Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals certifications demonstrate that the candidate is familiar with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365. Also, they understand how Microsoft security, compliance, and identity solutions can span across these solution areas to provide a holistic and end-to-end solution. Exam SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals is a part of the Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals certification.
The exam is for IT professionals who want to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in security, compliance, and identity in Microsoft technologies. The exam is intended for individuals who have a foundational understanding of these concepts and who want to demonstrate their expertise in this area.
The SC-900 exam covers topics such as security risks and threats, security technologies, identity management, access control, and data protection. It also covers regulatory and industry standards related to security and compliance, as well as the security features of Microsoft cloud services and technologies.
Target Audience
The following are some of the ideal candidates for the SC-900 exam:
- IT administrators: IT administrators who are responsible for implementing and maintaining security and compliance policies in their organizations.
- Security professionals: Security professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise in Microsoft security and compliance technologies.
- Compliance professionals: Compliance professionals who want to demonstrate their understanding of regulatory and industry standards related to security and compliance.
- IT consultants: IT consultants who are responsible for advising clients on security and compliance policies and technologies.
- Cloud administrators: Cloud administrators who are responsible for implementing and maintaining security and compliance policies in cloud environments.
Knowledge Required
You should have a foundational understanding of security, compliance, and identity concepts and how they apply to Microsoft technologies. Here are some of the knowledge areas that are covered in the exam:
- Security risks and threats: Understanding of common security risks and threats and how to mitigate them.
- Security technologies: Knowledge of security technologies such as firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems, encryption, and multi-factor authentication.
- Identity management: Understanding of identity management concepts and technologies, including Azure Active Directory and Microsoft Identity Manager.
- Access control: Knowledge of access control concepts, including role-based access control and conditional access.
- Data protection: Understanding of data protection concepts, including data classification, data encryption, and data backup and recovery.
- Regulatory and industry standards: Knowledge of regulatory and industry standards related to security and compliance, such as GDPR, HIPAA, and ISO 27001.
- Microsoft cloud services and technologies: Understanding of the security features of Microsoft cloud services and technologies, such as Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365.
SC-900: Basic Terms For Better Concept Clarity:
Here are some basic terms that are relevant to this exam:
- Cloud Computing: The delivery of computing services, including servers, storage, databases, networking, software, analytics, and intelligence, over the internet.
- Security: The practice of protecting resources and information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
- Compliance: The process of adhering to industry and regulatory standards and guidelines.
- Identity: The set of attributes and characteristics that define an individual or entity, and the mechanisms used to manage and control access to resources.
- Azure Active Directory (Azure AD): A cloud-based identity and access management service that provides single sign-on and multi-factor authentication capabilities.
- Azure Information Protection: A cloud-based service that helps organizations classify and protect sensitive information.
- Azure Security Center: A cloud-based security management service that provides visibility and control over the security of Azure resources.
- Encryption: The process of converting data into a code to prevent unauthorized access or disclosure.
- Multi-factor authentication (MFA): A security mechanism that requires users to provide two or more forms of authentication before accessing a resource.
- Threat protection: The process of identifying, detecting, and responding to security threats.
Elaborated Course Outline
We at Testprep Training believe that providing a full-fledged course outline with relatable documentation can help the candidates prominently. So, let’s get started with the Exam SC-900 course outline:
Describe the Concepts of Security, Compliance, and Identity (10—15%)
Describe security and compliance concepts
- describe the shared responsibility model (Microsoft Documentation: shared responsibility model, Shared responsibility in the cloud)
- define defense in depth (Microsoft Documentation: What is defense in depth?)
- describing the Zero-Trust model (Microsoft Documentation: zero-trust methodology)
- Describe encryption and hashing (Microsoft Documentation: Describe security and compliance concepts)
- Describe Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) concepts
Define identity concepts
- define identity as the primary security perimeter (Microsoft Documentation: Identity as the primary security perimeter)
- defining authentication (Microsoft Documentation: Authentication vs. authorization)
- define authorization (Microsoft Documentation: Authentication vs. authorization)
- describing identity providers (Microsoft Documentation: Identity Providers for External Identities)
- Describe the concept of directory services and Active Directory
- describe the concept of Federation (Microsoft Documentation: federation with Azure AD)
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra (25—30%)
Describe the basic identity services and identity types of Microsoft Entra ID
- describing Microsoft Entra ID
- describe types of identities
- describing hybrid identity (Microsoft Documentation: concept of hybrid identities)
Describe the authentication capabilities of Microsoft Entra ID
- describing the authentication methods (Microsoft Documentation: authentication and verification methods)
- describing Multi-factor Authentication (MFA) (Microsoft Documentation: Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication, Configure Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication settings)
- describe password protection and management capabilities (Microsoft Documentation: password protection and management capabilities of Azure AD, Eliminate bad passwords using Azure Active Directory Password Protection, Enforce on-premises Azure AD Password Protection for Active Directory Domain Services)
Describe access management capabilities of Microsoft Entra ID
- describing conditional access (Microsoft Documentation: Define Conditional Access)
- Describe Microsoft Entra roles and role-based access control (RBAC)
Describe the identity protection and governance capabilities of Microsoft Entra
- describe Microsoft Entra ID Governance
- Describe access reviews (Microsoft Documentation: Azure AD entitlement management, Azure AD access reviews)
- Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM) (Microsoft Documentation: capabilities of Privileged identity Management)
- Describe Entra ID Protection
- Describe Microsoft Entra Permissions Management
Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Security Solutions (35—40%)
Describe core infrastructure security services in Azure
- Describe Azure distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) Protection (Microsoft Documentation: Azure DDoS Protection Standard)
- describing Azure Firewall (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Firewall)
- describing Web Application Firewall (WAF) (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Web Application Firewall)
- Describe Network Segmentation with Azure Virtual Networks
- Describe Network Security groups (NSGs) Network security groups)
- describe Azure Bastion (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Bastion)
- Describe Azure Key Vault
Describe security management capabilities of Azure
- Describe Microsoft Defender for Cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Defender for Cloud)
- Describe Cloud security posture management (CSPM) (Microsoft Documentation: Manage cloud platform security)
- Describe how security policies and initiatives improve the cloud security posture
- Describe the enhanced security features provided by cloud workload protection
Describe security capabilities of Microsoft Sentinel
- Define the concepts of security information and event management (SIEM) and security orchestration automated response (SOAR) (Microsoft Documentation: concepts of SIEM, SOAR)
- Describe threat detection and mitigation capabilities in Microsoft Sentinel
Describe threat protection with Microsoft Defender XDR
- describe Microsoft Defender XDR services
- describe Microsoft Defender for Office 365 (Microsoft Documentation: Office 365 Security, Microsoft Defender for Office 365)
- describing Microsoft Defender for Endpoint (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint)
- Describe Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps overview)
- describing Microsoft Defender for Identity (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Defender for Identity)
- Describe Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management
- Describe Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence (Defender TI)
- Describe the Microsoft Defender portal (Microsoft Documentation: Visit the Microsoft 365 Defender portal)
Describe the Capabilities of Microsoft Compliance Solutions (20—25%)
Describe Microsoft’s Service Trust Portal and privacy principles
- Describe the Service Trust Portal offerings (Microsoft Documentation: Get started with Microsoft Service Trust Portal)
- Describe the privacy principles of Microsoft (Microsoft Documentation: Privacy overview)
- Describe Microsoft Priva
Describe the compliance management capabilities of Microsoft Purview
- Describe the Microsoft Purview compliance portal (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Purview compliance portal)
- describing compliance manager (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Compliance Manager)
- describe use and benefits of compliance score (Microsoft Documentation: Understanding your compliance score)
Describe information protection, data lifecycle management, and data governance capabilities of Microsoft Purview
- describing data classification capabilities (Microsoft Documentation: Know your data – data classification, data classification capabilities in the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center)
- describe the benefits of content explorer and activity explorer (Microsoft Documentation: activity explorer, content explorer)
- describing sensitivity labels and sensitivity label policies (Microsoft Documentation: sensitivity labels)
- describing Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (Microsoft Documentation: Overview of data loss prevention, Data loss prevention)
- describe Records Management (Microsoft Documentation: records management in Microsoft 365)
- Describe retention policies, retention labels, and retention label policies (Microsoft Documentation: retention policies and retention labels)
- Describe unified data governance solutions in Microsoft Purview
Describe insider risk, eDiscovery, and audit capabilities in Microsoft Purview
- describe Insider risk management (Microsoft Documentation: insider risk management in Microsoft 365)
- Describe eDiscovery solutions in Microsoft Purview
- Describe audit solutions in Microsoft Purview
Now that we have successfully covered the whole course outline with their respective documentation, let’s just move to the learning resources or we can say preparatory guide.
Step-By-Step Study Guide: Exam SC-900
Let us now begin the ideal preparation for Exam SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals, the following presents a few of the analytical steps that you should consider for developing an ideal schedule for your Exam SC-900 preparation. Our study guide will escort you at all times during the journey. Follow it and crack the exam on the very first attempt.
Microsoft Learning Platform
Microsoft offers various learning paths, the candidate should visit the official website of Microsoft. The candidate can find every possible information on the official site. For this exam, the candidate will find many learning paths and documentations. Finding relatable content on the Microsoft website is quite an easy task. Also, you can find the study guide for Exam SC-900 on the official website of Microsoft.
Microsoft Documentation
Microsoft Documentations are an important learning resource while preparing for Exam SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals. The candidate will find documentation on every topic relating to the particular exam. This step is very valuable in preparing for becoming a certified functional consultant. Although we have speifically mentioned every documentations in the upper mentioned course outine. However, you can refer to the following documentation overalls for Exam SC-900:
- SC-900 part 1: Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity
- Also, SC-900 part 2: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Identity and access management solutions
- Then, SC-900 part 3: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions
- SC-900 part 4: Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions
Instructor-Led Training
The training programs that Microsoft provides itself are available on their website. The instructor-led training is an essential resource in order to prepare for the exam like SC-900. The candidate can find the instructor-led training on the page of the particular exam on the Microsoft website. There are various training courses available prior to one exam.
Testprep Online Tutorials
Exam SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals Online Tutorial enhances your knowledge and provides a depth understanding of the exam concepts. Additionally, they also cover exam details and policies. Therefore learning with Online Tutorials will result in strengthening your preparation.
Join a Study Group
For passing the Exam SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals, the candidate needs to get and share knowledge. So, we are suggesting you join some study where you can discuss the concepts with the people who have the same goal. This will lead the candidate throughout their preparation.
Practice Test
The most important step is to try your hands on the practice test. Practice tests are the one which ensures the candidate about their preparation. There are many practice tests available on the internet nowadays, the candidate can choose whichever they want. The practice test is very beneficial in preparing for Exam SC-900. So, Start Preparing Now!
Exam Tips:
Here are some tips that may help you prepare for and pass the Microsoft Exam SC-900 (Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals):
- Study the exam objectives: Familiarize yourself with the exam objectives, which can be found on the Microsoft website, to ensure that you understand the topics that will be covered in the exam.
- Use official Microsoft resources: Make use of official Microsoft resources, such as training courses, videos, and whitepapers, to gain a deeper understanding of the exam topics.
- Practice with hands-on experience: Hands-on experience is essential to understanding the concepts covered in the exam. Try to gain as much practical experience as possible using Microsoft technologies and services.
- Stay current with Microsoft updates: Stay up-to-date with the latest Microsoft updates and security news to ensure that you are familiar with the latest developments in the field.
In summary, to prepare for the Microsoft Exam SC-900, you should study the exam objectives, use official Microsoft resources, gain hands-on experience, participate in study groups and forums, practice with mock exams, and stay current with Microsoft updates.
