Cybersecurity assessment tests for hiring

What the cybersecurity tests cover

These six assessments focus on different areas rather than one broad skill score. The Advanced Cybersecurity test measures threat analysis and practical mitigation across endpoint, network, and web security. Intermediate Cryptography assesses applied knowledge of symmetric ciphers, asymmetric encryption and key exchange, signing, hash functions, and MACs. Data Security and Compliance covers data governance, risk, data protection, access control, and day-to-day security operations. Penetration Testing measures security fundamentals, evidence-based vulnerability validation, and professional delivery of authorized testing. For tool-specific work, Splunk covers searching, administration, data ingestion and indexing, and data models with Pivot. Wireshark assesses capturing, filtering, and interpreting network traffic. Each test takes 10 minutes and uses multiple-choice questions.

Choose by role and level

Use the Advanced Cybersecurity test for security analysts, network defense engineers, endpoint specialists, penetration testers, security operations staff, and cloud or application security specialists. It focuses on threat analysis and mitigation across several security areas. For work involving cryptographic systems, the Intermediate Cryptography test suits security engineers, cryptography engineers, security analysts, penetration testers, IT security leads, and software developers who build or review systems that protect sensitive data.

The Intermediate Data Security and Compliance test is suited to database administrators, data architects, data governance or security specialists, compliance and privacy officers, and engineers or analysts who handle sensitive data. For authorized testing responsibilities, consider the Intermediate Penetration Testing test for penetration testers, red team practitioners, security consultants, security engineers, or technical security auditors. The Intermediate Splunk test fits people who work in Splunk, including developers, administrators, analysts, architects, and security, operations, or observability engineers. The Intermediate Wireshark test fits network administrators and engineers, security analysts, penetration testers, network auditors, support engineers who troubleshoot connectivity, and others who read packet captures at work.

Combine tests around the work

Choose tests that cover distinct responsibilities in the role, rather than adding every cybersecurity topic by default. For a role focused on reviewing systems that protect sensitive data, pair Cryptography with Data Security and Compliance when both cryptographic methods and data controls matter. For hands-on network defense, the Advanced Cybersecurity test can be paired with Wireshark if reading packet captures is also part of the work. A role that performs authorized security testing may use Penetration Testing alongside the Advanced Cybersecurity test when both testing practice and broader threat mitigation are relevant.

For roles centered on security operations, consider Splunk when the job includes searching, administration, ingestion, indexing, or data models with Pivot. Add another test only when its stated focus matches a separate responsibility in the role. Review each result as evidence about a candidate’s skills, alongside other relevant information. A score is not a hiring decision by itself, and these tests do not establish a pass mark or a ranking.

Question design and fairness

Each test’s fairness notes describe the context candidates receive. Cryptography uses general ideas and widely published algorithms, not a vendor’s product. Any code is short Python meant to be read without running it, and small-number arithmetic can be done on scratch paper. Cybersecurity scenarios use fictional hosts, documentation-only addresses, and .example domains; they state relevant product behavior and do not require working attack code.

Data Security and Compliance uses shared principles from major data protection and security frameworks, not one country’s laws or one vendor’s product. Its questions use plain language and stay within 90 words. Penetration Testing uses fictional systems and stated engagement constraints, not jurisdiction-specific legal knowledge, tool-brand trivia, or cultural references. Splunk questions show the search, configuration, or events being assessed. Wireshark questions show the packet information needed and avoid operating-system-specific behavior. For accommodations, see Fairness and accommodations.