Difference Between Security Engineer and Security Architect
James McGovern
Executive Architect | Application Modernization | Enterprise Architecture | Financial Transformation | Fractional CTO
Many job descriptions seek to confuse the difference between these two roles as an employer may want to hire a security architect but cannot afford to pay someone to focus on architecture.
Security engineers are mainly engineers who occupy a special(technical) role in an organization. The major role of a security engineer is to protect any sensitive information which is a vital part of that company from any theft or hack, by implementing and monitoring the computer and network security protocols.
Nowadays, technology is far the most advanced principle in the field of computers which allowed the creation of very complex systems. The need for secure systems arises as the evolvement and demand of the market increases. Currently, the market is demanding better, safer, more secure, and less risky solutions, and to fulfill these needs, a new discipline comes within the development team, i.e. Security Engineer.
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As a security engineer, my major responsibility is to test and analyze security software and monitor network and computer system for any security theft or breach. This involves implementing and testing new security features, planning new and enhanced network upgrades, troubleshooting, and also responding to security incidents. They often can resolve any early threats by looking at things from a security perspective and recommend any up-gradation or enhancement needed for the system. The major duties and responsibilities of security engineers are as follows:
- Instructing & implementing a new set of security protocols.
- Identifying security measures to improve the system.
- Creating new ways to solve the existing security issues.
- Installing and using new software, like firewall or data encryption program.
- Creating new technical solutions to any security vulnerabilities.
- Installing any such software helps in early notifications of intrusions.
- Watching & analyzing for any irregularity in the system’s behavior.
- Supervise any change required in hardware and software needs.
- Executing any information security strategy in an organizations
- Recommending any modifications requires in technical areas and automating security improvements that are required.
The responsibility of a security architect is to resist any malware or hackers attacks on an organization’s system. Security architects often come in three flavors, those who build secure software and systems (aka Builders), those whoare competent hackers (aka Breakers) and those who are strong at response when something is broken (aka defenders). The security architect will also test for any weakness in the system and to fulfill that test. Major role and responsibilities of security architect are:
- Understanding the organization’s information & technology.
- Research, plan and design a robust security structure.
- Conducting risk analyses and vulnerability testing and doing security assessments.
- Developing any requirement for local, wide, virtual networks, routers, and firewalls.
- Designing key infrastructure & preparing cost estimating for implementing it.
- Testing final security structure & providing technical supervision.
- Conducting a post-event analysis & relatively updating and upgrading security systems.
- The best way to determine whether a security architect role is truly strategic is to understand its reporting relationships. For example, if a security architect reports to a CISO the nature of work will be less business strategic that say if it is part of the Enterprise Architecture discpline.
James, you have explained this topic and the roles very well. I particularly like that you address reporting structure (this speaks clearly to the unique context), and yes, I think some roles will sometimes (often?) be somewhat blurred, especially in smaller business IT organizations. In my opinion, Security Architecture should always be considered in the context of Enterprise Architecture. My reasoning is that Architecture is, in an of itself, guidance for decisions not yet made, often in the form of 1) principles, to govern future "what functionality, how, and with what precise component" decisions not yet made, 2) models (to provide governance in of enterprise component relationships and scope of responsibilities, and 3) standards (to provided governance of decisions already made). In my view, all development, testing, deployment, and updates should either 1) adhere to governance provided by enterprise architecture - including the multi-dimensional scope of IT Security, or 2) bring about modifications to the enterprise architecture that were not previously included in the architecture. James, I look forward to and enjoy reading your articles and posts. Have you considered also publishing on Researchgate.com?
Director of Client Accounting Services @ SAX | CPA
1 å¹´?? Clarifying the distinctions! This insightful post untangles the roles of security architect and security engineer, shedding light on their distinct responsibilities. ?? James McGovern
Cybersecurity - Technology - Customer Experience Executive - I design secure solution for Agile - Digital transformations (Critical Infrastructure, Governance, Risk, Crisis Management and Enterprise architecture)
1 å¹´I agree with most of the article but the last sentence, as an architect we are supposed to be a business partner. Long gone are times where security is the department of NO, we ought to understand and evaluate the potential trade off between security controls and time to market. As security is transversal to many domains we work with HR, Finance, IT, Marketing, Sales and all the other organisations, regardless of where/who we are reporting to, we need to understand the business priorities, align to the enterprise risk practice and finally deliver potential alternative options to them all. Only then we can truly define ourselves ENTERPRISE Security Architects ;-)