Cybersecurity Analyst Levels 1-7, Critical Assets and Incident Response

Job Information

• Incident Response for a variety of systems including Windows, Linux, MAC, and custom operating systems.
• Responds to computer security incidents according to the computer security incident response policy and procedures
• Incident response functions include mitigating actions to contain activity and facilitating forensics analysis when necessary while minimizing operational impact
• Validates and maintains incident response plans and processes to address potential threats
• Performs root-cause analysis to document findings, and participate in root-cause elimination activities as required
• Communicates investigation findings to relevant business units to help improve the information security posture
• Identifies the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of potential threats through the MITRE ATT&CK or similar frameworks
• Interface with Third Party Risk Management group where appropriate
• Provide forensics support and support Chain of Custody requirements
• Distinguish and prioritize escalations as false-positives or true-positives
• Researching emerging threats and vulnerabilities to aid in the identification of network incidents, and supports the creation of new architecture, policies, standards, and guidance to address them
• Provide incident response support, including mitigating actions to contain activity and facilitating forensics analysis when necessary
• Conducts security monitoring and intrusion detection analysis using various technology and analytic tools, such as web and next generation firewalls, machine and human behavior learning tools, host-based security system, security event and incident monitoring systems, virtual, physical, and cloud platforms, user endpoint (laptop, desktop, mobile, and internet of things/IOT) systems, etc.
• Correlates events and activities across systems to identify trends of unauthorized use
• Reviews alerts and data from sensors and documents formal, technical incident reports
• Tests new systems and manage cybersecurity risks and remediation through analysis
• Responds to computer security incidents according to the computer security incident response policy and procedures
• Provides technical guidance to first responders for handling information security incidents
• Provides timely and relevant updates to appropriate stakeholders and decision makers
• Communicates investigation findings to relevant business units to help improve the information security posture
• Validates and maintains incident response plans and processes to address potential threats
• Compiles and analyzes data for management reporting and metrics
• Monitors relevant information sources to stay up to date on current attacks and trends
• Analyzes potential impact of new threats and communicates risks back to detection engineering functions
• Performs root-cause analysis to document findings, and participate in root-cause elimination activities as required
• Works with data sets to identify patterns
• Understands data automation and analysis techniques
• Uses judgment to form conclusions that may challenge conventional wisdom
• Hypothesizes new threats and indicators of compromise
• Monitors threat intelligence feeds to identify a range of threats, including indicators of compromise and advanced persistent threats (APTs)
• Identifies the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) of potential threats through the MITRE ATT&CK or similar frameworks
• Participate in the creation of enterprise security documents (policies, standards, baselines, guidelines, and procedures) under the direction of the IT Security Manager, where appropriate.
• Perform Contract management and supply management functions appropriate to reduce security risks .
• The role will provide a proactive approach to cybersecurity while also performing investigation of security incidents related to MTA operations related to Cyber Security.

• Properly assess scope, urgency, and impact of incidents
• Collaborates with end users including security incident ingestions and recovery efforts
• Assist with building up critical asset inventory / cyber risk portfolio
• Coordinates with other IT and ICS/SCADA stakeholders for incident validation & response
• Provide digital forensics support and guidance
• Reviews incident escalations from Tier 1 & Tier 2 SOC and provides feedback upon incident completion
• Performs Incident Response functions and collaborates closely with senior incident response members
• Disseminates incident reports in alignment with MITRE ATT&CK framework
• Reviews sandbox reports for heuristic information pertaining to the bottom of the "Pyramid of Pain"
• Creates technical & executive incident reports
• Serve as part of the 24/7 on-call schedule for Incident Response
• Travel as needed to any MTA location across the Tristate area
• Maintain current Incident Response contact information
• Assist in other ad-hoc functions as required
• Performs basic analysis while following established procedures to ensure security of systems, contractor, and/or process.
• Assists in executing tests and reporting on system security parameters to support security of system, contractor, and/or vendor.
• Performs basic troubleshooting and escalates issues as appropriate to ensure effective resolution of security baseline deviations and risks.
• Reviews and correlates system logs and provides support
• Participates on project teams, providing information and documentation and executing well defined changes under guidance to ensure the infrastructure meets organization needs

• Baseline and respond to operational technology anomalies
• Provide input into the creation and maintenance of Incident Response policies and procedures
• Read sandbox reports for heuristic information throughout the entire "Pyramid of Pain"
• Understand and decipher obfuscated code and PowerShell arguments
• Provide SOAR input as they pertain to Incident Response functions
• Provide incident response support for Critical incidents
• Perform internal confidential investigations
• E-discovery searches
• Provides routine analysis on assigned technologies, following established procedures to ensure safety and security of systems, vendor performance, or processes.
• Reviews and correlates system logs to identify potential cybersecurity and technical issues.

• Perform basic malware static analysis
• Participation in cybersecurity tabletop exercises
• Perform internal & external confidential investigations
• Recommend countermeasures for validated security incidents to prevent recurrence
• Provides proactive monitoring and analysis for a domain of the cybersecurity to ensure systems security baseline targets are met.
• Implements changes to one or more cybersecurity related domain technologies, executing tests and reporting on security baselines, violations/anomalies, to meet requested needs.
• Troubleshoot and investigate cybersecurity incidents and issues by analyzing a chain of events and applying technical knowledge following established procedures and standards to resolve immediate customer needs.
• Maintains and updates existing documentation and standard operating procedures to ensure accurate and timely information is available for assigned systems.
• Works with more experienced colleagues and other IT technical resources to improve coordination of cybersecurity requirements and analyze issues as they arise
• Participate in the evaluation of new products and technologies, under the direction and guidance of senior colleagues, relevant to assigned cybersecurity area to enhance cybersecurity posture and reduce risk to the MTA while achieving objectives.

• Ensures Incident Response playbooks are current with all federal mandates, guidelines, and best practices
• Provides incident report briefings to senior IT leadership
• Recommends solutions to secure obsolete systems
• Maintain Incident Response metrics and provide recommendations to lower SLAs
• Executes to the defined product lifecycle, manages the product lifecycle for a component of the infrastructure, proposes changes for implementation, gathers data and analyzes capacity and performance to assure operational availability.
• Analyzes the current state of the infrastructure and identifies opportunities for improvement to ensure systems meet business needs. Contributes to changes to established roadmaps, documents them effectively and executes the implementation of changes in their area(s) of responsibility.
• Provides ongoing support and troubleshooting for installed technical solutions by analyzing a chain of events and applying technical knowledge, following established procedures and standards to resolve immediate customer needs.
• Investigates, evaluates, and tests new products and technologies relevant to assigned infrastructure subsets to enhance cybersecurity analytics and overall security posture. Implements and/or supports the implementation of new technologies for their area of the cybersecurity that affects infrastructure, applications and/or processes.
• Promotes security standards and supports efforts to expand and migrate to future security architecture to improve security and share learning.

• Provides technical leadership in all phases of Incident Response lifecycle
• Liaisons with federal partners for Incident Response efforts
• Support in developing playbooks and assessment reports for critical assets
• Liaison with operational technology vendors to harden existing systems
• Provides more advanced analytical capability in several security domains.
• Adds new components to a roadmap, documents them effectively, and directs the testing and implementation of changes.
• When provided with an objective to improve security in their security domain(s) and related technology, develops and implements action plans needed to effect the change.
• Research new technologies/products and their impact on the infrastructure, prepares a preliminary evaluation of technologies/products and associated costs, and develops and presents recommendations to support anticipated future business needs.
• Receives security and performance data and analyzes the baselines and efficacy of installed technologies. Proposes and implements any required changes, including identifying and planning for any resulting impacts on other technologies to optimize system availability and continuity.
• Provides ongoing support and troubleshooting for incidents, correlations and reporting to more junior analysts to resolve immediate security threats and/or customer needs.
• Provides technical leadership to project teams in their area of expertise and/or leads teams to complete projects specific to their area(s) of expertise to maximize and share learning.
• Provides guidance and technical coaching to less experienced staff to support effective workflow and develop technical talent.

• Support digital forensics investigations
• Provide detailed lessons learned reports that take into account operational dependencies
• Recertify Crisis Incident Response documentation
• Provides Incident Report briefings to C-level leadership
• Provide Security Monitoring recommendations to improve visibility into critical assets
• Serves as a technical resource for multiple components of the security architecture, risk analysis, and analytics to help define the problems and identify remediation strategies for them.
• Troubleshoots and analyzes most problems within assigned area(s), providing cybersecurity correlation, expertise, and resolution that may be complicated by technology interdependency and challenging security issues
• Participates in planning for the future technical architecture, providing insight into the future of their area of technology in order to continually improve effectiveness and efficiency.
• Participates in or leads the development of roadmaps related to their area(s) of expertise to manage and meet identified technology needs.
• Participates in the evaluation of new technologies relative to their domain(s) to determine applicability to and best meet the needs of MTA and constituent agencies.
• Specifies the monitoring points to assess performance of technologies in their domain(s). Recommends the necessary actions to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
• Develops disaster recovery and contingency plans for their domain(s) to provide users with minimal interruptions in service.
• Provides technical leadership to project teams in their area of expertise to promote technical understanding and talent development and/or leads teams to complete projects when a project manager has not been assigned.
• Contributes to the technical elements of RFPs and RFIs and negotiates with vendors on technical issues to ensure results are delivered in line with user and organization requirements.
• Interacts with major providers at the technical expert level to address mission critical issues, evaluates ongoing vendor service level and enforces SLAs and penalties.

• Serve as Incident Commander for incidents & crisis response
• Provide Third-party risk management support for critical systems
• Provide expertise in non-intrusive security network design / architecture
• Develop SOPs for specific attack methodologies
• Advanced digital forensics investigations
• Acts as a technical resource for multiple technologies, with vast knowledge of the capabilities and constraints of technologies supported to continually improve system effectiveness and efficiency.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the current and future technology architecture, including the inter-operability of technologies to effectively integrate MTA systems and support the long-term strategies of the business.
• Provides expert level guidance and training to the IT community to maximize and share learning.
• Analyzes cross-technology/platform issues and addresses problems factoring in an understanding of the current and future architectures to ensure optimal performance and reliability across systems.
• Leads the evaluation of new technologies relative to their domain(s) to determine applicability to and best meet the needs of MTA and constituent agencies. Proposes technology investments supported by a thorough technical analysis and business case.
• Develops disaster recovery and contingency plans for their domain(s) to provide users with minimal interruptions in service.
• Creates complete RFPs and RFIs and negotiates contract terms and conditions with vendors and procurement in consideration of the needs of the business.
• Interacts with major providers at the technical expert level to address mission critical issues, evaluates ongoing vendor service level and enforces SLAs and penalties.
• Establishes systems to monitor compliance with architectural standards and to ensure technical integrity.

• Understanding of TCP/IP (OSI Layers 1- 4) and Internet and Intranet technologies required (OSI Layers 5-7) required.
• Understanding of Operating Systems
• Scripting or programming skills (PERL, Python, PowerShell, etc.) preferred as needed

• Basic knowledge and familiarity with installing, maintaining and troubleshooting technology systems.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot and support technical issues.
• Proven ability to analyze a security risk assessment
• Understanding of Operating Systems
• Understanding of TCP/IP (OSI Layers 1- 4) and Internet and Intranet technologies required (OSI Layers 5-7) required.
• Scripting or programming skills (PERL, Python, PowerShell, etc.) preferred as needed.

• Proven ability to troubleshoot and support technical issues using standardized procedures.
• Proven ability to analyze a security risk assessment or conduct one with guidance
• Understanding of Operating Systems and Hardware
• Understanding of TCP/IP (OSI Layers 1- 4) and Internet and Intranet technologies required (OSI Layers 5-7) required.
• Scripting or programming skills (PERL, Python, PowerShell, etc.) preferred as needed.

• Proven ability to independently evaluate and resolve most problems within an area of infrastructure, applications within a security domain context.
• Proven ability to analyze and/or conduct a security risk assessment
• Understanding of Operating Systems and Hardware
• Advanced understanding of TCP/IP (OSI Layers 1- 4) and Internet and Intranet technologies required (OSI Layers 5-7) required.
• Scripting or programming skills (PERL, Python, PowerShell, etc.).

• Progressive cybersecurity related accomplishments
• Requires broad technical knowledge of multiple technologies, or an in-depth knowledge of one technology including its impact on other technologies.
• Proven ability to analyze and/or conduct a security risk assessment
• Understanding of Operating Systems and Hardware
• Advanced understanding of TCP/IP (OSI Layers 1- 4) and Internet and Intranet technologies required (OSI Layers 5-7) required.
• Scripting or programming skills (PERL, Python, PowerShell, etc.) as needed.

• Verifiable implementation of security domain controls for enterprise technologies
• Requires seasoned expertise in multiple technologies and strong understanding of the current and future technology architecture, including the inter-operability of technologies.
• Advanced ability to conduct and analyze a security risk assessment
• Understanding of Operating Systems and Hardware
• Expert understanding of TCP/IP (OSI Layers 1- 4) and Internet and Intranet technologies required (OSI Layers 5-7) required.
• Some scripting or programming skills (PERL, Python, PowerShell, etc.) as needed.

• Significant practical expertise in cybersecurity related disciplines.
• Requires seasoned expertise in multiple security domains, technologies and strong understanding of the current and future technology and security architecture, including the inter-operability of security solutions and technologies.
• Requires proven track record of successful implementation of architectural designs.
• Expert ability to conduct and analyze a security risk assessment
• Advanced understanding of Operating Systems and Hardware
• Expert understanding of TCP/IP (OSI Layers 1- 4) and Internet and Intranet technologies required (OSI Layers 5-7) required.
• Some scripting or programming skills (PERL, Python, PowerShell, etc.) as needed

• Associate degree in Computer Science or related fields. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Basic knowledge and familiarity with monitoring, installing, maintaining and/or troubleshooting cybersecurity related issues associated with applications and/or infrastructure systems

• Associate degree in Computer Science or related fields. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree and 2+ years of relevant experience, or a bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related fields.
• 6 months of experience in a specific (Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.) cybersecurity domain is preferred

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related fields. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• CISSP or other advanced security-related certification preferred but not required.
• Certifications in technology subdomains preferred but not required (ie. Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.)
• 2+ years of relevant experience.
• Requires prior experience with installing, maintaining and troubleshooting technology systems.
• 1 year of experience in a specific (Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.) cybersecurity subdomain is preferred

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related fields. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 3+ years of relevant experience or 18 months of experience in a specific cybersecurity subdomain (Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.).
• Current CISSP or other advanced security-related certification preferred but not required.
• Certifications in technology subdomains preferred but not required (ie. Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.)

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related fields. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 5+ years of relevant experience or 2.5 years of experience in a specific cybersecurity subdomain (Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.)
• Current CISSP or other advanced security-related certification preferred
• Certifications in technology subdomains preferred but not required (ie. Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.).

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related fields. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 8+ years of relevant experience or 4 years of experience in a specific cybersecurity subdomain (Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.).
• CISSP or other advanced security-related certification preferred
• Certifications in technology subdomains preferred (ie. Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.).

• Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related fields. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 10+ years of relevant technology based or cybersecurity experience or 5 years of experience in a specific cybersecurity subdomain (Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.).
• CISSP and other advanced security-related certification preferred.
• Certifications in technology subdomains preferred (ie. Cloud, Applications, Infrastructure, Security Technology, etc.).