Most common cybersecurity interview questions with brief explanations or answers
General Cybersecurity Questions
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity refers to the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks.
What are the main goals of cybersecurity?
The main goals are confidentiality, integrity, and availability, often referred to as the CIA triad.
What is the difference between a threat, vulnerability, and risk?
A threat is a potential danger, a vulnerability is a weakness, and risk is the potential for loss or damage when a threat exploits a vulnerability.
What is a firewall?
A firewall is a network security device that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing network traffic based on security rules.
What is encryption, and why is it important?
Encryption is the process of converting data into a coded form to prevent unauthorized access. It's important for protecting sensitive information.
What is two-factor authentication (2FA)?
2FA is a security process in which the user provides two different authentication factors to verify their identity.
Explain the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption.
Symmetric encryption uses the same key for both encryption and decryption, while asymmetric encryption uses a pair of keys (public and private).
What is the principle of least privilege?
The principle of least privilege means granting users only the permissions they need to complete their tasks.
What are the types of malware?
Common types include viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, and rootkits.
What is a Denial-of-Service (DoS) attack?
A DoS attack aims to make a service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic or requests.
Network Security
What is an Intrusion Detection System (IDS)?
An IDS is a device or software application that monitors a network for malicious activity or policy violations.
What is the difference between IDS and IPS?
IDS detects and alerts about potential intrusions, while IPS can take action to prevent the intrusion.
What is a VPN? How does it work?
A Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates a secure connection over a public network, encrypting data between the user and the server.
What is port scanning, and how is it used?
Port scanning is the process of checking which ports on a network are open and available to detect potential vulnerabilities.
What is SSL/TLS?
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and TLS (Transport Layer Security) are protocols used to secure communication over a computer network.
What is the difference between HTTP and HTTPS?
HTTPS uses encryption (via SSL/TLS) to secure data exchanged over the web, whereas HTTP does not.
What is the OSI model, and how is it important in cybersecurity?
The OSI model is a conceptual framework for understanding network interactions in seven layers, which helps in diagnosing and securing network operations.
What is a VLAN?
A Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) segments a physical network into separate logical networks.
What are honeypots in network security?
Honeypots are decoy systems set up to attract and analyze attackers, helping identify threats.
What is ARP Spoofing?
ARP spoofing is a type of attack where a malicious actor sends false ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) messages to associate their MAC address with the IP address of another device.
Web Application Security
What is Cross-Site Scripting (XSS)?
XSS is a vulnerability that allows attackers to inject malicious scripts into web pages viewed by other users.
What is SQL injection?
SQL injection is an attack where an attacker manipulates a web application’s database query to execute malicious SQL code.
What are cookies, and how are they used in cybersecurity?
Cookies are small pieces of data stored on a user's device by a website, often used for tracking or maintaining session information.
What is CSRF (Cross-Site Request Forgery)?
CSRF is an attack that forces an authenticated user to perform unwanted actions on a web application in which they are authenticated.
What are web application firewalls (WAF)?
WAFs are security devices that monitor and filter HTTP traffic to and from a web application to protect against threats like SQL injection and XSS.
What is clickjacking?
Clickjacking is an attack that tricks a user into clicking on something different from what the user perceives, potentially revealing sensitive information or taking unintended actions.
What is DNS Spoofing?
DNS spoofing is an attack where altered DNS records redirect internet traffic to malicious sites.
What is session hijacking?
Session hijacking is when an attacker gains unauthorized access to a user's session and impersonates them.
What is the Same-Origin Policy?
The Same-Origin Policy is a security measure implemented by web browsers to restrict web pages from accessing data across different origins.
What is OWASP, and why is it important?
OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) is a non-profit organization focused on improving software security through resources like the OWASP Top 10, a list of critical web application vulnerabilities.
System Security
What is patch management, and why is it important?
Patch management involves updating software to fix vulnerabilities, bugs, or improve functionality. It’s essential for mitigating security risks.
What is endpoint security?
Endpoint security refers to securing end-user devices like laptops, phones, and tablets from threats.
What are the different types of user authentication methods?
Common methods include passwords, biometrics (fingerprint, facial recognition), smart cards, and token-based authentication.
What is sandboxing in cybersecurity?
Sandboxing is isolating a program or process in a secure environment to prevent it from affecting other processes or data on the system.
What is a botnet?
A botnet is a network of infected computers, called bots, that are controlled by an attacker to perform malicious activities.
What is ransomware?
Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a victim’s data and demands payment for the decryption key.
What is multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
MFA is an authentication method that requires two or more verification factors, such as something you know (password), something you have (smartphone), or something you are (fingerprint).
What is a zero-day exploit?
A zero-day exploit targets vulnerabilities that are unknown to the vendor or have no patch available.
What is social engineering?
Social engineering is the use of deception to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential or personal information.
What is a man-in-the-middle attack?
A man-in-the-middle (MITM) attack occurs when an attacker secretly intercepts and potentially alters the communication between two parties.
Incident Response and Management
What is an incident response plan?
An incident response plan outlines the procedures for detecting, responding to, and recovering from security incidents.
What is the role of a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system?
SIEM systems collect, analyze, and report on log data from various systems to detect and respond to security incidents.
What is log management in cybersecurity?
Log management is the practice of collecting, storing, and analyzing logs to monitor system activities and detect security incidents.
What steps would you take to respond to a data breach?
Steps include identifying the breach, containing it, eradicating the threat, recovering affected systems, and learning from the incident to improve future security.
What is business continuity planning (BCP)?
BCP involves planning and preparing an organization to maintain essential functions during and after a disaster.
What is penetration testing?
Penetration testing is a simulated attack on a system, network, or application to find vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers.
What is forensic analysis in cybersecurity?
Forensic analysis involves investigating and collecting evidence from digital systems to identify how an attack occurred and who was responsible.
What is a vulnerability assessment?
A vulnerability assessment is a systematic review of security weaknesses in an information system.
What is the role of a CISO (Chief Information Security Officer)?
The CISO is responsible for an organization’s information security strategy, ensuring the protection of its information and technology assets.
What is disaster recovery planning?
Disaster recovery planning is a subset of business continuity planning focused on recovering IT systems and operations after a disaster.
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