SOC Analyst Learning Path

Estimated Total Duration: 10-14 months (studying 15-20 hours per week)

Milestone 1: IT and Networking Fundamentals

Duration: 2-3 months

Computer Networking

• OSI model
• TCP/IP protocol suite
• Network protocols (HTTP, FTP, DNS, SMTP)
• IP addressing and subnetting
• Routing and switching
• Firewalls and network security

Operating Systems

• Windows administration
• Linux fundamentals
• Command line interfaces
• System processes
• File systems
• User management
• Access controls

System Administration

• Active Directory
• Group policies
• System hardening
• Patch management
• Log management
• Service management

Projects:

1. Network topology setup
2. Linux server hardening
3. Windows domain configuration

Milestone 2: Security Fundamentals

Duration: 2-3 months

Security Concepts

• CIA triad
• Authentication methods
• Access control models
• Encryption fundamentals
• Security policies
• Risk management
• Compliance frameworks

Security Tools

• Wireshark
• Nmap
• Snort
• TCPdump
• Sysinternals
• Security logs analysis
• SIEM basics

Threat Intelligence

• Threat feeds
• IOC types
• MITRE ATT&CK
• Threat actors
• Attack vectors
• Intelligence sharing

Projects:

1. Network traffic analysis
2. Security tool deployment
3. Threat intelligence report

Milestone 3: SIEM and Log Analysis

Duration: 2-3 months

SIEM Platforms

• Splunk fundamentals
• Elastic Stack
• QRadar basics
• Log correlation
• Alert configuration
• Dashboard creation

Log Analysis

• Log sources
• Log formats
• Regular expressions
• Log parsing
• Event correlation
• Anomaly detection

Alert Management

• Alert creation
• False positive reduction
• Alert prioritization
• Alert tuning
• Escalation procedures
• Response workflows

Projects:

1. SIEM deployment
2. Custom dashboard creation
3. Alert rule development

Milestone 4: Incident Response

Duration: 2 months

Incident Handling

• NIST incident response lifecycle
• Incident classification
• Evidence collection
• Chain of custody
• Documentation
• Post-incident analysis

Digital Forensics

• Disk forensics
• Memory forensics
• Network forensics
• Timeline analysis
• Artifact collection
• Evidence preservation

Malware Analysis

• Static analysis
• Dynamic analysis
• Malware types
• Analysis tools
• Sandboxing
• IOC extraction

Projects:

1. Incident response playbook
2. Digital forensics investigation
3. Malware analysis report

Milestone 5: Threat Hunting and Analysis

Duration: 2 months

Threat Hunting

• Hunting methodologies
• Data sources
• Hunting tools
• Pattern recognition
• Behavioral analysis
• Hypothesis testing

Advanced Analysis

• PowerShell analysis
• Windows event analysis
• Linux log analysis
• Network traffic analysis
• Memory analysis
• Endpoint analysis

Automation

• Python scripting
• PowerShell scripting
• Automation tools
• Playbook automation
• Response automation
• Integration APIs

Projects:

1. Threat hunting exercise
2. Analysis automation script
3. Custom detection rules

Final Practical Phase

Duration: 1-2 months

Scenario-Based Training

• Incident simulation
• Alert triage
• Investigation process
• Response procedures
• Documentation
• Team communication

SOC Tools Integration

• Tool deployment
• Configuration
• Integration
• Maintenance
• Optimization
• Documentation

Continuous Learning Elements

Security Tools

• EDR platforms
• NDR solutions
• SOAR platforms
• Threat intelligence platforms
• Forensics tools
• Automation tools

Certifications Path

1. CompTIA Security+
2. CompTIA CySA+
3. SANS GSOC/GCIA
4. EC-Council CSOC
5. CISSP (with experience)

Skills Development

• Critical thinking
• Problem-solving
• Communication
• Documentation
• Team collaboration
• Stress management

Assessment Criteria

Technical Skills

• Tool proficiency
• Analysis capabilities
• Investigation skills
• Documentation quality
• Response procedures
• Automation abilities

Operational Skills

• Alert triage
• Incident handling
• Case management
• Team communication
• Process adherence
• Time management

Learning Resources

Online Platforms

• SANS courses
• Cybrary
• TryHackMe
• HackTheBox
• Security Blue Team
• INE Security

Books

• "Blue Team Field Manual"
• "Applied Network Security Monitoring"
• "The Practice of Network Security Monitoring"
• "Security Operations Center: Building, Operating, and Maintaining your SOC"

Practice Environments

• Security labs
• CTF platforms
• Virtual machines
• Training ranges
• Simulation tools
• Practice datasets

Communities

• SANS forums
• Reddit (r/netsec, r/cybersecurity)
• LinkedIn groups
• Discord communities
• Local security groups
• Professional associations

SOC Tools Proficiency

Core Tools

• SIEM platforms
• EDR solutions
• Network monitoring
• Threat intelligence platforms
• Ticketing systems
• Communication tools

Analysis Tools

• Packet analyzers
• Forensics suites
• Malware analysis tools
• Log analysis tools
• Threat hunting platforms
• Automation frameworks

Documentation

• Wiki platforms
• Incident tracking
• Knowledge bases
• Playbooks
• Reports
• Metrics tracking