Essential Work Sample Exercises for Hiring Top Infrastructure Security Engineers

In today's digital landscape, the role of an Infrastructure Security Engineer has become increasingly critical. These professionals serve as the frontline defenders of an organization's technological backbone, protecting networks, servers, and data from an ever-evolving array of threats. The consequences of hiring the wrong person for this position can be severe, potentially leading to security breaches, data loss, and significant financial and reputational damage.

Traditional interviews often fail to reveal a candidate's true capabilities in this highly technical field. While resumes may list impressive certifications and experience, they don't demonstrate how a candidate approaches real-world security challenges or how they communicate complex security concepts to non-technical stakeholders. This is where well-designed work samples become invaluable.

Work samples for Infrastructure Security Engineers should evaluate not only technical proficiency but also problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and communication skills. By observing candidates as they tackle realistic scenarios, hiring managers can gain insights into their thought processes, technical knowledge, and ability to adapt to emerging threats.

The following exercises are designed to comprehensively assess candidates for an Infrastructure Security Engineer role. Each activity simulates a real-world scenario that these professionals commonly face, providing a window into how candidates would perform on the job. By incorporating these exercises into your hiring process, you'll be better equipped to identify candidates who possess both the technical expertise and soft skills necessary to excel in this critical role.

Activity #1: Vulnerability Assessment and Remediation Plan

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to identify security vulnerabilities in infrastructure configurations and develop practical remediation strategies. It tests technical knowledge, attention to detail, and the ability to prioritize security issues based on risk level—all essential skills for an Infrastructure Security Engineer who will be responsible for maintaining secure systems.

Directions for the Company:

• Prepare a fictional network diagram and configuration files (e.g., firewall rules, server configurations) that contain 5-7 deliberate security vulnerabilities of varying severity.
• Include a mix of issues such as overly permissive firewall rules, unpatched systems, insecure protocols, and misconfigurations.
• Provide context about the fictional company's business operations to help candidates understand the environment.
• Allow candidates 45-60 minutes to complete the assessment.
• Have a senior security engineer available to evaluate the candidate's findings and approach.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the provided network diagram and configuration files to identify security vulnerabilities.
• Document each vulnerability you find, including:
• Description of the vulnerability
• Potential impact if exploited
• Risk level (Critical, High, Medium, Low)
• Recommended remediation steps
• Prioritize the vulnerabilities based on risk and business impact.
• Prepare a brief remediation plan that outlines the order in which issues should be addressed and estimated effort required.
• Be prepared to explain your reasoning for both the vulnerability assessment and remediation priorities.

Feedback Mechanism:

• After the candidate presents their findings, provide feedback on one vulnerability they may have missed or misclassified.
• Ask the candidate to reconsider their remediation plan based on this new information.
• Observe how they incorporate the feedback and adjust their approach, which demonstrates adaptability and coachability.

Activity #2: Security Incident Response Simulation

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to respond effectively to security incidents—a critical skill for Infrastructure Security Engineers who must quickly identify, contain, and remediate security breaches. It evaluates technical troubleshooting skills, decision-making under pressure, and communication abilities.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a detailed scenario of a security incident, such as a ransomware attack, data breach, or unauthorized access.
• Provide relevant logs, alerts, and system information that contain clues about the nature and scope of the incident.
• Consider using a sandbox environment where candidates can perform basic investigation tasks if feasible.
• Allocate 45-60 minutes for this exercise.
• Have an experienced security incident responder evaluate the candidate's approach.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Review the security incident scenario and supporting information.
• Document your incident response process, including:
• Initial assessment of the situation
• Steps to contain the incident
• Investigation techniques to determine the scope and impact
• Remediation actions to address the root cause
• Recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future
• Prepare a brief incident report suitable for both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Be ready to explain your reasoning for each step in your response process.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one aspect of the candidate's incident response approach that could be improved.
• Ask the candidate to revise their communication plan for notifying relevant stakeholders about the incident based on this feedback.
• Evaluate how effectively they incorporate the feedback and adjust their communication strategy.

Activity #3: Security Policy Development

This exercise evaluates a candidate's ability to develop comprehensive security policies that protect organizational assets while remaining practical to implement. It tests their knowledge of security best practices, compliance requirements, and their ability to balance security with operational needs.

Directions for the Company:

• Provide a scenario about a specific security domain (e.g., remote access, cloud security, data classification) that requires a new or updated policy.
• Include information about the organization's size, industry, compliance requirements (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS), and business objectives.
• Offer examples of existing policies to provide context on the organization's policy framework.
• Allow 60 minutes for this exercise.
• Have someone familiar with security governance evaluate the policy.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Develop a security policy for the specified domain that addresses:
• Purpose and scope of the policy
• Roles and responsibilities
• Specific security controls and requirements
• Compliance considerations
• Exceptions process
• Enforcement mechanisms
• Ensure the policy is comprehensive yet practical to implement.
• Consider how the policy will impact different stakeholders within the organization.
• Prepare a brief implementation plan outlining how you would roll out this policy.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one area where the policy could be strengthened or made more practical.
• Ask the candidate to revise that section of the policy based on the feedback.
• Evaluate how well they balance security requirements with operational considerations in their revision.

Activity #4: Security Architecture Design Challenge

This exercise assesses a candidate's ability to design secure infrastructure solutions that address specific business requirements. It evaluates their technical knowledge, architectural thinking, and ability to make appropriate security trade-offs—essential skills for an Infrastructure Security Engineer who will help shape the organization's security posture.

Directions for the Company:

• Create a scenario involving a new infrastructure project (e.g., cloud migration, new application deployment, office expansion) that requires security architecture input.
• Provide business requirements, constraints (budget, timeline, existing technologies), and compliance considerations.
• Include any relevant details about the current environment that would impact the design.
• Allow 60-75 minutes for this exercise.
• Have a senior security architect available to evaluate the design.

Directions for the Candidate:

• Design a security architecture for the given scenario that addresses:
• Network security controls
• Identity and access management
• Data protection measures
• Monitoring and detection capabilities
• Compliance requirements
• Create a high-level diagram illustrating your proposed architecture.
• Document key security controls and explain how they mitigate relevant threats.
• Identify any security risks that remain and how they might be addressed.
• Be prepared to explain your design decisions and trade-offs.

Feedback Mechanism:

• Provide feedback on one aspect of the security architecture that could be enhanced or might introduce operational challenges.
• Ask the candidate to revise that portion of their design based on the feedback.
• Evaluate how well they adapt their approach while maintaining the overall security posture.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should we allocate for these work sample exercises?

Each exercise is designed to take 45-75 minutes, depending on the complexity. We recommend scheduling separate sessions for each exercise or selecting the 2-3 most relevant to your specific needs if time constraints exist. The vulnerability assessment and incident response exercises are particularly valuable for evaluating core technical skills.

Should we provide these exercises as take-home assignments or conduct them during the interview?

Both approaches have merit. In-person or virtual supervised exercises allow you to observe the candidate's real-time problem-solving process, while take-home assignments may yield more thorough results. For technical exercises like vulnerability assessment, a supervised approach is recommended to ensure the work represents the candidate's own abilities.

How should we evaluate candidates who have different approaches to solving these exercises?

Focus on the effectiveness of their solution rather than expecting a specific approach. The security field often has multiple valid ways to address a problem. Evaluate whether their solution addresses the core security concerns, demonstrates sound reasoning, and shows awareness of potential trade-offs.

What if a candidate doesn't find all the vulnerabilities or misses some aspects of the incident response?

Few candidates will identify every issue. Focus on their methodology, the quality of what they did find, and their ability to prioritize effectively. Their response to feedback about missed items often reveals more about their potential than their initial performance.

How can we adapt these exercises for candidates with different levels of experience?

For more junior candidates, consider simplifying the scenarios and providing more context. For senior candidates, increase the complexity and ambiguity to test their ability to handle uncertain situations. The core activities remain valuable across experience levels, but expectations should be calibrated accordingly.

Should we share evaluation criteria with candidates beforehand?

Providing general guidance about what you're looking for (technical accuracy, communication skills, problem-solving approach) helps candidates prepare appropriately. However, specific details about vulnerabilities or incidents should be withheld to preserve the assessment value.

In today's complex security landscape, finding the right Infrastructure Security Engineer requires going beyond traditional interviews to evaluate how candidates apply their knowledge in realistic scenarios. These work sample exercises provide a comprehensive assessment of both technical and soft skills essential for success in this critical role.

By implementing these exercises in your hiring process, you'll gain deeper insights into candidates' capabilities and make more informed hiring decisions. For additional resources to enhance your hiring process, check out our AI Job Description Generator, AI Interview Question Generator, and AI Interview Guide Generator. You can also find more information about the Infrastructure Security Engineer role in our detailed job description.

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