Senior Application Security Engineer - job 1 of 2

As a Senior Application Security Engineer at Cloudflare, your main responsibilities involve enhancing the security of our products and platforms by collaborating with engineering teams. You will perform threat modeling, conduct code reviews, and implement effective security testing methods. Additionally, you will help establish secure coding practices, develop frameworks and libraries for internal use, and automate processes to address large-scale security issues promptly.

To qualify for the Senior Application Security Engineer position at Cloudflare, candidates should possess a substantial background in safeguarding large-scale distributed systems. An understanding of security assessment techniques, experience with penetration testing, and proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Golang, or Rust are essential. Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with remote teams are also critical for success.

At Cloudflare, we prioritize the continuous growth of our team members, including Senior Application Security Engineers. We provide access to various resources, training programs, and mentorship opportunities aimed at developing skills and knowledge in application security. Engaging in projects that challenge your expertise while promoting a culture of learning is essential to our commitment to empowering our employees.

As a Senior Application Security Engineer with Cloudflare, you will work with a range of cutting-edge tools and frameworks used for security assessment, automation, and secure development. Your expertise will aid in the adoption of programming languages like Python and Golang, while also facilitating collaboration with various security software and internal tools tailored to address massive scale security challenges across our network.

The position of Senior Application Security Engineer at Cloudflare stands out due to its commitment to protecting the free and open Internet, alongside security responsibilities. You will not only secure our products but also contribute to significant initiatives such as Project Galileo and the Athenian Project, positively impacting diverse communities and helping to uphold their digital safety and privacy.

In your response, share specific projects or systems you've worked on, detailing the security measures implemented and any challenges faced. Highlight your role in threat modeling, vulnerability assessments, and how you collaborated with engineering teams to enhance the security posture of those systems.

Discuss your approach to threat modeling, including frameworks you favor (like STRIDE or DREAD) and how you adjust your techniques based on the specific application or threat landscape. Be prepared to provide an example of a threat model you’ve implemented and the outcomes achieved.

Mention your methods for keeping abreast of industry news, such as following blogs, attending conferences, participating in webinars, and being part of security communities. You can also list reputable sources or tools you use for vulnerability tracking and research.

Provide examples of penetration tests you've conducted, including methodologies used and specific findings. Share how your insights led to actionable security improvement recommendations and how you communicated these findings to stakeholders.

Talk about establishing coding guidelines, conducting workshops, and integrating security training for developers. It’s valuable to illustrate how you'd create a culture of security awareness and ensure secure code reviews become an essential part of the development lifecycle.

Share your methods for prioritizing tasks, such as assessing risk levels, deadlines, and stakeholder input. Highlight how you maintain communication with team members and adjust priorities as needed to ensure critical security issues are addressed effectively.

Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to articulate your response. Describe the context, your role in discovering the vulnerability, the steps taken to mitigate the risk, and the outcome of your intervention.

Enumerate your programming languages, highlighting your proficiency in languages relevant to the position, such as Python, Golang, or Rust. Provide examples of how you used these languages to build security tools, automate processes, or enhance application security.

Emphasize the importance of clear and effective communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Discuss how you ensure security awareness across teams and facilitate collaboration during incident response processes.

Describe your familiarity with standards such as ISO 27001, NIST, and OWASP. Explain how you incorporate compliance requirements into your security assessments and engineering practices to ensure alignment with regulatory expectations throughout the project lifecycle.