A security engineer is one of everyone’s favourite jobs. So, have you ever thought about becoming a security engineer? To begin, we must decide what kind of questions will be asked during the interview. Furthermore, being prepared for an answer is always the best outcome. So, Without further ado, let’s get started on interview preparation and questions for Security Engineering.
Security Engineering Interview
When preparing for a security engineering interview in a tech company, you should be well-versed in questions in the network management system, security system, and effectively monitoring security controls for data protection, among other things. So, before the interview, I recommend that you study the following topics:
- Knowledge of database security: Security engineers can assist businesses in safeguarding their databases. You must be well-versed in the most up-to-date database security software and applications. It’s also a good idea to do some research on database backup management before the interview.
- Examine concepts such as encoding, encryption, and hashing.
- You can learn about wireless system management in just a few minutes.
- For effective security practices, study the fundamental understanding of coding languages.
- Find out what’s new in the world of security systems. Join technical forums where you can get the most up-to-date information on your security system.
- We, as humans, tend to forget useful information, and the same is true with commands. For security reasons, it’s critical to memorise commands used in Linux, Windows, and macOS. Every day, please review all of the commands two to three times.
The points mentioned above are important to think about before the interview. During the interview, present yourself professionally and confidently share your professional(security engineer) knowledge with your interviewer.
This role requires skills such as networking design and implementation of security concepts such as cryptography and network management for secure communication to effectively manage the network system.
Security Engineering Interview Questions
Interviews for Security Engineers vary a lot depending on the team you’re interviewing with. At Google, Software Engineers are not interviewed by specific teams, but Security Engineers are. This response is based on professional experience as the manager of one of these teams, and it may or may not apply to other teams.
Interviews for Security Engineers cover a combination of coding and security knowledge relevant to the team’s domain and the candidate’s experience. You can expect to be quizzed on a variety of security topics as well as questions that probe deeper into the areas in which you claim expertise.
For example:
- They will most likely ask questions about how IDS works and how it would function in a specific scenario if you have worked on one. They may also present you with a more general scenario for network detection. These will usually be simplified versions of the issues we face in real life.
- When applying for a position in security assessments, you may be asked how you would evaluate a specific system. You might be asked how to harden a specific configuration if you apply for a corporate security hardening position.
- You may be asked how to harden a specific configuration for a corporate security hardening position. More senior candidates should expect more open-ended questions with a greater emphasis on breadth and depth.
The coding questions are similar to those asked in an interview for a Software Engineer. They could include or exclude security. The amount of coding in your interviews can range from 0% to nearly 100%. You should prepare for these by using the standard “Google interview” preparation resources available on Quora and elsewhere. If you don’t know how to code, it’s unlikely you’ll pass the interviews; however, you don’t need to code at the Software Engineer level for most positions.
Security Engineer Coding Questions frequently asked by Google
Firstly, you should expect security questions centred on your area of expertise as described in your resume and the job you’re interviewing for, as well as generic coding questions like a software engineer would receive. Look through all of the answers on Quora about coding interviews for ideas. Best wishes! If everything goes well, there’s a chance we’ll end up working together. Don’t worry, they will ask you a question based on your previous experiences.
How to prepare for Security Engineer at Google?
First and foremost, your CV speaks for you and serves as your first impression. They expect to see a combination of the following on a CV/resume:
- Strong coding experience, such as a computer science degree or open-source security coursework, such as a thesis or concentration. 1–2 courses are insufficient.
- Extracurricular security activities such as a CTF team, vulnerability discoveries (CVEs), or security-related open source work
- Excellent grades
You do not need all of these, but the more the merrier. Almost all positions require coding, at least at the scripting level. At the entry-level, it’s better to specialise rather than spread yourself too thin.
Every Security Engineer position has slightly different requirements, and not all are open to recent graduates, so it is recommended that you should be checking out the Google Careers website for more information.
Conclusion
We must first know that interview questions are based on your previous experiences at your job or at the company in which you were working. However, if you’re applying for a job that is something different from your experience, you must be ready to give a brief and clear answer to why you are interested in this new job. Interviews for Security Engineers cover a combination of coding and security knowledge relevant to the team’s domain and the candidate’s experience. You can expect strong coding experience questions, such as a computer science degree or open-source security coursework, such as a thesis or concentration. Don’t worry everything will be easier than you think if you know what you’re applying for!!
FAQs
What is the interview process for a position as a security researcher at Google? Does it also include a coding interview?
Most, but not all, Security Engineer interviews at Google involve some level of coding. The amount and expected level of proficiency will be heavily influenced by the position and team. Your recruiter should be able to tell you if coding is required and what level of proficiency is expected.
What should we study to become security engineers?
One fundamental skill that you appear to lack is the ability to find answers on your own without relying on the kindness of strangers.
How many programming languages do I need to learn if I want to work for Google or Microsoft?
One is plenty. Furthermore, you should be well-versed in data structures, algorithms, math fundamentals, probability, and logical reasoning.
