Roadmap to SOC Analyst
As new threats keeps emerging by the day, Cybersecurity faces fresh and unforeseen risks. Cyber risks and threat actors adapt over time, and so the need for cyber defense becomes absolute. There are many vacant positions and exciting opportunities that exist on the frontlines of cybersecurity operations. A transition to the Security Operation Center (SOC) analyst position can be the start of a new path to the field of cybersecurity.
SOC Analyst description
SOC Analysts are security professionals who respond to cyber incidents. They are also known as an organization’s first line of defense. The functions of a SOC analyst are critical to the organization. If they fail to spot any continuing risks, it becomes almost impossible for the organization to detect any brewing incidents beforehand. A SOC analyst collaborates with several departments to discover and rectify flaws in the organization’s security systems, solutions, and procedures, as well as to offer actions to improve the overall security posture. Security analysts ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the organization’s private and sensitive information.
SOC analyst Job responsibilities
A Security Operation Center Analyst is primarily in charge of all actions that take place within the SOC. SOC analysts are ultimately accountable for protecting the company’s digital assets from unauthorized access. This involves safeguarding infrastructures, sifting through metrics and data to detect suspicious behavior, and identifying and mitigating risks, and produce reports for IT administrators to assess the effectiveness of security measures in place.
In addition, SOC analysts are also in charge of maintaining the company’s security systems up to date, as well as documenting and preparing any security-related information, such as incident response and disaster recovery plans.
Responsibilities of a SOC Analyst include
- Monitoring security access and conducting investigations if appropriate
- Examine escalated security alerts
- Internal and external security audits
- Simulate attacks in order to detect possible weaknesses
- Investigating security breaches to determine the root cause
- Analyzing and confirming the security of third-party providers, as well as teaching them on the organization’s policies and procedures
- Assess the security and business risks posed by a security incident and manage containment, eradication, recovery, investigation, and response efforts
- Provide guidance and training to SOC analysts and senior SOC personnel.
SOC analyst Skills
Candidates interested in pursuing cybersecurity as a profession should possess a combination of soft and hard (technical) skills. Collaboration, critical thinking, problem-solving, strong fundamental skills, troubleshooting abilities, ability to work under pressure, and public speaking/presenting are some soft skills to work on.
On the Technical side, the following are skills required as SOC Analyst
- Network Security
- Ethical Hacking
- Incident Response
- Digital Forensic
- Reverse Engineering
To pursue a profession as a SOC analyst, certain knowledge is required:
- SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) solutions: in-depth knowledge and implementation
- Knowledge of computer networking fundamentals
- Networking protocols
- Understanding of attacks workflow
- Understandings of Security tools
- Knowledge of programming languages
- Understanding of Security Architecture
How to become a SOC Analyst?
If you are going to explore your career choice as a SOC Analyst, then it would be advised that you must go for Security analyst or SOC analyst Certifications. There are several choices for the same, like you may pick for certification, or else you may also pick for SOC analyst training. There are several options as online platforms for blue team challenges that will help to develop the skills as SOC analysts.
References
Networking Basics:
Cyberthreats knowledge:
Programming Skills:
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