SC-900 Practice Question: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions
Which THREE of the following are features of Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP)? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse DLP's ability to use sensitivity labels as conditions (which is true) with the ability to automatically apply labels (which is a separate Information Protection feature), and they also mistake retention policies for DLP's data lifecycle controls.
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
✓
Provide policy tips to users
Option A is correct because Microsoft Purview DLP can display policy tips to users in supported workloads (for example, Outlook and Office apps) to warn them when they are about to share content that matches a DLP rule, helping them make informed decisions before sending or sharing. Option B is correct because DLP is designed to detect sensitive information types (such as credit card numbers, national ID numbers, or custom regex/keyword patterns) in Exchange Online email messages and take policy actions like block, encrypt, or notify. Option E is correct because Purview DLP supports endpoint DLP, which monitors sensitive data activities on onboarded Windows and macOS devices, including copying to USB, printing, and uploading to cloud services. Option C is not a DLP feature but a capability of Microsoft Purview Information Protection sensitivity labels, which can be auto-applied via label policies or client-side auto-labeling. Option D is not a DLP feature but a retention capability provided by Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management retention policies and retention labels.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Provide policy tips to users
Why this is correct
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) policies can be configured to display real-time policy tips to users. These tips appear directly within applications like Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Teams, informing users when they are about to share or transmit sensitive information in violation of organizational policies. This proactive guidance helps educate users and prevents accidental data loss before it occurs.
- ✓
Detect sensitive data in email messages
Why this is correct
Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is designed to scan email messages in Exchange Online for the presence of sensitive information types (SITs), such as credit card numbers, national ID numbers, or custom sensitive data. When a DLP policy detects such data, it can enforce actions like blocking the email, encrypting it, or notifying administrators, thereby preventing unauthorized disclosure. This capability is fundamental to safeguarding sensitive data transmitted via email.
- ✗
Apply sensitivity labels automatically
Why it's wrong here
While Microsoft Purview does offer automatic labeling, this specific functionality is a core feature of Microsoft Purview Information Protection (MPIP), not Data Loss Prevention (DLP). MPIP uses content inspection and machine learning to automatically apply sensitivity labels to documents and emails based on their content, ensuring data classification and protection from creation. DLP, conversely, focuses on preventing the *loss* of already classified or sensitive data rather than applying the initial classification.
- ✗
Retain data for a specified period
Why it's wrong here
The capability to retain data for a specified period is primarily managed by Microsoft Purview Data Lifecycle Management, specifically through retention policies and records management features. These policies ensure that data is kept for legal, regulatory, or business requirements, or deleted after a set period, which is distinct from preventing data loss. Data Loss Prevention (DLP) focuses on preventing unauthorized sharing or transfer of sensitive data, not on its long-term storage or deletion lifecycle.
- ✓
Monitor sensitive data on endpoints
Why this is correct
Microsoft Purview Endpoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) extends data protection capabilities to devices running Windows and macOS. This feature monitors user activities involving sensitive data on endpoints, such as copying to USB drives, attempting to print, uploading to unallowed cloud services, or sharing over network shares. By detecting and preventing risky actions directly on the endpoint, Endpoint DLP helps to stop data exfiltration before it leaves the device.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Microsoft Entra Domain Services
Key term
Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is an email, calendar, and contact management application that is part of the Microsoft 365 suite, used by businesses and individuals to organize communications and schedules.
Key term
Information protection
Information protection refers to the policies, procedures, and technologies used to safeguard data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
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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.