What are the most common technical questions asked in an infrastructure security job interview?

During an infrastructure security job interview, anticipate a diverse set of technical questions designed to evaluate your proficiency in safeguarding IT infrastructure. The specific inquiries may differ based on the organization, role, and technologies in use. - Describe various types of network attacks and how to defend against them. - How would you conduct a vulnerability assessment on a network - How do you secure a network against unauthorized access - Explain the concept of least privilege and its importance in server security. - What are the key security considerations when migrating to the cloud? Additionally, be ready to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and apply your knowledge to practical

1. What are the differences between TCP and UDP protocols, and in what scenarios is each preferred? 2. Describe the OSI model and explain how each layer impacts network security. 3. What steps would you take upon detecting unauthorized access to a network?

Network Security: How does a firewall function, and what are the differences between stateful and stateless firewalls? Explain the concept of VPN (Virtual Private Network) and its role in securing communications. Encryption and Cryptography: What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption? How does public key infrastructure (PKI) contribute to secure communication? Access Control: Describe the principles of least privilege and need-to-know in the context of access control. Explain the difference between role-based access control (RBAC) and discretionary access control (DAC).

1. What are the key differences between vulnerability scanning and penetration testing, and when do you use each method? 2. Describe the phases of penetration testing methodology. What tools and techniques do you use in each phase? 3. What elements should an effective security assessment report contain, and how do you formulate recommendations for a client or team?

How do you perform a network security assessment? What tools and techniques would you use to discover and analyze network vulnerabilities? Wireless Security Testing: How would you approach testing the security of a wireless network? What are common vulnerabilities associated with Wi-Fi networks? Explain the concept of social engineering and its role in security testing. How would you simulate a phishing attack in an organization? What security testing tools are you familiar with, and how do you use them? How would you choose the appropriate tools for a specific security testing scenario?

The interview questions must evaluate both the soft and technical skills of the interviewee which includes all the IT areas, knowledge about Tools[for VA & PT] , Frameworks [like Cyber Security and Risk Management], different testing skills, communication, and report writing. Sample questions: 1. Name a time when you have difficulty to report your findings to non-technical persons. How did you handle the issue? What was the result? 2. What are the main parts of the Security Assessment report? 3. What phases will you use when you perform a security assessment? 4. What frameworks are you familiar with? 5. How would you rate the risks you found in the assessment? 6. What tools will you use when you are performing and how do you select them?

1. Can you describe the sources and types of data used in security monitoring? How do you prioritize and analyze this data for potential threats? 2. Explain how you classify security events and determine their priorities based on impact and urgency. What criteria do you use? 3. What are your steps and best practices for handling a security incident? Could you walk us through a recent incident you managed?

These are great examples but you can’t talk about the Cloud and infrastructure automation without mentioning Terraform. #1 question in infra-based interviews I’ve had is: What is a terraform module and how is it used?

1. What are the benefits and challenges of implementing security within a DevOps environment? Can you provide examples from your experience? 2. Explain how you utilize Ansible for automating and enforcing security policies on infrastructure components. Can you share an instance where you successfully automated a security process using Ansible? 3. Describe how you use Jenkins for creating secure CI/CD pipelines. Can you talk about a security pipeline you have set up or improved?

1. Can you discuss the major security regulations that impact your infrastructure and industry? How do you ensure compliance with these regulations? 2. How do you utilize a GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) tool for managing security risks, controls, and performance? Can you provide an example of how you've used GRC in your past role? 3. Explain how you use IAM (Identity and Access Management) tools for implementing security policies and roles. What are some best practices you follow in managing user access and privileges?

In infrastructure security, one of the most challenging issue is managing it while maintaining the business need. So, in addition to the technical knowledge, the interview questions must measure such aspects too. Sample questions 1. Tell me your experience on deploying the concept of defense-in-depth on data centers and server rooms. How do you use it effectively? 2. A new remote access to a server is requested for a new project deployment. But, it's against the organization's VPN security policy. How do you treat the issue? 3. What are the main issues or aspects you would consider when you think of an organization's infrastructure security? 4. What Administrative control do you deploy to maintain an organization's infrastructure security?