Top 10 Cyber Security Interview Questions For Freshers

Amongst all the areas in the IT domain, Cyber security is the only field that has survived the challenges of recession. The resiliency and the sustainability of the field have also attracted many young minds to pursue a career in cyber security. There is high competition in the market given the superiority it has over other disciplines in the IT sector. If you are a beginner and looking forward to working as a cyber security specialist, this compiled top cyber security interview questions will help you in facing your interview.

Interviews could be unnerving when you are new to the field. The following list of cyber security questions and answers will help you have a grasp of the interview pattern and what cyber security interview questions you can expect.

Top Cyber Security Interview Questions

1. What serves as the primary goal of cyber security?

Data protection is the principal aim of cyber security. The security sector presents a triangle of three interconnected concepts to protect data from cyber-attacks, which can be referred to as the CIA Triad. The components of this Triad include- Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. This triad model is aimed at assisting businesses in formulating their information security architecture strategies.

Confidentiality: It entails limiting access and making sure that the data is only available to those who are allowed to use it. It intercepts unauthorized people from accessing sensitive data.

Integrity: According to this principle, data must be accurate, true, and free from unauthorized threat actors or unintended user modification. If any changes are made, care should be taken to safeguard critical information from loss or corruption and to hasten the recovery process after such an occurrence. Additionally, it implies that the information's source must be reliable.

Availability: This component of the CIA triad entails information must always be available and useful to those who have access to it, according to this notion. It makes sure that these accesses are not hindered by system malfunctions or cyberattacks.

2. Define Threat, Vulnerability and Risk. Differentiate the concepts from one another.

Threat: A threat is any risk that has the ability to ruin or steal data, interfere with operations, or otherwise cause harm. Threats include things like malware, phishing, data leaks, and even unscrupulous workers.

Vulnerability: It is a defect in equipment, software, people, or processes that threat actors can take advantage of to forward their goals. Vulnerabilities include both physical and software flaws, including buffer overflow bugs in browsers and publicly accessible networking hardware, as well as human flaws like staff members who are susceptible to phishing attacks.

Risk: It is the result of combining the likelihood of a danger and the impact of a vulnerability. Or, to put it another way, the risk is the probability that a threat agent would be successful in exploiting a vulnerability. The process of detecting all potential risks, evaluating their effects, and choosing the best course of action is known as risk management.

3. Explain XSS and its threat prevention method.

XSS simply means Cross-site scripting. It is a weakness in online security that enables an attacker to control how users engage with a vulnerable application. Cross-site scripting vulnerabilities give an attacker the ability to assume the identity of a vulnerable user, carry out any actions the victim is capable of, and gain access to any of the user's data. The attacker may be able to seize control of the functionality and data of the application if the target user has privileged access to it.

4. Define Firewall.

Firewall acts as a barrier between the internet and the LAN. It enables private resources to maintain privacy while mitigating security threats by managing network traffic of both outbound and inbound.

5. Explain what is a VPN

VPN means Virtual Private Network. VPN facilitates connecting computers to a private network by setting up an encrypted connection enabling you to hide your IP address. This process thus enables you to safely access the web and transmit data at the same time protecting your online identity. This coded connection helps in securing transmission of confidential and sensitive data and prevents illegal intrusion on the traffic and helps in remote working of any user.

6. Explain what is a Null Session.

A null session takes place when an unauthorized user gains access by using anonymous username or password. This causes a major concern in security as the identity of the person accessing the network or making requests is not known.

7. Why do you use the term "botnet"?

A group of online-connected devices, including computers, servers, and cell phones, that are infected with malware and under its control is known as a botnet. Data theft, spam distribution, distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) assaults, and other activities are carried out using it in addition to giving the user access to the device and its connection.

8. What exactly are honeypots?

Attack targets known as honeypots are put up to observe how various attackers use exploits. The same idea, which is frequently applied in academic settings, can be utilized by private companies and governments to assess their risks.

9. Define brute force?

A cryptographic assault known as a "brute force attack" employs a method of guessing all possible combinations until the right data is found. Cybercriminals frequently utilize this vulnerability to obtain private data such as passwords, login credentials, encryption keys, and PINs. Hackers can accomplish this with ease.

10. What does shoulder surfing mean?

Shoulder surfing, which involves physically looking at people's displays as they type in a semi-public area, is a form of physical assault.

Prepare for your cyber security interview covering cyber security interview questions discussed above and other questions in these areas, it will help your interview process and make it a lot easier for you.