Top SOC Analyst Interview Questions With Answers

The intent behind asking this question is to assess your knowledge of access control vulnerabilities.

Sample Answer:

“IDOR, or Insecure Direct Object Reference, occurs when attackers access data by manipulating a reference, such as a URL parameter. Instead of seeing only their own information, they can view or edit others’ data. It’s a serious access control issue and common in poorly secured web apps.”

This question will check your understanding of file inclusion vulnerabilities.

Sample Answer:

“RFI stands for Remote File Inclusion. It lets attackers include malicious files from remote servers, often via URL parameters. This can lead to code execution on the web server. It typically happens when user inputs aren't properly validated in dynamic file-loading functions.”

The purpose behind asking this question is to assess familiarity with local file exploitation techniques.

Sample Answer:

“LFI, or Local File Inclusion, is when an attacker tricks a web application into loading local server files. For example, accessing system files, such as /etc/passwd. It’s often used to gather sensitive data or as a step toward remote code execution.”

This question will help your interviewer test your basic network reconnaissance knowledge.

Sample Answer:

“Port scanning is a technique used to identify open ports and running services on a system. Attackers use it to map networks and look for vulnerabilities. Tools like Nmap help perform scans, and as Analysts, we need to detect and block such attempts early.”

This question is posed to evaluate your understanding of common cyber threats.

Sample Answer:

“Ransomware is malicious software that encrypts a victim's files and demands payment for the decryption key. It's often spread through phishing or malicious downloads. Once infected, the user can't access their data unless they pay the ransom, though paying isn’t always a guarantee for recovery.”

The intent behind asking this question is to check your awareness of regulatory obligations.

Sample Answer:

“Compliance means following cybersecurity laws, standards, and policies, such as GDPR or ISO 27001. It ensures we protect data appropriately and avoid legal trouble. As a SOC Analyst, it's vital to ensure systems meet those rules and help identify gaps during audits.”

This question will gauge how well you understand access security methods.

Sample Answer:

“Two-factor authentication adds a second layer of security beyond just a password. It could be a code sent to my phone or a fingerprint. Even if someone guesses my password, they still need the second factor, making it much harder to break into accounts.”

This question is designed to test your knowledge of Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS).

Sample Answer:

“HIDS is a Host-based intrusion detection system, and it monitors activity on individual devices. NIDS, or Network-based IDS, watches traffic across the entire network. Together, they provide a comprehensive view of potential threats at both the device and network levels.”

Your answer to this question will help assess your understanding of attack lifecycle models.

Sample Answer:

“The Cyber Kill Chain is a framework that outlines the stages of a Cyberattack, from reconnaissance to exfiltration. It helps Analysts understand how threats progress and where to intervene. Detecting early steps like reconnaissance or delivery can prevent attacks before real damage happens.”

This question will help your interviewer evaluate your understanding of event monitoring tools.

Sample Answer:

“SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management. It collects and analyses logs from different sources in real-time. As a SOC Analyst, I utilise SIEM tools such as Splunk or QRadar to quickly detect, investigate, and respond to security incidents.”

This question is intended to test basic knowledge of how TCP connections are established.

Sample Answer:

“The Three-way Handshake is how a TCP connection starts. First, the client sends a SYN. The server replies with SYN-ACK. Then, the client responds with ACK. Once that’s done, the connection is ready. It ensures both sides are synced and ready to communicate.”

This question will help your potential employer assess your knowledge of network communication protocols.

Sample Answer:

“ARP, or Address Resolution Protocol, maps IP addresses to MAC addresses. It helps devices on a local network locate one another. For example, if a computer wants to send data to another, it uses ARP to get the recipient’s physical address on the network.”

This question will test the understanding of IP address assignment.

Sample Answer:

“DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, automatically assigns IP addresses and other network settings to devices. Instead of setting up everything manually, DHCP ensures that every device receives the correct network information to connect, including IP address, subnet mask, and gateway.”

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This question will help confirm your expertise on basic security controls.

Sample Answer:

“A firewall acts like a gatekeeper between a private network and the internet. It filters traffic based on rules, blocking or allowing certain data. Whether it’s software or hardware, it’s essential for stopping unauthorised access and keeping threats out.”

This question is intended to assess your understanding of security assessments.

Sample Answer:

“Vulnerability Assessment (VA) finds weaknesses but doesn’t exploit them. Penetration Testing (PT) takes it a step further by attempting to exploit those vulnerabilities to assess their potential damage. VA is about finding flaws and PT is about proving the risks.”

With this question, the interviewer seeks to evaluate your ethical awareness in the field of Cyber Security.

Sample Answer:

“Black Hats are bad guys. They are hackers with malicious intent. White Hats are ethical hackers who help fix security issues. Grey Hats fall in between; they might break the rules but not always cause harm. It’s about intent and legality.”

This question will test your awareness of network defence tools.

Sample Answer:

“An IPS, or Intrusion Prevention System, actively blocks threats. IDS, or Intrusion Detection System, only alerts us when it spots something suspicious. Think of IDS as a security camera and IPS as a security guard that stops the bad guy.”

This question is intended to gauge your understanding of data protection methods.

Sample Answer:

“Encryption is reversible, as we can decrypt it with a key. It protects data in transit or storage. Hashing is a one-way process because we can't reverse it. It’s great for verifying data integrity, such as securely storing passwords without needing to decrypt them.”

This question will help your interviewer understand how well you understand the working of web systems.

Sample Answer:

“Web Architecture encompasses clients (such as browsers), web servers, databases, and application layers. The browser sends requests, the server handles them, and databases store the content. Together, they deliver websites and apps. Understanding this helps when analysing web-based attacks.”

This question will test your awareness of common web vulnerabilities.

Sample Answer:

“SQL Injection is when attackers insert malicious SQL code into input fields to access or manipulate databases. If inputs aren’t properly validated, attackers can retrieve, modify, or delete sensitive data. It’s one of the most critical web security issues.”

The purpose behind asking this question is to test your practical skills for detecting malware.

Sample Answer:

“I can upload the file to VirusTotal for a quick scan using multiple antivirus engines. For offline checks, use endpoint security tools or scan it in a sandboxed environment. Always avoid running suspicious files directly on my system.”

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This question is intended to check how well you can differentiate between QA and security functions.

Sample Answer:

“Software Testing checks if an app works as intended through parameters such as features, bugs, and user experience. Penetration Testing checks if it can be hacked. It simulates attacks to find security flaws. So, one’s for functionality, the other’s for security.”

This question will help the interviewer learn about your qualifications and passion for the role.

Sample Answer:

“I’ve completed the CompTIA Security+ and am currently working on my CEH certification. I also led a mini project in college on detecting phishing emails. These helped sharpen both my technical and analytical skills in real-world scenarios.”

This question is intended to assess your capabilities for Log Analysis.

Sample Answer:

“In Windows, I check the Event Viewer under Security Logs for logins, policy changes, etc. In Linux, I use /var/log/auth.log or /var/log/syslog for event tracking. Analysing these logs helps me spot suspicious activities.”

This question will help gauge your understanding of stealthy Cyberattacks.

Sample Answer:

“APTs are long-term, targeted attacks where attackers stay hidden to steal data over time. I spot them by noticing unusual login times, data exfiltration patterns, or persistent malware. They're tricky because they blend in and don’t act fast.”

The interviewer will test your grasp on basic security terminology with this question.

Sample Answer:

“A vulnerability is a weakness. A threat is something that can exploit that weakness. Risk is the chance of that happening and causing damage. For example, an unpatched system (vulnerability), hit by ransomware (threat), leads to data loss (risk).”

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This question is designed to evaluate your awareness of accuracy in threat detection.

Sample Answer:

“A false positive is when the system flags something harmless as a threat. A false negative is when it misses a real threat. Both are risky as too many false positives waste time while false negatives let attacks slip through.”

This question is intended to test your hands-on skills for security monitoring.

Sample Answer:

“I’d look for unusual URL patterns in logs, like ../ or attempts to access /etc/passwd. These suggest someone’s trying to move outside permitted directories. Alerts from WAF or SIEM tools also help spot and block such attacks.”

This question is specifically designed to assess your incident triage skills.

Sample Answer:

“I check if traffic comes from a variety of legitimate sources or a flood of requests from the same IPs or geolocations. A sudden, sustained spike without a marketing event or campaign may signal a DDoS. Logs and analytics tools help confirm.”

This question will evaluate your deep understanding of Cyber Security roles.

Sample Answer:

“Red Teams attack, Blue Teams defend, and Purple Teams bridge the two. Red tests defences, Blue responds and hardens systems, while Purple ensures lessons are shared. Together, they improve an organisation’s readiness and resilience against real-world threats.”