One of the most valuable and viable ways is through earning Professional certifications. Earning certifications like AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies can be a great source to boost your career and take you to greater heights. The certifications not only help you to advance your career but also helps to show your dedication and focus on your work and career.
But, before you appear for any certification exam, it is necessary for you to know the exam format in details. Having in-depth knowledge of the exam format helps you to set your priorities straight and make a plan to hit your target. This blog will provide you with every detail that you require to know. So, be with us till the end to acquire all the knowledge about the exam format and preparation resources that you can use. Let us get underway.
Exam AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies: Overview
AZ-500 is a Microsoft Azure certification test that checks if you have the skills to create and put in place safe solutions on Microsoft Azure. It’s for IT pros in charge of handling and securing Azure resources—like security engineers, IT architects, and DevOps professionals.
The test includes many areas about Azure security, such as managing identities and access, safeguarding the platform, protecting data and applications, and overseeing operations. Test-takers should know Azure security features well and be familiar with the best ways to secure things in the cloud.
Target Audience
Getting ready for the AZ-500 exam involves having a good grasp of cloud computing ideas and the fundamental Azure services. Candidates should also be familiar with Azure security services and tools, like Azure Active Directory, Azure Security Center, and Azure Information Protection.
Those taking the Microsoft Azure AZ-500 Exam are security engineers in charge of security measures on Microsoft Azure. They handle implementing controls, keeping things secure, managing identity and access, and safeguarding data, applications, and networks.
In addition, AZ-500 exam candidates should be skilled in scripting and automation, and have a deep understanding of networking, virtualization, and cloud N-tier architecture. Familiarity with cloud capabilities, Microsoft Azure products and services, as well as other Microsoft products and services, is also a must.
Exam Format
- Firstly, The name of the exam is Microsoft Azure Security Technologies and the code for this exam is AZ-500.
- The test has 40-60 questions in various formats like case studies, short answers, multiple-choice, mark review, drag and drop, and more.
- You can take the exam in English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), or Korean. The cost is USD $165, taxes included.
- You’ll have 85 minutes to finish the exam, and to pass, you need a minimum score of 700 out of 1000.
- Lastly, the AZ-500 certification cost is $165 USD.
| 1. Exam Name Microsoft Azure Security Technologies | 2. Exam Code AZ-500 |
| 3. Exam Duration 150 mins | 4. Exam Format Multiple Choice and Multi-Response Questions |
| 5. Exam Type Cloud Computing | 6. Number of Questions 40-60 Questions |
| 7. Eligibility/Pre-Requisite NIL | 8. Exam Fee $165 USD |
| 9. Exam Language English, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), Korean | 10. Pass Score 700 (on a scale of 1-1000) |
There are some policies that in addition to the exam format for AZ-500 can help you understand the exam in a better way. Let us know about those policies in a detailed manner in subsequent paragraphs.
How to Register for the Exam AZ-500 exam?
Follow the steps written below to register for the AZ-500 exam:
- Firstly, Go to the Microsoft site and find your certificate in the list. Then select schedule exam, to register.
- If the certificate is accessible in your country, you can choose the exam when you register.
- Finally, You will also select the language of the greeter, proctor, and proctoring software.
Academic Pricing on the certifications by Microsoft
Most countries provide discounted rates for Microsoft Certified Professional tests for students (except India and China). But, in order to qualify for academic price, You must confirm your student status prior to booking your exam. Applying for student status using your profile on your account –
- Firstly, Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.
- Secondly, Select Profile settings from the Account menu at the top of the page.
- Subsequently, In the Job function menu, select, or ensure that you have selected, “Student.”
- Lastly, check for the academic pricing notice near the Job function menu. If your student status hasn’t been confirmed, click “Get verified” to validate it.
Now, Applying for student status when registering for an exam –
- Firstly, Sign in with your Microsoft account credentials.
- Then, On the exam for which you want to register, click Schedule exam.
- Finally, on the page where you confirm your exam registration details, make sure the Job function field shows “Student – Verified.” If it doesn’t, click “Get verified” to confirm your status, or click Edit to make changes.
Verifying your academic status
You can select the methods out of the listed which you wish to use to verify your status. The methods include:
- Firstly, School-issued email account
- Secondly, School network credentials
- Subsequently, International Student Identity Card (ISIC)
- Furthermore, Verification code from a Microsoft representative or your institution’s administrator
- Also, Other Documentation
Start preparing for AZ-500 exam using the AZ-500 Study Guide!
Exam AZ-500 Exam Retake Policy
- If you don’t pass the exam on your first try, you need to wait at least 24 hours before trying again. However, if you do pass, you can’t retake it.
- If the second attempt is also unsuccessful, wait for at least 14 days before trying again. This waiting period remains the same for the third, fourth, or fifth attempt.
- You can’t take the exam more than 5 times in a year. The 12-month period starts from the failure of your 5th attempt. If you want to take the exam more than 5 times in a year, you need to get in touch with Microsoft.
At last, Let us go through the exam content outline and know a little about the preparation resources that can help you to sort from where to begin the preparations from.
Course Outline
Microsoft Azure Security Technologies AZ-500 Exam topics include –
Manage identity and access (25–30%)
Manage identities in Microsoft Entra ID
- Secure users in Microsoft Entra ID
- Secure directory groups in Microsoft Entra ID
- Recommend when to use external identities (Microsoft Documentation: External Identities in Azure Active Directory)
- Secure external identities
- Implement Microsoft Entra Identity Protection (Microsoft Documentation: What is Identity Protection)
Manage authentication by using Microsoft Entra ID
- Configure Microsoft Entra Verified ID (Microsoft Documentation: Configure your tenant for Microsoft Entra Verified ID)
- Implementing multi-factor authentication (MFA) (Microsoft Documentation: Azure AD Multi-Factor Authentication)
- Implement passwordless authentication (Microsoft Documentation: Enable passwordless sign-in with Microsoft Authenticator)
- Implement password protection (Microsoft Documentation: Enforce on-premises Azure AD Password Protection for Active Directory Domain Services)
- Implementing single sign-on (SSO) (Microsoft Documentation: What is single sign-on in Azure Active Directory?)
- Integrate single sign on (SSO) and identity providers
- Recommend and enforce modern authentication protocols (Microsoft Documentation: Block legacy authentication with Azure AD with Conditional Access)
Manage authorization by using Microsoft Entra ID
- Configure Azure role permissions for management groups, subscriptions, resource groups, and resources (Microsoft Documentation: What are Azure management groups)
- Assign built-in roles in Microsoft Entra ID
- Assign built-in roles in Azure
- Create and assign custom roles, including Azure roles and Microsoft Entra roles
- Implement and manage Microsoft Entra Permissions Management (Microsoft Documentation: What’s Permissions Management?)
- Configure Microsoft Entra Privileged Identity Management (PIM)
- Configure role management and access reviews by using Microsoft Entra (Microsoft Documentation: What are access reviews?)
- Implement Conditional Access policies (Microsoft Documentation: What is Conditional Access?)
Manage application access in Microsoft Entra ID
- Manage access to enterprise applications in Microsoft Entra ID, including OAuth permission grants (Microsoft Documentation: Grant tenant-wide admin consent to an application)
- Manage app registrations in Microsoft Entra ID
- Configure app registration permission scopes (Microsoft Documentation: Introduction to permissions and consent)
- Managing app registration permission consent (Microsoft Documentation: Configure how users consent to applications)
- Manage and use service principals (Microsoft Documentation: Application and service principal objects in Azure Active Directory)
- Manage managed identities for Azure resources (Microsoft Documentation: What are managed identities for Azure resources?)
- Recommend when to use and configure an Microsoft Entra Application Proxy, including authentication
Secure networking (20–25%)
Plan and Implement security for virtual networks
- Plan and implement Network Security Groups (NSGs) and Application Security Groups (ASGs) (Microsoft Documentation: Application security groups, Network security groups)
- Plan and implement user-defined routes (UDRs)
- Planning and implement VNET peering or VPN gateway (Microsoft Documentation: Configure a VNet-to-VNet VPN gateway connection by using the Azure portal)
- Plan and implement Virtual WAN, including a secured virtual hub (Microsoft Documentation: What is a secured virtual hub?)
- Secure VPN connectivity, including point-to-site and site-to-site (Microsoft Documentation: About Point-to-Site VPN, Create a site-to-site VPN connection)
- Implement encryption over ExpressRoute (Microsoft Documentation: ExpressRoute encryption)
- Configure firewall settings on PaaS resources (Microsoft Documentation: Configure Azure Storage firewalls and virtual networks)
- Monitor network security by using Network Watcher, including NSG flow logging (Microsoft Documentation: Introduction to flow logs for network security groups, Log network traffic to and from a virtual machine using the Azure portal)
Plan and implement security for private access to Azure resources
- Plan and implement virtual network Service Endpoints (Microsoft Documentation: Virtual Network service endpoints)
- Planning and implement Private Endpoints (Microsoft Documentation: What is a private endpoint?)
- Plan and implement Private Link services (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Private Link?)
- Plan and implement network integration for Azure App Service and Azure Functions
- Plan and implement network security configurations for an App Service Environment (ASE) (Microsoft Documentation: Networking considerations for App Service Environment, App Service Environment networking)
- Planning and implement network security configurations for an Azure SQL Managed Instance (Microsoft Documentation: Azure SQL Database and SQL Managed Instance security capabilities, Azure SQL Database security features)
Plan and implement security for public access to Azure resources
- Plan and implement Transport Layer Security (TLS) to applications, including Azure App Service and API Management (Microsoft Documentation: Add and manage TLS/SSL certificates in Azure App Service)
- Plan and implement, and manager an Azure Firewall including Azure Firewall Manager and firewall policies (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Firewall Manager?)
- Plan and implement an Azure Application Gateway (Microsoft Documentation: Application Gateway infrastructure configuration)
- Plan and implement an Azure Front Door, including Content Delivery Network (CDN)
- Plan and implement a Web Application Firewall (WAF) (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Web Application Firewall?)
- Recommend when to use Azure DDoS Protection Standard (Microsoft Documentation: Azure DDoS Protection)
Secure compute, storage, and databases (20–25%)
Plan and implement advanced security for compute
- Plan and implement remote access to public endpoints, including Azure Bastion and just-in-time (JIT) virtual machine (VM) access (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Bastion?, Plan for virtual machine remote access)
- Configure network isolation for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) (Microsoft Documentation: Network concepts for applications in Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS))
- Secure and monitor AKS (Microsoft Documentation: Monitoring Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) with Azure Monitor)
- Configuring authentication for AKS (Microsoft Documentation: Access and identity options for Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS))
- Configure security monitoring for Azure Container Instances (ACIs)
- Configure security monitoring for Azure Container Apps (ACAs)
- Manage access to Azure Container Registry (ACR) (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Container Registry roles and permissions)
- Configure disk encryption, including Azure Disk Encryption (ADE), encryption as host, and confidential disk encryption (Microsoft Documentation: Overview of managed disk encryption options, Azure Disk Encryption for Windows VMs)
- Recommend security configurations for Azure API Management (Microsoft Documentation: Azure security baseline for API Management)
Plan and implement security for storage
- Configure access control for storage accounts (Microsoft Documentation: Authorize access to data in Azure Storage)
- Manage life cycle for storage account access keys (Microsoft Documentation: Optimize costs by automatically managing the data lifecycle)
- Selecting and configure an appropriate method for access to Azure Files (Microsoft Documentation: Mount SMB Azure file share on Windows)
- Select and configure an appropriate method for access to Azure Blob Storage (Microsoft Documentation: Authorize access to blobs using Azure Active Directory, Choose how to authorize access to blob data in the Azure portal)
- Select and configure an appropriate method for access to Azure Tables (Microsoft Documentation: Authorize access to tables using Azure Active Directory)
- Selecting and configure an appropriate method for access to Azure Queues (Microsoft Documentation: Get started with Azure Queue Storage using .NET)
- Select and configure appropriate methods for protecting against data security threats, including soft delete, backups, versioning, and immutable storage (Microsoft Documentation: Store business-critical blob data with immutable storage, Data protection overview)
- Configure Bring your own key (BYOK) (Microsoft Documentation: Bring your own key (BYOK) details for Azure Information Protection)
- Enable double encryption at the Azure Storage infrastructure level (Microsoft Documentation: Enable infrastructure encryption for double encryption of data)
Plan and implement security for Azure SQL Database and Azure SQL Managed Instance
- Enable database authentication by using Microsoft Entra ID
- Enable database auditing (Microsoft Documentation: Auditing for Azure SQL Database and Azure Synapse Analytics)
- Identify use cases for the Microsoft Purview governance portal (Microsoft Documentation: What’s available in the Microsoft Purview governance portal?)
- Implement data classification of sensitive information by using the Microsoft Purview governance portal (Microsoft Documentation: Data classification in the Microsoft Purview governance portal)
- Plan and implement dynamic masking (Microsoft Documentation: Dynamic Data Masking)
- Implement Transparent Database Encryption (TDE) (Microsoft Documentation: Transparent data encryption (TDE))
- Recommend when to use Azure SQL Database Always Encrypted (Microsoft Documentation: Always Encrypted)
Manage security operations (25–30%)
Plan, implement, and manage governance for security
- Create, assign, and interpret security policies and initiatives in Azure Policy (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Policy?)
- Configure security settings by using Azure Blueprint (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Blueprints?)
- Deploy secure infrastructures by using a landing zone (Microsoft Documentation: What is an Azure landing zone?)
- Create and configure an Azure Key Vault (Microsoft Documentation: About Azure Key Vault)
- Recommend when to use a dedicated Hardware Security Module (HSM) (Microsoft Documentation: What is Azure Dedicated HSM?)
- Configure access to Key Vault, including vault access policies and Azure Role-Based Access Control (Microsoft Documentation: Provide access to Key Vault keys, certificates, and secrets)
- Manage certificates, secrets, and keys (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Key Vault keys, secrets and certificates overview)
- Configure key rotation (Microsoft Documentation: Configure cryptographic key auto-rotation in Azure Key Vault)
- Configure backup and recovery of certificates, secrets, and keys
Manage security posture by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
- Identify and remediate security risks by using the Microsoft Defender for Cloud Secure Score and Inventory (Microsoft Documentation: Security posture for Microsoft Defender for Cloud)
- Assess compliance against security frameworks and Microsoft Defender for Cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Improve your regulatory compliance)
- Add industry and regulatory standards to Microsoft Defender for Cloud
- Add custom initiatives to Microsoft Defender for Cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Create custom Azure security initiatives and policies)
- Connect hybrid cloud and multi-cloud environments to Microsoft Defender for Cloud (Microsoft Documentation: What is Microsoft Defender for Cloud?)
- Identify and monitor external assets by using Microsoft Defender External Attack Surface Management
Configure and manage threat protection by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
- Enable workload protection services in Microsoft Defender for Cloud, including Microsoft Defender for Storage, Databases, Containers, App Service, Key Vault, Resource Manager, and DNS
- Configure Microsoft Defender for Servers (Microsoft Documentation: Onboard Windows servers to the Microsoft Defender for Endpoint service)
- Configure Microsoft Defender for Azure SQL Database (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Defender for SQL)
- Manage and respond to security alerts in Microsoft Defender for Cloud (Microsoft Documentation: Manage and respond to security alerts in Microsoft Defender for Cloud)
- Configure workflow automation by using Microsoft Defender for Cloud
- Evaluate vulnerability scans from Microsoft Defender for Server (Microsoft Documentation: Defender for Cloud’s integrated Qualys vulnerability scanner for Azure and hybrid machines)
Configure and manage security monitoring and automation solutions
- Monitor security events by using Azure Monitor (Microsoft Documentation: Azure Monitor overview)
- Configure data connectors in Microsoft Sentinel (Microsoft Documentation: Microsoft Sentinel data connectors)
- Create and customize analytics rules in Microsoft Sentinel (Microsoft Documentation: Create custom analytics rules to detect threats)
- Evaluate alerts and incidents in Microsoft Sentinel (Microsoft Documentation: Investigate incidents with Microsoft Sentinel)
- Configure automation in Microsoft Sentinel
You can visit the online tutorials by testpreptraining.com for more information about the content outline and other details.
Preparation Resources for AZ-500: Microsoft Azure Security Technologies
There are numerous resources apart from knowing the exam format for AZ-500. Furthermore, You can use these resources to prepare – books, online communities, online trainings, instructor-led training, preparation guides, and AZ-500 sample tests. Also, You can try the AZ-500 free practice test now too! You can even find the online tutorials by Testpreptraining.com! You can find the official free resources from the Microsoft through the links listed below –
Refernce:
- Firstly, Secure your cloud applications in Azure
- Secondly, Implement resource management security in Azure
- Thirdly, Implement network security in Azure
- Furthermore, Implement virtual machine host security in Azure
- Lastly, Manage identity and access in Azure Active Directory
Learning Resources
- Microsoft Official Exam Guide: The official exam guide from Microsoft provides a detailed overview of the topics covered on the exam, as well as sample questions and answers. It is a valuable resource for understanding what to expect on the exam and how to prepare.
- Microsoft Learn: Microsoft Learn offers a variety of free online courses and learning paths focused on Azure security and compliance. These resources are designed to help you gain a deep understanding of Azure security services and tools, and are a great way to supplement your exam preparation.
- Azure Security Center Documentation: The Azure Security Center documentation provides detailed information on how to configure and use Azure Security Center, a key service covered on the AZ-500 exam. It is a valuable resource for understanding how to secure your Azure resources and protect against threats.
- Practice Exams: To get ready for the AZ-500 exam, try out practice exams. They give you a taste of the questions you’ll face. You can find both paid and free practice exams online, including ones from Microsoft. They help you gauge how well-prepared you are for the actual exam.
- Hands-on Experience: Gaining hands-on experience with Azure security services and tools is essential for success on the AZ-500 exam. Building and deploying secure solutions using Azure services like Azure Active Directory, Azure Security Center, and Azure Information Protection can help you gain practical experience and deepen your understanding of Azure security.
- Books: There are many books available that cover the topics on the AZ-500 exam. Some popular options include “Azure Security Center: Protecting Your Hybrid Environment” by Yuri Diogenes and Dr. Thomas W. Shinder, and “Mastering Azure Security” by Mustafa Toroman.
Expert Corner
First of all, don’t freak out on exam day! You’ve done a good job of preparing, and your efforts will undoubtedly be rewarded. Just maintain your composure and remain cool to give your thoughts time to come up with the right response. Your objectives will undoubtedly be aided by this credential. Hence, acquire the materials as soon as possible! You will undoubtedly get an advantage over others if you continue your education and earn more certifications. And help you reach your dream salary and dream jobs super soon. Hurry up and Try a free practice test now!
