Security Engineer Goals and Objectives Examples
Conduct regular assessments of network security systems.
Ensure all software and hardware are up-to-date with current security patches.
Monitor and analyze network traffic for suspicious activity.
Implement firewalls, intrusion detection systems and other cybersecurity tools on a regular basis.
Develop and maintain disaster recovery plans to ensure business continuity in the event of an attack.
Assist in the design and implementation of secure network architectures.
Continuously evaluate and improve organizational security policies and procedures.
Provide training and awareness to employees on best security practices.
Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to identify and resolve security issues.
Respond to security incidents in a timely and efficient manner.
Test and evaluate new security products and technologies.
Develop and conduct thorough risk assessments.
Create incident response plans for different types of security incidents.
Investigate any potential breaches and take appropriate action when necessary.
Maintain knowledge of emerging security threats and trends.
Continuously monitor security systems to ensure optimal performance.
Conduct security audits to identify vulnerabilities and risks.
Develop and implement access controls for sensitive information.
Collaborate with vendors to ensure third-party software is secure.
Perform penetration testing to identify potential vulnerabilities.
Assess and monitor vendor risk for third-party services.
Analyze malware samples to identify potential threats.
Establish and enforce password policies across the organization.
Create incident reports for senior management detailing the nature and impact of incidents.
Develop and implement network segmentation strategies to reduce risk.
Manage and respond to phishing attempts targeting the organization.
Conduct physical security assessments of facilities.
Configure and manage VPNs to ensure secure remote access.
Document all security-related incidents and actions taken in response.
Identify and catalog all sensitive data within the organization.
Enforce data retention policies to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Maintain compliance with regulatory frameworks such as HIPAA, GDPR, SOX, etc.
Set up monitoring tools to detect unauthorized access attempts.
Design and document system architecture diagrams for easier security maintenance.
Maintain logs of all user activity for auditing purposes.
Manage access to cloud-based systems such as AWS, Azure or Google Cloud Platform.
Create, manage, and enforce mobile device policies for employees' devices used for work purposes.
Monitor employee social media accounts for signs of phishing or spear-phishing campaigns targeting the organization.
Participate in tabletop exercises or other simulations designed to test the effectiveness of incident response plans.
Create standard operating procedures for addressing common security threats, such as ransomware or phishing scams.
Work with HR to establish employee termination protocols to ensure that offboarding is done securely.
Research new threat intelligence sources to stay current with evolving cyber threats.
Develop custom scripts or tools that automate repetitive security tasks.
Train employees on how to use encryption tools to safeguard sensitive data.
Coordinate with legal counsel regarding data protection policies and regulatory compliance.
Set up two-factor authentication for all critical systems and applications.
Conduct background checks on new hires who will be working with sensitive data.
Evaluate third-party vendors based on their cybersecurity posture before signing contracts with them.
Work with business units to ensure that contractors or temporary employees undergo proper vetting before being granted access to company systems.
Implement least privilege access policies wherever possible to reduce unnecessary exposure of sensitive data.
Monitor social engineering attacks such as phone phishing or pretexting.
Investigate supply chain risks by examining vendors' security practices.
Review firewall rules regularly to ensure they are still relevant and effective at blocking unauthorized traffic.
Establish a formal process for reporting security incidents both internally and externally.
Develop a system for continuous monitoring of administrative privileges granted to applications or users.
Establish baseline configurations for operating systems and network devices to simplify anomaly detection.
Develop an incident response plan specifically tailored to ransomware attacks.
Establish protocols for remote wiping of lost or stolen laptops, phones or tablets containing sensitive company data.
Review logs frequently to detect patterns of unusual behavior, such as multiple failed logins from the same IP address.
Harden virtual environments by disabling unnecessary features or reducing surface area vulnerability.
Develop a backup strategy that includes regular testing to ensure successful restoration of data in case of a breach or outage.
Use honeypots or other deception tactics to lure attackers away from real systems containing live data.
Limit the number of people who have privileged access to sensitive systems, databases or applications.
Conduct red team exercises to test the effectiveness of current defense measures against internal threats.
Ensure antivirus software is up-to-date across all endpoints in the organization.
Develop audit trails that can be used for forensic analysis in case of a breach.
Monitor web traffic through intrusion prevention systems.
Work closely with IT staff to maintain and monitor server logs.
Frequently test backups by restoring them in a sandbox environment.
Establish clear policies around password length, complexity, expiration, and reuse.
Test malware samples in isolated environments to understand how they operate.
Document all security incidents in detail, including timestamps and affected resources.
Regularly test incident response plans with tabletop exercises.
Deploy honeynet technologies where appropriate in order to identify attackers’ motives.
Monitor open source code repositories for known vulnerabilities affecting software used within the organization.
Map network topology frequently in order to identify changes that may create new vulnerabilities.
Deploy web application firewalls (WAFs) on all public-facing web servers.
Conduct regular employee training sessions on phishing awareness.
Establish strict change control processes within IT departments.
Create strong passwords for service accounts and rotate them regularly.