- A
A retention label that encrypts the email
Why wrong: Retention labels do not encrypt content; they manage retention.
- B
A DLP policy with the 'Encrypt' action
DLP policies can automatically apply encryption to emails containing sensitive information.
- C
A communication compliance policy
Why wrong: Communication compliance policies monitor for policy violations but do not encrypt.
- D
An information barrier policy
Why wrong: Information barriers block communication between groups but do not encrypt.
Question 114 of 1,411
Microsoft Purview DLP Policy: Automatically Encrypting Emails with PII
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the capabilities of microsoft compliance solutions. 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.
Your organization needs to ensure that emails containing personally identifiable information (PII) like passport numbers are automatically encrypted before being sent externally. What should you configure in Microsoft Purview?
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
✓
A DLP policy with the 'Encrypt' action
Option B is correct because Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies in Microsoft Purview can automatically detect emails containing sensitive information types (e.g., passport numbers) and apply the 'Encrypt' action to enforce encryption before the email is sent externally. This leverages Microsoft 365 Message Encryption (OME) to protect the data in transit.
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.
- ✗
A retention label that encrypts the email
Why it's wrong here
Retention labels do not encrypt content; they manage retention.
- ✓
A DLP policy with the 'Encrypt' action
Why this is correct
DLP policies can automatically apply encryption to emails containing sensitive information.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
A communication compliance policy
Why it's wrong here
Communication compliance policies monitor for policy violations but do not encrypt.
- ✗
An information barrier policy
Why it's wrong here
Information barriers block communication between groups but do not encrypt.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse retention labels (which manage lifecycle) with sensitivity labels (which can apply encryption), but the question specifically requires automatic encryption triggered by content detection, which is a DLP action, not a label-based action.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
DLP policies in Microsoft Purview use sensitive information types (e.g., predefined patterns for passport numbers) and conditions to trigger actions like 'Encrypt' via Microsoft 365 Message Encryption (OME), which wraps the email in an encrypted envelope accessible only to authenticated recipients. Under the hood, OME uses Azure Rights Management (Azure RMS) to apply encryption keys and policy templates, ensuring the email remains encrypted even if forwarded. In a real-world scenario, a healthcare organization could configure a DLP policy to automatically encrypt any email containing a patient's Social Security number sent to an external domain, preventing accidental data leaks.
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 cloud solutions architect for a retail company is evaluating services for a new workload. The correct answer here reflects best practice for the specific scenario described — not a general cloud recommendation. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Cloud exam questions reward reading the constraint carefully: the same technology can be right or wrong depending on the use case.
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 capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions — This question tests Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A DLP policy with the 'Encrypt' action — Option B is correct because Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies in Microsoft Purview can automatically detect emails containing sensitive information types (e.g., passport numbers) and apply the 'Encrypt' action to enforce encryption before the email is sent externally. This leverages Microsoft 365 Message Encryption (OME) to protect the data in transit.
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
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Same concept, more angles
3 more ways this is tested on SC-900
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. Refer to the exhibit. A Microsoft Purview DLP policy is configured as shown. What will happen when a user tries to email an external recipient a document containing a credit card number?
medium- A.The email will be sent but the attachment will be removed
- ✓ B.The email will be blocked and the user will receive a notification
- C.The email will be delivered and the admin will be alerted
- D.The email will be sent and the event will be logged for audit
Why B: Option B is correct because the DLP policy is configured with the action 'Block' and the user notification is enabled. When a user attempts to email a document containing a credit card number to an external recipient, the policy blocks the email from being sent and displays a notification to the user explaining the policy violation. This is the default behavior for a 'Block' action with user notification in Microsoft Purview DLP.
Variation 2. An organization needs to prevent users from sharing files containing trade secrets with external parties via email. The solution must allow internal sharing. Which Microsoft Purview capability should be configured?
medium- A.Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance
- ✓ B.Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention policies
- C.Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management
- D.Microsoft Purview Sensitivity Labels with encryption
Why B: Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies are designed to detect and block the sharing of sensitive information—such as trade secrets—via email or other channels, while still allowing internal sharing. DLP can inspect email content and attachments for sensitive data types and apply actions like blocking external sends, making it the correct choice for this requirement.
Variation 3. Your organization needs to create a policy that prevents users from sharing credit card numbers in emails. Which Microsoft Purview solution should you configure?
easy- A.Communication Compliance
- B.Retention policy
- C.eDiscovery
- ✓ D.Data loss prevention (DLP) policy
Why D: Data loss prevention (DLP) policies in Microsoft Purview are specifically designed to identify, monitor, and automatically protect sensitive information—such as credit card numbers—across Exchange Online, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams. By configuring a DLP policy with a credit card number sensitive info type, the organization can block users from sending emails containing those patterns, either by preventing the email from being sent or by triggering a policy tip. This directly addresses the requirement to prevent sharing of credit card numbers in emails.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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