Interview Questions For SOC Analyst
Interview Questions For SOC Analyst
SOC Analyst
The amazing interview questions for SOC
analyst
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Security Analyst.
Basic terminologies
Network fundamentals
Operating system fundamentals
Malware analysis fundamentals
How to analyze attacks (phishing, malware...)
Incident Responder.
Incident response prosedure
How to detect and remediate specific kind of attack (like golden ticket,
phishing etc.)
Ransomware remediation process
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How do you keep yourself updated with information security?
Blat hat: Black-Hat Hackers are those hackers who enter the system without taking
owners’ permission. These hackers use vulnerabilities as entry points. They hack
systems illegally. They use their skills to deceive and harm people. (GeeksforGeeks)
White hat: White-Hat Hackers are also known as Ethical Hackers. They are certified
hackers who learn hacking from courses. These are good hackers who try to secure our
data, websites. With the rise of cyberattacks organizations and governments have come
to understand that they need ethical hackers. (GeeksforGeeks)
Gray hat: Gray-Hat Hackers are a mix of both black and white hat hackers. These types
of hackers find vulnerabilities in systems without the permission of owners. They don’t
have any malicious intent. However, this type of hacking is still considered illegal. But
they never share information with black hat hackers. They find issues and report the
owner, sometimes requesting a small amount of money to fix it. (GeeksforGeeks)
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What is port scanning?
Port scanning is a method of determining which ports on a network are open and could
be receiving or sending data. It is also a process for sending packets to specific ports on
a host and analyzing responses to identify vulnerabilities. (Avast)
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How can you define Blue Team and Red Team basically?
Red team is attacker side, blue team is defender side.
What is firewall?
Firewall is a device that allows or blocks the network traffic according to the rules.
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Explain vulnerability, risk and threat.
Threat: Any circumstance or event with the potential to adversely impact organizational
operations, organizational assets, individuals, other organizations, or the Nation through
a system via unauthorized access, destruction, disclosure, modification of information,
and/or denial of service. (src: NIST)
What is compliance?
Following the set of standards authorized by an organization, independent part, or
government.
If you do have any project to show, make sure that you prepare it before the interview.
Explain 2FA.
2FA is an extra layer of security used to make sure that people trying to gain access to
an online account are who they say they are. First, a user will enter their username and
a password. Then, instead of immediately gaining access, they will be required to
provide another piece of information. (Authy)
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Could you share some general endpoint security product names?
Antivirus
EDR
XDR
DLP
The three letters in "CIA triad" stand for Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. The
CIA triad is a common model that forms the basis for the development of security
systems. They are used for finding vulnerabilities and methods for creating solutions.
(Fortinet)
Integrity: Integrity involves making sure your data is trustworthy and free from
tampering. The integrity of your data is maintained only if the data is authentic,
accurate, and reliable.
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What is AAA?
Authentication: Authentication involves a user providing information about who they
are. Users present login credentials that affirm they are who they claim. (Fortinet)
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What is Cyber Kill Chain?
Developed by Lockheed Martin, the Cyber Kill Chain® framework is part of the
Intelligence Driven Defense® model for identification and prevention of cyber intrusions
activity. The model identifies what the adversaries must complete in order to achieve
their objective.
The seven steps of the Cyber Kill Chain® enhance visibility into an attack and enrich an
analyst’s understanding of an adversary’s tactics, techniques and procedures. (Lockheed
Martin)
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What is SIEM?
Security information and event management (SIEM), is a security solution that provides
the real time logging of events in an environment. The actual purpose for event logging
is to detect security threats.
In general, SIEM products have a number of features. The ones that interest us most as
SOC analysts are: they filter the data that they collect and create alerts for any
suspicious events.
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techniques and behaviors. IOCs also provides actionable threat intelligence that can be
Indicators of Attack (IOAs) demonstrate the intentions behind a cyberattack and the
techniques used by the threat actor to accomplish their objectives. The specific cyber
threats arming the attack, like malware, ransomware, or advanced threats, are of little
concern when analyzing IOAs.
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Explain True Positive and False Positive.
True Positive:
If the situation to be detected and the detected (triggered alert) situation are the same,
it is a True Positive alert. For example, let's say you had a PCR test to find out whether
you are Covid19 positive and the test result came back positive. It is True Positive
because the condition you want to detect (whether you have Covid19 disease) and the
detected condition (being a Covid19 patient) are the same. This is a true positive alert.
Let’s suppose there is a rule to detect SQL Injection attacks and this rule has been
triggered because of a request that was made to the following URL. The alert is indeed a
“True Positive” as there was a real SQL Injection attack.
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False Positive:
In short, it is a false alarm. For example, there is a security camera in your house and if
the camera alerts you due to your cat's movements, it is a false positive alert.
If we look at the URL example below, we see the SQL parameter "Union" keyword
within this URL. If an SQL injection alert occurs for this URL, it will be a false positive
alert because the “Union” keyword is used to mention a sports team here and not for an
SQL injection attack.
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What is OSI Model? Explain each layer.
The Open Systems Interconnection model (OSI model) is a conceptual model that
describes the universal standard of communication functions of a telecommunication
system or computing system, without any regard to the system's underlying internal
technology and specific protocol suites. (Wikipedia)
Physical layer: The Physical Layer is responsible for the transmission and reception of
unstructured raw data between a device, such as a network interface controller,
Ethernet hub or network switch and a physical transmission medium. It converts the
digital bits into electrical, radio, or optical signals.
Data link layer: The data link layer provides node-to-node data transfer—a link between
two directly connected nodes. It detects and possibly corrects errors that may occur in
the physical layer. It defines the protocol to establish and terminate a connection
between two physically connected devices. It also defines the protocol for flow control
between them. IEEE 802 divides the data link layer into two sublayers: a. Medium access
control (MAC) layer – responsible for controlling how devices in a network gain access to
a medium and permission to transmit data. b. Logical link control (LLC) layer –
responsible for identifying and encapsulating network layer protocols, and controls
error checking and frame synchronization.
Network layer: The network layer provides the functional and procedural means of
transferring packets from one node to another connected in "different networks".
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Transport layer: The transport layer provides the functional and procedural means of
transferring variable-length data sequences from a source host to a destination host
from one application to another across a network, while maintaining the quality-of-
service functions. Transport protocols may be connection-oriented or connectionless.
Session layer: The Session Layer creates the setup, controls the connections, and ends
the teardown, between two or more computers, which is called a "session". Since DNS
and other Name Resolution Protocols operate in this part of the layer, common
functions of the Session Layer include user logon (establishment), name lookup
(management), and user logoff (termination) functions. Including this matter,
authentication protocols are also built into most client software, such as FTP Client and
NFS Client for Microsoft Networks. Therefore, the Session layer establishes, manages
and terminates the connections between the local and remote application.
Presentation layer: The Presentation Layer establishes data formatting and data
translation into a format specified by the application layer during the encapsulation of
outgoing messages while being passed down the protocol stack, and possibly reversed
during the deencapsulation of incoming messages when being passed up the protocol
stack. For this very reason, outgoing messages during encapsulation are converted into
a format specified by the application layer, while the conversation for incoming
messages during deencapsulation are reversed.
Application layer: The application layer is the layer of the OSI model that is closest to
the end user, which means both the OSI Application Layer and the user interact directly
with software application that implements a component of communication between the
client and server, such as File Explorer and Microsoft Word. Such application programs
fall outside the scope of the OSI model unless they are directly integrated into the
Application layer through the functions of communication, as is the case with
applications such as Web Browsers and Email Programs. Other examples of software are
Microsoft Network Software for File and Printer Sharing and Unix/Linux Network File
System Client for access to shared file resources.
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What is three-way handshake?
The client chooses an initial sequence number, set in the first SYN packet. The server
also chooses its own initial sequence number, set in the SYN/ACK packet.
Each side acknowledges each other's sequence number by incrementing it; this is the
acknowledgement number. The use of sequence and acknowledgment numbers allows
both sides to detect missing or out-of-order segments.
Once a connection is established, ACKs typically follow for each segment. The
connection will eventually end with a RST (reset or tear down the connection) or FIN
(gracefully end the connection).
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What is TCP/IP Model? Explain the difference between OSI and TCP/IP
model.
The TCP/IP model is the default method of data communication on the Internet. It was
developed by the United States Department of Defense to enable the accurate and
correct transmission of data between devices.
TCP/IP divides communication tasks into layers that keep the process standardized,
without hardware and software providers doing the management themselves. The data
packets must pass through four layers before they are received by the destination
device, then TCP/IP goes through the layers in reverse order to put the message back
into its original format.
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Difference:
What is ARP?
What is DHCP?
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Could you share some general network security product names?
Firewall
IDS
IPS
WAF
IDS only detect the traffic but IPS can prevent/block the traffic.
While answering this question vary different scenarios, encryption is the key point for
being safe.
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What are the HTTP response codes?
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Explain OWASP Top 10.
The OWASP Top 10 is a standard awareness document for developers and web
application security. It represents a broad consensus about the most critical security
risks to web applications. https://owasp.org/www-project-top-ten/
What is SQL injection?
SQL Injections are critical attack methods where a web application directly includes
unsanitized data provided by the user in SQL queries.
In-band SQLi (Classical SQLi): If a SQL query is sent and a replied to over the same
channel, we call these In-band SQLi. It is easier for attackers to exploit these compared
to other SQLi categories.
Inferential SQLi (Blind SQLi): SQL queries that receive a reply that cannot be seen are
called Inferential SQLi. They are called Blind SQLi because the reply cannot be seen.
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How to prevent SQL injection vulnerability?
When examining a web request check all areas that come from the user: Because SQL
Injection attacks are not limited to the form areas, you should also check the HTTP
Request Headers like User-Agent.
Look for SQL keywords: Look for words like INSERT, SELECT, WHERE within the data
received from users.
Check for special characters: Look for apostrophes (‘), dashes (-), or parentheses which
are used in SQL or special characters that are frequently used in SQL attacks within the
data received from the user.
Familiarize yourself with frequently used SQL Injection payloads: Even though SQL
payloads change according to the web application, attackers still use some common
payloads to check for SQL Injection vulnerabilities. If you are familiar with these
payloads, you can easily detect SQL Injection payloads. You can see some frequently
used SQL Injection payloads here.
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks are a type of injection, in which malicious scripts are
injected into otherwise benign and trusted websites. XSS attacks occur when an attacker
uses a web application to send malicious code, generally in the form of a browser side
script, to a different end user. Flaws that allow these attacks to succeed are quite
widespread and occur anywhere a web application uses input from a user within the
output it generates without validating or encoding it. (OWASP)
For XSS attacks to be successful, an attacker needs to insert and execute malicious
content in a webpage. Each variable in a web application needs to be protected.
Ensuring that all variables go through validation and are then escaped or sanitized is
known as perfect injection resistance. Any variable that does not go through this
process is a potential weakness. Frameworks make it easy to ensure variables are
correctly validated and escaped or sanitised.
However, frameworks aren't perfect and security gaps still exist in popular frameworks
like React and Angular. Output Encoding and HTML Sanitization help address those gaps.
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Explain XSS types.
1. Reflected XSS (Non-Persistent): It is a non-persistent XSS type that the XSS payload
must contain in the request. It is the most common type of XSS.
2. Stored XSS (Persistent): It is a type of XSS where the attacker can permanently upload
the XSS payload to the web application. Compared to other types, the most dangerous
type of XSS is Stored XSS.
3. DOM Based XSS: DOM Based XSS is an XSS attack wherein the attack payload is
executed as a result of modifying the DOM “environment” in the victim’s browser used
by the original client side script, so that the client side code runs in an “unexpected”
manner. (OWASP)
What is IDOR?
Among the highest web application vulnerability security risks published in the 2021
OWASP, IDOR or “Broken Access Control” takes first place.
What is RFI?
Remote File Inclusion (RFI), is the security vulnerability that occurs when a file on
different server is included without sanitizing the data obtained from a user.
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What is LFI?
Inclusion (LFI), is the security vulnerability that occurs when a local file is
Local File
included without sanitizing the data obtained from a user.
LFI differs from RFI because the file that is intended to be included is on the same web
server that the web application is hosted on.
Explain CSRF.
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF) is an attack that forces an end user to execute
unwanted actions on a web application in which they’re currently authenticated. With a
little help of social engineering (such as sending a link via email or chat), an attacker may
trick the users of a web application into executing actions of the attacker’s choosing. If
the victim is a normal user, a successful CSRF attack can force the user to perform state
changing requests like transferring funds, changing their email address, and so forth. If
the victim is an administrative account, CSRF can compromise the entire web
application. https://owasp.org/www-community/attacks/csrf
What is WAF?
A WAF or web application firewall helps protect web applications by filtering and monitoring
HTTP traffic between a web application and the Internet. It typically protects web applications
from attacks such as cross-site forgery, cross-site-scripting (XSS), file inclusion, and SQL
injection, among others. A WAF is a protocol layer 7 defense (in the OSI model), and is not
designed to defend against all types of attacks.
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What are encoding, hashing, encryption?
Encoding: Converts the data in the desired format required for exchange between
different systems.
Hashing: Maintains the integrity of a message or data. Any change did any day could be
noticed.
Encryption: Ensures that the data is secure and one needs a digital verification code or
image in order to open it or access it.
Hashing: Hashing is the process of converting the information into a key using a hash
function. The original information cannot be retrieved from the hash key by any means.
(GeeksforGeeks)
Difference:
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Explain salted hashes?
A salt is added to the hashing process to force their uniqueness, increase their
complexity without increasing user requirements, and to mitigate password attacks like
hash tables.
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What are differences between SSL and TLS?
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What is the name of the software that compiles of the written codes?
Compiler
What is the name of the software that translates machine codes into
assembly language?
Disassembler
It should also be noted that using only one approach may not be sufficient to
analyze malware. Using both approaches together will give you to best results!
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How does malware achieve persistence on Windows?
Services
Registry Run Keys (Run, RunOnce)
Task Scheduler
Infecting to clean files
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Which event logs are available default on Windows?
Security
Application
System
4625
Which field of which event should I look at so that I can detect RDP
logons?
You can detect RDP logon activities with event ID 4624. "Logon Type" value should be 10.
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What is Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI)?
Threat intelligence is the analysis of data using tools and techniques to generate meaningful
information about existing or emerging threats targeting the organization that helps mitigate
risks. Threat Intelligence helps organizations make faster, more informed security decisions and
change their behavior from reactive to proactive to combat the attacks.
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What is TAXII in Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI)?
TAXII, short for Trusted Automated eXchange of Intelligence Information, defines how cyber
threat information can be shared via services and message exchanges.
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Name some of the Threat Intelligence Platforms
IBM X Force Exchange, Cisco Talos, OTX AlienVault
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