Updated for 2026 Exam Objectives

SC-401 Practice Test

Microsoft Certified: Information Security Administrator Associate

SC-401 tests whether you can actually run Microsoft Purview information protection end to end — sensitivity labels, DLP, retention, insider risk, and the newest material: protecting data used by Copilot and other AI services — not just define the terms.

Our 500 scenario-based questions cover the full SC-401 blueprint across three evenly weighted domains: implementing information protection (data classification, sensitivity labels, and on-premises/Exchange protection), implementing data loss prevention and retention (DLP policy design, Endpoint DLP, and retention labels), and managing risks, alerts, and activities (Insider Risk Management, Purview Audit and Activity explorer, eDiscovery, and — the newest and fastest-moving material — Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI). Every question is grounded against live Microsoft Learn documentation rather than static dumps, which matters most for the AI-protection content since it changes the fastest.

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Is this for you?

Your SC-401 exam is in the next 2-4 weeks
You've studied the concepts but aren't sure you'll pass
You want questions harder than the real exam
You want to understand why answers are correct, not just memorize

This is NOT for you if:

You're looking for braindumps or exam leaks
You haven't started studying the concepts yet
Most successful candidates start practice 2-3 weeks before their exam
Updated for the latest exam blueprint

SC-401 Exam Details

What to expect on exam day

Questions

40

Duration

100 minutes

Passing Score

700

Exam Cost

$165

Exam Domains Covered

Master all topics tested on the SC-401 exam

1

Implement information protection

2

Implement data loss prevention and retention

3

Manage risks, alerts, and activities

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5 Free SC-401 Questions

See how ready you are for the SC-401 exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation so you learn as you go.

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Why Practice with MSCertQuiz?

Microsoft Learn teaches concepts. We prepare you for the actual exam.

1

Dedicated coverage of Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI and Purview controls for Microsoft 365 Copilot — the newest, fastest-changing part of the exam, where generic question banks are most likely to be stale or wrong

2

All three domains are weighted almost identically on the real exam (30-35% each), and our bank mirrors that balance exactly instead of over-indexing on the easiest-to-write topics

3

Deep scenario-based questions on exact data match (EDM) sensitive information types, document fingerprinting, and custom SIT tuning — the information-protection material candidates most often underestimate

4

Every question is verified against a live-fetched Microsoft Learn page before it ships, with the source URL attached, so content stays accurate as Purview and its AI protections keep evolving

Not sure if you're ready for the SC-401 exam?

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What Our Users Say

“The DSPM for AI questions were exactly what I needed — that section barely has any study material anywhere else, and the practice questions matched the real exam's depth on Purview AI controls closely.”

PN

Priya N.

SC-401 Certified

“I'd done SC-300 before so identity wasn't new, but the retention and file-plan questions caught real gaps in how I understood regulatory records versus regular records. Explanations actually taught the distinction instead of just stating it.”

TW

Tom W.

Passed SC-401 first try

“All three domains felt equally represented, which matched the real exam much better than other question banks I'd tried that were heavy on DLP and light on everything else.”

AB

Amara B.

Information Security Administrator Associate

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Official Microsoft Resources

Our practice questions are aligned with official Microsoft exam objectives. We recommend studying with Microsoft Learn first, then using MSCertQuiz to test your readiness.

View Official SC-401 Exam Details

SC-401 Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about the SC-401 Information Security Administrator certification

What is SC-401?
SC-401 (Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365) is Microsoft's Associate-level exam for the Information Security Administrator certification. It validates the ability to plan and implement information security for sensitive data using Microsoft Purview — protecting content inside Microsoft 365 collaboration environments from internal and external threats, implementing information protection, data loss prevention, retention, and insider risk management, and protecting data used by AI services.
How much does the SC-401 exam cost and how long is it?
The SC-401 exam follows Microsoft's standard Associate-level pricing: $165 USD, roughly 100 minutes, and a passing score of 700 out of 1000. Exact duration and question count are set by Microsoft at scheduling time and can vary — confirm current figures on the official Microsoft Learn scheduling page before booking.
What is the passing score for SC-401?
The passing score for SC-401 is 700 out of 1000, the same threshold used across nearly all Microsoft role-based certification exams. Microsoft uses scaled scoring, so 700 represents roughly 70% competency across all three exam domains rather than a simple raw percentage.
What topics are covered on SC-401?
SC-401 covers three domains, each weighted 30-35%: Implement information protection — data classification (sensitive information types, EDM, document fingerprinting, trainable classifiers, OCR), sensitivity labels for items and containers, and information protection for Windows, file shares, and Exchange; Implement data loss prevention and retention — DLP policy design and Adaptive Protection, Microsoft Purview Endpoint DLP, and retention labels and policies; and Manage risks, alerts, and activities — Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management, Purview Audit and Activity explorer, eDiscovery, and Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI.
How hard is SC-401?
SC-401 is a scenario-heavy Associate exam that spans mature Purview functionality (sensitivity labels, DLP, retention) and genuinely new territory (DSPM for AI, Purview controls for Copilot). Candidates comfortable with classic information-protection administration often find the AI-data-protection material the hardest section, since it launched more recently and has fewer outside study resources than the rest of the exam.
How long should I study for SC-401?
Candidates already administering Microsoft Purview day-to-day, with solid sensitivity-label and DLP experience, should plan 4-6 weeks, focused mostly on Insider Risk Management and DSPM for AI since those are the least familiar to most admins. Candidates newer to Purview should plan 8-10 weeks total. We recommend studying the Microsoft Learn study guide first, then working through 500 scenario-based practice questions spread evenly across all three domains, since they carry almost identical exam weight.
What are the prerequisites for SC-401?
There are no enforced prerequisites to register for SC-401, but Microsoft designed the exam for candidates familiar with all Microsoft 365 services, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra, the Microsoft Defender portal, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. Hands-on experience configuring Purview policies rather than pure conceptual study is strongly recommended, given how scenario-heavy the exam is.
Who should take SC-401?
SC-401 is aimed at information security administrators who plan and implement data protection using Microsoft Purview — collaborating with governance, data, and security stakeholders to reduce risk — rather than architects designing overall security strategy or identity administrators focused on authentication and access. It pairs well with SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator) and SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst), and feeds into SC-100 (Cybersecurity Architect) for candidates aiming at architect-level security roles.

Also Preparing For

Candidates studying SC-401 often prepare for these certifications next.

SC-300

Microsoft Identity and Access Administrator

Practice test →SC-200

Microsoft Security Operations Analyst

Practice test →SC-100

Cybersecurity Architect

Practice test →