Forensic Analysis Skills for Security Operations Analysts

Forensic analysis skills allow a Security Operations Analyst to investigate cybersecurity incidents thoroughly. This involves collecting, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence in a manner that maintains its integrity for potential legal proceedings. Analysts must understand file system structures, log analysis, malware behavior, and memory dumps to uncover the root cause of an incident. They use forensic tools such as EnCase, FTK, or Autopsy to examine compromised systems. These skills help identify how an attack occurred, what data was accessed or exfiltrated, and how to prevent similar incidents in the future. Strong forensic analysis capabilities not only aid in incident recovery but also provide valuable intelligence for threat hunting and strengthening overall defenses. Proper documentation of findings is equally critical to support compliance and legal requirements.