Product Security Engineer Interview Questions
Since the job responsibilities for a Product Security Engineer can vary so greatly across organizations and industries, the question examples below focus on a Product Security Engineer role at a healthcare organization.
Can you describe a scenario from your experience where you identified a critical vulnerability in a medical device? How did you assess the risk, at a high level, and what steps did you take to mitigate it?
Example answer:
In my previous role, I identified a buffer overflow vulnerability in a defibrillator’s software. I conducted a risk assessment using a threat modeling approach, determining that the vulnerability could allow unauthorized access to device settings, which meant an attacker could turn off the defibrillator function, thereby risking patient safety. I worked with our software development team to redesign the input validation process and implement secure coding best practices. We then conducted testing of the changes to ensure that the vulnerability had been resolved.
Tell me about a time when you influenced the architecture and design of a product to enhance its security. What were the security considerations you ensured were incorporated?
Example answer:
In a project designing a new insulin pump, I led the security architecture discussions, ensuring that all security considerations were integrated. I advocated for and implemented secure communication protocols and encryption for data at rest and in transit, helping us ensure compliance with both safety and privacy regulations.
How do you ensure your design documentation meets the industry standards for medical device software, such as IEC 62304 (https://www.iso.org/standard/38421.html)? Can you describe the process you follow?
Example answer:
For compliance with IEC 62304, I maintain thorough documentation throughout the software development process. This includes detailed design specifications, risk analysis reports, and validation and verification plans.
Regular audits and reviews by a separate team ensure that all documents meet the stringent standards required for medical device software, as outlined in IEC 62304.
Give an example of a security solution you implemented in a medical device. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Example answer:
I led a team that implemented a multi-factor authentication (MFA) solution in a wearable health device, which was challenging due to device limitations and user interaction constraints. My team overcame these challenges by using lightweight cryptographic protocols and optimizing the authentication process to balance security with user convenience.
