17 Information Security Auditor Interview Questions and Answers

Information security is a critical concern for businesses, governments, and other organizations. That’s where information security auditors come in. They assess the security of an organization’s computer systems and networks to identify and recommend solutions to any vulnerabilities.

If you’re looking to become an information security auditor, you’ll need to be prepared to answer questions about your experience, your understanding of information security concepts, and your ability to identify and solve problems. In this guide, we’ll provide you with sample questions and answers that you can use to help you prepare for your next information security auditor interview.

Are you familiar with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard?

The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, or PCI DSS, is a set of requirements that businesses must meet to process credit card information. It’s important for an information security auditor to understand the standards they’re auditing against and how to ensure compliance. Your answer should show your knowledge of this standard and its importance in protecting sensitive data.

Example: “The PCI DSS is a set of standards that all businesses that accept payment cards are required to follow. These standards help protect customer data by requiring companies to implement specific security measures. I am familiar with these standards because I have worked on several projects where we needed to ensure compliance. In my last role, I was responsible for ensuring our company met the requirements outlined in the PCI DSS.”

What are some of the most important things that an information security auditor should do before starting an audit?

This question is your opportunity to show the interviewer that you know what’s important when starting an audit. Use examples from previous experience in which you did these things and how they helped you complete the audit successfully.

Example: “Before starting any audit, I make sure that I have all of the necessary information about the company or organization I’m auditing. This includes knowing who my client is, their goals for the audit and what kind of data I need to review. It also involves getting familiar with the company’s security policies and procedures so that I can understand where there might be weaknesses in the system. Finally, I always ensure that I have a plan for how I will conduct the audit before I start.”

How would you approach an audit where you suspect that management is not being honest about their security practices?

This question can help the interviewer assess your ability to remain objective and ensure that you are not influenced by management. Your answer should show that you value integrity in your work and will not allow personal relationships with management to affect your audit results.

Example: “I would first make sure I had enough evidence to support my suspicions, then present my findings to management along with recommendations for improving their security practices. If they were uncooperative or refused to implement any of my recommendations, I would report them to the company’s board of directors so they could take appropriate action.”

What is your process for identifying and documenting risks in an organization?

This question can help the interviewer understand how you approach your work and what methods you use to complete it. Your answer should include a specific example of how you used this process in a previous role, including which tools or software you used to identify risks and document them.

Example: “I first start by performing an initial risk assessment on all systems within the organization. I then perform periodic assessments every six months or annually depending on the company’s policies. During my last annual assessment, I performed a full system audit for each department within the organization. This allowed me to review any changes that occurred since the last audit and ensure that security protocols were still being followed.”

Provide an example of a time when you identified a risk that led to a positive change within an organization.

This question allows you to showcase your problem-solving skills and ability to make positive changes within an organization. When answering this question, it can be beneficial to highlight a specific example that shows how you used your critical thinking skills to identify the risk and implement a solution that led to a positive change for the company.

Example: “In my previous role as an information security auditor, I noticed that our company was using outdated software that could potentially lead to cyberattacks. After researching the risks of using the outdated software, I presented my findings to management and recommended we upgrade to more secure software. Management agreed with my recommendation and upgraded to new software that helped prevent cyberattacks.”

If you found that a company’s information security policies were not up to date, what would be the first step you would take to correct the issue?

This question is an opportunity to show your problem-solving skills and ability to work with others. Your answer should include a step-by-step process of how you would handle the situation, including who you would involve in the decision-making process.

Example: “If I found that a company’s information security policies were not up to date, my first step would be to meet with the IT manager or other person responsible for updating the policies. Together, we would determine which policies needed to be updated and create a plan for when they will be implemented. We would then present our findings to senior management so they can approve the changes.”

What would you do if you noticed that multiple employees were not complying with the organization’s information security policies?

This question can help the interviewer assess your ability to work with others and ensure that they are following company policies. Your answer should show that you understand the importance of adhering to security protocols and how to effectively communicate with employees about these policies.

Example: “If I noticed multiple employees were not complying with information security policies, I would first meet with each employee individually to discuss their noncompliance. If this did not resolve the issue, I would hold a meeting with all employees who have been found in violation of policy to explain why it is important for them to adhere to the organization’s security protocols. I would also outline the consequences of continued noncompliance.”

How well do you understand the concept of risk management? Can you provide me with an example from your previous experience?

The interviewer may ask you this question to assess your knowledge of risk management and how it applies to information security. Use examples from your previous experience that show your understanding of the concept of risk management and its importance in information security auditing.

Example: “Risk management is an important part of my job as an information security auditor because I use it to determine which areas of a company’s network are most vulnerable to cyberattacks. In my last role, I used risk management to identify several key risks within the organization’s IT infrastructure, including employee access privileges, software updates and data encryption methods.”

Do you have experience performing penetration tests? If so, what is the highest level of security clearance you’ve been able to attain during a test?

This question is an opportunity to show your expertise in the field of information security auditing. It also allows you to demonstrate how much responsibility you’ve had in your previous roles and what level of clearance you were able to achieve.

Example: “I have performed penetration tests on a variety of levels, from low-level access all the way up to top secret. I am very familiar with performing these types of assessments and can use my knowledge of various software programs to help me identify vulnerabilities within systems. In one instance, I was able to discover a flaw that allowed for unauthorized access to highly sensitive data. This led to a change in protocol that increased overall security measures.”

When performing an audit, do you have a process for verifying the integrity of data?

The interviewer may ask you a question like this one to assess your knowledge of the data verification process. Use examples from previous experience to explain how you would perform this task and what steps you would take to ensure that all data is accurate and reliable.

Example: “In my past role, I performed an audit on a company’s financial records. To verify the integrity of the data, I first compared it with other documents such as receipts and invoices. If there were any discrepancies between these sources, I contacted the client for clarification. After confirming the accuracy of the information, I then reviewed the company’s internal controls to make sure they were sufficient enough to prevent fraud.”

We want to ensure our data is backed up and protected on a regular basis. What is the best strategy for performing data backups?

This question allows you to demonstrate your knowledge of data backups and how they can be used to protect information. You can answer this question by explaining the best practices for performing backups, including when it’s appropriate to perform them and what types of backup methods are available.

Example: “The best strategy for backing up data is to use a full backup on a regular basis. This ensures that all data is backed up in its entirety so if something happens to the original file, we have an exact copy. I recommend performing full backups once per week or once per month depending on the size of the organization and the amount of data being stored.”

Describe your experience with risk-based authentication.

This question is an opportunity to show your knowledge of information security and how you apply it in the workplace. When answering this question, consider describing a situation where you used risk-based authentication to identify vulnerabilities or risks within a company’s network.

Example: “Risk-based authentication involves analyzing user behavior patterns to determine whether they are authorized to access certain data. In my previous role as an information security auditor at XYZ Corp., I noticed that many employees were accessing sensitive documents on their personal devices. This was a major concern because if these devices were lost or stolen, the confidential information could be accessed by unauthorized individuals. To address this issue, I implemented risk-based authentication for all users who wanted to access sensitive information from their personal devices.”

What makes you the best candidate for this information security auditor position?

Employers ask this question to learn more about your qualifications and why you are the best candidate for their open position. Before your interview, make a list of reasons why you would be an excellent information security auditor. Think about what skills you have that will help you succeed in this role.

Example: “I am the best candidate for this position because I have five years of experience as an information security auditor. In my previous job, I helped my company reduce its risk of cyberattacks by 50%. I also have extensive knowledge of various cybersecurity tools and techniques. My background in computer science makes me well-suited for this role.”

Which information security frameworks do you have the most experience with?

This question can help the interviewer determine your level of experience with information security frameworks. It can also show them which ones you prefer to use in your work and why. When answering this question, it can be helpful to mention a few frameworks that are similar to the one used by the company you’re interviewing for.

Example: “I have worked with many different information security frameworks throughout my career, including ISO 27001, COBIT 5 and NIST 800-53. I find all three of these frameworks useful in different ways, but I think I prefer working with NIST 800-53 because it’s so detailed and easy to understand.”

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

This question is a great way for the interviewer to assess your knowledge of information security and how you prioritize tasks. Your answer should include an explanation of why this aspect is important, as well as what it does in relation to information security.

Example: “I believe that the most important aspect of information security is risk management. Risk management allows me to evaluate all possible threats to a company’s data and implement solutions to mitigate those risks. This process helps ensure that I’m using my time wisely by focusing on the biggest threats first. It also ensures that I’m not spending too much time on low-risk areas.”

How often should an organization perform audits?

This question can help the interviewer understand your knowledge of how often to perform audits. Use examples from previous organizations or explain what you would do if you were in charge of scheduling audits.

Example: “In my last position, we performed an audit every six months. I think this is a good amount of time between audits because it allows us to see any changes that may have occurred since our last audit and gives us enough time to implement new security measures before they’re needed. However, depending on the size of the organization, I think monthly audits are also beneficial for finding issues quickly.”

There is a data breach and your team is responsible for investigating the cause. What is your investigation process?

This question is a great way to show your interviewer that you have the skills and knowledge necessary to complete an investigation. When answering this question, it can be helpful to describe each step of the process in detail so the interviewer can see how you would handle such a situation.

Example: “I would first meet with my team to discuss our findings from the initial data breach report. Then I would begin researching the cause of the breach by looking at all possible factors. After determining which factor caused the breach, I would then create a plan for preventing similar breaches in the future.”