Top Cybersecurity Interview Questions and Answers 2023

When partaking in a job interview, it’s crucial to bring forth both self-assuredness and clear responses to excel effortlessly. These cybersecurity interview questions, carefully chosen by experts, will acquaint you with the queries often posed, assisting you in your preparations for an upcoming Cybersecurity interview. The compilation is divided into three distinct categories: Fundamental, Intermediate, and Advanced Cybersecurity queries and their corresponding answers, ensuring a smooth journey of understanding. Let’s get started!

Cybersecurity stands as one of the most in-demand professions in the current IT landscape. As the world continues to digitize rapidly, the necessity for cybersecurity amplifies. This digital transformation presents the critical challenge of safeguarding data assets against improper use. The surge in cybercrime activities poses significant threats to large corporations, thereby forcing them to onboard professionals such as Cybersecurity Engineers and Analysts. Therefore, by leveraging this ongoing market trend, you can carve a promising career for yourself in cybersecurity.

Here’s a compilation of Cybersecurity interview questions, categorized into three tiers

1. Fundamental Cybersecurity Interview Questions
2. Intermediate Cybersecurity Interview Questions
3. Advanced Cybersecurity Interview Questions

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Fundamental Cybersecurity Interview Questions and Responses for Beginners

1. Can you explain cryptography?

Cryptography is a subset of cybersecurity, dedicated to the protection of information from unauthorized individuals, often referred to as adversaries. The purpose is to ensure that only the senders and the intended recipients have access to the specific data.

2. Can you define traceroute and its applications?

Traceroute is a diagnostic utility used in networking to track the pathway taken by a data packet sent over an IP network. It also reveals the IP addresses of all the routers it has pinged during its journey from the source to the destination.

Applications:

• It provides the time duration each hop takes during the packet’s journey.
• If a packet gets lost during transmission, traceroute can pinpoint the location of the failure.

3. Can you explain what a firewall is and its applications?

A firewall in cybersecurity is a network security system that prevents harmful traffic, such as bots, phishing links, worms, viruses, malware, and trojan viruses, from infiltrating your system, hence ensuring data privacy.

Applications:

• A firewall scrutinizes both incoming and outgoing network traffic. It only permits data packets that comply with the security rules set by the system administrator.
• It acts as a shield between the internal network and incoming traffic from external sources, such as the internet.

4. Can you define the CIA triad?

The CIA triad represents a framework used to implement information security. “CIA” stands for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

• Confidentiality: This implies safeguarding sensitive data from unauthorized access.
• Integrity: This ensures that data remains unaltered and can’t be modified or deleted by unauthorized individuals.
• Availability: This principle ascertains that data is readily accessible when required.

5. Can you identify different forms of cyberattacks?

Here are several common types of cyberattacks designed to disrupt or damage systems.

• Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack: In this type of attack, the intruder intercepts communication between two parties to secretly eavesdrop or impersonate one party to steal data.
• Phishing: In a phishing attack, the attacker masquerades as a trustworthy entity to carry out malicious actions, such as acquiring usernames, passwords, and credit card details.
• Rogue Software: This involves an attacker deceiving the victim into believing that their device is infected with a virus, then offering an ‘anti-virus tool’ to remove it. The ultimate goal is to install malicious software on the system.
• Malware: Malware is a harmful software intentionally designed to inflict damage on a target system. It can take the form of viruses, worms, ransomware, spyware, etc.
• Drive-by Downloads: In this type of attack, the attacker exploits vulnerabilities in an outdated operating system, application, or browser to automatically download harmful code onto the system.
• Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): This type of attack floods the target network with excessive traffic, rendering a website or service inoperable.
• Malvertising: Malvertising involves embedding malicious code into legitimate advertising networks, which then redirect users to unintended websites.
• Password Attacks: As the term implies, these attacks involve the unauthorized acquisition of login cred8entials, such as passwords.

6. Can you outline the steps required to set up a firewall?

The following steps are essential when configuring a firewall:

• Change Username/Password: Replace the default password associated with your firewall device.
• Disable Remote Administration: It’s advisable to always deactivate the Remote Administration feature.
• Configure Ports: To ensure the smooth operation of services such as web servers, FTP, and other applications, you should configure the correct ports.
• Disable DHCP Server: Switch off the DHCP server upon firewall installation to prevent potential conflicts.
• Enable Logging: Activate logs to enable you to view the firewall’s troubleshooting process and to access log records.
• Establish Policies: Set up robust security policies in accordance with the firewall.

7. What strategies would you implement to enhance server security?

To secure a server, it’s often recommended to employ the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol, which encrypts and decrypts data, thereby shielding it from unauthorized access.

Here are four essential steps to augment server security:

• Step 1: Protect root and administrator accounts with a secure password
• Step 2: Set up new users responsible for system management
• Step 3: Restrict remote access to administrator or default root accounts
• Step 4: Set up firewall rules governing remote access

Intermediate-Level Cybersecurity Interview Questions and Responses

1. What are the distinct layers of the OSI model?

The Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, established by the International Organization for Standardization, enables diverse computer systems to communicate using standardized protocols.

Here are the respective layers of the OSI model:

• Physical layer: This base layer oversees the transmission of raw data bits across a physical medium.
• Data Link layer: This layer dictates the network data format.
• Network layer: It guides the routing of data, determining the path it will follow.
• Transport layer: This layer manages data transmission using TCP/UDP protocols.
• Session layer: It manages sessions and ports to maintain network connections.
• Presentation layer: This is where data encryption occurs, ensuring the data is in a usable or presentable format.
• Application layer: This is the level where the user interacts with the networked application.

2. What does VPN stand for and how does it function?

A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, provides a private, secure network over the public internet, thereby safeguarding your online activities. Tasks like sending emails, making online payments, and performing e-commerce transactions can be secured using a VPN, which bolsters your online anonymity and privacy.

How a VPN works:

• When you connect to a VPN, your device reroutes the internet connection to the VPN’s private server, bypassing your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
• During this process, your data is encrypted and relayed to a different point on the internet.
• Upon reaching the server, the data is decrypted.
• The server’s response travels back to the VPN, where it’s encrypted again, only to be decrypted at another point within the VPN.
• Finally, the decrypted data arrives back at your device.

3. Can you explain the terms risk, vulnerability, and threat in the context of network security?

In the realm of network security, a threat refers to any potential danger that could harm an organization’s assets by exploiting vulnerabilities. These threats can be intentional, such as hacker attacks, or unintentional, such as system failures.

• A vulnerability denotes a weakness or loophole in a security system that could be taken advantage of by malicious actors.
• Risk arises when a threat successfully leverages a vulnerability, resulting in loss, damage, or destruction of assets.
• What strategies would you suggest to prevent identity theft?
• To avert identity theft, consider the following precautions:
• Safeguard your personal documents and records.
• Refrain from sharing sensitive information online.
• Protect your AADHAR/Social Security Number and avoid sharing it unless absolutely necessary.
• Create strong, unique passwords and update them regularly.
• Avoid providing your banking details on unsecured or dubious websites.
• Employ advanced firewall and anti-spyware tools to fortify your system.
• Consistently update your browsers, operating system, and other software to fix any potential security loopholes.

4. Who are Black Hat, White Hat, and Grey Hat Hackers?

• Black Hat Hackers

Black hat hackers are individuals who employ their hacking skills to illegally infiltrate confidential data. They use the acquired information for malicious purposes, such as distributing malware, viruses, and worms.

• White Hat Hackers

White hat hackers, also known as Ethical Hackers, use their hacking abilities to penetrate systems, but unlike black hat hackers, they do so with the organization’s permission. Their primary objective is to identify system vulnerabilities and rectify them before a malicious hacker can exploit them.

• Grey Hat Hackers

Grey hat hackers embody traits of both black hat and white hat hackers. They infiltrate systems without ill-intent, but also without necessary authorization, which can potentially turn into a threat at any point.

5. Can you describe a Man-in-the-Middle attack and how to thwart it?

In a Man-in-the-Middle (MitM) attack, a hacker intercepts communication between two parties. The attacker then masquerades as one of the involved parties, making the data transmission appear legitimate. The objective can range from tampering with the data, stealing personal information, or acquiring login credentials to disrupt the communication.

Several strategies can help prevent a MitM attack:

• Utilizing public key pair based authentication can help establish secure communication channels.
• Using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) can encrypt the data being transmitted, making it harder for hackers to intercept or understand it.
• Enforcing strong router login credentials can help prevent unauthorized access.
• Implementing robust Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) such as firewalls can help monitor and manage network traffic.
• Applying robust WEP/WPA encryption on access points can add an additional layer of security.

6. Can you explain an XSS attack and its prevention measures?

Cross-Site Scripting, often abbreviated as XSS, is an attack where an intruder impersonates a victimized user and carries out actions that the user is authorized to perform. This can lead to unauthorized access to the user’s data. In an XSS attack, the perpetrator injects malicious client-side code into web services with the intention to steal information, execute harmful code, take over a user’s session, or conduct a phishing scam.

Here’s how you can guard against an XSS attack:

• Verify and sanitize user input to prevent the insertion of harmful scripts.
• Cleanse HTML to remove potential areas of exploitation.
• Employ anti-XSS tools designed to identify and neutralize XSS threats.
• Use encoding to help prevent the browser from interpreting data as code.
• Regularly update your software to fix any potential security loopholes.

7. What is ARP and how does it operate?

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) is a network layer protocol used in the OSI model. Its primary function is to map a given IP address to its corresponding MAC address, essentially converting a 32-bit IPv4 address into a 48-bit MAC address.

Here’s how ARP functions:

• ARP sends out a broadcast frame request to the entire network.
• All nodes within the network receive this ARP request.
• Each node checks the request against its ARP table to identify the target’s MAC address.
• If there’s no match, the nodes quietly discard the packet.
• If a match is found, the target node sends an ARP response directly back to the sender via unicast.

8. Can you define port blocking within a LAN?

Port blocking within a Local Area Network (LAN) refers to the practice of denying users access to certain services. The main aim is to restrict the ability of a source to connect to destination nodes via specific ports. Given that all applications function through ports, it’s critical to block these ports to deter unauthorized access that could potentially exploit network security vulnerabilities.

Advanced Cybersecurity Interview Questions and Responses for Experienced Professionals

1. Which protocols belong to the TCP/IP Internet layer?

Below are the protocols categorized under each layer of the TCP/IP model:

• Application Layer: NFS, NIS, SNMP, telnet, ftp, rlogin, rsh, rcp, RIP, RDISC, DNS, LDAP, among others.
• Transport Layer: TCP, SCTP, UDP, etc.
• Internet Layer: IPv4, ARP, ICMP, IPv6, and others.
• Data Link Layer: IEEE 802.2, PPP, etc.
• Physical Layer: Ethernet (IEEE 802.3), FDDI, Token Ring, RS-232, and others.

2. Can you explain what a botnet is?

A botnet, or robot network, refers to a type of malware that infects a network of computers, bringing them under the control of a single attacker, known as a ‘bot herder.’ A bot represents an individual machine that is controlled by the bot herder. The attacker serves as a central party and can command each bot to perform coordinated and simultaneous malicious actions.

Botnets are typically associated with large-scale attacks since a bot herder can control millions of bots simultaneously. The bots can receive updates from the attacker to modify their behavior swiftly.

3. What is a CSRF attack and how is it conducted?

Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) is a malevolent exploit where an unsuspecting victim is tricked into performing an undesired action on a website where they’re authenticated. The attack leverages the trust between the victim’s browser and the targeted website. It’s made possible by websites that often use cookies or other authentication methods to verify user identities.

The steps to conduct a CSRF attack are as follows:

• Identify the Target: The attacker picks a website or web application with a CSRF vulnerability.
• Prepare the Malicious Payload: The attacker devises a malicious payload, usually HTML or JavaScript code, to be run by the victim’s browser.
• Set Up a Malicious Website: The attacker creates a malicious website or embeds the payload in a legitimate website under their control. This website is used to deceive the victim into unwittingly executing actions on the target website.
• Exploit the Trust Relationship: The attacker lures the victim to the malicious website, possibly via phishing emails, malicious advertisements, or cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities.
• Victim Interaction: When the victim visits the malicious website, the payload executes in their browser without their awareness. This payload carries requests intended to mimic valid actions on the target site.
• Send Forged Requests: The victim’s browser automatically sends HTTP requests to the target site, performing actions on behalf of the victim. These can include changes to account settings or even purchases.
• Exploit Authentication: The target website receives the forged requests and processes them, considering them legitimate due to the authenticated session (like session cookies) between the victim and the website. Thus, the attacker’s requested actions are executed on behalf of the victim.
• Successful Attack: If the CSRF attack is successful, the attacker achieves their intended outcome, which can vary from unauthorized actions to data theft, depending on the vulnerability and the attacker’s objectives.

4. What are salted hashes?

In cases where two users have identical passwords, the result is identical password hashes. This situation leaves the system vulnerable to dictionary or brute-force attacks. To prevent this, a technique called “salted hash” is implemented.

A salted hash introduces randomness to hashes by adding a random string, or “salt”, to the password before hashing. This results in two entirely different hashes, offering a layer of protection for users’ passwords in the database against potential attacks.

5. What is ARP poisoning?

ARP poisoning, also known as ARP spoofing or ARP cache poisoning, is a type of cyber attack in which the attacker manipulates the ARP tables on a local area network (LAN). This attack involves sending counterfeit ARP messages to link the attacker’s MAC address with the IP address of another network device, thereby redirecting the network traffic intended for that device to the attacker instead.

6. Could you elaborate on SSL and TLS?

• Secure Sockets Layer (SSL):

SSL utilizes encryption algorithms to safeguard sensitive data transmitted between a client and a server, thereby scrambling the data in transit. This prevents potential hackers from reading any data, including credit card information, personal details, and other financial information, by maintaining a secure internet connection.

• Transport Layer Security (TLS):

TLS is an improved protocol that succeeded SSL. It operates similarly to SSL, protecting information transmission. However, to enhance security, both TLS and SSL are often implemented together.

7. What is 2FA, and how can it be applied to public websites?

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) is a security measure that necessitates not only a password but also a unique form of verification, such as a login code sent via text message (SMS) or a mobile app, to authenticate a user. After entering their password, the user is asked to input this security code to gain access to the website. If the code does not match, the user’s access is denied.

Examples of 2FA include Google Authenticator, YubiKey, and Microsoft Authenticator, among others.

8. Can you define Cognitive Cybersecurity?

Cognitive Cybersecurity refers to the application of artificial intelligence technologies to mimic human thought processes in the realm of cybersecurity. The goal is to imbue the cognitive system with human knowledge, enabling it to become a self-learning entity. Such systems are capable of identifying threats, assessing their impact, and devising response strategies.

Scenario-based Cyber Security Interview Questions and Answers

Certainly, here are a few examples of scenario-based cybersecurity interview questions and responses:

1. Suppose you detect an unauthorized user has accessed a company database. What steps would you take in response?

The initial step would be to isolate the affected systems to prevent further damage. I’d then conduct a detailed investigation to understand the extent of the breach, identify the compromised data, and assess how the intruder gained access. This information would be used to patch vulnerabilities and reinforce the system’s security. It would also be essential to document the incident thoroughly and notify the necessary authorities and affected parties according to company policy and legal requirements.

2. Imagine you receive a report that an employee has been using their work computer for personal matters, which is against company policy. How would you handle the situation?

First, I would gather evidence to confirm the report. If it’s substantiated, I would explain the situation to the employee, emphasizing the reasons behind the policy, such as the potential for security vulnerabilities and legal issues. I would remind them of the company’s acceptable use policy for technology resources and ensure they understand the consequences of non-compliance.

3. Let’s say you’re hired by a small company with limited resources to improve their cybersecurity. What steps would you take to maximize their protection?

I would start by conducting a risk assessment to identify the most critical vulnerabilities. Then, I would prioritize implementing measures that offer the most protection for the least cost, such as setting up a firewall, installing antivirus software, and training employees about safe online practices. I would also develop incident response plans to ensure the company is prepared for potential security breaches.