Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals SC-900
Follow a topic roadmap built from the published exam blueprint, with lessons, practice exercises and practice exams.
Demonstrate foundational knowledge on security, compliance, and identity concepts and related cloud-based Microsoft solutions.
What you'll learn
Every objective SC-900 publishes, and what it asks you to be able to do.
- Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identityDescribe security and compliance concepts. Define identity concepts.
- Describe the capabilities of Microsoft EntraDescribe function and identity types of Microsoft Entra ID. Describe authentication capabilities of Microsoft Entra ID. Describe access management capabilities of Microsoft Entra ID. Describe identity protection and governance capabilities of Microsoft Entra.
- Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutionsDescribe core infrastructure security services in Azure. Describe security management capabilities of Azure. Describe capabilities of Microsoft Sentinel. Describe threat protection with Microsoft Defender XDR.
- Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutionsDescribe Microsoft Service Trust Portal and privacy principles. Describe compliance management capabilities of Microsoft Purview. Describe information protection, data lifecycle management, and data governance capabilities of Microsoft Purview. Describe insider risk, eDiscovery, and audit capabilities in Microsoft Purview.
The exam at a glance
- Length
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- 99 USD
- Validity
- Does not expire
- Style
- Multiple choice
Multiple-choice questions; Microsoft states the exam includes 40–60 questions.. Based on Skills measured as of July 28 2026. Pass mark is 700.
Sitting the exam
The part nobody publishes in a syllabus. For SC-900 the logistics are study strategy: what you are allowed to read while the clock runs changes how you should practise, and what a second attempt costs changes when you should book.
Where you sit it
- An online proctor monitors the examination session while candidates take it.
- Test-takers might encounter interactive tasks to complete during the exam.
What you are asked
- An extra 30 minutes is provided for finishing the assessment.
How it is marked
- Passing the test demands achieving a score of 700 or higher.
If you do not pass
- A waiting period of 24 hours is required before you can retake the exam for the first time after failing.
- All subsequent retake attempts up to a total of 5 require a 14-day waiting period between them.
- You are not permitted to take a specific exam more than five times in a 12-month timeframe starting from your initial attempt.
- If you fail the exam 5 times, you will become eligible to attempt it again 12 months after the date of your first attempt.
- Retaking an exam you have already passed is prohibited unless your certification has expired.
- You are required to pay for the exam retake if applicable.
- You can submit a request to waive the retake waiting period if you encountered equipment failure or internet connectivity issues during the test and a Pearson VUE case was generated.
- No waivers will be granted for any other reason.
- Waiver requests must incorporate the Pearson VUE case number to verify your eligibility.
Booking it
- You can book your test date through Pearson Vue.
- Educators and students are able to schedule their exam through Certiport.
- It is strongly advised that you sign up for the exam utilizing a personal MSA account.
- If you register using an organizational AAD account from your work or school and later leave that organization, your testing records will be lost and cannot be recovered.
- The cost of the exam depends on the country or region where it is proctored.
What comes with it
- The cost of the exam depends entirely on the nation or territory where the proctored test takes place.
Read off the official exam page on 10 September 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm anything you are about to spend money on.
What the exam covers
Microsoft publishes the objectives but not a weight for each one, so treat these as equally likely to come up.
Course content
25 topics
1. Core Security Principles
- Describe security and compliance concepts
2. Compliance and Governance Fundamentals
Compliance frameworks, shared responsibility model, and governance concepts
3. Core Identity Concepts
- Define identity concepts
4. Identity Infrastructure and Federation
Directory services, federation, and single sign-on concepts
5. Microsoft Entra ID Foundation
- Describe function and identity types of Microsoft Entra ID
6. Advanced Entra ID Identity Types
Service principals, managed identities, and device identities in Entra ID
7. Authentication in Microsoft Entra
- Describe authentication capabilities of Microsoft Entra ID
8. Access Management with Microsoft Entra
- Describe access management capabilities of Microsoft Entra ID
9. Identity Protection Capabilities
- Describe identity protection and governance capabilities of Microsoft Entra
10. Identity Governance Features
Identity governance, access reviews, and entitlement management
11. Azure Network Security Services
- Describe core infrastructure security services in Azure
12. Azure Key Vault
Azure Key Vault for secrets and key management
13. Microsoft Defender for Cloud Basics
- Describe security management capabilities of Azure
14. Security Posture Assessment
Secure score and security recommendations in Defender for Cloud
15. SIEM and SOAR Concepts
- Describe capabilities of Microsoft Sentinel
16. Sentinel Threat Hunting and Workbooks
Threat hunting and workbooks in Microsoft Sentinel
17. Microsoft Defender XDR Foundation
- Describe threat protection with Microsoft Defender XDR
18. Extended Defender XDR Services
Defender for Identity and Defender for Cloud Apps
19. Service Trust Portal
- Describe Microsoft Service Trust Portal and privacy principles
20. Data Residency and Sovereignty
Data residency and data sovereignty concepts
21. Microsoft Purview Compliance Portal
- Describe compliance management capabilities of Microsoft Purview
22. Compliance Assessments and Regulatory Compliance
Compliance assessments and regulatory compliance in Purview
23. Information Protection Controls
- Describe information protection, data lifecycle management, and data governance capabilities of Microsoft Purview
24. Data Lifecycle and Records Management
Data lifecycle management and records management in Purview
25. Insider Risk, eDiscovery, and Audit
- Describe insider risk, eDiscovery, and audit capabilities in Microsoft Purview
What to know before you start
- Microsoft Azure
- Microsoft 365
Other Microsoft certifications
All Microsoft certificationsFrequently asked questions
How much does the SC-900 exam cost?
99 USD. Confirm it on Microsoft's page before you book: exam fees change.
How long is the SC-900 exam?
45 minutes. Multiple-choice questions; Microsoft states the exam includes 40–60 questions..
How many questions are on the SC-900 exam?
Multiple-choice questions; Microsoft states the exam includes 40–60 questions.. The sitting is 45 minutes long. Check the current count with Microsoft before you book.
How long is SC-900 valid?
It does not expire, so there is no renewal date to plan for.
Is the SC-900 exam hands-on?
No. It is a written exam, so the skill it tests is recognising the right design or command rather than executing it under time pressure.
What is on the SC-900 exam?
4 objectives: Describe the concepts of security, compliance, and identity, Describe the capabilities of Microsoft Entra, Describe the capabilities of Microsoft security solutions, Describe the capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions. Microsoft does not publish a weight per objective.
What should I know before starting SC-900?
Microsoft Azure. Microsoft 365.
SC-900 vs AZ-900: what is the difference?
SC-900: 45 minutes, 99 USD, multiple choice, foundational level. AZ-900: 45 minutes, 99 USD, multiple choice, foundational level. Both are Microsoft exams with their own guide on this site.
Exam details from Microsoft. Always confirm on their page before booking.
What learners say about Acelro
About Acelro rather than the SC-900 exam: what learners made of the gap analysis, the roadmap and the projects.
“The roadmap makes me focus on a learning curve, no matter the length.”
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