Tools, Frameworks & Implementation Proficiency Topics
Practical proficiency with industry-standard tools and frameworks including project management (Jira, Azure DevOps), productivity tools (Excel, spreadsheet analysis), development tools and environments, and framework setup. Focuses on hands-on tool expertise, configuration, best practices, and optimization rather than conceptual knowledge. Complements technical categories by addressing implementation tooling.
Cryptographic Libraries and Application Programming Interfaces
Focuses on practical knowledge of standard cryptographic libraries and safe application programming interface design. Candidates should know common libraries and frameworks such as libsodium OpenSSL and Bouncy Castle and understand their trade offs in security performance portability and maintenance. Topics include when to use a library versus building a custom solution secure patterns for exposing cryptographic functionality through interfaces proper key management and storage common misuse patterns that introduce vulnerabilities and how to avoid them dependency and version management secure defaults and parameter choices and testing and validation strategies. Also includes awareness of interoperability compliance and performance implications when selecting and using cryptographic libraries.
Cryptographic Libraries and Tools
Know popular cryptographic libraries: OpenSSL, libsodium, Bouncy Castle, cryptography (Python). Understand that junior cryptographers use these libraries rather than implementing algorithms from scratch (in practice, don't reinvent crypto!). Know how to use basic functions from these libraries, understand their APIs, and recognize that using libraries correctly is a critical skill.