Incident Response Analyst

As an Incident Response Analyst at Leidos, your primary responsibilities will include managing the entire lifecycle of incident response, recognizing suspicious activities across various operating systems, and conducting thorough analyses to identify the root cause and scope of incidents. You'll also be instrumental in promoting best practices within our Security Operations Center (SOC) and mentoring junior team members to enhance their skills.

To qualify for the Incident Response Analyst position at Leidos, candidates must possess a bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Computer Science or Cybersecurity, along with 4-8 years of experience in incident detection, response, or cyber forensics. Required certifications include CISSP and SANS GCIH or GCIA. Additionally, candidates must have a TS/SCI security clearance and demonstrate strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.

At Leidos, professional growth is a priority for our Incident Response Analysts. You will receive mentorship opportunities, engagement in continuous learning through training programs, and hands-on experience with advanced cybersecurity technologies. By fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation, we encourage our analysts to develop their skills and advance their careers.

Incident Response Analysts at Leidos utilize a variety of tools and technologies including those for intrusion detection, malware analysis, network security monitoring, and automation for process efficiencies. Familiarity with frameworks like Cyber Kill Chain and MITRE ATT&CK is essential to effectively leverage these tools in identifying and mitigating security threats.

The work environment for an Incident Response Analyst at Leidos is dynamic and collaborative, emphasizing teamwork and innovation. You will be part of a diverse team dedicated to ensuring safety and security, enabling you to yield significant impacts on incident response. Our culture supports open communication and helps foster trust between analysts and stakeholders.

When discussing your experience with incident response methodologies, be sure to highlight specific frameworks you have used, such as the Cyber Kill Chain or MITRE ATT&CK. Share a successful incident you responded to, detailing the steps you took, the challenges faced, and the tools you employed to resolve the incident effectively.

To answer this question, discuss your strategies for staying informed about the latest cybersecurity developments, such as subscribing to relevant publications, participating in webinars, or attending industry conferences. Mention specific resources like Threat Intelligence platforms, security blogs, or forums that you regularly consult to stay ahead in the field.

When explaining your incident investigation process, outline the key phases you follow: identification, containment, eradication, recovery, and lessons learned. Be specific about the tools and techniques you utilize at each stage and illustrate with a past experience where your approach led to a successful resolution.

In your answer, mention specific forensic tools you have experience with, such as EnCase, FTK, or OSSEC. Briefly describe how you have employed these tools in past roles to investigate incidents, emphasizing the context of their use and the outcomes achieved.

Discuss your approach to incident severity assessment, including how you evaluate factors like impact on systems, data sensitivity, and business operations. Providing examples from your experience where you had to prioritize incidents based on these assessments will strengthen your answer.

Demonstrating your understanding of TTPs involves discussing specific examples of tactics and techniques used by attackers, referencing the MITRE ATT&CK framework where applicable. Highlight your experience in identifying these TTPs during assessments or incident response activities.

Provide a narrative about a specific occasion where you successfully communicated complex technical details to an audience without a technical background. Emphasize your strategies for simplifying concepts and ensuring understanding, as this illustrates your communication skills, especially in a high-stress environment.

Talk about how automation can streamline the incident response process by reducing manual efforts and enhancing response times. Reference specific tools or scripts you have used for automation and provide examples of how these have improved efficiency in your previous roles.

Explain your response plan when faced with a security breach, including initial containment efforts, communication protocols, and collaboration with external stakeholders. Detailed experiences about breaches you have handled previously can illustrate your capability and readiness for such scenarios.

Discuss your strategies for promoting best practices within your team, such as conducting regular training sessions, sharing knowledge through presentations, and leading by example. Highlight any successful initiatives you have launched that have positively impacted your team's performance.