- A
Microsoft Entra ID Protection
Why wrong: Identity Protection detects and responds to identity risks (e.g., compromised users, risky sign-ins) but does not provide a self-service password reset function.
- B
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
SSPR enables users to reset passwords or unlock accounts after authenticating through approved methods like phone call or mobile app notifications.
- C
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Why wrong: PIM manages, controls, and monitors access to privileged roles in Microsoft Entra ID. It is not designed for general user password reset.
- D
Conditional Access
Why wrong: Conditional Access policies govern conditions under which access is granted (e.g., requiring MFA or compliant devices). It does not directly offer self-service password reset.
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) — Enable Users to Reset Passwords | Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Explained
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the capabilities of microsoft entra. 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 wants to allow its employees to reset forgotten passwords or unlock their accounts without contacting the help desk. The solution must verify the user's identity using a phone call or mobile app notification before allowing the action. Which Microsoft Entra ID feature should be enabled?
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
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
B is correct because Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) enables users to reset forgotten passwords or unlock accounts without help desk intervention. It supports identity verification via phone call or mobile app notification (Microsoft Authenticator), meeting the stated requirement exactly.
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.
- ✗
Microsoft Entra ID Protection
Why it's wrong here
Identity Protection detects and responds to identity risks (e.g., compromised users, risky sign-ins) but does not provide a self-service password reset function.
When this WOULD be correct
A question asking which feature should be enabled to automatically block sign-ins from risky IP addresses or detect leaked credentials would make ID Protection the correct answer.
- ✓
Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)
Why this is correct
SSPR enables users to reset passwords or unlock accounts after authenticating through approved methods like phone call or mobile app notifications.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
Why it's wrong here
PIM manages, controls, and monitors access to privileged roles in Microsoft Entra ID. It is not designed for general user password reset.
When this WOULD be correct
PIM would be correct if the question asked for a feature that enables just-in-time privileged access, manages role assignments, or provides approval workflows for elevated roles in Microsoft Entra ID.
- ✗
Conditional Access
Why it's wrong here
Conditional Access policies govern conditions under which access is granted (e.g., requiring MFA or compliant devices). It does not directly offer self-service password reset.
When this WOULD be correct
A company wants to require multi-factor authentication (MFA) when users access sensitive applications from untrusted networks, using policies that evaluate conditions like location or device compliance before granting access.
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.
✓Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR)Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
SSPR enables users to reset passwords or unlock accounts after authenticating through approved methods like phone call or mobile app notifications.
✗Microsoft Entra ID ProtectionWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Microsoft Entra ID Protection is designed to detect and respond to identity risks, not to enable users to reset their own passwords or unlock accounts via phone call or app notification.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A question asking which feature should be enabled to automatically block sign-ins from risky IP addresses or detect leaked credentials would make ID Protection the correct answer.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse identity protection features (like risk detection) with the authentication methods used in SSPR, assuming 'protection' covers password reset capabilities.
✗Privileged Identity Management (PIM)Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Privileged Identity Management (PIM) manages, controls, and monitors access to privileged roles in Microsoft Entra ID, but it does not provide self-service password reset or account unlock capabilities with phone call or mobile app verification.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
PIM would be correct if the question asked for a feature that enables just-in-time privileged access, manages role assignments, or provides approval workflows for elevated roles in Microsoft Entra ID.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse PIM with SSPR because both involve identity security and verification, but PIM focuses on privileged role management rather than end-user password reset.
✗Conditional AccessWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Conditional Access is a policy engine that enforces access controls based on signals like user location or device state, but it does not directly provide the self-service password reset or account unlock functionality with phone call or mobile app verification.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A company wants to require multi-factor authentication (MFA) when users access sensitive applications from untrusted networks, using policies that evaluate conditions like location or device compliance before granting access.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse Conditional Access with the authentication methods used in SSPR, as both involve verifying identity via phone or app, but Conditional Access is about controlling access, not enabling self-service password reset.
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 SSPR with Conditional Access or ID Protection, as both involve authentication controls, but only SSPR directly provides the self-service password reset and account unlock functionality with phone call or app notification verification.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
SSPR uses a registration process where users provide authentication methods (e.g., phone call, mobile app notification) stored in Entra ID. When a user initiates a reset, Entra ID validates the identity via the registered method before allowing the password change. Under the hood, SSPR leverages the same authentication strengths as Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication, and can be combined with password writeback to synchronize changes to on-premises Active Directory.
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.
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Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra — study guide chapter
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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: Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) — B is correct because Self-Service Password Reset (SSPR) enables users to reset forgotten passwords or unlock accounts without help desk intervention. It supports identity verification via phone call or mobile app notification (Microsoft Authenticator), meeting the stated requirement exactly.
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
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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