Asking AI - What Are The Top 5 Cybersecurity Interview Questions

DALL-E cybersecurity interview

Last weekend I wrote about how to setup a home lab to ramp up your cybersecurity knowledge and skills, with more than a little help from a handful of AI apps. Today I’m sticking with the AI copilot theme, and asking another group of AI apps to create a list of the Top 5 most frequently asked questions in cybersecurity interviews for entry level or mid-level roles.

The AI models/apps I used today are: Microsoft Copilot, Claude-2.1 as the chosen model within Perplexity, Pi, ChatGPT 4, and the brand new, shiny Gemini Pro on the Pixel 8 Pro.

The prompt I gave them is:

Please provide a list of the top five most frequently asked interview questions when someone is interviewing for an entry-level or mid-level job in cybersecurity

Just like last week, the four tools provided solid to very good responses. I was impressed to see that a common theme in the responses was not just listing the Top 5 interview questions, but also how they offer insight about the candidate to the interviewer.

Here are some excerpts from the responses, along with my thoughts on a few of the best and most interesting ones and my nominee for the single best question (an outstanding non-technical question):

The Best Question - from Pi’s response:

How do you communicate complex cybersecurity concepts to non-technical colleagues or stakeholders, and how do you work collaboratively with other teams to ensure security measures are effectively implemented?

ChatGPT

I think all 5 of ChatGPT’s questions are rock solid and spot-on with the words about what can be gleaned from the interviewee’s answer - so I’m sharing its full response:

1. Can you explain the difference between threat, vulnerability, and risk?

   • This question assesses basic cybersecurity knowledge. Candidates should explain that a threat is any potential danger to information or systems, a vulnerability is a weakness that could be exploited by a threat, and risk is the potential for loss or damage when a threat exploits a vulnerability.

2. What is a firewall and how does it work?

   • This question tests understanding of fundamental security controls. Candidates should describe a firewall as a network security device that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic and decides whether to allow or block specific traffic based on a defined set of security rules.

3. How do you stay updated with the cybersecurity industry and threat landscape?

   • Cybersecurity is a rapidly evolving field, and this question evaluates commitment to continuous learning. Candidates might mention following industry news sites, blogs, professional forums, attending webinars, conferences, and training sessions.

4. What steps would you take to secure a server or network?

   • This practical question assesses knowledge of security measures at a technical level. Expected answers might include implementing firewalls, intrusion detection systems, regular patching, encryption, secure configurations, access controls, and conducting regular security assessments.

5. Describe a recent cybersecurity threat or breach and how it was handled.

   • This question is aimed at understanding the candidate's awareness of current cybersecurity incidents and their ability to analyze and learn from real-world scenarios. It tests analytical skills and the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to practical situations.

Claude

Claude asked questions that were a little tougher than the other models, maybe better suited to a mid-level cybersecurity interview than one for an entry level role. These included:

What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?

What are some common network attacks and how can they be prevented?

What are some best practices for access control and authorization?

Describe a time when you encountered a security incident. How did you respond and what lessons did you learn?

Copilot

Copilot had three questions that I think are good ones:

What do you find interesting about cybersecurity?

Define cybersecurity

How would you handle a security breach?

Gemini

Gemini took a similar approach to ChatGPT’s - listing both the Top 5 questions and wording about what an interviewee’s replies might reveal about them. I really like its question about keeping up with the latest cybersecurity threats and trends. As with ChatGPT, Gemini’s response is brief enough to include it in full:

Explain the CIA triad and its importance in cybersecurity. (This assesses foundational knowledge of core security principles.)
Differentiate between a vulnerability, threat, and risk. (This evaluates understanding of how to identify and assess security risks.)
Describe your experience with security tools and technologies. (This helps gauge your practical skills and knowledge of industry standard tools.)
How do you stay up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity threats and trends? (This demonstrates your commitment to continuous learning and staying informed.)
Tell me about a time you identified and resolved a security issue. (This allows you to showcase your problem-solving and critical thinking skills in a real-world scenario.)

Pi

Pi’s response is another one that is short and sweet. It has two good questions that address cyber technical knowledge and/or experience:

Can you explain the differences between various types of cybersecurity attacks, such as malware, phishing, and denial-of-service attacks?

Can you describe a time when you identified and helped to resolve a cybersecurity vulnerability or incident?

Once again, I think these AI apps did a stellar job with their responses. And of course if you want to use them to help you anticipate cybersecurity interview questions, you can ask follow-up questions, tell them to expand the list to the Top 10, or continue the discussion in whatever way feels useful to you.

Have any of you tried using chatbots / AI apps to help with interview prep?