Top Interview Questions for Cyber Security

With the increasing number of cyber-attacks, the demand for cybersecurity professionals is on the rise. If you are seeking a career in this field, we have brought you the top interview questions for cyber security that will help you with your next interview. You also must take online cybersecurity certification courses to improve your cybersecurity skills.

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These cyber security interview questions with answers will help you stand out from the crowd by providing you with an understanding of this field. The questions will introduce you to a technical approach and behavioural scenarios.

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1. What is Zero Trust Security, and why is it gaining prominence?

Ans: Zero Trust Security is a security model that assumes no trust within or outside an organisation. It requires verification from anyone trying to access resources, even if they are already inside the network.

Zero Trust Security has gained prominence due to the increasing sophistication of cyber threats and the need for continuous security monitoring. This is one of the frequently asked cyber security interview questions for freshers.

2. Explain the difference between Diffie-Hellman and RSA encryption algorithms.

Ans: Diffie-Hellman and RSA are both widely used encryption algorithms, but they differ in their fundamental principles and use cases. Diffie-Hellman is primarily a key exchange algorithm, while RSA is a versatile encryption and digital signature algorithm.

Diffie-Hellman is designed to securely establish a shared secret key between two parties over an untrusted communication channel. It relies on the mathematical concept of modular exponentiation to enable two parties to independently generate a shared secret without directly transmitting it. This shared secret can then be used for symmetric encryption, allowing secure communication between the parties.

Diffie-Hellman does not provide authentication on its own and is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks if not used with additional security measures. In contrast, RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman) is a public-key cryptosystem used for both encryption and digital signatures. It relies on the mathematical properties of large prime numbers and their computational difficulty to factorise the product of two primes.

RSA uses a pair of keys: a public key for encryption and a private key for decryption or signing. It provides data confidentiality by encrypting data with the recipient's public key, which can only be decrypted using the private key.

3. What is DNSSEC, and why is it important?

Ans: DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions) is a suite of extensions that add an extra layer of security to the Domain Name System (DNS). It helps prevent DNS spoofing and ensures the authenticity of DNS data, making it critical for protecting against DNS-related attacks. This is another one of the top interview questions for cyber security.

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4. Explain the concept of "Honeypots" in cybersecurity.

Ans: In cybersecurity, "Honeypots" is a deceptive and fascinating tool used to enhance network security by luring and trapping cyberattackers. Think of a honeypot as a digital decoy, designed to mimic vulnerable systems, applications, or services that an attacker might find enticing.

These intentionally vulnerable systems are strategically placed within a network to attract malicious actors, diverting their attention away from critical assets and allowing security teams to observe and analyse their tactics, techniques, and methods.

Honeypots come in various forms, from low-interaction, which simulates basic services with limited functionality, to high-interaction, which imitates real systems and applications, making them more convincing but riskier to deploy.

The primary purpose of a honeypot is to gather valuable threat intelligence, such as the attacker's methods, attack vectors, and the vulnerabilities they target. This information is crucial for understanding emerging threats, developing better cybersecurity defences, and proactively mitigating risks.

5. What is a DDoS attack, and how can an organisation mitigate it effectively?

Ans: This is amongst the frequently asked cyber security basic interview questions. A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack floods a network or server with an overwhelming volume of traffic, causing a service disruption. Mitigation involves using traffic filtering, rate limiting, and content delivery networks (CDNs) to absorb and block malicious traffic while allowing legitimate traffic to reach its destination.

6. What is a "Blue Team" in cybersecurity, and what role does it play in an organisation's security strategy?

Ans: The Blue Team is responsible for defending an organisation's network and systems. They focus on proactive measures, such as security monitoring, incident response, and vulnerability management. They aim to detect and respond to threats and strengthen the organisation's overall security posture.

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7. Explain the concept of "Salting" in password security.

Ans: Salting is a crucial technique used in password security to enhance the protection of user passwords stored in databases. The concept involves adding a random and unique string of characters, known as a "salt," to each user's password before it is hashed and stored.

This salt is generated for each user individually and is combined with their password before the hashing process. By introducing randomness and uniqueness into the hashing process, salts thwart common attacks like precomputed rainbow tables and significantly strengthen the security of stored passwords.

The primary advantage of salting is to prevent attackers from using precomputed tables, which contain precomputed hashes of commonly used passwords. Without the salt, even the same password for different users would have the same hash, making it easier for attackers to identify common passwords across multiple accounts.

8. What is the significance of the "CIA Triad" in information security?

Ans: The CIA Triad, which stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability, is a fundamental concept in information security that serves as a cornerstone for designing and implementing secure systems and protecting sensitive information. Each element of the triad plays a critical role:

Confidentiality: This ensures that information is kept private and only accessible to authorised individuals or entities. It prevents unauthorised access, disclosure, or exposure of sensitive data, safeguarding it from threats such as data breaches and espionage.

Integrity: Integrity focuses on the accuracy and trustworthiness of data. It ensures that information remains unaltered and reliable throughout its lifecycle. Maintaining data integrity is essential to prevent tampering, corruption, or unauthorised modification, which could lead to misinformation or system compromise.

Availability: Availability ensures that information and resources are accessible when needed. It guards against disruptions or denial-of-service attacks, ensuring that critical systems and data are consistently available to authorised users. Maintaining high availability is crucial for business continuity and preventing service outages.

9. What is a "Red Team" in cybersecurity, and how does it differ from the Blue Team?

Ans: A Red Team is a group of security experts who simulate cyberattacks to test an organisation's defences. Unlike the Blue Team, which defends, the Red Team's goal is to find vulnerabilities and weaknesses in the system, helping the organisation improve its security posture. You must prepare this type of cyber security interview questions and answers.

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10. Explain the concept of "Shimming" in the context of malware attacks.

Ans: In the context of malware attacks, "shimming" is a deceptive and clandestine technique employed by cybercriminals to infiltrate and compromise a computer system's security defences. The term "shimming" draws its name from the act of inserting thin, inconspicuous layers (or "shims") between two components, allowing them to function together seamlessly.

In the world of malware, these components often refer to system libraries or application programming interfaces (APIs). The goal of shimming is to bypass security mechanisms and avoid detection by disguising malicious activities as legitimate system operations.

Malware authors use shimming to manipulate or redirect calls to system functions, making it challenging for security software to detect and block their malicious actions.

By intercepting and altering these calls, the malware can establish persistence, evade antivirus detection, and carry out various malicious activities, such as stealing sensitive data, executing unauthorised code, or maintaining a foothold in the compromised system.

11. What is "Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)," and how can developers prevent it in web applications?

Ans: XSS is a vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users. Developers can prevent it by sanitising input data, escaping special characters, and implementing security headers like Content Security Policy (CSP).

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12. Explain the "Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP)" and its importance in access control.

Ans: The Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP) is a fundamental concept in computer security and access control. It revolves around the idea that individuals or systems should be granted the minimum level of access or permissions required to perform their tasks.

It restricts users or processes from having unnecessary privileges that could potentially be exploited by malicious actors. The importance of PoLP in access control cannot be overstated. By adhering to this principle, organisations can significantly reduce the potential attack surface and minimise the damage that can occur in the event of a security breach.

It prevents users from accidentally or intentionally making critical changes or accessing sensitive data. This principle also enhances accountability and traceability, as it becomes easier to identify and track the actions of individuals or processes with limited privileges.

13. What is a "Digital Certificate," and how does it contribute to secure communication over the Internet?

Ans: This is one of the frequently asked interview questions for cyber security. A digital certificate is a cryptographic document that verifies the identity of an entity, such as a website. It enables secure communication by facilitating encryption and authentication, ensuring that data exchanged between parties is confidential and trustworthy.

14. What is the concept of "Threat Intelligence" and its role in cybersecurity operations?

Ans: Threat Intelligence is a crucial concept in the field of cybersecurity, playing a pivotal role in safeguarding digital assets and networks. It refers to the process of collecting, analysing, and disseminating information about potential cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.

This information can include data on emerging malware, hacking techniques, vulnerabilities in software, and the activities of malicious actors or cybercriminal groups. The primary role of Threat Intelligence in cybersecurity operations is to empower organisations with proactive insights to anticipate, mitigate, and respond effectively to cyber threats.

By monitoring and analysing data from various sources, such as security logs, online forums, and dark web marketplaces, cybersecurity professionals can identify emerging threats and vulnerabilities early on. This allows them to adapt their security measures, patch vulnerabilities, and develop strategies to counteract potential attacks before they occur.

15. What is "Egress Filtering," and why is it important for network security?

Ans: This is one of the important cyber security scenario based questions and answers to be asked in the interview. Egress filtering controls outbound traffic from a network, preventing the transmission of malicious data or unauthorised access. It is crucial for protecting sensitive information and preventing data exfiltration.

16. Define "HMAC" (Hash-Based Message Authentication Code) and its use in ensuring data integrity.

Ans: HMAC, or Hash-Based Message Authentication Code, is a cryptographic technique used to ensure data integrity and authenticity in communication systems. It operates by combining a secret key with the message to create a fixed-size hash value, or code, which is then sent alongside the message.

Upon receiving the message and the HMAC, the recipient uses the same secret key to independently compute the HMAC for the received message. If the computed HMAC matches the one received with the message, it signifies that the message has not been tampered with during transmission and that it originated from a legitimate sender with knowledge of the secret key.

HMACs are crucial in ensuring data integrity because they provide a way to verify that the contents of a message have not been altered or corrupted during transit. Any modification to the message or the addition of unauthorised data would result in a different HMAC, which would fail the verification process. This protection extends to both accidental data corruption and malicious tampering attempts.

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17. What is"Security by Design" in software development and its benefits.

Ans: Security by Design is an approach that integrates security considerations into the entire software development lifecycle. It reduces vulnerabilities and ensures that security measures are not tacked on as an afterthought, enhancing the overall security of the application.

18. What is a "Zero-Day Vulnerability," and how can organisations protect against it?

Ans: A Zero-Day Vulnerability is a security flaw in software that is not yet known to the vendor or the public. Organisations can protect against it by keeping software up to date, using intrusion detection systems, and practising robust security hygiene.

19. Differentiate between "Black Hat," "White Hat," and "Gray Hat" hackers.

Ans: "Black Hat," "White Hat," and "Gray Hat" hackers are three distinct categories of individuals who engage in hacking activities, each with their own motivations and ethical considerations.

Black Hat hackers are typically the malicious actors in the hacking world. They engage in unauthorised and often illegal activities to exploit vulnerabilities in computer systems, steal sensitive data, or cause harm. Their motivations can range from financial gain to personal vendettas or simply a desire for chaos. Black Hat hackers are in direct violation of the law and are often pursued by law enforcement agencies.

White Hat hackers are ethical hackers who use their skills to identify and fix vulnerabilities in computer systems and networks. They are hired by organisations or work independently with the permission of system owners to assess and strengthen security. White Hats adhere to a strict code of ethics and legality, ensuring that their actions are for the greater good and the protection of digital systems.

Gray Hat hackers fall somewhere in between Black Hat and White Hat hackers. They may engage in hacking activities without explicit authorization, but their intentions are not necessarily malicious. Gray Hats might uncover vulnerabilities and then notify the affected parties, or they may publicly disclose the vulnerabilities to pressure organisations into fixing them.

20. What is the "Kill Chain" model, and how does it relate to cybersecurity?

Ans: This is one of the frequently asked cyber security interview questions. The Kill Chain model is a framework that describes the stages of a cyberattack, from initial reconnaissance to data exfiltration. Understanding the Kill Chain helps organisations identify and disrupt attacks at various stages.

21. Explain the concept of "Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)" and its effectiveness in enhancing security.

Ans: Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a robust security mechanism designed to enhance the protection of digital accounts and sensitive information by requiring multiple forms of verification before granting access. In traditional single-factor authentication, users typically rely solely on a username and password combination to authenticate themselves.

However, this approach has vulnerabilities, as passwords can be stolen, guessed, or compromised. MFA addresses these vulnerabilities by adding additional layers of authentication, such as something the user knows (password), something the user has (a mobile device or smart card), and something the user has (biometrics like fingerprints or facial recognition).

By combining these factors, MFA significantly strengthens security by making it much more difficult for unauthorised individuals to gain access to accounts or systems. Even if an attacker manages to acquire one factor (e.g., a password), they would still need the other factors to breach security successfully.

22. Describe the concept of "Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)" and its role in cybersecurity.

Ans: Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) is a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that plays a pivotal role in monitoring, detecting, and responding to security threats in today's complex digital landscape.

SIEM systems integrate data from various sources within an organisation's network, such as logs from servers, firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and applications, to provide a centralised platform for real-time analysis and reporting. The primary function of SIEM is to correlate and analyse security-related data and events, enabling organisations to identify anomalous activities and potential security breaches.

It serves as a critical tool for threat detection, incident response, and compliance management, helping security teams stay vigilant and respond effectively to emerging threats. By providing insights into security events and trends, SIEM empowers organisations to enhance their overall cybersecurity posture, minimise risks, and safeguard sensitive data and assets.

In essence, SIEM acts as a proactive guardian of digital ecosystems, enabling organisations to stay one step ahead in the ongoing battle against cyber threats.

23. What are "Blockchain Smart Contracts," and how can they impact cybersecurity?

Ans: Blockchain smart contracts are self-executing contracts with predefined rules and conditions. They offer transparency, automation, and immutability, reducing the risk of fraud and ensuring secure transactions. This is one of the cyber security interview questions you must practice.

24. What is "Quantum Cryptography," and how might it affect current encryption methods?

Ans: Quantum cryptography leverages the principles of quantum mechanics to secure communication. It has the potential to render current encryption methods obsolete by providing unbreakable encryption, however, it is still in the experimental stage. This is another one of the must-know interview questions for cyber security.

25. What is "Social Engineering"? Provide examples of common social engineering attacks.

Ans: One of the frequently asked interview questions for cyber security is the concept of social engineering. It is the manipulation of individuals to divulge confidential information or perform actions. Examples include phishing, pretexting, and baiting, where attackers exploit human psychology rather than technical vulnerabilities.

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26. What is the "Pwned Passwords" database, and how can organisations use it to enhance password security?

Ans: The "Pwned Passwords" database contains a list of compromised passwords. Organisations can check user passwords against this database to prevent the use of passwords that have been previously exposed in data breaches.

27. Describe the "EternalBlue" exploit, its significance, and how organisations can protect against it.

Ans: The "EternalBlue" exploit is a computer security vulnerability that was initially discovered by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) and later leaked by a hacking group known as the Shadow Brokers in 2017. It specifically targeted a weakness in Microsoft Windows Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, which is used for file and printer sharing on local networks and the internet.

EternalBlue allowed attackers to execute arbitrary code on vulnerable Windows machines, potentially giving them full control over the system. Its significance lies in its role in major cyberattacks, such as the WannaCry and NotPetya ransomware outbreaks, which caused widespread damage and financial losses.

To protect against EternalBlue and similar exploits, organisations should take several steps. First and foremost, keeping operating systems and software up to date with the latest security patches is crucial. Microsoft released a patch for EternalBlue shortly after its discovery, so applying this update is essential.

28. What is "Fuzz Testing" (Fuzzing), and how does it help identify software vulnerabilities?

Ans: Fuzz testing involves feeding a program with random or malformed data to discover vulnerabilities and crashes. It helps identify weak points in software that can be exploited by attackers.

29. Explain the concept of "HITRUST CSF" and its role in healthcare cybersecurity.

Ans: The HITRUST CSF, or Health Information Trust Alliance Common Security Framework, is a comprehensive and widely adopted cybersecurity framework specifically designed to address the unique challenges and requirements of the healthcare industry.

In an era where healthcare organisations increasingly rely on digital technologies to manage and share patient data, the HITRUST CSF plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive healthcare information.

At its core, HITRUST CSF provides a structured and standardised approach to managing cybersecurity risks in healthcare. It amalgamates multiple regulatory requirements, industry standards, and best practices, offering a single framework that healthcare organisations can adopt to assess and improve their cybersecurity posture.

This approach streamlines the often complex and fragmented landscape of healthcare cybersecurity compliance, making it easier for organisations to adhere to regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), as well as various state and federal data protection laws.

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30. What is "Threat Hunting," and how does it differ from traditional cybersecurity approaches?

Ans: One of the cyber security basic interview questions is about threat hunting. Threat hunting is a proactive approach to cybersecurity that involves actively searching for signs of malicious activity within an organisation's network. It differs from traditional approaches, which focus on automated detection and response.

31. Describe the "Principle of Attack Surface Reduction" and its significance in securing systems.

Ans: The Principle of Attack Surface Reduction is a fundamental concept in the cybersecurity field, focusing on minimising the potential points of entry or vulnerability in a computer system or network. This principle recognises that the broader "attack surface" of a system—meaning the sum of all possible ways an attacker could exploit or breach it—the higher the likelihood of successful cyberattacks.

Therefore, to enhance system security, organisations must actively reduce this attack surface by limiting unnecessary services, ports, and software, as well as by implementing strong access controls, regularly patching vulnerabilities, and employing network segmentation techniques.

The significance of this principle in securing systems cannot be overstated. By reducing the attack surface, organisations can significantly decrease the opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit vulnerabilities and launch successful attacks. This approach not only makes it more challenging for attackers to find and exploit weaknesses but also simplifies the task of monitoring and defending the system.

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32. What is "Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS)," and how has it impacted the landscape of ransomware attacks?

Ans: RaaS is a model where cybercriminals offer ransomware tools and services to other attackers in exchange for a share of the ransom payments. RaaS provides ransomware in a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model. It has created a great impact in the ransomware attacks.

Once a system gets infected with ransomware, a ransom demand is made to the victim to pay a ransom. If and when the victim pays the ransom, the attacker provides a decryption key to restore the encrypted data.

33. Explain the concept of "Security Tokens" and their use in two-factor authentication.

Ans: Security tokens are physical or digital devices that play a crucial role in enhancing security, particularly in the context of two-factor authentication (2FA). These tokens are designed to provide an additional layer of security beyond traditional username and password-based authentication methods.

The concept behind security tokens is relatively simple: they generate or display a unique, time-sensitive code that a user must provide in addition to their regular login credentials when attempting to access a system or account. This dynamic code changes at regular intervals, typically every 30 seconds, making it extremely difficult for attackers to compromise user accounts through unauthorised access.

There are two primary types of security tokens: hardware tokens and software tokens. Hardware tokens are physical devices often resembling key fobs or smart cards, that generate one-time codes. Software tokens, on the other hand, are applications or software-based solutions installed on a user's mobile device or computer, which generate codes in a similar manner.

In a 2FA setup, a user first enters their username and password as the first authentication factor (something they know). Then, they must provide the code generated by their security token as the second authentication factor (something they have).

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34. What is "FIDO2" and how does it contribute to passwordless authentication?

Ans: FIDO2 is a set of open standards for passwordless authentication. It enables users to log in securely without relying on traditional passwords, reducing the risk of credential theft. This is one of the must-know interview questions for cyber security.

35. Define "Fileless Malware" and explain why it is challenging to detect.

Ans: Fileless malware is a type of malicious software that operates stealthily by residing in a computer's memory (RAM) and does not typically write files to the victim's hard drive. Unlike traditional malware that relies on executable files, fileless malware exploits legitimate system processes and tools already present on the targeted system to carry out its malicious activities.

This makes it exceptionally challenging to detect and defend against. The primary reason fileless malware is difficult to detect is its ability to evade traditional antivirus and security software, which typically focus on scanning files and monitoring disk activity.

Since fileless malware operates in memory, it leaves no discernible footprint on the hard drive, making it invisible to most file-based scanning methods. Moreover, it often employs techniques like PowerShell scripts or macros in office documents, which are legitimate tools used by system administrators and everyday users, making it harder to distinguish between benign and malicious activity.

36. Explain the concept of "Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR)" and its role in incident response and security operations.

Ans: Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) is a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity that leverages advanced technologies to streamline and enhance incident response and security operations. SOAR integrates various security tools, processes, and workflows into a unified platform, allowing organisations to efficiently detect, analyse, and respond to security incidents and threats in a coordinated and automated manner.

The primary role of SOAR in incident response and security operations is to bridge the gap between the increasing volume and complexity of cyber threats and the limited resources and capabilities of security teams. Here is how SOAR plays a vital role in these areas:

Automation: SOAR platforms enable the automation of routine and repetitive security tasks, such as alert triage, data enrichment, and incident investigation. By automating these tasks, security teams can significantly reduce response times, ensuring that critical incidents are addressed promptly and consistently. This not only improves operational efficiency but also reduces the risk of human errors.

Orchestration: SOAR solutions facilitate the orchestration of security workflows and processes across multiple security tools and systems. This means that when an incident is detected, SOAR can automatically initiate a predefined response plan, including containment, isolation, and remediation actions. The orchestration capabilities of SOAR ensure that all necessary actions are taken in a coordinated manner, minimising the impact of the incident.

Incident Management: SOAR platforms provide a centralised hub for managing and tracking security incidents. Security teams can use these platforms to prioritise incidents based on severity and potential impact, assign tasks to team members, and monitor the progress of incident resolution. This centralised incident management approach enhances visibility and accountability.

Threat Intelligence Integration: SOAR solutions can integrate with threat intelligence feeds and databases to provide context and enrichment for security alerts and incidents. This empowers security analysts with up-to-date information about known threats, tactics, and indicators of compromise, enabling more informed decision-making during incident response.

In conclusion, Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) represents a critical advancement in cybersecurity, revolutionising incident response and security operations.

37. What is "Blockchain Security," and how does it relate to the protection of decentralised ledgers?

Ans: Blockchain security encompasses measures to safeguard the integrity and confidentiality of data stored on a blockchain. Techniques like consensus algorithms and cryptographic hashing play a vital role in ensuring the immutability and security of blockchain transactions.

38. What is "Firmware Security" and its significance in safeguarding embedded systems and IoT devices?

Ans: Firmware security focuses on securing the software embedded in devices like IoT sensors. Vulnerabilities in firmware can be exploited for malicious purposes, emphasising the importance of regular updates and code integrity checks.

39. What is "File Integrity Monitoring (FIM)," and how does it help in detecting unauthorised changes to critical files and systems?

Ans: FIM is a security measure that monitors and alerts administrators to any changes in files, directories, or system configurations. It plays a crucial role in identifying unauthorised modifications that may indicate a security breach.

40. Describe the "Chaos Engineering" approach and its benefits in enhancing system resilience against unexpected failures and attacks.

Ans: Chaos Engineering is an innovative approach to enhancing system resilience by proactively inducing controlled failures and disruptions in a software system or infrastructure to identify weaknesses and vulnerabilities. This methodology, often associated with companies like Netflix and Amazon, aims to uncover and address potential points of failure before they can lead to costly outages or security breaches.

By intentionally introducing chaos into a system, such as network latency, server crashes, or misconfigurations, Chaos Engineering helps organisations gain a deeper understanding of how their systems behave under adverse conditions. The benefits of Chaos Engineering are multifaceted.

Firstly, it enables teams to discover hidden vulnerabilities and weaknesses that might not be apparent through traditional testing and monitoring. This proactive approach helps organisations prevent potential disasters before they occur, thus reducing downtime and mitigating financial losses.

Secondly, Chaos Engineering fosters a culture of resilience within an organisation, encouraging teams to prioritise fault tolerance and disaster recovery in their design and development processes. Moreover, it enables continuous improvement as findings from chaos experiments are used to refine and optimise systems, making them more robust and reliable.

41. What is "Supply Chain Security," and why is it increasingly important in the context of software development and hardware manufacturing?

Ans: Supply chain security involves safeguarding the end-to-end process of producing and delivering products, including software and hardware components. It is crucial to prevent the insertion of malicious code or hardware into the supply chain, which could compromise the security of the final product.

42. Differentiate between "Intrusion Detection" and "Intrusion Prevention," and explain their roles in network security.

Ans: Intrusion Detection and Intrusion Prevention are two critical components of network security, each serving a distinct role in safeguarding computer networks from unauthorised access and cyber threats. Intrusion Detection (ID) primarily focuses on monitoring network traffic and system activities to identify potential security breaches or suspicious behaviour.

It operates as a passive system that analyses network packets, logs, and other data sources for patterns or anomalies that might indicate a security incident. When suspicious activity is detected, ID systems generate alerts or notifications to network administrators, providing them with valuable information to investigate and respond to the intrusion.

Intrusion Detection is essential for early threat detection, helping organisations identify and mitigate security incidents promptly. In contrast, Intrusion Prevention (IPS) takes a more proactive approach to network security.

While still monitoring network traffic and system behaviour like Intrusion Detection, IPS systems go a step further by actively blocking or mitigating detected threats in real time. They can automatically respond to potential intrusions by dropping malicious packets, isolating compromised devices, or reconfiguring network access rules.

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43. What is"Container Security" and the challenges associated with securing containerized applications, such as Docker containers and Kubernetes orchestration?

Ans: This is one of the important cyber security interview questions to practice. Container security focuses on protecting applications and their dependencies in containerized environments. Challenges include securing container images, runtime security, and orchestrator-specific vulnerabilities.

44. What is a "Side Channel Attack," and how can organisations defend against these covert methods of extracting sensitive information from systems?

Ans: Side Channel attacks exploit unintentional information leaks, such as power consumption or electromagnetic emissions to collect data. Defending against them requires secure hardware design and cryptographic countermeasures.

45. Describe the concept of "Threat Intelligence Sharing" and its role in collaborative cybersecurity efforts among organisations and government agencies.

Ans: Threat Intelligence Sharing is a vital component of collaborative cybersecurity efforts among organisations and government agencies. It involves the collection, analysis, and dissemination of information about potential cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities.

This information can encompass indicators of compromise, attack tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs), and insights into the motives and capabilities of threat actors. By sharing this intelligence with trusted partners, within and across sectors, entities can collectively bolster their cyber defences and respond more effectively to emerging threats.

The role of Threat Intelligence Sharing is multifaceted. Firstly, it facilitates early threat detection, allowing organisations and agencies to proactively defend against cyberattacks before they escalate. Secondly, it helps in understanding the evolving threat landscape, helping in making robust cybersecurity strategies and countermeasures.

Collaboration also fosters a sense of community, promoting trust and unity in the face of cyber threats. Moreover, this practice benefits smaller organisations or those with limited resources by providing access to threat data and expertise they might not have otherwise.

46. What is "Homomorphic Encryption," and how does it enable secure computation on encrypted data without decryption?

Ans: Homomorphic encryption allows computation on encrypted data without revealing the data itself. It offers privacy and security advantages in scenarios where sensitive information needs to be processed in an encrypted state.

47. What are the principles of "Least Common Mechanism" and "Complete Mediation" in access control and their importance in reducing security risks?

Ans: "Least Common Mechanism" and "Complete Mediation" are two fundamental principles in access control that play a crucial role in reducing security risks and enhancing the overall security posture of a system.

Least Common Mechanism

The principle of Least Common Mechanism emphasises the importance of minimising shared resources or mechanisms among users, processes, or entities within a system. In other words, it suggests that each entity should have its own distinct access control mechanisms and resources rather than sharing them with others. This isolation prevents unauthorised access or interference by one entity with the resources or processes of another.

Importance in Reducing Security Risks:

By adhering to the Least Common Mechanism principle, security risks associated with unauthorised access or unintended interference can be significantly reduced. If multiple entities share the same mechanisms or resources, a breach or vulnerability affecting one entity can potentially impact all others.

Complete Mediation

The principle of Complete Mediation emphasises that access control decisions must be made for every access attempt and should be reevaluated whenever necessary. In other words, access should not be granted based on initial authentication alone; it should be continuously monitored and verified throughout the user's interaction with the system.

Importance in Reducing Security Risks:

Complete Mediation is critical in preventing unauthorised access or actions within a system. It ensures that users are granted access based on their current permissions and that any changes in access rights are immediately enforced. Without Complete Mediation, a user who initially gained legitimate access could exploit this access for malicious purposes or retain access even after their privileges have been revoked.

48. What is the "Turing Test" in the context of CAPTCHA and human verification, and how can it help distinguish between humans and bots online?

Ans: This is one of the top interview questions for cyber security. The Turing Test assesses a machine's ability to exhibit intelligent behaviour indistinguishable from that of a human. CAPTCHA challenges, which often involve solving puzzles or identifying objects, use the Turing Test to verify that a user is a human and not a bot.

49. Explain the concept of "Privacy by Design" and how it aligns with the principles of data protection and user privacy in software and system development.

Ans: "Privacy by Design" is a fundamental approach to system and software development that emphasises the integration of privacy and data protection principles from the very beginning of the design process, rather than treating them as add-ons or afterthoughts. The concept was initially introduced by Dr. Ann Cavoukian, the former Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, Canada.

The essence of Privacy by Design lies in proactively considering privacy at all stages of a product's development lifecycle, embedding it into the core architecture and functionalities. It promotes the idea that privacy should be a default setting, meaning that systems and software should automatically protect user privacy, requiring minimal effort from the user.

This approach aligns with data protection and user privacy principles by fostering the principles of data minimization, purpose limitation, transparency, accuracy, security, and user control. By incorporating these principles into the design and development process, Privacy by Design ensures that privacy concerns are addressed holistically, enhancing user trust, compliance with regulations, and overall system integrity.

50. Explain the concept of "Cyber Threat Hunting" and its role in proactively searching for hidden threats and vulnerabilities within an organisation's network.

Ans: Cyber Threat Hunting is a proactive approach to cybersecurity that involves actively searching for hidden threats and vulnerabilities within an organisation's network. Unlike traditional cybersecurity measures that primarily focus on automated detection and defence mechanisms, threat hunting is a manual and investigative process.

Threat Hunting requires skilled cybersecurity professionals, often referred to as threat hunters, to actively seek out signs of malicious activity or potential vulnerabilities that may have evaded automated detection. The primary goal of cyber threat hunting is to identify and mitigate security threats before they can cause significant harm to an organisation.

This approach recognises that determined adversaries can often bypass conventional security measures, necessitating a more proactive and dynamic defence strategy. Threat hunters use a combination of advanced tools, techniques, and expertise to look for anomalies, indicators of compromise, or suspicious patterns of behaviour within the network.

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Conclusion

Cyber Security is an important job, and the right candidate has to have a variety of skills. With these top interview questions for cyber security, you have an understanding of which types of questions can be asked. These interview questions and answers will help you strengthen your career as a proficient cyber lawyer.