Top Vulnerability Analyst Interview Questions

A Vulnerability Analyst finds vulnerabilities in networks and software and then takes steps to rectify and increase system security. To protect against vulnerabilities, a Vulnerability Analyst must think like a hacker. Most firms that conduct business online are vulnerable to cybercrime, and a Vulnerability Analyst position is critical to protecting an enterprise. Nowadays, larger organizations are employing more Vulnerability Analysts.

The following frequently asked Vulnerability Analyst interview questions may help you expedite your preparation and obtain the job:

Interview Questions

1. How would you define vulnerability?
When a system is not sufficiently tested for security, there is a problem called a vulnerability that allows attackers to attack the entire system.

2. What are some of the things, in your opinion, that can lead to vulnerabilities?
A few of the aspects that can lead to vulnerabilities are as follows:

• Inadequate data handling
• Errors in the system’s architecture
• Human errors
• Passwords that are simple to remember and use
• Complex software

3. What are the two most common methods for protecting a password file?
Hashed passwords and salt value access control are the two most frequent methods to protect password files.

4. What tools can be used to evaluate vulnerability?
Vulnerability assessment tools:

• Nikto2
• Netsparker
• OpenVAS
• w3af
• Nmap
• Nessus

5. Describe a honeypot.
A honeypot is a network-connected system used as a trap for cyber-attackers to discover and study the methods and types of attacks employed by hackers. It simulates a prospective target on the internet and alerts the defenders to any unwanted access to the information system.

6. How will you test the APIs for vulnerabilities?
Effective logging on the back end can help the security team monitor the API better and discover suspicious activity more quickly if a possible attacker is exploring an API. They can then protect the API and stop the attacker before they can do more.

7. How do you determine the seriousness of a vulnerability?
It depends on the repercussions, the ease of exploitation, and the ease of access. However, other standards, such as PCI DSS, already define the severity levels.

8. What is CVE?
CVE stands for common vulnerabilities and exploits, and each discovered vulnerability is assigned a number. It is a list of entries containing information such as identification numbers, descriptions, and at least one public reference, which are publicly known cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

9. What is CVSS?
CVSS is an acronym for a common vulnerability scoring system. It is an industry-standard that vendors use to determine the severity of a vulnerability. The scale goes from 0 to 10. It is classified as follows:

None: 0.0
Low: 0.1-3.9
Medium: 4.0-6.9
High: 7-8.9
Critical: 9.0-10

10. How often should a vulnerability assessment be performed?
A vulnerability scan is performed regularly, such as monthly or quarterly. Alternatively, it is performed according to need; for example, when a new headline vulnerability is discovered, the vulnerability assessment is performed, and the scan is set to hunt for the new vulnerability explicitly.

11. Explain patch management.
Patch management is the act of installing and applying patches to a system or application in order to add new features and resolve bugs or security risks.

12. What is the difference between Hotfix, Patch, and Service Packs?

13. How can you offer the organization a description of its information system vulnerabilities?
By developing a vulnerability assessment, Vulnerability Analysts give the organization a blueprint of its vulnerabilities. This vulnerability assessment includes the results of different scans, audits, and other procedures used to look for vulnerabilities. A Vulnerability Analyst creates it. After that, the assessment can serve as a security roadmap plan.

14. What tool is the most effective for analyzing vulnerabilities?
A vulnerability management tool is the most helpful method for an analyst looking for vulnerabilities. A flexible research solution called vulnerability management integrates many vulnerability research functions into a single user interface. Instead of switching back and forward between numerous different technologies, vulnerability management can provide the advantage needed to address any potential vulnerabilities more quickly.

15. How would you respond if an engineer reduced a vulnerability’s severity just to increase the SLA?
Explain the idea for classifying vulnerability severity in the first place, underline that a degradation only to extend Service Level Agreement (SLA) is not appropriate, and formulate a plan to more precisely identify vulnerabilities in the future so that the degradation issue does not arise as frequently.

16. What steps are contained in Nmap?
Nmap stands for Network Mapper. It is a free and open-source Linux command-line utility for scanning IP addresses and ports in a network and detecting existing applications. Nmap steps include:

• Script pre-scanning
• Target enumeration
• Host discovery (ping scanning)
• Reverse DNS resolution
• Port scanning
• Version detection
• OS detection
• Traceroute
• Script scanning
• Output
• Script post-scanning

17. What is buffer overflow vulnerability?
Buffer overflow is a software glitch or vulnerability that hackers might use to gain unauthorized access to business systems. It is one of the most well-known software security flaws, although it is still pretty frequent. A buffer overflow attack occurs when an attacker uses a coding fault to perform malicious actions and damage the targeted system. The attacker modifies the application’s processing path and overwrites memory components, which modifies the program’s execution flow to damage existing files or disclose data.

18. What is a zero-day vulnerability?
A software vulnerability found by a hacker but still unknown to the developer is known as a zero-day vulnerability. The reason it’s termed a “zero-day” vulnerability is because the software supplier essentially has “zero time” to fix it before it’s accessed once a hacker discovers the vulnerability.

Become a Vulnerability Analyst with InfosecTrain

When you’re ready to pursue a career as a Vulnerability Analyst, these interview questions will help you prepare. These aren’t the only questions you’ll be asked during an interview; the difficulty level will vary based on the position. InfosecTrain is ready to assist you with your career as a Vulnerability Analyst. Check out InfosecTrain today to improve your knowledge and skills.

AUTHOR
Pooja Rawat ( )

“ My name is Pooja Rawat. I have done my B.tech in Instrumentation engineering. My hobbies are reading novels and gardening. I like to learn new things and challenges. Currently I am working as a Cyber security Research analyst in Infosectrain. “