What Cybersecurity Job Candidates Face in a Technical Test

Cybersecurity roles are some of the most demanding and technical in the modern IT landscape.

And with increasing pressure on organisations to protect digital assets, cybersecurity hiring managers are raising the bar in 2025-26.

What to expect from today’s harder-to-pass cybersecurity job tests

Whether you're applying for a security engineer role or a GRC contractor job, chances are high that you’ll face a technical test, interview or assessment as part of the job application process.

So, writes Georgina Day, head of cybersecurity recruitment at Leap29, what exactly should a cybersecurity professional expect in a technical interview, assessment or test?

Why Technical Tests Matter in Cybersecurity Hiring

Cybersecurity is a high-stakes domain where theoretical knowledge isn't enough.

Employers and end-clients want to see how you think, how you solve problems under pressure, and whether you can apply knowledge in real-world scenarios.

The Three Aims of a Cybersecurity Technical Test

A CV might tell part of your career or skills ‘story,’ but in cybersecurity and other fields of IT/technology, a technical test or interview assesses how you:

1. Work;

2. Reason, and;

3. Respond.

A cybersecurity technical interview or test that really wants to assess these three in the EXTREME is one where candidates face a challenge that simulates 'on-the-job' realities.

Which IT Security Jobs Have a Cybersecurity Technical Test?

Technical interviews, assessments or tests are particularly common for these seven cybersecurity roles:

1.   Security Analysts

2.   SOC Engineers

3.   Incident Responders

4.   Penetration Testers / Red Teamers

5.   GRC (Government, Risk & Compliance) Consultants

6.   Security Architects

7.   Cloud Security Engineers

Main Five Types of Cybersecurity Technical Tests

No two cybersecurity job tests are the same! But here are the five common formats:

i) Practical Labs (“Hands-On”)

These are often hosted on platforms like Hack The Box, TryHackMe, or proprietary environments.

You may be asked to complete the following five tasks:

1.   Analyse traffic in Wireshark.

2.   Perform basic or advanced vulnerability scanning (e.g. using Nessus or Nmap).

3.   Exploit a vulnerable system (especially in pentest/red team roles).

4.   Configure a firewall or SIEM rule.

5.   Investigate an incident using logs from Splunk or ELK stack.

Expectation of Cybersecurity Test Candidate? You’ll demonstrate hands-on ability, not just knowledge.

ii) Scenario-Based Questions

These are hypothetical, open-ended challenges. For example:

• “You suspect a ransomware attack has begun -- what’s your immediate response?”

• “How would you secure a hybrid cloud environment used by a fintech company?”

Expectation of Cybersecurity Test Candidate? You’ll show your problem-solving skills, prioritisation, and communication.

iii) Multiple Choice / Knowledge-Based Tests

These cybersecurity quizzes often cover topics like:

• OWASP Top 10

• Encryption standards

• Cloud security concepts (AWS/GCP/Azure)

• Network protocols

• Regulatory frameworks (ISO 27001, NIST, GDPR)

Expectation of Cybersecurity Test Candidates?: You’ll demonstrate foundational knowledge. Certifications can be invaluable here (e.g. CompTIA Security+, CISSP, AZ-500).

iv) Code or Scripting Tasks

These tasks typically appear in Security Engineering or DevSecOps roles.

As a minimum, prepare for these three tasks:

1.   Write a Python script to parse logs.

2.   Use Bash to automate a forensic search.

3.   Review insecure code snippets and fix vulnerabilities.

Expectation of Cybersecurity Test Candidate? You’ll demonstrate that you are comfortable with code, especially in automation and detection.

v) GRC & Policy-Oriented Exercises

If you're interviewing for a compliance, audit, or GRC role or contract, your test may focus on:

• Drafting a basic risk assessment;

• Identifying policy gaps in a given case study, and;

• Mapping controls to a security framework.

Expectation of Cybersecurity Test Candidate? You’ll demonstrate your ability to interpret regulations and implement controls in a real-world business context.

What IT Security Employers REALLY Want To See: 4 Key Traits

While technical accuracy matters in a cybersecurity technical interview or test, assessors are also evaluating your:

1.   Logical reasoning -- Can you explain why you chose a specific approach?

2.   Communication -- Can you articulate risks to a non-technical audience?

3.   Time management -- Can you prioritise tasks under pressure?

4.   Curiosity and mindset -- Are you thinking like a defender or an attacker?

Remember, even if you don’t complete every cybersecurity technical task perfectly, your process and attitude during the assessment matter.

How to Prepare for a Cybersecurity Technical Test: 5 Must-Dos

Here are five tips to help cybersecurity candidates get ready for a technical assessment of their skills:

1.   Brush up on key topics relevant to the role (e.g. SIEM tools, cloud security, compliance frameworks).

2.   Practice with real-world labs (e.g. TryHackMe, RangeForce, or Splunk Workloads).

3.   Review past incidents and case studies.

4.   Take notes on recent CV projects -- you might be asked to recreate or explain them.

5.   Practice explaining complex concepts in simple terms.

To these five top tips, I would add a sixth recommendation if you want to ace your cybersecurity technical test -- it may even salvage your chances if things go a bit wrong on the day:

Don’t just prepare for WHAT you know -- prepare to explain WHY you chose that method, tool, or response.

TLDR: Cybersecurity technical test prep, be like...

A cybersecurity technical test is your opportunity to go beyond the CV and prove that you can apply your skills in high-pressure, real-world scenarios.

Whether it’s a red-team simulation, a cloud misconfiguration challenge, or drafting a risk mitigation plan, it’s your chance to demonstrate how you think, work, and communicate in a security-first environment.

Final top tips to ace a tech security job interview or assessment…

Lastly, be honest about what you know, stay calm under pressure, and SHOW your ability to learn ‘on the fly.’ That’s exactly what most tech security leaders are looking for -- not perfection, but professionalism, curiosity, and capability.