Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals

Master security concepts, Microsoft identity and access management, security solutions, and compliance tools to protect organizations in the cloud.

⏱️ 1-2 months
📊 3 Phases
🎓 SC-900 Certification
💼 Beginner → Entry-Level
🎯 Beginner → Entry-Level

What is Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals?

SC-900 validates your foundational knowledge of security, compliance, and identity concepts across cloud-based and related Microsoft services. This certification demonstrates your understanding of Microsoft security, compliance, and identity solutions, including Azure Active Directory, Microsoft Defender, Sentinel, and compliance tools. It's ideal for those interested in security careers or anyone who needs to understand security fundamentals in cloud environments.

Is This Roadmap For You?

📜 Recommended Certification Path

SC-900

Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals

After completing all 3 phases

📋 SC-900 Exam Syllabus Overview

The official Microsoft SC-900 exam tests your knowledge across four key areas:

25-30%
Describe security, compliance, and identity concepts
  • Shared responsibility model
  • Defense in depth
  • Zero Trust model
  • Encryption and hashing
  • Compliance concepts
25-30%
Describe capabilities of Microsoft identity and access management solutions
  • Azure Active Directory (Azure AD)
  • Authentication and authorization
  • Multi-factor authentication (MFA)
  • Conditional Access
  • Identity protection
25-30%
Describe capabilities of Microsoft security solutions
  • Azure Security Center/Defender
  • Azure Sentinel (SIEM)
  • Microsoft 365 Defender
  • Threat protection capabilities
  • Security management tools
20-25%
Describe capabilities of Microsoft compliance solutions
  • Microsoft Purview compliance portal
  • Information protection and governance
  • Insider risk management
  • eDiscovery and audit capabilities
  • Resource governance in Azure

🚀 Start Here

If you're new to security and compliance:

Begin with Phase 1: Understand Security Fundamentals (expand below)

No prior security knowledge required — this is designed for beginners!

Focus on understanding core concepts before diving into tools

Complete each phase fully before moving to the next

Ready to get started?

Create a free Azure account to explore security features hands-on

1
Understand Security Fundamentals
2-3 weeks
1-2 hrs/day
✅ Core Skills = Must complete to move forward | ◻ Optional = Nice-to-have if time permits
CORE
🔒 Security Concepts

Shared responsibility, defense in depth, Zero Trust model, encryption basics

CORE
🆔 Identity Basics

Authentication vs authorization, identity as security perimeter, SSO, MFA

CORE
📜 Compliance Fundamentals

Compliance concepts, data residency, regulatory requirements, privacy

OPTIONAL
🔐 Cryptography Basics

Symmetric vs asymmetric encryption, hashing, certificates, key management

🎯 Learning Actions

🛠️ Practice
Explore Azure security basics
✅ Prove
Explain Zero Trust model and defense in depth
2
Learn Microsoft Security Solutions
3-4 weeks
1-2 hrs/day
✅ Core Skills = Must complete to move forward | ◻ Optional = Nice-to-have if time permits
CORE
🔑 Azure Active Directory

Azure AD overview, users and groups, MFA, Conditional Access, identity protection

CORE
🛡️ Microsoft Defender

Azure Defender, Microsoft 365 Defender, endpoint protection, threat intelligence

CORE
🔍 Azure Sentinel Basics

SIEM overview, Sentinel capabilities, security orchestration, threat detection

CORE
🔐 Security Management

Azure Security Center, secure score, security policies, recommendations

OPTIONAL
🌐 Network Security

NSGs, Azure Firewall, DDoS protection, VPN security

OPTIONAL
🔒 Key Vault

Secrets management, key management, certificate management

🎯 Learning Actions

📚 Learn
Microsoft Learn security solutions path
🛠️ Practice
Configure MFA, explore Defender portal
✅ Prove
Set up MFA and Conditional Access policies
3
Master Compliance and Governance
2 weeks
1 hr/day
✅ Core Skills = Must complete to move forward | ◻ Optional = Nice-to-have if time permits
CORE
📋 Compliance Tools

Microsoft Purview, compliance manager, compliance score, data classification

CORE
🛡️ Information Protection

Data loss prevention, sensitivity labels, information governance

CORE
🏛️ Azure Governance

Azure Policy, resource locks, blueprints, management groups

OPTIONAL
🔍 Audit and eDiscovery

Audit logs, eDiscovery capabilities, content search

🎯 Learning Actions

📚 Learn
Microsoft Learn compliance path
🛠️ Practice
Explore compliance portal, create policies
✅ Prove
Practice SC-900 questions

🎓 Target Certification

SC-900: Microsoft Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals

This certification validates your foundational knowledge of security, compliance, and identity across cloud-based and related Microsoft services. It's perfect for those starting a career in security or anyone who needs to understand these critical concepts!

Practice SC-900 Questions

🎯 You're Ready for SC-900 When You Can:

✅ Explain Security Concepts

Describe Zero Trust, defense in depth, shared responsibility, and encryption

✅ Use Azure AD

Configure users, groups, MFA, and Conditional Access policies

✅ Understand Microsoft Defender

Explain capabilities of Azure Defender and Microsoft 365 Defender

✅ Navigate Sentinel

Describe SIEM capabilities and Azure Sentinel features

✅ Manage Compliance

Use Microsoft Purview and understand compliance requirements

✅ Pass Practice Exams

Score consistently well on SC-900 practice questions and mock exams