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Preparing for a SOC Analyst interview? Here are the most critical questions covering Incident Response, SIEM & Log Analysis, Threat Intelligence, MITRE ATT&CK Framework, and real-world SOC scenarios to help you succeed.
You Should Know:
1. Incident Response
Q: What are the key steps in the incident response process?
A: The NIST framework outlines:
1. Preparation (tools, policies, training)
- Detection & Analysis (identify anomalies via logs, alerts)
3. Containment (short-term & long-term isolation)
4. Eradication (remove malware, patch vulnerabilities)
5. Recovery (restore systems safely)
6. Lessons Learned (post-incident review)
Practice Command (Linux):
Check active network connections (useful for detection) netstat -tulnp
Windows Equivalent:
Get-NetTCPConnection -State Established
2. SIEM & Log Analysis
Q: How do you analyze suspicious login attempts in SIEM logs?
A: Look for:
- Multiple failed logins (Brute Force)
- Logins from unusual geolocations
- Abnormal login times
Practice Command (Linux):
Check SSH failed attempts grep "Failed password" /var/log/auth.log
Windows (Event Logs):
Get-WinEvent -FilterHashtable @{LogName='Security'; ID=4625}
3. MITRE ATT&CK Framework
Q: Explain Tactic TA0002 (Execution) with an example.
A: Techniques under Execution include:
- T1059 (Command-Line Interface) – Attackers use `cmd.exe` or `bash` for execution.
- T1106 (Native API) – Malware calling Windows APIs directly.
Detection Command (Linux):
Monitor process execution ps aux | grep -E '(curl|wget|bash -i)'
Windows (PowerShell):
Get-Process | Where-Object { $_.CommandLine -match "malicious_pattern" }
4. Threat Intelligence
Q: How do you use IoCs (Indicators of Compromise)?
A: IoCs (IPs, Hashes, Domains) help detect threats. Example:
– Check malicious IPs with abuseipdb:
curl -s https://api.abuseipdb.com/api/v2/check --data-urlencode "ipAddress=1.2.3.4" -H "Key: YOUR_API_KEY"
5. Real-World SOC Scenarios
Q: A server shows high CPU usage. How do you investigate?
A:
- Check processes (
top/ `htop` in Linux, `Task Manager` in Windows).
2. Analyze network traffic (`tcpdump`, `Wireshark`).
- Look for crypto-mining malware (
ps aux | grep -i miner).
What Undercode Say:
Mastering SOC interviews requires hands-on practice. Use these commands daily:
– Linux: `journalctl -u sshd` (SSH logs), `chkrootkit` (rootkit scan).
– Windows: `schtasks /query` (scheduled tasks), `netstat -ano` (open ports).
– SIEM Tools: Splunk queries (index=security sourcetype=firewall).
Stay updated with MITRE ATT&CK, Threat Hunting, and YARA rules for malware analysis.
Expected Output:
A well-prepared SOC analyst should be able to:
✅ Analyze logs efficiently
✅ Detect anomalies using SIEM
✅ Apply MITRE ATT&CK techniques
✅ Respond to incidents with structured workflows
Prediction:
With AI-driven SOC tools (like Microsoft Sentinel, IBM QRadar), future analysts will focus more on automated threat detection and behavioral analytics rather than manual log parsing.
Relevant URLs:
IT/Security Reporter URL:
Reported By: Dharamveer Prasad – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅
