SC-500 (Microsoft Certified: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate)
Microsoft lists SC-500 as the replacement for the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification (AZ-500), which retired on August 31, 2026. The exam measures the design, implementation, and management of security controls across Azure, hybrid, and AI-enabled environments, including identity, storage, databases, networking, compute, and security posture.
Exam Details
Proctored exam booked through Pearson VUE and scored on a scale of 1 to 1,000. Some questions may be interactive.
Price for exams proctored in the United States. Microsoft sets exam prices by the country or region of proctoring, and the listed price excludes taxes and promotional offers.
Requirements and Renewal
Prerequisites
None required. Microsoft recommends practical experience administering Azure and hybrid environments (compute, network, storage), strong familiarity with Microsoft Entra ID, and familiarity with Microsoft 365 administration.
Renewal
Associate certifications expire annually. Holders renew by passing a free, unproctored online assessment on Microsoft Learn during the six-month window before expiry.
Current Version
SC-500.
Exam Domains
4 domains| Domain |
|---|
| Manage identity, access, and governance (20-25%) |
| Secure storage, databases, and networking (25-30%) |
| Secure compute (20-25%) |
| Manage and monitor security posture (20-25%) |
Related Certifications
Certification Lists
Tools Covered by SC-500
Microsoft Entra ID
FreemiumMicrosoft cloud identity platform, formerly Azure AD, covering workforce, workload, and customer identities.
Related Tool Categories
Red-teaming suites, prompt injection scanners, LLM guardrails, and model evaluation utilities.
CSPM scanners, container and Kubernetes policy engines, and cloud configuration auditing tools.
Secrets managers, identity engines, and access control platforms for managing credentials and privilege.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does SC-500 replace AZ-500?→
Yes. Microsoft retired the Azure Security Engineer Associate certification (Exam AZ-500) on August 31, 2026 and names the Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate (Exam SC-500) as its replacement. Holders of AZ-500 keep it until it expires but can no longer renew it.
When did SC-500 become available?→
Microsoft released Exam SC-500 in beta in May 2026 and announced general availability of the certification for July 2026.
How long is the SC-500 exam?→
Candidates have 120 minutes. A scaled score of 700 or greater is required to pass.
Does SC-500 cover AI security?→
Yes. Its objectives include identifying risks in Microsoft Copilot and AI apps, Defender for AI Services, and guardrails for agents in Microsoft Foundry.
Does SC-500 count toward SC-100?→
Yes. It is one of the three associate certifications Microsoft accepts as the prerequisite for the Cybersecurity Architect Expert certification.
Sources
- Microsoft Certified: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate
- Study guide for Exam SC-500: Implementing End-to-End Security Controls for Cloud and AI Workloads
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Security Engineer Associate (retired)
- Microsoft Skills Hub Blog: The AI job boom is here. Are you ready to showcase your skills?
- Microsoft Skills Hub Blog: New Microsoft Certified: Cloud and AI Security Engineer Associate Certification
- Microsoft Certification Renewal
- Microsoft Certified: Cybersecurity Architect Expert
Exam details are checked against official Microsoft pages. Fees, exam versions, and renewal rules change; confirm with Microsoft before registering. SC-500 is a trademark of its owner. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.