Security job candidate background checks: What you can and can’t do

Security team members are the principal defenders of enterprise cyber assets. It makes sense, then, to verify that current staffers and potential new hires aren’t hiding secrets that could place essential systems and data at risk.

Unfortunately, conducting thorough and meaningful background checks isn’t easy or straightforward. Even if an individual consents to a background investigation, regulations designed to protect staff and applicants from unwarranted snooping and employment practices can make it challenging to delve into an individual’s personal, academic and professional history. Still, by asking the right questions and using just a few available tools, it’s possible to detect someone who might someday do something to compromise enterprise cybersecurity.

What to learn from the interview process

Below are a few key questions that should be answered during the interview process.

Actions taken that affect security 
The goal of any background investigation is simple: to assess an individual’s trustworthiness. A subject’s integrity must be firmly established prior to granting access to facilities, systems, and sensitive information.