SC-401: Information Security Administrator Associate

Pick how to study

• Try 10 free SC-401 questions
• SC-401 mock exam: timed, you pick the length
• SC-401 flashcards: spaced repetition
• SC-401 decision sheets: look-alike services, settled

The SC-401 exam

• Questions: 339

What SC-401 covers

Every question and flashcard is mapped to the SC-401: Information Security Administrator Associate skills outline so you only revise what is on the exam.

• Implement information protection
• Implement data loss prevention and retention
• Manage risks, alerts, and activities

Why earn the SC-401 certification in 2026

SC-401 is Microsoft's associate-level certification for information security administrators, replacing SC-400. Microsoft expects candidates to plan and implement information security using Microsoft Purview, and to be familiar with Microsoft 365, PowerShell, Microsoft Entra, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. There is no prerequisite certification. The exam covers information protection, data loss prevention and retention, and managing risks, alerts, and activities.

Who should sit this exam

Information protection administrators rolling out Microsoft Purview, compliance engineers configuring DLP and retention policies, insider risk analysts investigating data leakage, and Microsoft 365 security professionals enforcing data governance.

Exam tips

• Master sensitivity labels, label policies, and auto-labelling across Microsoft 365 and endpoints
• Know DLP policy authoring, endpoint DLP, and Adaptive Protection conditions
• Understand insider risk policy templates, triage workflows, and forensic evidence settings
• Review records management, retention labels, and eDiscovery (Premium) case lifecycle

SC-401 study resources

• Build a study plan: tell us your exam date and we schedule daily practice and review sessions backwards from the date.
• Decision sheets: each sheet settles one choice between look-alike services, verdict first, then the comparison, then the traps.

Frequently asked about SC-401

What does the SC-401 exam cover?

SC-401 covers information protection with Microsoft Purview: sensitivity labels, data loss prevention, insider risk management, records management, and eDiscovery. It replaces the retired SC-400 exam.

How long should I study for SC-401?

Plan on 6 to 10 weeks of study. Time spent inside the Purview portal applying labels, authoring DLP policies, and walking through insider risk cases is more valuable than memorising feature lists.

Is SC-401 worth it?

SC-401 is the current information security administrator credential and aligns with the Microsoft Purview rebrand. It is well suited to compliance and security professionals working in regulated industries.

What is the passing score for SC-401?

700 out of 1000.

How many questions are on AzurePrep for SC-401?

AzurePrep covers SC-401 with practice questions written to the published skills outline, spanning information protection, DLP, insider risk, and Microsoft Purview compliance. The current question count is shown on the SC-401 landing page.

Ready for SC-401?

Try the practice surface for free. Answer a few questions, see the spacing loop, then decide. Try 10 free SC-401 questions or browse the catalogue.