Administration and Access Management Test

This area focuses on the candidate's ability to implement and manage OAuth2 for secure authorization and authentication. Candidates are expected to understand token-based systems, token revocation, scopes, and granular access control. They must also demonstrate the capability to implement MFA for additional security layers. The test includes knowledge of OAuth2 flows like implicit, client credentials, and authorization code, and how MFA can integrate with these flows to ensure higher levels of security in modern applications.

This skill tests the candidate's understanding of the most common web security vulnerabilities, as outlined by the OWASP Top 10, including SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, and clickjacking. Candidates must demonstrate proficiency in recognizing, preventing, and mitigating these attacks by implementing secure coding practices, input validation, proper session handling, and content security policies. The test also delves into advanced attack vectors and defense mechanisms like sandboxing and intrusion detection systems (IDS), which are essential for protecting systems against sophisticated threats.

This topic evaluates the candidate's expertise in designing and implementing centralized authentication systems, including LDAP, Kerberos, and SSO solutions. It covers the management of centralized user directories, control of authentication across multiple systems, and implementation of federated identity systems using protocols like SAML and OpenID Connect. Candidates must demonstrate a clear understanding of how to secure, scale, and maintain these systems across enterprise-level environments, which is crucial for efficient and secure access management.

This skill assesses the candidate's ability to secure APIs in distributed systems. It includes testing the knowledge of OAuth2 integration with APIs, using JWT tokens for authentication, and API keys for access control. Candidates are expected to understand the management of scopes and permissions for APIs, and the implementation of secure API gateways, rate-limiting, IP whitelisting, and API throttling mechanisms. The test also covers API vulnerabilities and how to prevent attacks like API injection, replay attacks, and insufficient logging.

This topic covers the candidate's knowledge of key security standards, frameworks, and regulations, such as NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, SOC 2, GDPR, and HIPAA. Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of best practices for securing enterprise systems in compliance with these standards, including implementing access control policies, data protection measures, and audit trails. The test also assesses the ability to manage security governance, conduct regular compliance audits, and implement security controls that align with regulatory requirements for data privacy and protection.

This skill evaluates the candidate's knowledge of designing and managing access control systems in microservices architectures. It includes implementing RBAC and ABAC within distributed environments using tools like Spring Cloud Security and API gateways. Candidates must demonstrate their ability to enforce the least privilege principle, design zero-trust models, and handle access control in complex, large-scale systems. The test also explores how to secure microservices communication using service meshes and secure proxy models, which are crucial for maintaining security in dynamic environments.

This topic focuses on the candidate's understanding of encryption techniques such as symmetric (AES, DES) and asymmetric encryption (RSA, ECC), as well as key management practices. Candidates will be assessed on their ability to protect sensitive data at rest and in transit using encryption, digital signatures, and hashing algorithms (e.g., SHA-256). Advanced questions will explore end-to-end encryption models, tokenization, and how encryption ties into access management and data loss prevention (DLP) strategies, which are vital for safeguarding information.

This skill assesses the candidate's expertise in conducting threat modeling exercises, identifying and mitigating risks, and performing security test across systems. The focus is on identifying vulnerabilities through methodologies like STRIDE and DREAD, prioritizing risks based on impact, and implementing compensating controls. Advanced-level questions cover the development of risk management frameworks that integrate with DevSecOps pipelines, as well as ensuring continuous monitoring of threats with tools like ELK stack and Splunk, which are essential for proactive security management.

This topic evaluates the candidate's understanding of security governance models, compliance frameworks, and audit processes. It includes designing access management strategies that comply with international regulations (GDPR, CCPA, HIPAA), as well as managing security policies, audit logs, and conducting security reviews. The test assesses the ability to lead security governance initiatives, implement continuous security improvement models, and work with regulatory bodies to ensure global compliance across multiple jurisdictions, which is critical for maintaining organizational integrity and trust.