Cyber security engineer interview questions can take many forms, but all serve a singular purpose: Allowing a potential employer to evaluate how well you might protect a company’s employees and infrastructure from cyberattacks.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, which unleashed virus-themed phishing and other attacks on corporate tech stacks, cyberattacks were increasing worldwide at a pretty rapid clip. Companies have been anxious to add positions to their security teams, meaning that technologists with the right combination of cyber security training and skills have a good chance of landing a job.
Indeed, for the past few years, finding enough qualified engineers to fill open cyber security jobs has proven challenging. In November 2019, for example, the International Information System Security Certification Consortium (also known as (ISC)²) published a study that found there are about 2.8 million security professionals currently working worldwide—with another 4 million needed to close the “security gap” facing companies.
A recent article for the Council on Foreign Relations also found that, at a time of heightened concern over public health, cyber security remains a critical concern for organizations of all sizes. Cybercrime, nation-state attacks and issues of citizens’ privacy and government surveillance are all key concerns that can impact companies’ health.
And while there are numerous open positions in cyber security, the competition is fierce. Preparing for cyber security engineer interview questions is one of the most important ways that both seasoned professionals and those new to the tech industry can find suitable employment.
With cyber security engineer interview questions, recruiters and hiring managers are looking not only for a mix of skills and certifications, but also problem-solving abilities, a willingness to learn, and the ability to handle stressful situations that come with an attack surface that is rapidly expanding, said Terence Jackson, the CISO at Thycotic, a Washington D.C.-based security firm.
“When interviewing candidates, I look for individuals with investigative and curious minds, problem-solving skills and a passion to learn,” Jackson told Dice. “Depending on the role and level, previous experience or certifications may come into play. As an industry, we have been saying for years there is a shortage of people to fill roles in security. Due to the current situation we find ourselves in, I believe we have an opportunity to recruit, train and retain talent during this time to fill that gap.”
What is the best way to prepare for cyber security engineer interview questions?
The best way to prepare for cyber security engineer interview questions is to learn as much as possible about the company or organization that you’re applying to. This includes reading up on its structure, its offerings, its products and technology, as well as what the job entails. If that sounds like a bit of a cliché in terms of advice, you’re right—but you absolutely need to do that kind of deep research before proceeding with the cyber security engineer interview.
In addition, it’s worth diving deep into the company’s specific industry, and what that potentially means for the company’s tech stack and security needs. For example, does the firm deal in threat intelligence or endpoint protection? Is it looking to fill a position within its SOC, or does it need someone who specializes in network security?
The answers to those questions can determine what your daily workflow will look like. Are you looking to spend your days patching, or will you tackle more strategic assignments?
“Brush up on what’s new with some of the specific requirements—it is easy to miss out on what’s taking place within your own industry if your last organization was not at the forefront (possibly why you’re looking),” said Gary Bresien, senior recruiter at Coalfire, a cyber security advisory service based in Colorado.
What are the challenges faced in a cyber security engineer position?
Within security, the threat landscape can change day-to-day. This means the challenges that a cyber security engineer faces are constantly moving targets. Cyber security engineer interview questions will definitely touch on how you’ve been keeping abreast of the latest trends.
For instance, since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing many companies to push workers into telework situations, security researchers have recorded a staggering increase in attacks that are targeting a newly mobile workplace that is unmoored from the protections provided within a physical office. A recent study by Barracuda Networks found that, by the end of February, the amount of phishing emails using COVID-19 as a lure increased a staggering 667 percent in just one month.
For those preparing for a cyber security engineering interview, knowing how these trends are affecting the industry can demonstrate to recruiters and potential employers that they’ve mastered the security landscape. Even after the COVID-19 crisis passes, knowledge of cyber security trends is essential; these things will come up in the course of cyber security engineer interview questions.
“In the security space, the threat landscape is ever-changing—you need to demonstrate your ability to learn fast, apply new knowledge, and then move on to the next new challenge,” Bresien told Dice. “Going into a new job is really about being a real-life contributor, reflecting that image you created in the interview.”
What skills are needed in a cyber security engineer interview?
There are no specific cyber security certifications that an engineer absolutely needs during a job interview, although some experts agree that recruiters and employers tend to favor the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification from (ISC)².
Since many cyber security engineers typically have CISSP or an equivalent certification, candidates need to find other ways to differentiate themselves, said Steve Durbin, managing director of the Information Security Forum, a London-based authority on cyber security, information security and risk management.
“While technical knowhow is going to be needed, in most cases, this will be common across the candidates,” Durbin told Dice. “Differentiate yourself through displaying business and people skills. Emotional intelligence is in short supply in technical roles and is a good differentiator.”
What questions can come up during a cyber security engineer interview?
During the hiring process, a cyber security engineer interview questions will touch on a number of topics.
Security firm McAfee has published a list of over 200 questions that cyber security engineer job candidates could face during an interview. These can include basic knowledge questions such as: “What is information security and how is it achieved?” or “What are the core principles of information security?” Sound simple? Sure, but they can still trip you up if you’re not adequately prepared.
Cyber security engineer interview questions get a little more complex when it comes to a candidate’s specialization. For example, when the interview begins delving into specifics, a network security candidate might face questions such as: “What is a firewall? Provide an example of how a firewall can be bypassed by an outsider to access the corporate network.” Meanwhile, a question for an application security position could include: “Describe the last program or script that you wrote. What problem did it solve?”
In Bresien’s experience, it’s acceptable to not know all the answers to cyber security engineer interview questions. The important point, however, is to be honest with your new potential employer.
“I have been telling people for nearly two decades that if you have not been asked a question that you do not know the answer to, then the interviewer has failed at their job, or at least a piece of it, which is to find the edge of your experience,” Bresien said. “Be comfortable when that question comes and have a prepared but flexible response—something that points to a couple of times in your career when you’ve been presented with challenges and how you came up to speed quickly.”
Nick Kolakowski – Read more on efinancialcareers.com
