Systems Security Practitioner (SSCP) Interview Questions

Advancing your profession with Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) is an autonomous information security credential it is provided by the (ISC)2. Companies look for the jobs such as managers, security practitioners, and executives to practice several security practices and policies for many job roles like Chief Information Officer, Chief Information Security Officer, Security Auditor, IT Director/Manager, Director of Security, Security Analyst, Security Manager, Security Systems Engineer, Security Consultant, Security Architect, and Network Architect professions.

The whole point of this article is that a candidate never misses a fabulous opportunity just because they are not equipped for the interviews. So, let’s have a glance at the Systems Security Practitioner (SSCP) Interview Questions and answers for better interview training. Get shortlisted by the best companies for great-paying jobs. Have a look below!

Advanced Interview Questions

What is your experience with incident response and handling?

Incident response is the process of responding to and managing the aftermath of a security breach or cyberattack. A typical incident response process involves:

1. Preparation: having a plan in place for how to respond to incidents
2. Detection and Analysis: identifying the incident, determining the scope and impact
3. Containment, Eradication, and Recovery: containing the incident to prevent further damage, eliminating the cause of the incident, and restoring normal operations
4. Post-Incident Activity: documenting the incident and lessons learned for future reference and improvement.

Handling incidents requires a cross-functional team with diverse skillsets and a clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Effective incident response also requires regular testing and training to ensure readiness and to identify any weaknesses in the plan.

How do you stay current on the latest security threats and vulnerabilities?

As a Systems Security Practitioner, it’s important to stay current on the latest security threats and vulnerabilities to protect the organization’s assets effectively. To achieve this, I follow the following steps:

1. Regularly review industry publications: I subscribe to several industry publications, such as SecurityWeek, DarkReading, and others that provide updates on the latest threats, vulnerabilities, and trends.
2. Attend security conferences and events: Attending security conferences, such as RSA and Black Hat, provides a wealth of knowledge and opportunities to network with peers and experts in the field.
3. Join online communities and forums: I am an active member of several online communities and forums that focus on cybersecurity. I participate in discussions, read articles, and exchange information with other professionals in the field.
4. Participate in security training and certification programs: I regularly participate in security training and certification programs, such as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP), to keep my skills and knowledge up-to-date.
5. Collaborate with other security professionals: I collaborate with other security professionals in the organization and outside of it to share knowledge and experiences on the latest threats and vulnerabilities.

By following these steps, I ensure that I have a comprehensive understanding of the latest security threats and vulnerabilities and can implement the appropriate security measures to protect the organization’s assets.

Can you describe a security project that you have led and its outcome?

One security project that a Systems Security Practitioner might lead is a network security audit and implementation. This project would involve a comprehensive review of an organization’s network infrastructure, with a focus on identifying and mitigating security risks. The outcome of this project would be a safer and more secure network environment, reducing the risk of data breaches, unauthorized access, and other security incidents.

The first step of the project would involve conducting a vulnerability assessment of the network infrastructure. This would involve using tools such as vulnerability scanners, penetration testing software, and manual techniques to identify any security weaknesses or areas of concern. The next step would be to prioritize the identified risks based on the likelihood and impact of a security incident.

Once the risks have been prioritized, the Systems Security Practitioner would work with the organization’s IT team to implement security measures to mitigate those risks. This could involve installing firewalls, implementing network segmentation, deploying anti-virus and anti-malware software, and implementing access control and authentication measures. The practitioner would also work with the organization to develop and implement a security policy, outlining the rules and procedures for how security risks will be managed and mitigated.

The final step of the project would be to validate the effectiveness of the implemented security measures by conducting regular security audits and testing. The Systems Security Practitioner would then provide regular reports to the organization, outlining the current state of the network security and making recommendations for further security improvements.

The outcome of this security project would be a safer and more secure network infrastructure, reducing the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access. The organization would also have a clear understanding of its security posture and a plan in place for how to manage and mitigate security risks going forward.

What experience do you have with firewall and network security configurations?

I have extensive experience in designing and implementing firewall and network security configurations. I have worked with a variety of firewall technologies including next-generation firewalls (NGFWs), stateful firewalls, and proxy firewalls. I have a deep understanding of firewall rule sets and access control lists (ACLs) and how to configure them to enforce security policies.

I have also implemented network segmentation to reduce the attack surface and limit the potential impact of security incidents. This involves dividing a network into smaller sub-networks and controlling access between them using firewalls and VLANs. This helps to reduce the risk of lateral movement by attackers and makes it easier to detect and respond to security incidents.

In addition, I have experience with VPN and remote access security, including configuring site-to-site VPNs and setting up secure access for remote workers. I have also implemented network-based intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS) to detect and prevent security threats in real-time.

Overall, my experience with firewall and network security configurations has allowed me to design and implement secure and effective security solutions for my clients.

Can you explain the differences between symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms?

Symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms are two different methods of encrypting data.

Symmetric encryption, also known as shared secret encryption, uses a single key for both encryption and decryption. This means that the same key is used to encrypt the data before transmission and to decrypt the data after receipt. Symmetric encryption algorithms are fast and efficient, but they have the drawback of requiring the secure exchange of the shared key between the sender and receiver, which can be challenging.

Asymmetric encryption, also known as public-key cryptography, uses two different keys for encryption and decryption. One key, known as the public key, is used to encrypt the data, while the other key, known as the private key, is used to decrypt it. The public key can be widely distributed, while the private key is kept secret by its owner. The advantage of asymmetric encryption is that it allows for secure communication between parties who have never communicated before, without the need for a secure key exchange.

In practice, both symmetric and asymmetric encryption algorithms are often used together. For example, data may be encrypted using a symmetric encryption algorithm, and then the symmetric key used for the encryption may be encrypted using an asymmetric encryption algorithm. This way, the key exchange problem is solved using the security of asymmetric encryption, while the bulk data encryption and decryption is performed using the speed of symmetric encryption.

Have you worked with SIEM technologies? Can you give an example of how you used it in a security investigation?

I have extensive experience working with SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) technologies. I have found that SIEM technologies are an essential tool for any security investigation because they help to provide a comprehensive view of security events and incidents across an organization’s IT environment.

For example, I was recently involved in a security investigation for a client who had a data breach. The client had no idea how the breach had occurred or what data had been compromised. By using SIEM technology, I was able to gather and analyze logs from various sources, such as firewalls, servers, and endpoints, to determine the root cause of the breach.

The SIEM technology helped to identify unusual activity, such as excessive login attempts, in the system. This led me to determine that the breach had occurred through a vulnerability in a third-party application that the client was using. With this information, I was able to take immediate action to close the vulnerability and prevent further data breaches.

Additionally, the SIEM technology also helped to identify the extent of the data compromise by providing a comprehensive view of the network activity. This allowed me to determine which systems and data had been affected and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly.

Overall, my experience with SIEM technologies has been extremely valuable in helping me to quickly and effectively investigate security incidents and incidents. They are a critical tool in any security professional’s arsenal and I highly recommend their use in any security investigation.

Can you discuss your experience with vulnerability management and remediation?

I have extensive experience with vulnerability management and remediation. Vulnerability management is a critical component of an overall security program and is important in reducing the risk of cyber attacks.

My approach to vulnerability management starts with regular assessments of the network, systems, and applications to identify any potential vulnerabilities. I use both automated tools, such as vulnerability scanners, and manual techniques to identify these vulnerabilities.

Once a vulnerability has been identified, I assess its risk to the organization and prioritize it for remediation. This prioritization is based on a number of factors including the potential impact of a successful exploit, the ease of exploitation, and the likelihood of exploitation.

I work closely with development and operational teams to ensure that vulnerabilities are remediated in a timely manner. This can involve applying patches or upgrades, configuring security controls, or developing and implementing compensating controls. I also implement measures to prevent similar vulnerabilities from reoccurring in the future.

In addition to remediating vulnerabilities, I also document the entire process in a centralized vulnerability management database to maintain a history of vulnerabilities, remediation efforts, and lessons learned. This information is useful for continuous improvement of the vulnerability management program.

Overall, my experience with vulnerability management and remediation has taught me the importance of proactive risk management and the critical role that vulnerability management plays in reducing the risk of cyber attacks.

How do you approach risk management and mitigation in your work?

I take risk management and mitigation very seriously in my work. I understand that the security of an organization’s systems and data is of utmost importance and that even the smallest of vulnerabilities can have major consequences.

My approach to risk management starts with conducting a thorough risk assessment to identify the potential threats to the system. I then evaluate the likelihood of those threats and their potential impact on the system and data. Based on this information, I prioritize the risks and develop a risk mitigation plan.

In order to mitigate the risks, I implement a combination of technical, administrative, and physical security controls. This includes things like firewalls, encryption, access controls, and backups, as well as employee training programs and disaster recovery plans.

It’s also important to continuously monitor and review the risks, as well as the effectiveness of the mitigation measures. I regularly perform penetration testing and vulnerability scans to identify any new security weaknesses, and I make any necessary updates to the mitigation plan.

In conclusion, I take a comprehensive and proactive approach to risk management and mitigation in my work. I understand the importance of protecting an organization’s systems and data, and I work tirelessly to ensure that the systems are secure and the risks are effectively managed.

Can you describe your experience with securing cloud infrastructure?

As a Systems Security Practitioner, securing cloud infrastructure is a key part of my job. I have experience working with various cloud platforms, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform.

One of the key things I focus on when securing cloud infrastructure is ensuring that access to resources is properly controlled and restricted. This involves implementing identity and access management systems, such as multi-factor authentication and role-based access controls, to ensure that only authorized users can access sensitive data.

Another important aspect of cloud security is properly configuring network security. This involves setting up firewalls, virtual private networks (VPNs), and other security measures to ensure that data is protected as it travels over the network.

I also work closely with my organization’s development teams to implement security measures throughout the entire software development lifecycle. This includes integrating security tools and practices into the development process, such as threat modeling and penetration testing, to catch potential security issues early and address them before they become major problems.

Finally, I monitor the security of our cloud infrastructure on an ongoing basis, using security information and event management (SIEM) tools and other monitoring systems to identify and respond to security incidents.

In summary, securing cloud infrastructure requires a multi-faceted approach that involves controlling access, properly configuring network security, integrating security into the software development lifecycle, and ongoing monitoring and response.

What is your experience with security compliance frameworks such as PCI-DSS or ISO 27001?

As a Systems Security Practitioner, I have extensive experience with various security compliance frameworks such as PCI-DSS and ISO 27001. I have been responsible for implementing and maintaining these frameworks for multiple organizations, ensuring that their sensitive information and systems are protected from potential threats.

Working with PCI-DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard), I have gained in-depth knowledge of the standards and best practices required to ensure that cardholder data is protected. This includes maintaining secure network configurations, implementing strong access controls, and regularly monitoring and testing security systems. I have also been responsible for conducting regular security audits to ensure that the organization is meeting the PCI-DSS requirements and to identify any potential vulnerabilities.

Similarly, my experience with ISO 27001 has allowed me to develop a strong understanding of the best practices and standards required to establish, implement, maintain and continually improve an Information Security Management System (ISMS). This includes implementing and maintaining effective risk management processes, regularly monitoring security systems, and conducting regular security audits to identify potential vulnerabilities.

In both frameworks, my experience has taught me the importance of staying up-to-date with the latest security trends and threats, as well as the importance of involving all employees in the security process. This includes providing regular security training, conducting security awareness campaigns, and promoting a culture of security within the organization.

Overall, my experience with security compliance frameworks has allowed me to develop a strong understanding of the best practices and standards required to secure sensitive information and systems. It has also helped me to develop a proactive approach to security, which is essential for preventing security incidents and ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of sensitive information.

Basic Interview Questions

1. How do audit trails serve organizations? 

Ans. Audit trails can assist organizations in various ways. They guarantee that the company continues compliant with many standards. Many standards; for e.g. PCI-DSS, have a condition that audit trails require to be reserved for a detailed period of time. They assist in the investigation means, in case there is an occurrence that calls for backtracking of cases.

Ans. Audit trails can be attributed to get the features of the events that can be following established with regard to the timestamp and get the result. 

2. When somebody wants to Filter Packets that traverse the Network, what must you do?

Ans. One can practice packet filtering to block specific packets from accessing and moving over a network. This is normally performed on a firewall that has a public-facing IP on the Internet to preserve private users.

3. What do you understand by Single-Factor Authentication (SFA)?

Ans. (SFA) Single-Factor Authentication is a process of logging users into devices by having them perform only 1 way of proving their identity. Username and password is the imperative form of SFA.

4. What could we practice to encrypt email transmissions?

Ans. Email is not a reliable transmission, so many companies prefer to encrypt conversation. One can use PGP, a software that lets us encrypt email communications with a public-private key order.

5. Why would one use SSH from a Windows PC?

Ans. SSH (TCP port 22) is a safe connection employed on several different systems and dedicated devices. Routers, SFTP servers, switches, and insecure programs being tunneled by this port all can be practiced to support hardening a connection against eavesdropping.

Programs like Filezilla, PuTTY, and others have Windows ports developed, which allow Windows users the equivalent ease-of-use connectivity to these materials as do Linux users.

6. How do we make sure that operators working from home are safely connected to the office network? 

Ans. A VPN service can be practiced by the operators. A virtual private network (VPN) helps users to install up a tunnel to the office arrangement aloft an untrusted network. This does not exclude the necessity for other protection mechanisms like firewalls and admittance controls. A VPN assistance must have 2-factor authentication to improve the security structure. 

7. Give us an example of multifactor authentication.

Ans. A well-known example of multi-factor authentication is functioning a password collectively with a code assigned to your smartphone to verify yourself. Another case is using a sequence of a card and a PIN.

8. Tell us about firewall topologies and explain various security zones.

Ans. If we count on a high level then the construction has three zones- untrusted zone; i.e., the internet, the next is trusted zone; i.e., Office network and also, DMZ (demilitarized zone). A few standard structures are Bastion host, where the owner is correlated to the internet but has a firewall in between.

The second is a selected subnet. A special zone known as DMZ is already here; all public services are entertained here and can be obtained by both trusted and untrusted interfaces. The third and most valuable topology is dual firewall structure, in this architecture, all 3 zones have firewalls. The untrusted network can enter the DMZ with a firewall in between. The trusted network can enter the DMZ with another firewall in between. This guarantees that there is an extra layer in between for the invaders to discern if the assistance of the DMZ gets negotiated. 

9. Explain federation access.

Ans. Identity federation is a practice of trust among two parties for the goal of authenticating users and conveying the information required to authorize their path to resources.

10. What is an advantage of working federated access?

Ans. Identity federation allows institutions to collude easily without the cost, complexity, and conditions of compiling and administering manual lists of users or utilizing proprietary web access management devices. It also performs it easier to guarantee the security and isolation of shared data.

11. Explain Internet and extranet.

Ans. Internet is the biggest network in the state of a number of associated devices. In this, there are various users and it gives lots of data to users. It serves as a mechanism for sharing data all over the world. On the other hand, an Extranet is a private arrangement and it is controlled by a single or various organizations.

12. Do you think MFA and 2FA the same?

Ans. (MFA) Multi-Factor Authentication is a type of authentication that needs 2 or more circumstances of authentication. Two-Factor Authentication is a kind of authentication that needs specifically 2 factors of authentication.

13. How can we assure connectivity among 10 office sites with the headquarters, in the most optimal approach? 

Ans. There can be various approaches in which the offices can be attached. 1 way is to join using 10 T1 connections working from various sites to the headquarters. The 2nd way can be to have MPLS attachments among the offices. The optimal approach is to practice MPLS rather than T1 lines because the application of T1 will need 10 different T1 handling circuits at the office, whereas this is not needed in the case of the MPLS. 

14. Why would one want to practice SSH from a Windows PC?

Ans. SSH (TCP port 22) is a protected attachment used on various diverse systems and dedicated tools. Routers, SFTP servers, switches, and unsecure applications being tunneled by this port all can be utilized to assist strengthen a relationship against eavesdropping. Despite the fact that most events when we understand about somebody “SSHing” into a case it involves Linux, the SSH protocol itself is really performed on a wide diversity of systems — though not by an error on most Windows systems. Applications like PuTTY, Filezilla, and others have Windows ports ready, which allow Windows users the equivalent ease-of-use connectivity to these projects as do Linux users.

15. Explain a phishing attack.

Ans. A phishing attack is a gleaming engineering intervention in which the users are deceived to disclose sensitive data by clicking on spiteful email links or attachments. This intervention is used to spread malware and negotiate the networks as well. 

16. What do you understand by Forward Secrecy?

Ans. Forward Secrecy is a practice that practices ephemeral session keys to do the original encryption of the TLS data so that even if the server’s private key were to be arbitrated, an intruder could not use it to decrypt seized data that had been posted to that server in the past.

17. Can you explain the term security operations?

Ans. A (SOC) Security Operation Center is centralized employment within an organization applying processes, people, and technology to constantly observe and develop an organization’s security position while blocking, detecting, investigating, and answering to cybersecurity events.

18. What are the factors that increase security risks?

Ans. 3 Risk factors that influence Security are:

• Employee information
• Technology adoption.
• Comapny culture.

19. Explain the use of IV in encryption?

Ans. An IV is utilized to start encryption by giving an extension (third) input in interest to the cleartext and the key. In general, one wants IVs that are irregular and inconstant, which are practiced only once for each message. The aim is to guarantee that 2 messages encrypted with the same key do not appear in the same ciphertext.

20. What do you understand by the security operations procedure?

Ans. Security Operating Procedures indicates the methods provided by the Technical Systems Owner illustrating the policies to be selected on security matters, the operating methods to be supplanted, and personnel reliability.

21. What is the ISC code of ethics?

Ans. Basically, the (ISC)2 system of ethics is a set of conditions that pertain to how you act, communicate with others (involving employers), and make judgments as an information security expert.

22. Define block and stream cipher.

Ans. Block Cipher Changes the traditional text into ciphertext by taking the average text’s block at a time. On the other hand, Stream Cipher Transforms the plain text into cipher text by practicing 1 byte of plain text at a time.

23. What are the five major threats to security?

• Phishing Attacks.
• Ransomware.
• Malware Attacks.
• Insider Threats
• Weak Passwords.

24. Describe the network traffic and its analysis.

Ans. Network traffic interpretation is related to network traffic monitoring which describes as a security logical device that is operated by computer systems security officials to detect vulnerabilities that can influence functionality, accessibility, and network traffic investigation.

25. Give us some examples of the symmetric encryption algorithms?

Ans. RCx, DES, Blowfish, Rijndael (AES).

26. Is AES a block or stream?

Ans. AES – A US Federal Government figure since 2002, Advanced Encryption Standard is the most extensively used block cipher in the globe. It holds a block size of 128 bits and carries 3 possible key sizes – 128, 192, and 256 bits.

27. Name any common block cipher modes.

Ans. CBC and ECB.

28. Explain denial of service attack.

Ans. It is a curriculum that conveys a big lot of packets to different networks in an attempt to saturate the sources, strike off them and push them to convert unavailable.

29. How do you execute security controls for an information security program?

Ans. There are some steps:

• Identifying your assets and threats.
• Recognizing and prioritizing risks.
• Performing foundational information controls.
• Building a strong information security program.
• Developing a security development roadmap.

30. What sort of access control let a batch of users to get into a resource?

Ans. Role-based access control arranges users into the buckets. These roles are then allocated to designated areas of the network. That makes it more manageable to hunt down users who obtained access to resources.

31. What does ISC 2 stand for?

Ans. It stands for the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium.

32. What is the CIL?

Ans. The Critical Information List is identifying, controls, and preserves unclassified data that is connected with special military operations and projects.

33. Explain periodic audit.

In plain words, a periodical audit is an audit that is made after the financial stage is over and the reports are ready. It may also begin before the final accounts are developed and proceed until the audit is performed even after the termination of the financial or trading session.

34. Do you have any sort of certification to increase your possibilities?

Ans: Normally, interviewers see candidates who are thinking about changing their career opportunities by providing the use of further mechanisms like certifications. Credentials are conclusive evidence that the candidate has put in all efforts to acquire new abilities, understand them, and put them into practice at the most notable of their ability.

35. Do you have any experience operating in an identical industry like ours?

Ans: Here comes an abrupt question. It tries to assess if the candidate has the industry-specific skills that are needed for the simultaneous role. Even if you do not accommodate all of the abilities and experience, make sure to completely explain how you can however make utilization of the talents and knowledge you’ve achieved in the past to help the company.

Well, we think that we have organized a good amount of Systems Security Practitioner (SSCP) interview questions in this article. This was a picture that affirmed the top questions encompassed in Systems Security Practitioner (SSCP).  First thing is to make sure that the candidate has all the requirements; if they do not have the background knowledge, they can still opt for the CISSP and in this case, they will be awarded an associate of CISSP.  Best of luck with your interview!