17 Azure Security Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

As an Azure security engineer, you’re responsible for the safety and security of an organization’s Azure cloud computing infrastructure. You work with Azure administrators and other security staff to secure data and applications, and you also develop and implement security policies.

Before you can start your new job, you’ll need to pass an interview. Azure security engineer interview questions will focus on your technical skills as well as your ability to develop and implement security policies. You may also be asked questions about your experience working with Azure administrators and other security staff.

To help you prepare for your interview, we’ve compiled a list of sample Azure security engineer interview questions and answers.

Are you familiar with the OWASP top 10 vulnerabilities?

The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is an open-source community that focuses on improving the security of software applications. The OWASP Top 10 list contains a set of common web application vulnerabilities and provides recommendations for how to address them. Your answer should show that you understand this important list and can apply it in your work as an Azure security engineer.

Example: “The OWASP Top 10 is a great resource for identifying potential security issues within web applications. I use it regularly when performing penetration testing, vulnerability assessments or other types of security audits. In my last role, I was tasked with creating a report outlining the most common security risks among our client’s web applications. I used the OWASP Top 10 to identify these risks and then created a plan for addressing each one. My report helped our team develop more secure web applications for our clients.”

What are some of the most important security considerations for cloud-based applications?

This question allows you to demonstrate your knowledge of the security concerns that are unique to cloud-based applications. You can answer this question by providing a list of considerations and briefly explaining why they’re important.

Example: “There are several security considerations for cloud-based applications, including encryption, identity management, access control and monitoring. Encryption is an important consideration because it protects data from unauthorized users while it’s in transit or at rest. Identity management is also essential because it ensures only authorized individuals have access to sensitive information. Access control is necessary to ensure only authorized individuals can access certain resources within the application. Monitoring is crucial because it allows me to detect any potential threats before they become serious issues.”

How would you go about securing a web application during the development phase?

This question is an opportunity to show your ability to apply security measures during the development process. Your answer should include a step-by-step process for securing web applications and highlight your technical skills in application security.

Example: “I would first identify all possible threats that could compromise the application’s security, such as SQL injection attacks, cross-site scripting attacks and other vulnerabilities. I would then implement countermeasures to protect against these threats by using appropriate tools and techniques. For example, I would use input validation to prevent SQL injection attacks and ensure that the database server is configured securely. I would also test the application thoroughly before deployment to ensure it meets security requirements.”

What is the difference between a vulnerability and a weakness?

This question helps the interviewer assess your knowledge of security terminology. It also allows you to demonstrate your ability to apply that knowledge in a real-world scenario. In your answer, define both terms and explain how they differ from one another.

Example: “A weakness is an aspect of a system’s design or implementation that can be exploited by hackers. A vulnerability is a weakness that has been identified as such. For example, if I were designing a website for a client, I would identify any weaknesses in the site’s code before it went live. If a hacker later found a way to exploit those weaknesses, I could then patch them.”

Provide an example of a control that can be implemented to mitigate a risk.

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of the Azure platform and how you can use it to mitigate risks. You can answer this question by providing a specific example of a control that you implemented in a previous role.

Example: “In my last position, I was tasked with mitigating risk for our company’s cloud storage system. One way I did this was by implementing multifactor authentication into the system so that users would need more than one form of identification to access their accounts. This helped prevent unauthorized access because hackers needed both the user’s password and another form of identification to log in.”

If you had to choose one area of security to focus on, which would it be and why?

This question is a great way to test your knowledge of the different areas of security and how they relate to one another. It also allows you to show that you have an understanding of what’s most important when it comes to securing data in Azure. When answering this question, try to pick the area that you feel most comfortable with or that you’ve had the most experience with.

Example: “If I had to choose just one area of security to focus on, I would definitely say identity management because it’s so crucial for maintaining access control over all other resources within Azure. If someone has access to a resource but doesn’t have permission to use it, then there are serious consequences. For example, if someone can read from a database but not write to it, then they could potentially compromise the information stored inside.”

What would you do if you discovered a vulnerability in a system you were responsible for securing?

This question can help the interviewer assess your problem-solving skills and ability to handle unexpected challenges. Your answer should show that you are willing to take action, even if it means going beyond your job description to fix a security issue.

Example: “If I discovered a vulnerability in a system I was responsible for securing, I would first try to determine whether there is an immediate threat or not. If there is no imminent danger, I would work with my team to develop a plan to patch the vulnerability as soon as possible. However, if there is an active threat, I would immediately implement countermeasures to mitigate the risk until we could address the underlying cause of the vulnerability.”

How well do you understand the differences between authentication methods?

Authentication is a key component of security, and the interviewer may ask you this question to assess your knowledge of how authentication works in Azure. Use examples from your experience to explain what each method does and when it’s best to use it.

Example: “There are two main types of authentication methods that I’ve used in my previous roles as an Azure security engineer. The first is single sign-on, which allows users to enter their credentials once to access multiple applications or resources. This method is useful for organizations with many different applications because it reduces the amount of time employees spend logging into systems.

The second type of authentication is called multifactor authentication. This method requires users to provide more than one form of identification before they can access a system. For example, if someone tries to log into a server using a username and password, they’ll also need to enter a code generated by a mobile app or text message.”

Do you have experience using penetration testing tools?

Penetration testing is a common security practice that involves using tools to test the security of an application. The interviewer may ask this question to see if you have experience with these types of tools and how you use them. In your answer, explain which penetration testing tools you’ve used in the past and what type of results you achieved while using them.

Example: “I’ve worked with several different penetration testing tools throughout my career. I find that one of the most useful tools for me is Nmap because it’s free and open source. It also has many features that make it easy to use, including port scanning, OS detection and version detection. Another tool I like to use is Nessus, which is another free and open source option. This tool offers more advanced features than Nmap, such as vulnerability assessment and automated patch management.”

When performing risk assessments, what are the three main factors you consider?

This question helps the interviewer assess your knowledge of risk assessment and how you apply it to your work. Use examples from past projects that show how you consider these factors in your assessments.

Example: “The three main factors I consider when performing a risk assessment are asset value, threat level and vulnerability. The first factor is asset value because it’s important to understand what assets need protection and why they’re valuable. Threat level is also important because it helps me determine which threats pose the most danger to my organization. Finally, vulnerability is important because it shows where there are weaknesses in security systems that can be exploited by hackers.”

We want to make it easier for our customers to securely store their credentials. What is the most secure method of storing passwords?

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of the security protocols used in Azure. You can answer this question by describing how you would store passwords securely and why it’s important.

Example: “The most secure way to store credentials is through a key-value pair, which means that each credential has its own unique value. This method allows me to encrypt the values separately from the keys so I can keep them both safe. It also makes it easier for me to retrieve the information when needed because I only need to know the value to access the password.”

Describe your experience with code review and code auditing.

Code review and code auditing are two important aspects of security engineering. The interviewer may ask this question to assess your experience with these processes, as well as how you approach them. In your answer, try to describe the steps you take when performing a code review or audit and highlight any specific skills you have that make you an effective engineer in this area.

Example: “I’ve performed code reviews on every project I’ve worked on since starting my career as a security engineer. During each review, I look for common vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting and buffer overflow. I also check for compliance issues, such as whether the application is using encryption correctly. Code audits are similar but more extensive. I perform one at least once per year on all projects I work on.”

What makes security compliance so challenging?

This question can help the interviewer assess your ability to work within a challenging environment. Use this opportunity to highlight your problem-solving skills and how you use them to overcome challenges in compliance.

Example: “Compliance is challenging because it requires organizations to meet specific standards that are constantly changing. This means I have to be able to adapt quickly to new regulations, which can sometimes require me to change my security strategy on short notice. However, I find that being flexible with my approach helps me stay ahead of these changes so I can implement solutions before they become an issue.”

Which security frameworks do you have the most experience with?

This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience with security frameworks. You can answer this question by listing the ones you have used and explaining how they helped you in your previous roles.

Example: “I’ve worked with many different security frameworks, but I find that the most useful are the CIS Security Benchmark and NIST Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity. These two frameworks provide a lot of information on best practices for securing systems and networks. In my last role, I used these frameworks to create an action plan for improving our company’s cybersecurity measures.”

What do you think is the most important aspect of information security?

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of information security and how you apply it. Your answer should include a brief explanation of the concept, why it’s important and how you use it in your work.

Example: “Information security is all about protecting data from unauthorized access or modification. I think the most important aspect of information security is encryption because it protects data by making it unreadable without a key. In my last role, I used encryption to protect sensitive customer data on Azure Storage.”

How often should organizations update their security policies and procedures?

This question can help the interviewer assess your knowledge of security policies and procedures. Your answer should show that you understand how often organizations need to update their security policies and procedures, as well as why they need to do so.

Example: “Organizations should update their security policies and procedures at least once a year. This is because new threats emerge every day, which means companies must constantly be on guard for these threats. Additionally, technology changes rapidly, meaning that it’s important to ensure that any security policies or procedures are up-to-date with current technology.”

There is a new vulnerability in a popular application you use on a daily basis. What would you do?

This question is a great way to test your problem-solving skills and ability to work with others. It also allows the interviewer to see how you would react in an emergency situation.

Example: “If there was a new vulnerability in one of my favorite applications, I would first try to find out if it’s something that can be fixed by updating the application or changing some settings. If not, then I would immediately report it to my manager so they could inform our security team. From there, we would determine whether this is a threat that needs to be addressed right away or if we should wait for a patch to be released.”