As technology evolves, cybersecurity becomes crucial for various industries around the world. Even after using the most sophisticated versions of antivirus software, firewalls, and other security measures, there is no denying that other threats are getting much more sophisticated. This is why a security operations centre (SOC) analyst is central in modern security systems. SOC analysts are the frontrunners of cyber defence, responding to cyber attacks as they happen. Read on to understand the background, skills required, responsibilities & qualifications of a SOC analyst.
Who Is SOC Analyst?
A SOC analyst is a professional who works with a team to monitor, analyze, and respond to security issues. SOC analysts’ main goal is to prevent security threats on a network. They continuously monitor & audit the network for indications of an attack. After an attack has been detected, SOC analysts investigate it with other team members and come up with the most appropriate response.
Responsibilities of SOC Analyst
Now that you know that a SOC expert might be someone you need in your company if your company is vulnerable to attacks. Now, let’s learn more about SOC analysts’ roles and responsibilities, as hiring one will likely come at quite a considerable cost for your business. Here are some of the primary duties of a SOC analyst.
1. Investigate All Suspicious Activities
If there are any signs of suspicious activity in your business network or elsewhere in your data systems, then it will be your SOC analyst’s responsibility to investigate them further. Suspicious activity doesn’t always mean that cybercriminals have targeted you, but it’s essential to check it out to be safe. A SOC analyst knows the checks to be carried out on all kinds of suspicious activities. Generally, SOC Analysts can get to the bottom of them after the initial investigation process.
2. Maintain Secure Monitoring Tools
The SOC analyst will need to monitor all the tools and platforms used in cybersecurity. That’s so they can ensure that they are always working, that any issues with them are identified, and that the appropriate team members are notified. Sometimes, it might be the case that the tool needs to be updated. They must be continually monitored, though, so that the SOC team is content knowing that they are working as well as they should because any faults/ bugs could result in them being less effective.
3. Liaise With The Rest Of The SOC Team
The SOC analyst will likely be the leader of your SOC team. So, they need plenty of experience and the requisite skills to manage others. Therefore it will be their duty to liaise with everyone else on the team to ensure everyone is on the same page with issues to be tackled and where the team needs to work. Further, they will also need to delegate tasks and jobs when they come in. A good leader in this position will ensure that each team member works efficiently and that each one knows exactly what they should do.
4. Review And Report On All Cybersecurity Processes –
It is also the SOC analyst’s job to review all of the cybersecurity processes in the company continually. They will need to keep regular reports documenting how well each process works and whether there is room for improvement. These reports should be moved on to their senior manager, the CTO, CIO, or CISO.
5. Keep All Security Programs And Resources Up To Date –
Most tools, techniques, and resources that are used for cybersecurity, like antivirus, firewalls, vulnerability scanning, and system comprehensive operating systems(OS), need to be updated regularly to ensure that the information systems are working on the latest version. It’s on the SOC expert to carry out these updates.
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Primary Skills of SOC Analysts
Here are a few skills all SOC analysts must possess:
- Network defence – They should have the ability to defend the network. Tasks include monitoring, finding, and analyzing possible threats. A SOC analyst should have the skills to secure network traffic and respond to suspicious developments.
- Ethical hacking – They should know how to detect threats and report vulnerabilities to ensure the organization remains protected from attacks. SOC analysts need to know how to perform perpetration testing for web applications and networks to find vulnerabilities.
- Incident response – They should be able to manage several effects of breaches to reduce the impact of breaches. SOC analysts should also be able to give recommendations to prevent future security breaches.
- Reverse engineering – They should be able to read and figure out the operation & performance parameters of software programs. An advanced level of skill should be able to reverse-engineer malware.
- Computer forensics – They should be familiar with computer forensic techniques to help prevent cyber breaches. Tasks such as collecting, analyzing, and reporting security data.
Note: SOC analysts (Tier 1) serve as the first responders during security breaches and when initial analysis of cyberattacks is required. SOC Tier 1 review incident alerts, run vulnerability tests, and forward severe incidents to SOC analysts (Tier 2)
Here are the primary skills required by SOC Tier 1 and Tier 2 analysts:
- SOC analysts(Tier 1) – They need to have administrative skills in several OS, such as Windows, Linux, OS X, etc. They are proficient in several programming languages, including C, C#, Java, Python, Ruby on Rails, Perl, and PHP. SOC T1 is required to handle common security incidents independently.
- SOC analysts(Tier 2) – They are also known as ‘incident responders.’ They review tickets received from Tier 1 analysts, which are more severe security incidents or those not solved in the initial investigation. Tier 2 analysts are responsible for gathering all details required to assess the scope of a cyber threat and respond to severe attacks or those with high business impact.
Education Qualifications of a SOC Analyst
To begin your career in this domain, you need to have a bachelor’s degree in computer science or other similar streams. Further, you need to undergo proper training from a well-reputed institute, get a certification, and become a Certified SOC Analyst (CSA). This is the first step you need to take to become a SOC team member in any company.
How To Become a SOC Analyst in 2023
Several qualities can get you there if you’re interested in becoming a SOC analyst. Here are a few:
1. Build strong Fundamentals – This implies being familiar with the working of computer systems and how they interact with one another. It also means knowing about primary programming languages and computer networking.
2. Take On Projects To Build Your Portfolio – You can volunteer/freelance for a company that needs a lot of SOC analysts, like a big technology company or law enforcement agency. You’ll gain valuable experience while helping them solve their problems while working with them.
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Alternatively, you can also offer services on apps like Upwork/Fiverr. Here clients post projects they need help with, and subsequently, freelancers bid on them. It’s an excellent way to get hands-on experience working with clients and solving their issues in the field. It’s a great experience, even if it’s only temporary work.
3. Meet the Educational Requirements & Develop Your Skillset – In addition to computer science (CS) and networking basics, a SOC analyst needs a solid knowledge of cryptography and data management tools such as hashing and encryption.
4. Look for an Internship – An internship is an excellent way to get practical experience with SOC analysts’ security monitoring tools & processes to learn more about the domain. Various companies offer internships for SOC analysts, so you can find one that works with your schedule.
5. Networking – When the time comes to start looking for work, you can’t forget about networking! You can connect with professionals through social media platforms such as LinkedIn or Reddit, so they’ll know you and what kind of person they deal with when job opportunities arise.
6. Find yourself a good mentor – A mentor will ensure you’re on the right path and learn to do things correctly. They can help you get hands-on work experience, connect you with others in the security domain, and give you feedback on your progress. If you can, find a mentor already working as a SOC analyst so they can train you.
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Conclusion
We hope this article has provided you with an understanding of what SOC is and what SOC Analysts do. Further, it also discussed their various responsibilities in an organization. You have read in great detail about the numerous skills you need to master to begin as a CSA and then advance in your career.
