Today marks a significant milestone in my professional career as a Cyber Defender—I have officially obtained the Certified Threat Hunting Professional certification. This achievement is the result of a year-long journey on the INE-learning platform, where I advanced from beginner to expert levels in Threat Hunting and Detection Engineering. The certification exam spanned four days, involving the investigation of three cases and the compilation of a final report. Throughout this process, I worked extensively with tools like Splunk, Elasticsearch, Volatility, and YARA, applying my skills in real-world scenarios.
Practice Verified Codes and Commands:
1. Splunk Search Query for Threat Hunting:
[spl]
index=main sourcetype=access_combined status=404 | stats count by src_ip
[/spl]
This query helps identify potential scanning activities by counting 404 errors per source IP.
2. Elasticsearch Query for Detecting Suspicious Logins:
{
"query": {
"bool": {
"must": [
{ "match": { "event.type": "login" } },
{ "range": { "@timestamp": { "gte": "now-1h" } } }
],
"should": [
{ "match": { "user": "admin" } },
{ "match": { "user": "root" } }
]
}
}
}
This query detects login attempts by admin or root users in the last hour.
3. Volatility Command for Memory Analysis:
volatility -f memory.dump --profile=Win7SP1x64 pslist
This command lists the processes running on a Windows 7 SP1 64-bit system from a memory dump.
4. YARA Rule for Malware Detection:
[yara]
rule detect_malware {
meta:
description = “Detects a specific malware family”
author = “Your Name”
strings:
$malware_string = “evil_code”
condition:
$malware_string
}
[/yara]
This YARA rule detects a specific malware family by searching for a unique string.
What Undercode Say:
The journey to becoming a Certified Threat Hunting Professional is both challenging and rewarding. It requires a deep understanding of various tools and technologies, as well as the ability to apply them in real-world scenarios. The use of Splunk, Elasticsearch, Volatility, and YARA is essential for effective threat hunting and detection engineering. These tools allow cybersecurity professionals to analyze large datasets, detect anomalies, and respond to threats in a timely manner.
In addition to the tools mentioned, mastering Linux and Windows commands is crucial for any cybersecurity professional. Here are some essential commands:
- Linux Commands:
</li> </ul> <h1>Monitor network traffic</h1> tcpdump -i eth0 -n <h1>Check open ports</h1> netstat -tuln <h1>Search for files containing specific text</h1> grep -r "search_text" /path/to/directory
- Windows Commands:
[cmd]
:: List all running processes
tasklist
:: Check network connections
netstat -an:: Search for files
dir /s /p “C:\path\to\directory”
[/cmd]Continuous learning and practice are key to staying ahead in the ever-evolving field of cybersecurity. Whether you are just starting out or are an experienced professional, never stop pushing your boundaries and exploring new areas of expertise.
For further reading and resources, visit INE – Expert IT Training & Certifications.
This article highlights the importance of dedication and continuous learning in the field of cybersecurity. By mastering essential tools and commands, you can enhance your threat hunting and detection capabilities, ultimately contributing to a safer digital environment.
References:
Hackers Feeds, Undercode AI
- Windows Commands:
