Cyber Threat Hunt Analyst

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Security Operations Center (SOC) is a U.S. Government program responsible to prevent, identify, contain and eradicate cyber threats to CBP networks through monitoring, intrusion detection and protective security services to CBP information systems including local area networks/wide area networks (LAN/WAN), commercial Internet connection, public facing websites, wireless, mobile/cellular, various cloud environments, security devices, servers and workstations. The CBP SOC is responsible for the overall security of CBP Enterprise-wide information systems, and collects, investigates, and reports any suspected and confirmed security violations.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Create Threat Models to better understand the DHS IT Enterprise, identify defensive gaps, and prioritize mitigations

• Author, update, and maintain SOPs, playbooks, work instructions

• Utilize Threat Intelligence and Threat Models to create threat hypotheses

• Plan and scope Threat Hunt Missions to verify threat hypotheses

• Proactively and iteratively search through systems and networks to detect advanced threats

• Analyze host, network, and application logs in addition to malware and code

• Prepare and report risk analysis and threat findings to appropriate stakeholders

• Lead cyber threat hunt missions with minimal supervision or guidance and recommend courses of action, best practices, and mitigating actions to improve security practices.

• Established ability to write clearly and concisely regarding technical and non-technical products based on threat hunt findings and outcomes.

• Experience briefing senior level leaders and executives on technical topics with emphasis on the ability to translate into non-technical terms for decision makers.

• Will be responsible for developing scripts to support cyber threat detection that outputs results in a variety of formats, such as VB scripts, Python, C++, HTML, XML or other type most appropriate for the task.

• Will conduct cyber threat analysis, identifying mitigation and/or remediation courses of action; developing actionable intelligence used to protect organizational IT assets; and trending cyber threat metrics for leadership situational awareness.

• Responsible for maintaining a comprehensive understanding of the cyber threat landscape, including identifying and analyzing cyber threats actors and/or activities to enhance cybersecurity posture of an the organization’s IT operating environment.

• Create, recommend, and assist with development of new security content as the result of hunt missions to include signatures, alerts, workflows, and automation.

• Coordinate with different teams to improve threat detection, response, and improve overall security posture of the Enterprise

• Identify, track and investigate high priority threat campaigns, malicious actors with the interest, capability and TTPs (Techniques, Tactics and Procedures).

• Bring a comprehensive understanding, analyzing and tracking the cyber threat landscape, including identifying and analyzing cyber threats actors, APT TTPs and/or activities to enhance cybersecurity posture of an the organization’s IT operating environment.

Will be responsible for:

• In-depth technical analysis on host based, network based, cloud focused, and mobile systems to identify advanced threats that evade traditional detection systems and signatures.

• Comprehension of complex IT environments with multiple stakeholders and technologies, and undersanding of escalation paths when necessary.

• Maintain the daily battle rhythm and schedule of threat hunts with emphasis on attention to detail and technical analysis.

• Review current and emerging cyber threat intelligence to maintain situational awareness and initiate threat hunts accordingly.

• Create daily, weekly and monthly reporting data.

• Collect, aggregate and report on metrics derived from threat hunts, with a regular cadence and attention to detail.

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelors Degree and 8 – 12 years of prior relevant experience in order to operate within the scope contemplated by the level.

• Additional experience and certifications may be considered in lieu of a degree.

• 5+ years recent experience with host-based and network-based security monitoring using cybersecurity capabilities.

• Must be experienced developing scripts to support cyber threat detection that outputs results in a variety of formats, such as VB scripts, Python, C++, HTML, XML or other.

• Ability to work independently with minimal direction; self-starter/self-motivated.

Required certifications:

The candidate should have at minimum ONE of the following certifications:

• Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP).

• SANS - GCIA – Intrusion Analyst

• SANS - GREM – Reverse Engineering Malware

• SANS - GISF – Security Fundamentals

• SANS - GXPN – Exploit Researcher and Advanced Penetration Tester

• SANS - GMON – Continuous Monitoring Certification · OSCP (Certified Professional)

• OSCE (Certified Expert) · OSWP (Wireless Professional)

• OSEE (Exploitation Expert) · CCSP – Certified Cloud Security Professional

• LPT – Licensed Penetration Tester · ECSA – EC-Council Certified Security Analyst

• Cyber Analyst Couse

Preferred Qualifications:

• A minimum of five (5) years of hands-on experience with experience in the last two (2) years that includes host-based and network-based security monitoring using cybersecurity capabilities.

• Understanding of complex Enterprise networks to include routing, switching, firewalls, proxies, load balancers

• Demonstrated in-depth experience planning and executing threat hunt missions.

• In-depth knowledge of common (HTTP, DNS, SMB, etc.) networking protocols

• Expertise in network and host-based analysis and investigation.

• Previous DOD, IC or Law Enforcement Intelligence or Counterintelligence Training/Experience

• Knowledge of Structured Analytic Techniques

• Advanced Degree in Cyber Security or related field.

• Familiar with operation of both Windows and Linux based systems

• Proficient with scripting languages such as Python or PowerShell

• Familiarity with Splunk Search Processing Language (SPL) and/or Elastic Domain Specific Language (DSL)

Clearance:

• All Department of Homeland Security CBP SOC employees are required to favorably pass a 5-year (BI) Background Investigation

• The candidate must currently possess a Top Secret/SCI Clearance.

• In addition to clearance requirement, all CBP personnel must have a current or be able to favorably pass a 5-year background investigation (BI).

Original Posting Date:2024-12-12

While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range:Pay Range -

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.