Microsoft Certified: Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals (SC-900)

Microsoft regularly offers SC-900 free vouchers via Security Virtual Training Days events. Pay full price only as last resort. Common pathway: SC-900 → SC-200 (SecOps) or SC-300 (Identity) → AZ-500.

Career-switchers into security/compliance from non-IT backgrounds (legal, audit, risk) report SC-900 as accessible entry point. Doesn't expire. John Savill's SC-900 cram on YouTube the standard free prep.

For working security engineers, content is too shallow — skip to AZ-500 or SC-200. SC-900 best for non-technical compliance staff, project managers in security orgs, or as part of MS fundamentals trifecta-quartet.

Microsoft's entry-level security/compliance/identity cert. Covers Entra ID, Defender, Purview, Sentinel at high level. $99 fee. Useful resume keyword for non-technical roles in MS-aligned security/compliance teams.