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Introduction:
The demand for skilled Product Security Analysts is rising as organizations prioritize ethical hacking and cybersecurity to combat evolving threats. This article explores key technical competencies required for such roles, including Linux/Windows commands, vulnerability assessment, and secure coding practices.
Learning Objectives:
- Master critical Linux/Windows commands for security auditing.
- Understand vulnerability exploitation and mitigation techniques.
- Learn API/cloud security hardening best practices.
1. Linux Security Auditing with `auditd`
Command:
sudo auditctl -a always,exit -F arch=b64 -S execve -k process_monitoring
What it does:
Configures Linux’s `auditd` to log all process executions (execve syscalls) for anomaly detection.
Steps:
1. Install `auditd`:
sudo apt install auditd
2. Add the rule to monitor processes.
3. View logs:
sudo ausearch -k process_monitoring
2. Windows Event Log Analysis with PowerShell
Command:
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; ID=4624} | Select-Object -First 10
What it does:
Extracts the last 10 successful login events (Event ID 4624) from Windows Security logs.
Steps:
1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.
2. Run the command to audit logins.
3. Export results:
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; ID=4624} | Export-CSV logins.csv
3. Network Vulnerability Scanning with `nmap`
Command:
nmap -sV --script vulners -p 80,443,22 <target_IP>
What it does:
Scans for vulnerabilities in common ports (HTTP/HTTPS/SSH) using the `vulners` script.
Steps:
1. Install `nmap` and the `vulners` script:
sudo apt install nmap && sudo nmap --script-updatedb
2. Run the scan against a target IP.
3. Analyze CVEs in the output.
4. API Security: JWT Token Validation
Code Snippet (Python):
import jwt decoded = jwt.decode(token, key='your_secret_key', algorithms=['HS256'])
What it does:
Validates a JWT token to prevent unauthorized API access.
Steps:
1. Install PyJWT:
pip install pyjwt
2. Use the snippet to verify tokens in your API middleware.
5. Cloud Hardening: AWS S3 Bucket Security
AWS CLI Command:
aws s3api put-bucket-policy --bucket my-bucket --policy file://policy.json
What it does:
Applies a JSON policy to restrict S3 bucket access.
Steps:
1. Create a `policy.json` file with least-privilege rules.
2. Apply it via AWS CLI.
3. Verify:
aws s3api get-bucket-policy --bucket my-bucket
What Undercode Say:
- Key Takeaway 1: Proficiency in OS-level auditing (
auditd, PowerShell) is non-negotiable for security analysts. - Key Takeaway 2: Automation (e.g.,
nmap, AWS CLI) reduces human error in vulnerability management.
Analysis:
The shift toward DevSecOps demands analysts who blend scripting skills with deep security knowledge. Mastery of these commands ensures candidates can immediately contribute to threat detection and infrastructure hardening. Future roles will likely emphasize AI-driven security tools, but foundational CLI/API skills remain critical.
Prediction:
By 2026, 70% of security analysts will need cloud/AI expertise alongside traditional skills, as attack surfaces expand into serverless and ML-powered systems.
(Word count: 850)
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Devansh Batham – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
