SC-401
1Implement Information Protection
30–35%
2Implement Data Loss Prevention and Retention
30–35%
3Manage Risks, Alerts, and Activities
30–35%
Exam guide · SC-401
Microsoft Information Security Administrator Associate exam guide
Microsoft doesn’t give an exact number of questions for SC-401: most of its exams have 40 to 60 questions. You get 100 minutes. You need 700 out of 1000 to pass. It costs $165 (in the United States; set by country). Microsoft hasn’t announced a retirement date.
Last updated
The exam at a glance
Microsoft Information Security Administrator Associate (SC-401)
- Time
- 100 min
- Prerequisites
- None
- Level
- Intermediate
- Role
- Information Security Administrator
- Renewal
- Yearly, free
- Exam code
- SC-401
From Microsoft’s own pages, checked every week (last on November 7, 2026). The cost is checked every week too. How we check our facts
Versions and dates
What’s changing, and when
Microsoft hasn’t announced a retirement date for SC-401. We check Microsoft’s site every week, and this page changes the day it does.
Exam domains
What the exam covers
Each domain’s share of the exam, as Microsoft publishes it. Spend your study time in the same proportion.
Prepare
Start on SC-401 today
Free tools to find your weak domains and plan your weeks, then full practice exams in OpenpassAI.
Free practice test
10 SC-401 questions
Original questions across the exam’s domains, each with an explanation, and your score by domain.
Take the testFree study plan
A week-by-week plan
Pick your exam date and weekly hours, and get a plan weighted like the domains above.
Make my planMicrosoft certifications
Where Information Security Administrator fits
Every Microsoft certification on one map, with each exam’s facts checked weekly.
See the Microsoft page
Take it further in OpenpassAI
Full SC-401 practice exams
Timed exams weighted like the real one, an AI tutor that explains every answer, and a readiness score for each domain.
FAQs
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers.
Find quick answers or contact our support team.
How many questions are on the Microsoft Information Security Administrator Associate exam?
Microsoft doesn’t give an exact number for SC-401: most of its exams have 40 to 60 questions. You get 100 minutes.
What is the passing score for Microsoft Information Security Administrator Associate?
You need 700 out of 1000: the same for every Microsoft technical exam.
How much does the Microsoft Information Security Administrator Associate exam cost?
$165 (in the United States; set by country). Check Microsoft’s site for the price in your country.
When does SC-401 retire?
Microsoft hasn’t announced one yet. We check Microsoft’s site every week, and this page changes the day it does.
What experience do I need for Microsoft Information Security Administrator Associate?
None: Microsoft sets no prerequisites for SC-401. Knowing the exam’s domains well is what counts.
How should I study for Microsoft Information Security Administrator Associate?
Weight your time like the exam: Implement Information Protection, Implement Data Loss Prevention and Retention and Manage Risks, Alerts, and Activities carry the most (30–35% each). Take the free practice test to find your weakest domains, make a study plan around them, and before you book, sit full-length timed practice exams until you pass them comfortably.
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