Quick Answer
The correct answer is email and collaboration protection, along with endpoint detection and identity threat detection, as these three capabilities correspond to Microsoft Defender for Office 365, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, and Microsoft Defender for Identity, which together form the core of Microsoft Defender XDR. This unified extended detection and response solution correlates signals across these domains to stop complex multi-stage attacks, making it distinct from separate tools like Microsoft Purview for compliance or Microsoft Intune for device management. On the SC-900 exam, this question tests your understanding of how Microsoft Defender XDR integrates security across email, endpoints, and identities, often appearing as a “choose three” item where the traps are Purview (compliance) and Intune (MDM). A helpful memory tip is to think of the three “E-I-E” pillars: Email, Identity, and Endpoint—if it doesn’t protect one of those three directly, it’s not part of Defender XDR.
This SC-900 practice question tests your understanding of describe the capabilities of microsoft security solutions. 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.
Which THREE capabilities are provided by Microsoft Defender XDR (formerly Microsoft 365 Defender)? (Choose three.)
Identity threat detection
Defender for Identity is part of XDR.
Data classification and labeling
Why wrong: Data classification is in Microsoft Purview, not Defender XDR.
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
Defender for Endpoint is part of XDR.
Mobile device management (MDM)
Why wrong: MDM is Microsoft Intune, not part of Defender XDR.
Email and collaboration protection
Defender for Office 365 is part of XDR.
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Identity threat detection
Options A, B, and D are correct. Microsoft Defender XDR includes Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Office 365, and Microsoft Defender for Identity. Option C is wrong because Microsoft Purview is a separate compliance solution. Option E is wrong because Microsoft Intune is for device management, not part of XDR.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
Identity threat detection
Why this is correct
Defender for Identity is part of XDR.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Data classification and labeling
Why it's wrong here
Data classification is in Microsoft Purview, not Defender XDR.
Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
Why this is correct
Defender for Endpoint is part of XDR.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Mobile device management (MDM)
Why it's wrong here
MDM is Microsoft Intune, not part of Defender XDR.
Email and collaboration protection
Why this is correct
Defender for Office 365 is part of XDR.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
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
Identify which SC-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
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FAQ
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions — This question tests Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
The correct answer is: Identity threat detection — Options A, B, and D are correct. Microsoft Defender XDR includes Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Office 365, and Microsoft Defender for Identity. Option C is wrong because Microsoft Purview is a separate compliance solution. Option E is wrong because Microsoft Intune is for device management, not part of XDR.
Identify which SC-900 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 21, 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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