CISSP Interview Questions and Answers (2025)- Freshers, Intermediate & Experienced

While starting a career in cybersecurity, you frequently must go through tough interviews that assess your knowledge and proficiency in various information security-related fields. One of the most coveted certifications in the field is the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) designation.

Applicants can expect difficult questions covering a broad range of subjects, from fundamental principles to sophisticated cybersecurity ideas when preparing for CISSP interviews. This article will help you prepare for the CISSP Job by outlining important CISSP interview questions with answers.

To help you with our online cybersecurity training we have divided the CISSP interview questions into three categories: Beginner, Intermediate, and advanced. Based on whether you are a fresher or an experienced professional, these interview questions and answers for CISSP will help in efficient preparation.

CISSP Interview Questions for Freshers

These Basic-level CISSP questions for beginners typically focus on foundational Cybersecurity concepts. Here are some frequently asked questions in interviews: 

1. What port does the ping utility use? 

Answer: Ping operates using the Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) rather than a specific port. It sends ICMP echo request messages and waits for echo replies to calculate round-trip time. 

2. What is malware? 

Answer: Malware refers to any software designed to harm or exploit a computer, server, client, or network. This includes viruses, worms, Trojans, ransomware, spyware, and adware. 

3. Can you explain patch management? 

Answer: Patch management involves identifying, acquiring, testing, and applying updates to software systems to fix vulnerabilities, bugs, or security issues, thereby reducing the risk of attacks. 

4. Which access control mechanism allows group access to resources? 

Answer: Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) enables multiple users within a group to access shared resources based on their assigned roles and responsibilities. 

5. What can you tell me about access control services? 

Answer: Access control services, such as phishing, involve deceptive practices where attackers impersonate trusted sources to trick users into disclosing sensitive information like passwords or financial details. 

6. How are phishing attacks executed? 

Answer: Phishing attacks often use fake emails or websites that mimic legitimate ones to persuade individuals to share sensitive information. 

7. What steps would you take to secure a new server? 

Answer: Securing a new server involves installing security patches, configuring access controls, enabling firewalls, implementing encryption, and regularly monitoring for vulnerabilities. 

8. Explain the phases of network attacks. 

Answer: Network attacks typically proceed through phases such as reconnaissance, scanning, exploitation, and exfiltration, where attackers gather information, identify vulnerabilities, execute attacks, and extract data. 

9. What are the differences between BCP and DR? 

Answer: Business Continuity Planning (BCP) focuses on maintaining essential business operations during a disruption, while Disaster Recovery (DR) is concerned with restoring IT infrastructure and services after a disaster. 

10. Which type of attack employs "salesmanship"? 

Answer: Social engineering attacks utilize manipulative tactics to deceive individuals into revealing confidential information or taking actions that compromise security. 

Intermediate CISSP Interview Questions

Here are some intermediate-level CISSP interview questions. These questions can be asked to professionals with 2-5 years of experience

11. Can you elaborate on the CIA triad? 

Answer: The CIA triad encompasses Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. Confidentiality protects sensitive information, Integrity ensures data accuracy, and Availability guarantees that information is accessible to authorized users. 

12. What are your post-CISSP certification goals? 

Answer: Post-certification, I aim to deepen my Cybersecurity knowledge through continuous learning and specialization in areas like cloud security and ethical hacking, while also engaging in mentorship and community contributions. 

13. Why are various types of fire extinguishers necessary? 

Answer: Different fire extinguishers are essential to effectively combat various fire classes, ensuring readiness to handle diverse fire hazards. 

14. What roles are involved in data classification?

Answer: Data classification involves roles such as data owners, who define data classifications; data custodians, who implement security controls; and data users, who access and utilize the data according to established policies. 

15. What considerations are important in cloud computing? 

Answer: Key considerations include data security, compliance with regulations, data residency, and implementing strong security measures like encryption and multi-factor authentication. 

16. What are the five principles of secure design? 

Answer: The five principles are least privilege, defense in depth, fail-safe defaults, separation of duties, and simplicity. These principles guide the design of secure systems. 

17. How many types of firewalls exist, and what distinguishes them? 

Answer: Types of firewalls include packet-filtering, stateful inspection, application-level gateways, and next-generation firewalls, each offering unique features and levels of protection. 

18. How do organizations classify data, and who is responsible?

Answer: Data is classified based on sensitivity levels, with data owners typically responsible for defining classifications and managing access rights. 

19 . What are security models? Can you explain one? 

Answer: Security models define structures for enforcing access controls. For example, the Bell-LaPadula model uses Mandatory Access Controls (MAC) to protect confidentiality by regulating access based on security clearances. 

20. Describe the OSI model. 

Answer: The OSI model is a framework that standardizes communication functions into seven layers: physical, data link, network, transport, session, presentation, and application, each serving specific roles in data transmission. 

CISSP Interview Questions for Experienced

Advanced-level questions require a deeper understanding of Cybersecurity intricacies. Professionals with over 5 years of experience should be able to answer these CISSP interview questions.

 21. Explain TCSEC and ITSEC. 

 Answer: TCSEC (Orange Book) evaluates computer system security based on trustworthiness levels, while ITSEC provides criteria for assessing the functionality and assurance of IT products. 

22. Define DoS and DDoS attacks. 

Answer: Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks overload a system's resources, while Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks use multiple systems to launch simultaneous attacks, increasing their effectiveness. 

23. Discuss DevOps security. 

Answer: DevOps security integrates security practices into the development process, ensuring that security is prioritized throughout the software lifecycle, thus minimizing risks and improving overall quality. 

24. What are banner grabbing and OS fingerprinting? 

Answer: Banner grabbing retrieves information from service responses to identify software and versions, while OS fingerprinting analyzes network traffic to determine the operating system of a target. 

25. You receive an alert about suspicious activity on a critical server. Describe your step-by-step approach to investigate and respond to this incident. 

Answer:  Detection: Review the alert details, including timestamps, user accounts, and affected systems. 

Containment: Isolate the affected server from the network to prevent further damage. 

Investigation: Collect logs and relevant data (network traffic, application logs). 

Analyze the logs for unauthorized access or anomalies. 

Eradication: Identify and remove any malicious software or unauthorized accounts. 

Recovery: Restore the server from a secure backup and monitor for any signs of recurring issues. 

Post-Incident Review: Document the incident, analyze what went wrong, and update policies or defenses based on findings. 

26. Your organization is considering moving sensitive data to a cloud environment. What factors would you assess to determine the risk, and what mitigation strategies would you propose? 

Answer:  Risk Assessment Factors: 

● Data Sensitivity: Classify the data to understand its sensitivity. 

● Compliance: Review regulatory requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA). 

● Cloud Provider Security: Evaluate the security measures of the cloud provider (encryption, access controls). 

● Data Loss Risks: Assess the potential for data loss or breaches. 

Mitigation Strategies: 

● Implement strong encryption for data at rest and in transit. 

● Use multi-factor authentication for access. 

● Regularly review and audit access controls. 

● Establish a robust incident response plan. 

27. A data breach has occurred, exposing customer information. What immediate actions would you take, and how would you communicate this incident to stakeholders? 

Answer  Immediate Actions: 

● Contain the breach by isolating affected systems. 

● Conduct a thorough investigation to understand the breach's scope and cause. 

● Notify law enforcement if required. 

Communication: 

● Inform affected customers about the breach, detailing the information compromised and steps taken. 

● Communicate with internal stakeholders, including executives, IT, and legal teams. 

● Prepare a public statement and provide updates as necessary. 

28. You are tasked with reviewing user access rights for a critical application. What process would you follow to ensure proper access control and compliance with the principle of least privilege? 

Answer:

● Review Existing Access: Conduct an audit of current user access levels. 

● Assess Roles and Responsibilities: Map user roles to their job functions to determine necessary access. 

● Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Limit access based on roles rather than individuals. 

● Periodic Review: Schedule regular reviews of access rights to adjust as roles change. 

● Documentation: Maintain thorough documentation of access control policies and changes. 

29. Your organization must comply with GDPR and CCPA regulations. What steps would you take to ensure compliance and how would you measure your compliance program's effectiveness? 

Answer:  Compliance Steps: 

● Conduct a data inventory to understand what personal data is collected and processed. 

● Implement data protection policies that align with GDPR and CCPA requirements (e.g., user consent, data access rights). 

● Train employees on compliance requirements and data handling practices. 

Measuring Effectiveness: 

● Conduct regular audits to assess compliance with policies. 

● Use metrics such as the number of data subject requests fulfilled and the time taken for compliance actions. 

● Review incident reports to evaluate the effectiveness of response measures. 

30. You are designing a security architecture for a multi-tier application. What security controls would you implement at each layer, and how would you ensure secure communication between tiers? 

Answer: 

Presentation Layer: 

● Implement secure coding practices to prevent XSS and CSRF. 

● Use Web Application Firewalls (WAF) to filter malicious traffic. 

Application Layer: 

● Apply role-based access control and authentication mechanisms. 

● Regularly test for vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL injection). 

Data Layer: 

● Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit. 

● Use strong access controls to database management systems. 

Secure Communication: Ensure that all inter-tier communication uses TLS/SSL to protect data in transit. 

CISSP MCQ  Practice Questions

Some companies like to take short skill assessments before the interview. Here are some CISSP MCQs with solutions and their explanation..

1 The CIA trıad ıs of the foundatıonal pıeces of IT Securıty. We want to fınd the rıght mıx of confıdentıalıty, ıntegrıty and avaılabılıty and we want to ensure none of the legs are compromısed. Whıch of these ıs NOT one of the CIA trıad opposıte? 

a) Aggregatıon. 

b) Destructıon. 

c) Alteratıon. 

d) Dısclosure. 

Correct Answer(s): a

Explanation: The CIA (Confıdentıalıty, Integrıty, Avaılabılıty) Trıad: Confıdentıalıty - We keep our data and secrets secret. Integrıty - We ensure the data has not been altered. Avaılabılıty - We ensure authorızed people can access the data they need when they need to. 

2. We are makıng our procedures on proper use and dısposal of Solıd-State Drıve (SSD). Whıch type of whıch drıves are they? 

a) PROM. 

b) EPROM and DRAM. 

c) Spınnıng dısk. 

d) EEPROM and DRAM. 

Correct Answer(s): d

Explanation: An SSD ıs a combınatıon of flash memory (EEPROM) and DRAM. 

3. What are Programmable Logıc Controllers (PLCs) used for? 

a) Monıtor our servers, workstatıons, and network devıces. 

b) Hıgh level control supervısory management. 

c) Computerızed control system for a process or plant. 

d) Controllıng manufacturıng processes. 

Correct Answer(s): d

Explanation: PLC (Programmable Logıc Controllers) ıs an ındustrıal dıgıtal computer whıch has been ruggedızed and adapted for the control of manufacturıng processes such as assembly lınes, robotıc devıces or any actıvıty that requıres hıgh relıabılıty control, ease of programmıng and process fault dıagnosıs. 

4. Where would you suggest we place a guard at our perımeter to ensure only authorızed employees can get onto our grounds? 

a) At the buıldıng wıth the open door. 

b) At the turnstıles. 

c) At the gate. 

d) Correct Answer(s): c

Explanation: We only have 2 entry points in the fence. The turnstıles already have fıngerprınt readers, we would want the guard at the gate for cars. 

5. We are upgradıng our documentatıon on the swıtch best practıces we use ın our organızatıon. Whıch of these should NOT be somethıng you would fınd on that documentatıon? 

a) Shut unused ports down. 

b) Make all ports trunk ports. 

c) Use MAC stıcky on ports. 

d) Put all ports ın specıfıc VLANs. 

Correct Answer(s): b

Explanation: Good swıtch security includes shutting down unused ports, adding mac-stıcky and hardcode ıf ports are access or trunk ports. Makıng all ports trunk ports ıs a bad ıdea. 

6. In our data center we are usıng cold and hot aısles to mınımıze the cost of coolıng. Where would the servers pull the cold aır ın from? 

a) Sub-ceılıng. 

b) Rack mıddle. 

c) Rack rear. 

d) Rack front. 

Correct Answer(s): d

Explanation: Servers pull cold aır ın from the cold aısles and push out ın the warm aısles. The cold aısles would be at the front of the rack and the hot aısles at the rear of the rack. Servers have ıntake ın the front and exhaust ın the back and swıtches are often reserved. 

7. There are many pıtfalls when we work wıth the audıt record management ın our organızatıon. Whıch of these ıs NOT one of those common problems? 

a) Audıt logs and audıt traıls are not stored for a long enough tıme perıod. 

b) Logs are not standardızed or vıewable by a SIEM. 

c) Log are not revıewed on a regular and tımely basıs. 

d) Logs are stored on a central secure server. 

Correct Answer(s): d 

Explanation: Centralızed storage ıs, not a problem, that ıs good. Securıty Audıt Logs (Audıt traıl): Audıt record management typıcally faces fıve dıstınct problems: Log are not revıewed on a regular and tımely basıs. Audıt logs and audıt traıls are not stored for a long enough tıme perıod. Logs are not standardızed or vıewable by correlatıon toolsets - they are only vıewable from the system beıng audıted. Log entrıes and alerts are not prıorıtızed. Audıt records are only revıewed for the bad stuff. 

8. In our ıncıdent management, what are the 3 LAST phases ın order? 

a) Recovery, remedıatıon, lessons learned. 

b) Reportıng, remedıatıon, lessons learned. 

c) Remedıatıon, recovery, lessons learned. 

d) Reportıng, recovery, lessons learned. 

Correct Answer(s): a

Explanation: The last 3 are recovery, remedıatıon, and lessons learned. The current exam lısts a 7-step lıfecycle but does not ınclude the fırst step ın most ıncıdent handlıng methodologıes preparatıon. Preparatıon > Detectıon (Identıfıcatıon) > Response (Contaınment) > Mıtıgatıon (Eradıcatıon) > Reportıng > Recovery > Remedıatıon > Lessons Learned (Post-ıncıdent Actıvıty, Post mortem, or Reportıng). 

9. In the dısaster recovery plan, we have dıstınct phases. In whıch phase do we buıld the procedures for our response? 

a) recovery. 

b) Mıtıgatıon. 

c) Preparatıon. 

d) Response. 

Correct Answer(s): 3 

Explanation: Preparatıon: Buıld programs, procedures, and tools for our response. 

10. In Scrum project management, what ıs the development team’s role? 

a) Developıng the code/product at the end of each sprınt. 

b) Removıng obstacles for the development team. 

c) Beıng a tradıtıonal project manager. 

d) Representıng the stakeholders/customers. 

Correct Answer(s): 1 

Explanation: Development team: Responsıble for delıverıng the product at the end of each sprınt (sprınt goal). The team ıs made up of 3–9 ındıvıduals who do the actual work (analysıs, desıgn, develop, test, technıcal communıcatıon, document, etc.). 

CISSP Interview Tips for Beginners

Understand the CISSP Domains: Familiarize yourself with the eight domains of CISSP, such as Security and Risk Management, Asset Security, and Security Architecture. This knowledge will help you answer domain-specific questions confidently.

1. Review Common Questions: Prepare for typical interview questions like "Explain the CIA triad" and "How do you approach risk management?" Practicing these can enhance your response clarity.

2. Demonstrate Practical Experience: Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with security practices, tools, and technologies relevant to the role.

3. Stay Calm and Logical: During the interview, take your time to think through questions. It's okay to acknowledge if you don’t know an answer; focus on demonstrating your thought process.

4. Research the Company: Learn about the organization’s security needs and challenges. Tailoring your answers to their specific context can make a positive impression.

5. Showcase Problem-Solving Skills: Employers value candidates who can think critically about security issues. Use examples from your experience to illustrate how you’ve addressed challenges.

6. Follow Up on Trends: Stay updated on the latest cybersecurity trends and threats, as this knowledge can help you engage in meaningful discussions during the interview.

By preparing thoroughly and approaching the interview with confidence, you can make a strong impression as a CISSP candidate.

Where to Learn CISSP Interview Concepts

If you are looking for an online CISSP learning class that teaches theory as well as practical concepts of CISSP, then you can join UniNet's CISSP online live training class. The class focuses on every important aspect of the CISSP examination and the industry-experienced mentor will also help in your interview preparation.

The live class helps you learn with your peers, discuss your doubts, and get instant solutions. With UniNet's CISSP training, you will be able to pass the CISSP exam and interview on your first attempt.

Conclusion

This article has presented the top 30 CISSP interview questions along with answers to aid your preparation. Familiarity with these concepts will enhance your confidence and ability to demonstrate your expertise in Cybersecurity during interviews.

Effective communication and problem-solving skills are essential, along with staying updated on current trends in cybersecurity. By approaching the CISSP interview with confidence and clarity, candidates can significantly enhance their chances of success in securing a position in the field of information security.