Barclays Shared Services Interview Questions and Answers

Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and data from digital attacks and unauthorized access.

• Involves safeguarding information systems from cyber threats like malware and phishing.

• Includes measures such as firewalls, encryption, and intrusion detection systems.

• Examples of cyber threats: ransomware attacks, data breaches, and denial-of-service attacks.

• Focuses on both hardware and software securit...read more

Hashing is a process that transforms input data into a fixed-size string of characters, typically for data integrity and security.

• Hash functions take an input (or 'message') and return a fixed-size string of bytes.

• Common hashing algorithms include MD5, SHA-1, and SHA-256.

• Hashing is used in password storage to securely store user credentials.

• A hash is deterministic; the same input will always produce the same output.

• Has...read more

Encoding is the process of converting data into a specific format for efficient transmission or storage.

• Encoding transforms data into a different format, such as converting text to binary.

• Common encoding schemes include Base64, URL encoding, and ASCII.

• Base64 is often used to encode binary data for transmission over text-based protocols.

• URL encoding replaces unsafe ASCII characters with a '%' followed by two hexadecimal...read more

SAST analyzes source code for vulnerabilities, while DAST tests running applications for security flaws.

• SAST (Static Application Security Testing) examines source code or binaries without executing the program.

• DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) tests the application in its running state, simulating attacks.

• SAST can identify vulnerabilities early in the development process, such as SQL injection in code.

• DAST is...read more

Nmap is a powerful open-source network scanning tool used for network discovery and security auditing.

• Nmap stands for Network Mapper.

• It can identify hosts and services on a network, including open ports.

• Commonly used for security assessments and vulnerability scanning.

• Example command: 'nmap -sS 192.168.1.1' performs a stealth SYN scan.

• Nmap can also detect operating systems and service versions.

ZAP refers to a tool for finding vulnerabilities in web applications through automated testing.

• ZAP stands for Zed Attack Proxy, developed by OWASP.

• It is an open-source web application security scanner.

• ZAP helps identify security vulnerabilities like SQL injection and XSS.

• It provides automated scanners as well as various tools for manual testing.

• ZAP can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines for continuous security testing.

Postman is a popular API development tool used for testing and managing APIs efficiently.

• Postman allows users to send requests to APIs and view responses.

• It supports various request types like GET, POST, PUT, DELETE.

• Users can organize requests into collections for better management.

• Postman provides features for automated testing and monitoring of APIs.

• It has a user-friendly interface that simplifies API interaction.

CIA principles ensure data security through Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability.

• Confidentiality: Protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access (e.g., encryption).

• Integrity: Ensuring data accuracy and consistency (e.g., checksums to verify data integrity).

• Availability: Ensuring that information is accessible when needed (e.g., redundant systems to prevent downtime).

I am currently working as a Senior Financial Analyst at a multinational corporation.

• Preparing financial reports and analysis

• Budgeting and forecasting

• Providing financial recommendations to senior management

• Collaborating with various departments on financial matters

CIR ratio stands for Cash Interest Coverage ratio, which measures a company's ability to pay interest expenses with its operating cash flow.

• CIR ratio is calculated by dividing operating cash flow by total interest expenses.

• A higher CIR ratio indicates that a company is more capable of covering its interest expenses with its cash flow.

• A lower CIR ratio may indicate financial distress or an inability to generate enough c...read more

RoTE is a financial metric used to evaluate the profitability of a company's tangible equity.

• RoTE is calculated by dividing net income by average tangible equity.

• It measures how efficiently a company is using its tangible assets to generate profit.

• Planning and budgeting involve setting financial goals, allocating resources, and monitoring performance to achieve desired RoTE.

• For example, a company may set a target RoTE ...read more

A Banking Profit and Loss (P&L) statement is a financial document that shows the revenues, expenses, and profits of a bank over a specific period of time.

• It includes details of interest income, fees and commissions, operating expenses, provisions for loan losses, and net income.

• The statement helps in analyzing the financial performance and profitability of the bank.

• It is an essential tool for stakeholders, investor...read more