Want a Cyber Career as a SOC Analyst (aka Blue Teamer)? Here are 12 Videos and Topics that Will Help Get You There.
You, a future SOC Analyst, will play the extremely important role in being the first line of defense for your organization. In order to do this however, there are some key things that a SOC Analyst must understand. I have included 12 concepts as well as training videos.
1. Cyber Security fundamentals - A solid foundation of cyber concepts (malware, phishing, DDoS, and attack methods).
2. Networking - Understand TCP/IP, DNS, Firewalls and other networking protocols.
3. Operating Systems - Get used to Windows, Linux and Mac. This includes desktop operating systems as well as server operating systems and how they work.
4. Security Tools - Get familiar with SIEMs, IDS/IPS, EDR, XDR, and other similar software. Remember, understanding TCP/IP and packet analysis will help you here.
5. Threat Intelligence - Security is a lifestyle. You will have to keep up with the latest threats and vulnerabilities. The more you understand offense, the better you will understand defense.
6. Incident Response - Do you know how to identify, protect, detect, respond, and recover? If not, it's time to learn. Taking a close look at the NIST CSF will help you define a process so that you are prepared.
7. Log Analysis - It's imperative that you understand how to look at log files. Without logs, we have nothing. This is our only way of defining a history of events. Network devices, servers, and applications should all be producing logs. Learn their language.
8. Malware Analysis - A SOC Analyst should have a basic understanding of how malware behaves. Learn how to test malware in test environments so you can break it down and understand how to stop and prevent it.
9. Frameworks - Familiarity with NIST, MITRE, ISO will be a huge help. They can guide effective security procedures and operations.
10. Social Engineering - understanding how others will try to take advantage of your organization will better help you understand it. Understand how the bad guys think and ways they will try to take advantage.
11. Cloud Security - Get a basic understanding of AWS, AZURE, and other cloud environments. Cloud is growing. It's imperative that you understand it.
12. Communication - I saved this one for last. Effective communication is vital. Out of everything, this is the most important. Learn how to collaborate, share important information, and work as a team.
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