What are the most effective cybersecurity interview questions?

Over the past two years, as I navigated the intricate process of interviewing more than 100 cybersecurity candidates. Instead of relying on standard definition questions, I delved into crafting each interview to reflect the specific cybersecurity role and the unique background of the candidate. Rather than asking for textbook answers, I present real-world scenarios - a complex network breach or a challenging encryption problem. As the candidate navigates these scenarios, adapting their strategies in real-time, I gain a genuine insight into their skills in cyber sec. This method not only tests technical knowledge but also brings to light their problem-solving prowess.

I've often asked the very simple `in your own words define system security" ... amazing how many can't do that. Some try to change the question, others just tweak textbook answers ... it's simply amazing the effectiveness

During the technical piece of an interview, I would not ask questions you can answer by just googling. I am more interested in how the candidate approaches a challenge. Given a scenario, would it be more efficient to apply a top-to-bottom approach rather than bottom-to-top? While answering my questions about a scenario, I can observe the candidate's thought process as well as how he uses technical concepts to provide a solution.

As a cybersecurity professional who has conducted numerous interviews on both sides of the table, I appreciate the clarity and conciseness of this text. It effectively outlines the purpose of technical questions in cybersecurity interviews and provides valuable guidance for interviewees on how to approach these questions effectively. Highlight the value of clear explanations: Encourage candidates to provide clear and detailed explanations when answering technical questions. This showcases their ability to articulate complex concepts in a way that is understandable to both technical and non-technical audiences. Keep in mind they are candidates but also people.

One thing I have found very useful is that having solid foundational knowledge of cybersecurity principles go a long way in any cybersecurity career. Your knowledge and articulation on theoretical questions sometimes gives you an edge in addition to your practical expertise or experience. For instance, showing a proper understanding of Risk, Vulnerability & Threat in a network environment makes it easier for the management team to gain confidence in giving you a job.

A lot of security programs have different ideas of what they want to get out of situational challenges, but I personally like to see these questions focused around what I consider the core skills every security specialist should have: risk assessment and threat modeling. Even with great technical skills, you need to be able to evaluate a unit of software (or a system of services), identify ways it can break, and prioritize what specific security issues need to be fixed sooner rather than later. Ideally, you can offer multiple ways to approach individual issues that are hard to resolve quickly. Figuring out how to turn a serious issue that needs to be fixed now into a much less serious issue which can be fixed over time is huge.

Situational inquiries serve as an expeditious means to discern an individual's thought processes and logical acumen. In the context of the rapidly evolving field of Cybersecurity, our emphasis should pivot towards cultivating dynamic intellects capable of demonstrating resilience, adept problem-solving prowess, and ingenuity. Google, for instance, exemplifies adept utilization of situational questions in identifying candidates with divergent perspectives.

Always ask scenario based questions. Scenario-driven questions in cybersecurity interviews offer distinct advantages over direct answer technical queries. They simulate real-world challenges, allowing candidates to demonstrate practical application of knowledge, showcasing problem-solving skills in dynamic situations. This approach assesses critical thinking and decision-making abilities, going beyond memorization. The communication skills of candidates are tested as they articulate their thought processes clearly, crucial for conveying complex technical concepts to diverse stakeholders. Furthermore, scenario questions evaluate adaptability, reflecting a candidate's capacity to navigate the evolving landscape of cybersecurity.

To be as relevant as I can to Sr or practiced level offensive security team members this is almost exclusively how I interview because it has brought be better value then some of the other questions styles.

No momento, com as experiências adquiridas nestes 5 anos, mais de 4.800 horas de estudo e Labs, umas 80 entrevistas. Segue o meu ponto de vista resumido: N?o sei se a sequência das perguntas foram colocadas nesta ordem propositalmente... Porem, eu penso que elas deveriam ser invertidas. Primeiramente sobre meus objetivos e expectativas (As expectativas de ambos ser?o atendidas?). 2 -Quais as tendências , desafios e futuro da SI. 3- Quest?es comportamentais ( Como eu Sou...), Após estes alinhamentos acredito ser mais produtivo partir para as quest?es técnicas e Situacionais.

Behavioral questions are used to check whether a candidate is culturally fit for the company or not. I like to mention one of the penetration tester position interview questions here, So as a normal interview, I was expecting to answer "Tell me about a time when you found one of the most exciting vulnerabilities and how you helped to fix it, etc." Instead of that, I've got an amazing question for which I was not prepared, an interviewer asked me "When do you call a pentest a good pentest?" And no having more high-risk vulnerability is not an answer to this!!

Behavioral questions are great for interviewers to learn how well a candidate may fit into the team: - Are they good team players? - Can they work without supervision and efficiently provide a solution in a timely manner (showing they have initiative) or do they approach challenge as if they were in a silo, neither providing a solution or asking for advice after doing proper research (showing lack of sense of urgency)? - How well can they interact with customers? For candidates behavioral questions are of great help to compensate for any technical questions they could not answer. Nobody knows everything, but anyone can learn anything; it is a matter of positive attitude and disposition to learn. Demonstrate passion for what you do.

One issue that I find with young applicants is a misunderstanding of the ethics and legality of web scraping. Instead of asking "Is web scraping legal?" One approach is to use an open-ended situational question. "What issues do you need to consider when starting a task that requires web scraping?" This will allow the interviewer to see if the candidate goes straight for the technical aspects, or if they even mention terms of use or policy issues at all.

es, behavioral questions are an effective style of interview questions for cybersecurity professionals. Here are some of the reasons why: Behavioral questions provide insights into a candidate's past behavior, which can be a good predictor of their future behavior. This is especially important in cybersecurity, where trust and reliability are critical. By asking behavioral questions, interviewers can get a sense of whether a candidate is someone who can be counted on to follow security protocols, make sound decisions under pressure, and work effectively with others.

In my experience, behavioral questions in a cybersecurity interview delve into personality and soft skills. Assessing motivation, communication, teamwork, and ethics, these questions may ask about handling pressure or communicating technical details to non-technical audiences. Using the STAR method highlights positive traits and achievements effectively.

This question is useless. Different people have different views according to their experiences in the past. However, trends and challenges differ from companies and the role he plays will change accordingly. He will properly respond to something that differs from your view currently but will be changed while working in the company.

In my experience, questions about cybersecurity trends and challenges assess awareness and curiosity. Addressing emerging threats, technologies, and regulations requires demonstrating interest, sharing insights, and showcasing critical thinking. Providing relevant examples and facts enhances responses with a layer of practical knowledge and creativity.

Cybersecurity professionals need to stay informed, as it is one of the most dynamic fields in IT and new threats emerge everyday. Acquiring information, digest it and have the ability to communicate what you learned to technical and non technical people is critical to make a difference in this field.

Rather than inquiring about trends and challenges, I prefer delving into a candidate's proactive approach to staying abreast of the dynamic cybersecurity landscape. By asking about their strategic plan for aligning with the evolution of the market, we gain insights into their awareness and clarity regarding the continuous shifts in the field. This approach not only gauges their knowledge but also assesses their commitment to ongoing learning and adaptability, crucial attributes in a cybersecurity professional.

Based on my own experience, it is very likely that an interviewer will be aware of the latest developments in the cybersecurity environment and what are the latest trends in malware, ransomware and so on. That's why I always recommend to be updated and up to date to be able to respond adequately to the interviewer, and with a solid base, generating awareness of the situation and the knowledge acquired by previous studies and/or experiences.

Questions about your goals and expectations in an interview provide the opportunity for the employer to understand your career aspirations, motivation, and how well your goals align with the company’s mission and vision. I feel it is important to be honest and genuine and most of all be open to discussing how your goals might evolve based on the opportunities and experiences you face.

1. How would you like to apply your strengths in the role to help the team achieve their goals? 2. How can I support you to be successful in the role? These questions can highlight the level of self awareness in candidates and help me create a development plan tailored to their strengths.

In my experience, questions about goals and expectations gauge alignment with the organization. Articulating career aspirations, work preferences, and enthusiasm for the company requires thorough research, demonstrating passion, and emphasizing the unique value and potential you bring to the cybersecurity role.

Based on my experience, your goals defines and drives your career in the company. This is the chance of showing intent of “growth” of yourself and the company. For example, if you are planning and capable of building a new tool, you should disclose very high level of it as it might get aligned with company’s goals.

I like to ask what part of the position interested the person and how they think they can effectively contribute to the team and mission. I am concerned by candidates who apply to every open position they see with little regard for the role specifics. I want to know if a candidate considered how they will fit the role and if they will be interested in what they are doing as this can have a significant impact on success and longevity. Teaching someone to do something is generally pretty easy, teaching someone to enjoy doing something can be very hard.

Some thoughts that we as analysts or candidates for a company should ask ourselves are the following: - What do they expect from my management in terms of the company's cybersecurity? - What is the current security posture of the company? - What tools or technologies are used in the day-to-day operations of the BaU? - What is the emergency plan and preparedness for a cyber-attack? These types of questions let the interviewer know that you are interested in the position and that you have the skills to manage the company's security.

How do you measure success? How will I know I am successful in the role? Not only does this level set about the role your taking but it shows that your interested in organizations success as well.

- Why did you choose cybersecurity ? - Are you comfortable with task rotation? ( a lot of positions in cybersecurity require flexibility) - what do you do when you are overwhelmed by stress ( a lot of cybersecurity workers end up in a burn out due to inability to set boundaries for their health) - Are you more active during day or night? ( important to verify if the candidate matches the position)

Trust me this is really important and here you get a chance of exploring more about the company plus this is an indirect way of showing your eagerness, passion and interest in the job. These questions should never general as it should be either prepared per job role or it should directly come to your mind while taking an interview.

From my experience, an interview should show whether a candidate has the ability to think/act - anyone can look up information these days, but not everyone knows how to utilize the information they find in a way that is useful for their job or work. I've had the most fun with questions that make me think - put me out of my comfort zone

You can make a short list of main questions that will include all the infrastructure and you organisational objectives. 1. How do you stay updated on the latest cybersecurity threats and trends? 2. Can you describe a challenging cybersecurity incident you've handled and the steps you took to resolve it? 3. How would you assess and mitigate the risks associated with a company's current cybersecurity posture? 4. What role do user training and awareness play in an effective cybersecurity strategy? 5. Can you explain the importance of encryption in protecting sensitive data, and how would you implement it in a network?

"What tools do you use to stay on task and keep things organized?" So much of cybersecurity is basic project management - folders, tasks, projects, ETAs, completed by, change mgmt., history of conversations, future possibilities, etc. ... regardless of the cybersec/infosec area. Knowing that a candidate has at least some form of staying on target is essential. The tools a candidate uses may be different than what's used by the org, but a serious candidate will be willing to make the adjustment because the main thing here is to keep things and people moving. And a reticence to that adjustment may indicate a dislike of a) technological change and b) learning, which are inevitable.

Cyber is all about situations and I always tell my colleagues that every situation in cyber is going to be different, every organisation is different and every tool has different ways of doing the same thing. You need to be jack of all trades and be technology agnostic, for that you need to have your fundamentals correct be it cloud, governance, risk, incident response. If you understand and work on the core concepts you can work in any organisation and solve any problem.