced via Grant controls, which specify the conditions that must be met for access.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
In a scenario where the question asks which component specifies which users or groups are targeted by a Conditional Access policy (e.g., 'Configure a policy to require MFA for all users in the Finance group'), Assignments would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'assignments' with the action of assigning MFA requirements, not realizing that in Conditional Access, Assignments only define scope, while Grant controls enforce the actual access conditions.
✗Session controlsWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Session controls manage user experience during a session (e.g., sign-in frequency, app restrictions), not enforce MFA. MFA enforcement is done via Grant controls, which require specific conditions to be met before access is granted.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asks: 'Which policy component should be configured to require users to re-authenticate every hour when accessing a sensitive app?' In that scenario, Session controls (specifically sign-in frequency) would be the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse session controls with access controls, thinking that settings like 'Require MFA reauthentication' are session controls, but in Conditional Access, MFA is a grant control, not a session control.
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 confusing Grant controls (which enforce the MFA requirement) with Conditions (which define the 'when' of the policy), leading candidates to incorrectly select Conditions because they think it controls the MFA trigger rather than the enforcement action.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, Grant controls in a Conditional Access policy leverage the Microsoft Entra ID authentication framework to enforce MFA by requiring a valid token from the Microsoft Authenticator app, a hardware OATH token, or another approved method. In a real-world scenario, if a user attempts to access the financial app from an untrusted network, the policy triggers an MFA challenge before the token is issued, blocking access if MFA fails. This is distinct from Session controls, which operate post-authentication via claims in the token or by integrating with Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps for session policies.
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: Grant controls — Grant controls are the component of a Conditional Access policy that enforce the actual access requirements, such as requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA). By configuring the 'Require multi-factor authentication' checkbox under Grant controls, the policy ensures that users must complete MFA before accessing the financial application. This is the correct setting to apply the MFA requirement.
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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