SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions
Which THREE are capabilities of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP)? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse the automatic classification and labeling capabilities of Microsoft Purview Information Protection with the detection and enforcement actions of DLP, leading them to incorrectly select Option A as a DLP capability.
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
✓
Detect sensitive information in documents and emails
Microsoft Purview DLP is designed to detect sensitive information (e.g., credit card numbers, PII) in documents and emails by using built-in or custom sensitive information types. When a match is found, DLP can enforce policies to block sharing with external users and display policy tips to inform users of the violation, making options B, C, and E correct capabilities.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Automatically classify and label data
Why it's wrong here
Automatically classifying and labeling data is primarily a capability of Microsoft Purview Information Protection (MPIP) auto-labeling policies, not a core function of Data Loss Prevention (DLP). While DLP policies can leverage existing sensitivity labels to enforce rules, their direct role is to detect sensitive content and prevent its unauthorized sharing, rather than performing the initial classification and application of labels to documents or emails themselves. This distinction highlights the different but complementary roles within the broader Purview suite.
- ✓
Detect sensitive information in documents and emails
Why this is correct
Detecting sensitive information in documents and emails is a fundamental capability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention. DLP policies are meticulously configured to identify specific sensitive information types (SITs), such as credit card numbers, national ID numbers, or custom patterns, within content across various locations like Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Microsoft Teams. This precise detection mechanism forms the essential prerequisite for any subsequent enforcement actions, ensuring that policies target the correct data.
- ✓
Block sharing of sensitive data with external users
Why this is correct
Blocking the sharing of sensitive data with external users is a core enforcement capability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention. Once a DLP policy identifies sensitive information within a document or email, it can be configured to prevent specific actions, such as sharing that content with individuals or organizations outside the defined organizational boundaries. This directly mitigates the risk of data exfiltration and helps maintain compliance by strictly controlling the flow of sensitive data beyond the enterprise perimeter.
- ✗
Manage encryption keys for data at rest
Why it's wrong here
Managing encryption keys for data at rest is not a capability of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention; this function typically falls under services like Azure Key Vault or specific features within Microsoft Purview Information Protection (MPIP) for encryption. DLP's focus is on preventing the unauthorized disclosure or transfer of sensitive data through user actions, not on the cryptographic lifecycle management of the encryption keys used to protect data when it is stored. Key management is a distinct security control separate from DLP's operational scope.
- ✓
Provide policy tips to users when they attempt to share sensitive data
Why this is correct
Providing policy tips to users when they attempt to share sensitive data is a crucial user-facing feature of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention. These real-time notifications appear directly within applications like Outlook, Word, or SharePoint, informing users that their intended action violates a DLP policy. Policy tips serve to educate users about data protection policies, allowing them to either correct their action, override the policy with a business justification, or report a false positive, thereby fostering a culture of compliance and responsible data handling.
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Microsoft Entra ID
Key term
Microsoft Purview
Microsoft Purview is a unified data governance and compliance service that helps organizations discover, manage, and protect their data across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid environments.
Key term
DLP
Data Loss Prevention — security technology that detects and prevents unauthorised transmission of sensitive data outside an organisation.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.