SOC Analyst Hands-On

SOC Analyst Hands-On: SIEM, Network Analysis, Threat Detection & Forensics

Once you understand how defenders think, the next critical step is learning how real Security Operations Center (SOC) analysts investigate attacks using a combination of tools, logs, and forensic data. This course emphasizes the practical, hands-on side of security operations, helping students bridge the gap between theory and real-world incident response.

Throughout this course, you will gain a deep understanding of how SOC teams monitor networks, analyze alerts, investigate suspicious activity, and leverage modern security platforms to detect and respond to threats effectively. You will explore how Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems collect, correlate, and analyze logs from across an organization’s network, enabling analysts to detect potential security incidents efficiently.

You will also learn how analysts investigate events using Splunk and follow real workflows used in professional SOC environments. The course covers network traffic analysis, understanding intrusion detection system (IDS) logic, and endpoint monitoring to detect suspicious behaviors. In addition, you will explore how cyber threat intelligence supports investigations, how malware analysis helps confirm and understand threats, and how digital forensics techniques are applied during incident response.

This course is designed for students who already have a foundational understanding of cybersecurity and want to move into practical SOC analyst work. For beginners, we recommend starting with Forward Edge's SOC Analyst Foundations: Threat Landscape, Detection Models & Defensive Security before advancing to this hands-on experience.