Interview Experience for Senior Application Security Engineer at Coursera

As someone who has interviewed for the Senior Application Security Engineer position at Coursera, I can provide a comprehensive overview of the interview process, key responsibilities of the role, and the types of questions I encountered. The Senior Application Security Engineer role at Coursera is critical for ensuring the security and integrity of Coursera’s applications, systems, and data. The position focuses on identifying vulnerabilities, conducting security assessments, and collaborating with development teams to implement secure coding practices.

Role Overview

The Senior Application Security Engineer at Coursera is responsible for securing the company’s applications and platforms, protecting user data, and ensuring the integrity of Coursera’s digital infrastructure. This role involves working closely with development teams to integrate security throughout the software development lifecycle, identifying security risks, and building solutions to mitigate these risks.

Key Responsibilities:

• Security Assessments: Conducting regular security assessments (static and dynamic analysis, penetration testing) of web and mobile applications to identify vulnerabilities.
• Secure Development Practices: Collaborating with engineering teams to incorporate security best practices into the development lifecycle.
• Incident Response: Leading and responding to security incidents and breaches, providing post-mortem analysis and remediation plans.
• Threat Modeling: Proactively identifying and mitigating security risks by designing secure systems and conducting threat modeling exercises.
• Security Tools and Automation: Implementing and managing security tools, developing automation scripts to enhance application security and streamline security processes.
• Compliance and Auditing: Ensuring the company’s systems comply with relevant security standards and frameworks (e.g., OWASP, PCI DSS).

Interview Process

The interview process for the Senior Application Security Engineer at Coursera is multi-stage and designed to assess both technical expertise and problem-solving abilities in application security. Below is a breakdown of the stages I went through during my interview:

1. Initial Screening (Recruiter Call)

The first stage was an introductory call with a recruiter. The recruiter provided an overview of the role, the team, and Coursera’s security goals. They also gauged my interest in the position and discussed my background in application security.

Common Questions During the Screening:

• “Why are you interested in the Senior Application Security Engineer role at Coursera?”
  • I expressed my interest in working for a company that is making a significant impact in the education sector. I also shared my enthusiasm for working on complex security challenges in a fast-paced, cloud-native environment like Coursera.
• “Can you tell me about your experience in application security? What kinds of tools and technologies have you worked with?”
  • I discussed my experience in conducting penetration tests, using security tools like Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, and static analysis tools like Checkmarx. I also talked about my background in threat modeling, working with development teams to implement secure coding practices, and securing cloud-based infrastructure.

Preparation Tip:

• Be prepared to explain why you want to work in application security at Coursera, highlighting your passion for education and technology. Make sure you’re clear about your experience with security tools, secure development, and handling incidents.

2. Technical Interviews (Security Problem-Solving)

This round focused on evaluating my technical expertise in application security, including my ability to think critically and solve security-related challenges. The interviewers assessed my knowledge of web security vulnerabilities, secure coding practices, and experience with various security tools.

Common Questions:

• “What are the top OWASP vulnerabilities, and how would you address them in a web application?”

  • I discussed the top OWASP vulnerabilities (e.g., SQL injection, cross-site scripting, CSRF, insecure deserialization) and explained how I would mitigate these risks through secure coding practices, input validation, output encoding, and other security measures.

• “How would you go about performing a security audit on an application? What tools would you use and what steps would you take?”

  • I outlined a typical security audit process, starting with information gathering and understanding the application’s architecture. I mentioned tools like Burp Suite for manual testing, OWASP ZAP for automated scans, and static code analysis tools for identifying vulnerabilities in the codebase. I also emphasized the importance of manual testing, as automated tools might miss complex vulnerabilities.

Sample Coding Exercise:

• “You are given a vulnerable web application. How would you identify security flaws and fix them?”
  • I demonstrated how I would start by using tools like Burp Suite to identify common vulnerabilities such as input validation issues, authentication bypass, or data leakage. After identifying vulnerabilities, I would walk through how I would patch them, ensuring that the fix follows secure coding guidelines and testing the application for residual vulnerabilities.

Preparation Tip:

• Be ready to answer technical questions about common web vulnerabilities, secure coding, and how you would approach an application security audit. Familiarize yourself with tools such as Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, and static/dynamic analysis techniques.

3. Hands-On Technical Challenge

In this round, I was given a real-world scenario where I had to demonstrate my practical skills in application security. This could involve finding vulnerabilities in a sample web application, analyzing logs, or performing penetration tests.

Example Problem:

• “You are tasked with testing a newly developed API. How would you go about testing it for security vulnerabilities?”

  • I explained how I would test the API for common vulnerabilities like authentication flaws, authorization issues, and injection attacks. I would use tools such as Postman for sending test requests, and inspect response headers and bodies for security misconfigurations. I would also review the API’s documentation to look for potential weaknesses in the endpoints.

• “Given a specific set of application logs, how would you analyze them for potential security breaches?”

  • I outlined how I would review application logs for anomalies such as unusual login patterns, access to restricted resources, or error messages that expose sensitive data. I also discussed how to set up alerting systems to monitor logs in real time for potential incidents.

Preparation Tip:

• Practice hands-on security challenges and capture-the-flag (CTF) exercises. Ensure you’re comfortable with tools and techniques used for penetration testing, API security, and vulnerability scanning.

4. Behavioral Interviews (Team Fit and Communication)

The behavioral interviews focused on assessing how well I would fit into Coursera’s culture, how I handle incidents, and how I collaborate with cross-functional teams like engineering, product, and data science. Interviewers were also interested in how I prioritize tasks and manage multiple security projects.

Sample Behavioral Questions:

• “Tell me about a time when you discovered a serious vulnerability in a production system. How did you handle the situation?”

  • I shared a scenario where I identified a critical vulnerability in a production system. I explained how I followed the incident response protocol, quickly worked with the development team to patch the vulnerability, and communicated the issue with the leadership team to ensure that they were informed of the situation and its resolution.

• “How do you prioritize security tasks in a fast-paced environment? Can you provide an example?”

  • I discussed how I prioritize tasks by assessing risk, considering the severity of vulnerabilities, and understanding business needs. I gave an example where I prioritized patching a zero-day vulnerability in production over lower-severity vulnerabilities in staging environments.

Preparation Tip:

• Reflect on your experiences in handling security incidents, working under pressure, and collaborating with different teams. Be ready to discuss your approach to incident response, risk management, and communication.

5. Final Interview (Leadership and Cultural Fit)

The final stage of the interview process typically involved conversations with senior leadership to assess cultural fit, leadership potential, and alignment with Coursera’s values. Coursera values innovation, collaboration, and a customer-first mindset, and the final interview aimed to ensure that candidates align with these principles.

Example Questions:

• “How do you advocate for security in a product-first organization, where deadlines and feature development are prioritized?”

  • I emphasized the importance of integrating security early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC) and collaborating with product and engineering teams. I also discussed how I work to ensure that security is not seen as a bottleneck but as an enabler of product stability and user trust.

• “How do you stay current with emerging security threats, and how do you apply new security practices in your work?”

  • I discussed my approach to staying current with security trends, including attending conferences, participating in online communities, reading research papers, and following industry-leading blogs. I gave an example of a recent security practice I implemented based on a new vulnerability discovered in the industry.

Preparation Tip:

• Be ready to discuss your leadership style, how you work with cross-functional teams, and your approach to advocating for security within the company. Think about how your experience can contribute to Coursera’s broader mission and culture.

Skills and Attributes Coursera Values

For the Senior Application Security Engineer role, Coursera looks for:

• Deep Application Security Knowledge: Expertise in web application security, vulnerability scanning, penetration testing, and secure software development practices.
• Practical Security Skills: Hands-on experience with tools like Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, and various static and dynamic analysis techniques.
• Incident Response Experience: Proven ability to manage and respond to security incidents in production environments.
• Collaboration and Communication: Ability to work closely with engineering, product, and other teams to embed security throughout the development lifecycle.
• Leadership: Ability to lead initiatives, mentor junior team members, and advocate for security best practices across the company.