SC-401 sample exam questions

15 exam-style questions for Microsoft SC-401: Information Security Administrator, with answers and explanations. Take them as a timed practice exam first if you want a score out of 1000.

  1. Question 1Single choiceTopic 1
    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription.
    You need to enable support for sensitivity labels in Microsoft SharePoint Online.
    What should you use?
    1. A
      the Microsoft Purview portal
    2. B
      the Microsoft Entra admin center
    3. C
      the SharePoint admin center
    4. D
      the Microsoft 365 admin center
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A

    Why

    Sensitivity labels support for SharePoint and OneDrive is turned on in the Microsoft Purview portal, under Information Protection label settings (Enable sensitivity labels for Office files in SharePoint and OneDrive). The other admin centers do not host this setting.

  2. Question 2HotspotTopic 1
    HOTSPOT

    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription that uses Microsoft Purview.

    You need to create a sensitive information type (SIT) to detect project code content that starts with the letters pjt followed by six digits and ends with the letters sct. The following is an example of the project code.

    pjt123456sct

    How should you complete the regular expression? To answer, select the appropriate options in the answer area.

    NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

    pjt ___ (first box)[0–9] / (0–9) / #0–9# / ^0–9^
    ___ sct (second box)(6) / %6% / {6} / #6# / :6:
    Show answer
    • pjt ___ (first box) [0–9]
    • ___ sct (second box) {6}
    Why

    In a regular expression, [0-9] is a character class that matches any single digit, and the quantifier {6} repeats it exactly six times. So pjt[0-9]{6}sct matches values such as pjt123456sct.

  3. Question 3Single choiceTopic 1
    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription that contains thee users named User1, User2, and User3 and a file named File1.docx.

    You create a sensitivity label named Label1 as shown in the following exhibit.



    You apply Label1 to File1.

    For which users can Microsoft 365 Copilot summarize File1?
    1. A
      No user
    2. B
      User1 only
    3. C
      User1 and User2 only
    4. D
      User1, User2, and User3
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A

    Why

    Label1 uses Double Key Encryption. Content protected with DKE is not accessible to Microsoft 365 Copilot, because Microsoft cannot decrypt it, so Copilot cannot summarize the file for any user regardless of Co-Author, Review or Viewer permissions.

  4. Question 4HotspotTopic 1
    HOTSPOT

    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription that contains four users named User1, User2, User3, and User4 and a file named File1.docx.

    To File1, you apply a sensitivity label that has the permissions shown in the following exhibit.



    Use the drop-down menus to select the answer choice that completes each statement based on the information presented in the graphic.

    NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

    Microsoft 365 Copilot can summarize File1 for [answer choice].User1 only / User1 and User2 only / User1, User2, and User3 only / User1, User2, User3 and User4
    For [answer choice], Microsoft 365 Copilot can reference File1 by using a link.User1 only / User1 and User2 only / User1, User2, and User3 only / User1, User2, User3 and User4
    Show answer
    • Microsoft 365 Copilot can summarize File1 for [answer choice]. User1 and User2 only
    • For [answer choice], Microsoft 365 Copilot can reference File1 by using a link. User1, User2, User3 and User4
    Why

    Copilot can summarize encrypted content only for users who have both the VIEW and EXTRACT usage rights. Co-Owner and Co-Author include EXTRACT, while Reviewer and Viewer do not. Any user with VIEW rights can still get a link to the file from Copilot.

  5. Question 5Single choiceTopic 1
    You have a Microsoft 365 tenant that is opt-in for trainable classifiers.

    You need to ensure that a user named User1 can create custom trainable classifiers. The solution must use the principle of least privilege.

    Which role should you assign to User1?
    1. A
      Security Administrator
    2. B
      Compliance Administrator
    3. C
      Global Administrator
    4. D
      Security Operator
    Show answer

    Correct answer: B

    Why

    With opt-in tenants, Compliance Administrator is the least privileged listed role that can create and manage custom trainable classifiers. Global Administrator is excessive, and Security Administrator and Security Operator lack the needed compliance permissions.

  6. Question 6Single choiceTopic 1
    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription.

    You create a sensitivity label named Label1 and publish Label1 to all users and groups.

    You have the following files in a SharePoint site:

    • File1.doc
    • File2.docx
    • File3.xlsx
    • File4.txt

    You need to identify which files can have Label1 applied.

    Which files should you identify?
    1. A
      File2.docx only
    2. B
      File2.docx and File3.xlsx only
    3. C
      File1.doc, File2.docx, and File3.xlsx only
    4. D
      File1.doc, File2.doc, File3.xlsx, and File4.txt
    Show answer

    Correct answer: B

    Why

    Sensitivity labels apply natively to modern Office formats such as .docx and .xlsx. The legacy .doc format and plain .txt files are not supported by built-in labeling in the Office apps, so only File2 and File3 can have Label1 applied.

  7. Question 7Single choiceTopic 2
    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 tenant.

    You create a data loss prevention (DLP) policy.

    You need to ensure that the policy protects documents in Microsoft Teams chat sessions.

    Which location should you enable in the policy?
    1. A
      SharePoint sites
    2. B
      Teams chat and channel messages
    3. C
      Exchange email
    4. D
      OneDrive accounts
    Show answer

    Correct answer: D

    Why

    The Teams chat and channel messages location covers message text only. Files shared in Teams chats are stored in the sender's OneDrive account, so a DLP policy must include the OneDrive accounts location to protect documents shared in chats. Channel files would sit in SharePoint.

  8. Question 8HotspotTopic 2
    HOTSPOT

    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription that uses Microsoft Purview and just-in-time (JIT) protection. Fallback action in case of failure is set to Block users from completing actions.

    The subscription contains the users shown in the following table.



    The subscription contains the devices shown in the following table.



    The devices contain the files shown in the following table.



    For each of the following statements, select Yes if the statement is true. Otherwise, select No.

    NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

    If User1 attempts to copy File1.docx to a removable USB drive, JIT will block the action.Yes / No
    If User2 signs in to Device2 and attempts to attach File2.pdf to an email, JIT will block the action.Yes / No
    If User3 attempts to copy File3.xlsx to a network share, JIT will generate an audit event.Yes / No
    Show answer
    • If User1 attempts to copy File1.docx to a removable USB drive, JIT will block the action. Yes
    • If User2 signs in to Device2 and attempts to attach File2.pdf to an email, JIT will block the action. No
    • If User3 attempts to copy File3.xlsx to a network share, JIT will generate an audit event. No
    Why

    JIT protection applies only to in-scope users on onboarded devices and holds egress actions on files not yet evaluated. User1 and File1 qualify, so the copy is blocked. User2 is out of scope and File2 is already evaluated, and Device3 is not onboarded, so JIT does nothing there.

  9. Question 9HotspotTopic 2
    HOTSPOT

    You create a retention label policy named Contoso Policy that contains the following labels:

    10 years then delete
    5 years then delete
    Do not retain

    Contoso_Policy is applied to content in Microsoft SharePoint Online sites.

    After a couple of days, you discover the following messages on the Properties page of the label policy:

    • Status: Off (Error)
    • It’s taking longer than expected to deploy the policy

    You need to reinitiate the policy.

    How should you complete the command? To answer, select the appropriate options in the answer area.

    NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

    Cmdlet (before -id Contoso_Policy):Set-RetentionCompliancePolicy / Set-RetentionPolicy / Start-EdgeSynchronization / Start-RetentionAutoTagLearning
    Parameter (after -id Contoso_Policy):-ForceFullSync / -FullCrawl / -RetryDistribution / -Train
    Show answer
    • Cmdlet (before -id Contoso_Policy): Set-RetentionCompliancePolicy
    • Parameter (after -id Contoso_Policy): -RetryDistribution
    Why

    Security & Compliance PowerShell's Set-RetentionCompliancePolicy with -RetryDistribution redistributes a policy whose deployment failed, which clears the Off (Error) status. Set-RetentionPolicy targets Exchange MRM policies, and the other cmdlets and parameters do not redeploy retention label policies.

  10. Question 10Single choiceTopic 2
    You have a Microsoft 365 subscription.

    You plan to retain the following audit log record types and activities for the next three years:

    • CopilotInteraction: All activities selected (1/1)
    o Interacted with Copilot
    • ComplianceDLPEndpoint: All activities selected (2/2)
    o Matched DLP rule
    o Removed DLP rule from document
    • AzureActiveDirectory: 2 of 25 activities selected (2/25)
    o Reset user password
    o Changed user password

    What is the minimum number of audit retention policies you should create to retain only the selected record types and activities?
    1. A
      1
    2. B
      2
    3. C
      3
    4. D
      5
    Show answer

    Correct answer: B

    Why

    An audit retention policy can include multiple record types, but activity filtering applies to the whole policy. Copilot and DLP endpoint records, with all activities, go in one policy, while the two selected Entra password activities need their own policy. That makes two policies.

  11. Question 11Single choiceTopic 2
    You need to be alerted when users share sensitive documents from Microsoft OneDrive to any users outside your company.

    What should you do?
    1. A
      From the Microsoft Entra admin center, configure an Identity Protection policy.
    2. B
      From the Microsoft Purview portal, start an eDiscovery search.
    3. C
      From the Microsoft Purview portal, start a data investigation.
    4. D
      From the Microsoft Purview portal, create a data loss prevention (DLP) policy.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: D

    Why

    A DLP policy for OneDrive with a condition that content is shared with people outside the organization and an alert action creates the notification admins need. Identity Protection, eDiscovery and data investigations do not alert in real time on sharing of sensitive documents.

  12. Question 12Single choiceTopic 3
    Note: This question is part of a series of questions that present the same scenario. Each question in the series contains a unique solution that might meet the stated goals. Some question sets might have more than one correct solution, while others might not have a correct solution.

    After you answer a question in this section, you will NOT be able to return to it. As a result, these questions will not appear in the review screen.

    You have a Microsoft 365 subscription.

    You have a user named User1. Several users have full access to the mailbox of User1.

    Some email messages sent to User1 appear to have been read and deleted before the user viewed them.

    When you search the audit log in the Microsoft Purview portal to identify who signed in to the mailbox of User1, the results are blank.

    You need to ensure that you can view future sign-ins to the mailbox of User1.

    Solution: You run the Set-AuditConfig –Workload Exchange command.

    Does that meet the goal?
    1. A
      Yes
    2. B
      No
    Show answer

    Correct answer: B

    Why

    Set-AuditConfig -Workload Exchange is not a valid way to enable mailbox sign-in auditing. Mailbox audit logging is enabled per mailbox with Set-Mailbox -AuditEnabled, so this solution does not meet the goal.

  13. Question 13HotspotTopic 3
    HOTSPOT

    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription.

    You are implementing insider risk management.

    You need to create an insider risk management notice template and format the message body of the notice template.

    How should you configure the template? To answer, select the appropriate options in the answer area.

    NOTE: Each correct selection is worth one point.

    Use the:Microsoft 365 admin center / Microsoft Defender portal / Microsoft Entra admin center / Microsoft Purview portal
    Format in:HTML / Markdown / RTF / XML
    Show answer
    • Use the: Microsoft Purview portal
    • Format in: HTML
    Why

    Insider risk management notice templates are created under the solution's Notice templates tab in the Microsoft Purview portal. The message body accepts HTML tags for formatting, such as links, headings and bold text, so HTML is the supported format.

  14. Question 14Single choiceTopic 3
    You have a Microsoft 365 E5 subscription.

    You plan to use Microsoft Purview insider risk management.

    You need to create an insider risk management policy that will detect data theft from Microsoft SharePoint Online by users that submitted their resignation or are near their employment termination date.

    What should you do first?
    1. A
      Configure Office indicators.
    2. B
      Onboard devices to Microsoft Defender for Endpoint.
    3. C
      Configure a Physical badging connector.
    4. D
      Configure a HR data connector.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: D

    Why

    Detecting theft by users who resigned or are near termination uses the policy template for data theft by departing users, which relies on a HR connector supplying resignation and termination dates. Office indicators and device onboarding help detection but do not trigger the policy.

  15. Question 15Single choiceTopic 3
    You need to be alerted when users share sensitive documents from Microsoft OneDrive to any users outside your company.

    What should you do?
    1. A
      From the Microsoft Defender portal, create a file policy.
    2. B
      From the Exchange admin center, create a data loss prevention (DLP) policy.
    3. C
      From the Microsoft Entra admin center, configure an Identity Protection policy.
    4. D
      From the Microsoft Defender portal, create an activity policy.
    Show answer

    Correct answer: A

    Why

    Defender for Cloud Apps file policies scan files in connected apps such as OneDrive and alert on sharing, for example with external users. Activity policies track user actions, not file sharing state, and Exchange DLP or Identity Protection do not cover OneDrive sharing.