A Day in the Life of a Cyber Analyst
Providing Managed Detection and Response (MDR)
As cyber threats evolve, companies rely on cyber analysts to protect their sensitive information from cybercriminals. Managed detection and response (MDR) analysts monitor and investigate security alerts, identify potential threats, and implement strategies to prevent and mitigate attacks.
In this article, we’ll hear from Jorge Rojas, an industry expert, about their day-to-day duties, challenges, and the chronology of processes from scanning to discovery to reporting.
A Look into the Daily Life of a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) Analyst
Prioritizing Alerts and Investigating Potential Threats
Jorge Rojas, Tektonic Managed Services, states, “Every day starts with reviewing alerts from our security tools and prioritizing them based on severity and impact on our clients.” Analysts must determine which alerts require immediate attention and which can wait.
Challenges of Investigating Ambiguous Alerts
“Challenges often arise when investigating alerts that are not clear-cut, where it takes a lot of digging and analysis to determine if there’s an actual threat,” says Rojas. This means that analysts must be able to investigate ambiguous alerts and determine if there is a potential threat.
Chronology of MDR Processes
Rojas continues, “The chronology of our processes typically starts with scanning client environments for vulnerabilities, then reviewing logs and network traffic to detect any suspicious activity, and then investigating any confirmed incidents to determine the root cause and extent of the impact.” This process ensures that analysts identify and respond to potential threats quickly and efficiently.
The Importance of Reporting
“Reporting is a crucial part of our job, as we need to provide timely and accurate updates to clients on the status of investigations and any actions are taken to mitigate threats,” explains Rojas. This means that analysts must be able to communicate complex technical information to non-technical stakeholders clearly and concisely.
Keeping Up with the Evolving Threat Landscape
“One of the biggest challenges we face is keeping up with the constantly evolving threat landscape and ensuring our detection and response capabilities are always up-to-date,” says Rojas. This means that analysts must be knowledgeable about the latest threats and trends in the cybersecurity industry.
Collaboration with Other Teams
“Another important aspect of our role is collaborating with other teams within the organization, such as incident response, forensics, and threat intelligence, to ensure a comprehensive and effective approach to MDR,” notes Rojas. Analysts must work closely with other teams to ensure all cybersecurity aspects are addressed.
Proactive Measures
“We also prioritize proactive measures, such as regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing, to identify potential weaknesses before attackers can exploit them,” says Rojas. This means that analysts must constantly assess the company’s security posture and implement strategies to prevent attacks before they occur.
Current Stats and Sources
According to the 2021 Cost of a Data Breach Report by IBM, the average data breach cost in the United States was $9.05 million. This underscores the importance of having a robust cybersecurity program in place.
Conclusion
In conclusion, MDR analysts are crucial in protecting companies from cyber threats. Their duties include prioritizing alerts, investigating potential threats, collaborating with other teams, and implementing proactive measures. While the job comes with its challenges, the rewards of keeping companies safe from cybercriminals make it a worthwhile career path.