SOC Analyst Career Guide (Paperback)

Develop the SOC analysis, triage, and investigation skills needed to succeed as a SOC analyst with the help of hands-on labs, exercises, and scenario-based training

Free with your book: DRM-free PDF version + access to Packt's next-gen Reader*

Key Features

• Master SIEM and learn to investigate, triage, and move beyond automation via SOAR
• Explore an operational SOC from the inside-out and develop a coherent career path
• Understand the role of the SOC in delivering business value through the CIA triad to the enterprise
• Get With Your Book: PDF Copy, AI Assistant, and Next-Gen Reader Free

Book Description

As cyberattacks continue to disrupt modern enterprises, organizations urgently need vigilant security operations center (SOC) analysts who can detect and stop threats fast. With modern SIEMs and ingestion strategies, much of the necessary data is already within easy reach. This book provides you with the daily tactics, techniques, and procedures of a SOC analyst and shows how to exceed expectations in a modern SOC.

The book builds a solid foundation in security operations, preparing you for the SOC analyst role and other positions within the SOC. With this base in place, you’ll advance into key SOC roles and blue team principles, such as detection and engineering. You’ll be able to clearly articulate your future as a SOC analyst in an interview as well as talk about your career path to impress prospective employers. You’ll get to grips with advanced threat actors, including advanced persistent threats (APTs) that wield considerable resources in campaigning against an organization. The chapters cover important concepts, such as governance, risk, and compliance (GRC), blue and red team tools, network security, web app security, and job search skills.

By the end of this book, you’ll be able to demonstrate competency and acquire a SOC analyst position with an additional career outlook moving forward.

What you will learn

• Explore security operations and see how it fits into an overall business
• Discover the key functions and real-world duties of a SOC analyst
• Understand and master the tools of the trade, including SIEM
• Develop a home lab with an operational SIEM and EDR solution
• Create a compelling portfolio to impress prospective employers
• Perfect your interviewing skills and land a SOC analyst job

Who this book is for

This guide is for anyone interested in becoming a SOC analyst and entering the field of cybersecurity supporting a security operations center or managed security services provider (MSSP). Basic networking and computer skills, such as the skills covered in CompTIA A+ or Network+, will be needed to grasp the topics covered with ease.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Security Operations
2. SOC Roles Fundamentals
3. Detection Engineering
4. Conducting a Mock Intrusion
5. Incident Response, Forensics, and Recovery
6. Blue Team Technologies, Tools, and TTPs
7. Red Team Technologies, Tools, and TTPs
8. OS/Endpoint Security
9. Network Security
10. Web App Security
11. Preparing for the Interview
12. Job Search and Company Investigation
13. Social Media, Public Portfolios, and Public Relations
14. Common Interview Questions and Responses
15. Congratulations: You Got the Job!

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Kyler Kent helps Fortune 10, 100, and 500 organizations detect and respond to real intrusions—and teaches you the exact skills that make SOC analysts effective on day one. Kyler Kent is a Senior Cybersecurity Analyst at CrowdStrike's Falcon Complete MDR, where he helps organizations detect, investigate, and contain real-world threats—especially across cloud and hybrid environments. His work blends threat hunting, incident response, and security automation to turn noisy telemetry into clear actions that reduce risk fast. Before CrowdStrike, Kyler served as a Threat Hunter and Intelligence Specialist supporting a critical infrastructure provider in Dallas, Texas, and previously led security automation and operational coordination at CyberConvoy, a NYC-based MSSP and startup. He holds a Master's in Cybersecurity Risk Management from Georgetown University and maintains advanced industry certifications including CISSP, AWS Solutions Architect – Professional, AWS Security – Specialty, and multiple CrowdStrike certifications. Kyler writes to bridge the gap between theory and the work analysts actually do on shift—prioritizing practical decision-making, repeatable workflows, and the skills that accelerate a SOC career. When he's not solving MDR problems, he contributes to professional communities and advisory efforts across cybersecurity and IT.