- A
Patching the operating system of the underlying physical and virtual hosts
In PaaS, Microsoft is responsible for maintaining and patching the host OS and infrastructure, freeing the customer from managing these layers.
- B
Configuring the firewall rules for the web application
Why wrong: Firewall rules for the web application (e.g., Azure App Service access restrictions) are customer-managed to control inbound and outbound traffic.
- C
Managing user access to the application
Why wrong: User authentication and authorization are application-level responsibilities managed by the customer using Microsoft Entra ID or other identity systems.
- D
Encrypting the application data at rest in Azure SQL Database
Why wrong: While Microsoft provides transparent data encryption (TDE) for Azure SQL Database, the customer can choose to use it and manage encryption keys, making encryption at rest a shared or customer responsibility depending on configuration.
Quick Answer
The answer is Microsoft remains responsible for patching the operating system of the underlying physical and virtual hosts. This is correct because the shared responsibility model for PaaS draws a clear line: the cloud provider secures the host infrastructure, including the hypervisor and host OS, while the customer secures everything they deploy on top of it, such as application code, authentication, and TLS configuration. On the SC-900 exam, this distinction is frequently tested to ensure you understand that PaaS does not mean the customer is off the hook for application-level security, nor does it mean Microsoft manages the customer’s data or code. A common trap is assuming Microsoft handles database-level patching or application runtime updates, but those remain customer responsibilities in PaaS. To remember this, think of the “host vs. guest” split: Microsoft owns the host OS patches; you own the guest application and its data.
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. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. 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 deploys a custom web application on Azure App Service (PaaS). The application stores user data in Azure SQL Database. The security team is responsible for securing the application code, managing authentication, and configuring TLS for data in transit. According to the Microsoft shared responsibility model, which security responsibility remains with Microsoft for this PaaS deployment?
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
Patching the operating system of the underlying physical and virtual hosts
In a PaaS deployment like Azure App Service, Microsoft is responsible for the security of the underlying cloud infrastructure, including patching the operating system of the physical and virtual hosts that run the platform. This is a core tenant of the shared responsibility model, where the customer manages application-level security (code, authentication, TLS) while Microsoft manages the host OS and hypervisor.
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.
- ✓
Patching the operating system of the underlying physical and virtual hosts
Why this is correct
In PaaS, Microsoft is responsible for maintaining and patching the host OS and infrastructure, freeing the customer from managing these layers.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Configuring the firewall rules for the web application
Why it's wrong here
Firewall rules for the web application (e.g., Azure App Service access restrictions) are customer-managed to control inbound and outbound traffic.
- ✗
Managing user access to the application
Why it's wrong here
User authentication and authorization are application-level responsibilities managed by the customer using Microsoft Entra ID or other identity systems.
- ✗
Encrypting the application data at rest in Azure SQL Database
Why it's wrong here
While Microsoft provides transparent data encryption (TDE) for Azure SQL Database, the customer can choose to use it and manage encryption keys, making encryption at rest a shared or customer responsibility depending on configuration.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume 'data at rest encryption' is entirely Microsoft's responsibility in PaaS, but the shared responsibility model requires customers to manage key rotation, access policies, and compliance for encryption, making it a shared task rather than a sole Microsoft responsibility.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the shared responsibility model, Microsoft's 'security of the cloud' includes patching the hypervisor and host OS, which is critical for mitigating vulnerabilities like Spectre or Meltdown that operate at the hardware or virtualization layer. For Azure SQL Database, Microsoft handles infrastructure-level patching and automatic encryption (TDE) using service-managed keys, but customers can opt for customer-managed keys (CMK) via Azure Key Vault, shifting more responsibility to the customer. This distinction is often tested in SC-900 to ensure candidates understand the boundary between platform and customer-managed controls.
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 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: Patching the operating system of the underlying physical and virtual hosts — In a PaaS deployment like Azure App Service, Microsoft is responsible for the security of the underlying cloud infrastructure, including patching the operating system of the physical and virtual hosts that run the platform. This is a core tenant of the shared responsibility model, where the customer manages application-level security (code, authentication, TLS) while Microsoft manages the host OS and hypervisor.
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 →
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. A company deploys a custom web application on Azure App Service (PaaS). The application stores data in Azure SQL Database. The security team needs to identify which security responsibilities fall under the customer according to the Microsoft shared responsibility model. Which of the following is primarily the customer's responsibility for this PaaS deployment?
hard- A.Physical security of the datacenter hosting the App Service
- B.Patching the operating system of the App Service host machines
- ✓ C.Managing user identities and access to the application
- D.Network security for the Azure backbone connecting datacenters
Why C: In a PaaS deployment like Azure App Service with Azure SQL Database, the customer is responsible for managing user identities and access to the application, including authentication, authorization, and role-based access control (RBAC). Microsoft manages the underlying infrastructure, including the host OS, physical datacenter security, and network backbone, but the customer must secure application-level access and data plane operations.
Variation 2. A company deploys a custom application on Azure App Service (PaaS). Which of the following security responsibilities falls completely under the customer's scope according to the shared responsibility model?
hard- A.Applying operating system patches to the virtual machines running the App Service
- B.Configuring network security groups to filter traffic to the App Service
- ✓ C.Managing the application code and its configuration
- D.Ensuring physical security of the Azure data centers
Why C: In the shared responsibility model for PaaS like Azure App Service, the customer is responsible for managing the application code and its configuration, including secrets, connection strings, and authentication settings. Microsoft manages the underlying platform, including the OS and runtime, so the customer's scope is limited to what they deploy and configure within the service.
Variation 3. A company is deploying a web application on Azure App Service. The security officer states that according to the shared responsibility model, the customer is responsible for managing access to the application and securing the application code. Which of the following responsibilities does Microsoft retain for Azure App Service?
hard- A.Configuring network firewall rules for the App Service
- ✓ B.Patching the underlying operating system of the App Service host
- C.Managing user authentication and authorization
- D.Applying encryption to the application data at rest
Why B: For Azure App Service, Microsoft retains responsibility for patching the underlying operating system of the host infrastructure. This is part of the shared responsibility model where the cloud provider manages the host OS and hypervisor, while the customer manages the application code, data, and access configurations.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
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