The SC-401 exam is a core requirement for achieving the Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate certification. This role is critical in organizations where sensitive data must be protected from internal misuse and external threats—especially as collaboration across Microsoft 365 services becomes more widespread.
Certification: Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate
Duration: 100 minutes
Language: English
Price: $165
Target Audience: Security Administrators, Compliance Officers, IT Pros
The SC-401 exam assesses your knowledge and hands-on skills in the following core areas:
1. Implement Information Protection
Use Microsoft Purview to classify, label, and protect documents and emails.
Implement sensitivity labels, encryption, and content marking.
Manage and monitor the usage of Microsoft Information Protection (MIP).
2. Implement Data Loss Prevention and Retention
Configure DLP policies to prevent unintentional data exposure.
Use retention labels and policies to ensure data lifecycle management.
Integrate Microsoft 365 compliance center capabilities.
3. Manage Risks, Alerts, and Activities
Monitor and respond to insider risk alerts.
Implement and manage policies in Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps.
Use Microsoft Entra, Microsoft Defender portal, and PowerShell for automated risk response.
Microsoft Learn: Use Microsoft Learn’s SC-401 learning path for guided content.
Practice Questions: Study updated SC-401 practice exams from CertDeed with scenario-based questions.
Hands-On Labs: Use Microsoft 365 trial or sandbox environments to gain practical experience.
Official Docs: Review Microsoft documentation for Microsoft Purview, Information Protection, DLP, and Defender.