What is a SOC? The Role and Responsibilities of a SOC Analyst
Cybersecurity threats are growing in complexity, making Security Operations Centers (SOCs) essential for protecting organizations. This article explores what a SOC is and what SOC Analysts do.
🛡️ 1. What is a Security Operations Center (SOC)?
A Security Operations Center (SOC) is a centralized unit that monitors, detects, and responds to cybersecurity threats 24/7.
🔍 Key Objectives of a SOC
- Detect and analyze cyber threats.
- Investigate security incidents and take preventive actions.
- Analyze log data to identify potential threats.
- Use SIEM tools to automate threat detection.
- Manage the Incident Response (IR) process.
SOC teams are commonly used by:
- Large enterprises
- Financial institutions
- Government agencies
- Tech companies
👨💻 2. Who is a SOC Analyst? What Do They Do?
SOC Analysts are cybersecurity professionals who monitor systems and networks to detect suspicious activity. SOC teams are usually divided into three levels:
1️⃣ Tier 1 – Junior SOC Analyst (Entry-Level)
- Uses SIEM tools to detect threats.
- Analyzes logs for suspicious activities.
- Escalates issues to Tier 2 or Tier 3.
2️⃣ Tier 2 – Incident Responder (Mid-Level)
- Investigates and mitigates threats.
- Manages the Incident Response lifecycle.
3️⃣ Tier 3 – Threat Hunter (Advanced Level)
- Performs proactive threat hunting.
- Develops custom SIEM detection rules.
- Analyzes attacker tactics and techniques (e.g., using MITRE ATT&CK).
🚀 Conclusion
SOC Analysts play a critical role in defending digital infrastructure. Learning about SIEM tools, log analysis, and incident response is essential to building a successful career in cybersecurity.
In the next post, we will dive deeper into SIEM and log analysis — two core skills for every SOC Analyst.