Associate AZ-500
Azure security cert covering Entra ID, key vaults, network security, threat protection, and security posture management. Retiring August 2026.
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The Microsoft Azure Security Engineer Associate (AZ-500) validates the ability to implement security controls, maintain the security posture of Azure environments, and manage identity protection, network security, and data protection in Azure. It is the primary Azure security certification at the Associate level.
The exam covers four domains: Manage Identity and Access (25–30%), Secure Networking (20–25%), Secure Compute, Storage, and Databases (20–25%), and Manage Security Operations (25–30%). Core services include Microsoft Entra ID (identity protection, PIM, Conditional Access), Azure Key Vault, Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Microsoft Sentinel, Azure Firewall, DDoS Protection, NSGs, Application Gateway with WAF, and Azure Policy for compliance.
Microsoft has announced the AZ-500 will retire on August 31, 2026. Azure security skills are expected to be consolidated into updated certifications. For a durable Azure security credential, candidates may also consider SC-200 (Security Operations Analyst) or SC-300 (Identity and Access Administrator), which are active certifications addressing specific security domains.
“AZ-500 is difficult and this made it achievable. Identity, networking and data protection all hit the right level. First attempt. 🔐”
“Realistic tests, thorough explanations, useful reports. I went in knowing roughly what I'd score, and that's worth a lot.”
Every AZ-500 question is written by someone who holds this certification and works in the field — not scraped from other sites, and not generated and shipped unreviewed. Every explanation you are shown has been read and approved by that same expert first.
Azure security engineers, cloud security architects, and IT security professionals responsible for securing Azure environments.
Prerequisites: AZ-900 and AZ-104 recommended. Experience with security operations, identity management, and network security in Azure.