Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals (SC-900) Practice Test

This SC-900 practice exam helps you prepare for Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals, a beginner-level certification that, unlike role-based credentials, never expires. The questions follow how the real exam is weighted, with the heaviest focus on Microsoft security solutions (35 to 40 percent) and Microsoft Entra identity capabilities (25 to 30 percent).

Because SC-900 uses describe-style objectives and no hands-on configuration, success comes from understanding what each Microsoft security, compliance, and identity service does and when it applies. The explanations are written to build that conceptual map across Entra, security, and compliance solutions so you can tell similar services apart under exam pressure.

You have 45 minutes on test day and need a scaled score of 700 out of 1000. Start with the free preview, then practice in short sessions until your accuracy is steady. SC-900 is a common first step toward role-based security certs such as SC-200, SC-300, and AZ-500.

The Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals certification (SC-900) validates foundational knowledge of security, compliance, and identity concepts across Microsoft cloud-based services, including Azure and Microsoft 365. The exam covers core security principles such as Zero Trust, defense-in-depth, the shared responsibility model, encryption, and Governance Risk and Compliance (GRC) concepts, alongside practical knowledge of Microsoft-specific solutions like Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender XDR, and Microsoft Purview. Last updated in November 2025, the exam reflects the current Microsoft SCI product landscape including Microsoft Entra's role-based access control, Conditional Access, Privileged Identity Management, and Microsoft Purview's data classification and compliance management tools.

This is a Fundamentals-level credential, positioned as the entry point into Microsoft's security certification path. It bridges conceptual security knowledge with hands-on familiarity with Microsoft's identity, threat protection, and compliance platforms, making it particularly valuable for professionals operating in Microsoft-heavy environments. The certification does not expire and is awarded upon passing the single required exam.

SC-900 is designed for a broad audience that includes business stakeholders, students, and new or experienced IT professionals who want to demonstrate baseline fluency in security, compliance, and identity concepts. It is especially relevant for those in roles such as IT administrator, compliance officer, business analyst, or junior security analyst who work within organizations using Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 but do not yet hold a specialized security role.

The exam is also well-suited for professionals transitioning into cybersecurity or cloud security from adjacent IT disciplines, as it provides foundational grounding before pursuing role-based certifications like SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst), SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator), or SC-400 (Information Protection and Compliance Administrator). Students in IT or cybersecurity programs use it as an early credential to signal cloud security awareness to employers.

There are no formal prerequisites to register for SC-900. However, Microsoft recommends that candidates have a general familiarity with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 before attempting the exam, as many questions reference services and features within those platforms. No prior security, compliance, or identity experience is required — the exam is explicitly designed to be accessible to those new to these domains.

In practical terms, candidates benefit most from having completed the free Microsoft Learn learning path 'Introduction to security, compliance, and identity concepts' (SC-900T00 course content) and from some exposure to navigating the Azure portal and Microsoft 365 admin center. Candidates with a basic understanding of networking concepts, cloud service models (IaaS, PaaS, SaaS), and general IT terminology will find the material easier to absorb.

SC-900 is a single exam delivered through Pearson VUE (for general candidates) or Certiport (for students and educators). The exam is proctored and may be taken online or at a testing center. Candidates are given 45 minutes to complete the assessment. The exam may include interactive components in addition to traditional question types such as multiple choice and multi-select. A scaled score of 700 out of 1000 is required to pass.

The exam is available in 13 languages including English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, French, Spanish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Arabic (Saudi Arabia), Indonesian, German, and Italian. Candidates taking a localized version that lags behind the current English version may request an additional 30 minutes. If a candidate fails the exam, they may retake it after 24 hours; subsequent retake waiting periods vary per Microsoft's retake policy. Microsoft strongly recommends registering with a personal MSA account rather than a work or school account to ensure certification records are retained.

SC-900 serves as a recognized entry credential in Microsoft's security certification path and provides a foundation for advancing to role-based certifications such as SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst), SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator), and SC-400 (Information Protection and Compliance Administrator). It is particularly valued in organizations heavily invested in Microsoft 365 and Azure, where demonstrating fluency in Microsoft's security and compliance toolset — including Microsoft Sentinel, Defender XDR, and Microsoft Purview — is directly applicable to day-to-day job functions. The certification is relevant to roles including IT administrator, compliance officer, cloud security analyst, and junior security engineer.

From a compensation perspective, entry-level cybersecurity roles requiring foundational cloud and security knowledge carry salaries in the $72,000–$92,000 range, with the higher end reflecting combined cloud and security skills. The SC-900 is frequently paired with AZ-900 (Azure Fundamentals) or CompTIA Security+ to round out a candidate's credential profile — SC-900 demonstrates Microsoft-specific knowledge while Security+ provides broader vendor-neutral recognition. The cybersecurity market continues to expand, with significant demand for professionals who can navigate Microsoft's integrated security ecosystem across identity, threat protection, and compliance.