SOC Analyst Cheat Sheet – A Comprehensive Guide For Beginners

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Practice Verified Codes and Commands:

1. Linux Command for Log Analysis:

grep "Failed password" /var/log/auth.log 

This command filters out failed login attempts from the authentication log, useful for identifying brute force attacks.

2. Windows Command for Network Connections:

netstat -an | find "ESTABLISHED" 

This command lists all established network connections, helping to identify active communication with external systems.

3. SIEM Query Example (Splunk):

[spl]
index=main sourcetype=access_* status=500 | stats count by src_ip
[/spl]
This query identifies internal IPs causing server errors, which could indicate potential attacks or misconfigurations.

4. Bash Script for Monitoring File Changes:

#!/bin/bash 
inotifywait -m -r -e modify,create,delete /path/to/directory 

This script monitors a directory for file changes, which is critical for detecting unauthorized modifications.

5. Windows PowerShell for Process Monitoring:

Get-Process | Sort-Object CPU -Descending | Select-Object -First 10 

This command lists the top 10 processes consuming the most CPU, useful for identifying suspicious activity.

What Undercode Say:

A SOC Analyst plays a critical role in safeguarding an organization’s digital assets by monitoring, detecting, and responding to security incidents. The cheat sheet provided here serves as a foundational guide for beginners, offering practical commands and scripts to enhance their cybersecurity skills.

For Linux users, mastering commands like grep, awk, and `sed` is essential for log analysis and system monitoring. Tools like `inotifywait` can help track file system changes, while `netstat` and `lsof` are invaluable for network monitoring.

Windows users should familiarize themselves with PowerShell for advanced system administration tasks. Commands like Get-Process, netstat, and `Tasklist` provide insights into system activity and network connections.

In a SIEM environment, writing effective queries is crucial. Platforms like Splunk, QRadar, or Elasticsearch require analysts to craft precise searches to identify anomalies. Regular expressions and statistical functions are often used to filter and analyze large datasets.

To further enhance your skills, consider exploring online resources such as:
Cybrary for free cybersecurity courses.
TryHackMe for hands-on practice in a simulated environment.
OWASP Cheat Sheets for secure coding practices.

By combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience, aspiring SOC analysts can build a strong foundation in cybersecurity. Continuous learning and staying updated with the latest threats and tools are key to excelling in this field.

References:

Hackers Feeds, Undercode AIFeatured Image

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