5 must have skills for a Security Operations Analyst

Technology has become an essential part of business bringing in transformational changes in the form of machine automation, A.I, cloud storage and more. While useful, these developments have led to security problems in the form of cyber threats.  

Phishing, spam, malware and other threats have become common in current times. This is a significant issue for every organization and new ways to tackle this problem need to be explored. Microsoft Exchange and IBM faced the worst cyber threat in 2021 leading to huge financial losses. Whether it’s leading brands or smaller businesses, a breach in security can cause setbacks for everyone. 

To combat this issue, businesses have a team of cybersecurity professionals including SOC analysts also known as security operations analyst. These professionals monitor any potential threat to the IT structure of the company and look for ways to prevent threats. An SOC analyst plays a pivotal role in the team and this job role requires special skills that are discussed below. 

Programming skills

Programming is among the most crucial SOC analyst skills as every security operations analyst must understand programming languages. In this job role, you will be required to mitigate threats by collaborating with cybersecurity engineers and security experts. Also, by gaining a good understanding of programming languages, you will stay a step ahead of hackers and prevent malicious attacks. 

If you know C++, Python and JavaScript then not only will you be able to carry out your responsibilities efficiently, but you will be able to advance your career as well. It will bring you better opportunities, open more avenues and allow you to advance to higher levels in the security domain.

Being able to collaborate 

An SOC analyst must be a team player and should be able to work well with others. Collaboration is an important aptitude for anyone in this job role as you will have to work closely with other teams. Your job responsibilities require you to share information with other analysts so everyone is on the same page. This is important when facing any security breach or threat which requires the collective collaboration of the team. 

A skilled SOC analyst is often considered the strongest line of defense for an organization and is required to work in cooperation with others. It is vital for the team that every analyst remains informed and can together look for new IOCs (Indicators of Compromise).

Ethical hacking 

Since SOC analysts are required to test the security of a system, they must know about ethical hacking. This involves gaining unauthorized access to a system or application through an authorized attempt. Ethical hacking and penetration testing are needed in this field to check for vulnerabilities and report anomalies. 

Ethical hacking can prevent any malicious attack before it happens by exposing any vulnerabilities in the system, network or even web application.

Critical thinking 

Another essential skill that a security operations analyst must have is the ability to think critically. Given the sensitive nature of their work, examining every little detail becomes crucial to avoid any error. As an SOC analyst, you must examine all the information available to you before making a judgment. 

Along with analyzing a situation technically, you must investigate it from other angles to get a conclusive picture. An attack scenario can have multiple layers that need to be deciphered carefully through critical analysis. This makes critical thinking a valuable skill for an SOC analyst who can grow their career with this skill.

Handle pressure situations

Being a security operations analyst is an important job role that comes with responsibilities and pressure. You are constantly mitigating attacks and safeguarding the IT infrastructure of an organization. This will frequently put you in high-pressure situations. 

This makes it crucial that you are able to work well under pressure and keep a clear mind. By staying calm, you will be able to tackle every security problem, preventing any recurrence as well. 

Are you interested in making a career in the dynamic field of cybersecurity? Check out the Postgraduate Certificate in Security Operations Analyst program offered by the Canadian College of Technology and Business (CCTB).

This program, offered at the Vancouver campus, is approved by the registrar of the Private Training Institutions Branch (PTIB) of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills & Training.