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Microsoft · Cybersecurity · Associate

Microsoft Information Security Administrator exam guide

Exam SC-401

SC-401: Administering Information Security in Microsoft 365 earns Information Security Administrator Associate. It validates implementing Microsoft Purview information protection, data loss prevention, retention and insider risk, including protecting data used by AI services such as Copilot.

QuestionsSee official page
Time limit100 minutes
Passing score700 (1-1000 scale)
Exam fee$165 USD
Valid for1 years
DeliveryPearson VUE test center or online proctored

Format: Multiple choice, drag-and-drop, hot area, build list and case studies; may include labs (120 minutes if labs are included). Fee note: US price; varies by country. Student and Microsoft Learn challenge discounts sometimes available.

Who it's for

Microsoft 365 and compliance administrators responsible for data classification, DLP and insider risk.

What the exam covers

Implement information protection (30-35%)—
Implement data loss prevention and retention (30-35%)—
Manage risks, alerts, and activities (30-35%)—

A dash means the vendor does not publish a weight for that domain.

Eligibility & prerequisites

Required: None

Recommended: Experience administering Microsoft 365 workloads and Microsoft Purview.

Keeping it active

Role-based certifications are valid 1 year. Renew free by passing an unproctored online renewal assessment on Microsoft Learn in the 180 days before expiry; no fee and no retest required.

Skills & careers

Skills it validates

  • Sensitive information types, trainable classifiers and data classification
  • Sensitivity labels and label policies
  • DLP policies including Endpoint DLP
  • Retention policies and labels
  • Insider Risk Management
  • Protecting data used by Copilot and other AI services

Job roles

Information Security AdministratorCompliance AdministratorData Protection SpecialistMicrosoft 365 Security AdministratorDLP Engineer

Where it fits in your path

Planning a degree too? See how this cert earns college credit in the College Credit Navigator.

Build my study plan

  1. Week 1: Read the SC-401 study guide; set up a Microsoft 365 E5 trial
  2. Week 2: Information protection - SITs, classifiers, sensitivity labels, auto-labeling
  3. Week 3: DLP and retention - DLP policy design across Exchange, SharePoint, Teams and endpoints; retention labels
  4. Week 4: Insider Risk Management, alerts, Activity Explorer, AI data protection; practice assessment

Make it yours: pick your exam date and weekly hours. We'll split your time by domain weight and give you a printable plan.

Exam-day tips

  • The three domains are weighted equally - do not skip insider risk
  • Know the order of precedence for retention and which wins when labels conflict
  • Understand label scoping (files/emails vs groups/sites) and encryption options
  • AI data protection (Copilot) is now an explicit objective

Key terms for this exam

All 4 terms Study with thinQcards™

Frequently asked questions

How much is SC-401?

$165 USD in the United States.

Did SC-401 replace SC-400?

Yes, SC-401 is the current Information Security Administrator exam.

Is SC-401 hard?

Moderate; detail-heavy on Purview policy behavior.

Who should take SC-401?

Admins handling data protection and compliance in Microsoft 365.

How do I renew?

Free annual online renewal assessment.

Official page: learn.microsoft.com. Reviewed November 2026. Vendors change fees and objectives, so confirm with the vendor before you book. Spot something out of date? Tell us.