Host Based Systems Analyst II

NewGen Technologies; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

NewGen Technologies seeks a Cyber Network Defense Analyst (CNDA) to support DFIR and proactive cyber hunting for a critical customer mission in the United States. The analyst will monitor, analyze, and correlate network data to detect threats and recommend containment strategies, working with enterprise defense teams to validate alerts and generate actionable incident reports.

Responsibilities include trend analysis, event correlation, signature development, and utilizing tools like Snort and

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Active TS/SCI clearance required.
• BS in Computer Science, Cyber Security, Computer Engineering, or related degree; or HS Diploma with 7-9 years of network investigations experience.
• 5+ years of direct relevant cyber defense experience using modern tools.
• Experience developing and deploying signatures.
• Experience detecting intrusions via intrusion detection technologies (e.g., Snort).
• Experience implementing incident handling methodologies.
• Experience implementing protocol analyzers.
• Experience collecting data from cyber defense resources.
• Experience reading and interpreting signatures (e.g. Snort).
• Experience performing packet-level analysis.
• Experience conducting trend analysis.

Responsibilities

• Characterize and analyze network traffic to identify anomalous activity and potential threats to network resources.
• Coordinate with enterprise-wide cyber defense staff to validate network alerts.
• Document and elevate incidents with history, status, and potential impact for further action.
• Perform cyber defense trend analysis and reporting.
• Perform event correlation to gain situational awareness and determine attack effectiveness.
• Provide daily summary reports of network events relevant to cyber defense practices.
• Receive and analyze network alerts from various sources to determine possible causes.
• Provide timely detection, identification, and alerting of possible attacks/intrusions, anomalous activities, and misuse activities.
• Use cyber defense tools for continual monitoring and analysis of system activity to identify malicious activity.
• Analyze identified malicious activity to determine weaknesses exploited and methods used.
• Determine TTPs for intrusion sets.
• Examine network topologies to understand data flows.
• Identify anomalies in network traffic using metadata.
• Conduct research and correlation across datasets.
• Validate IDS alerts against traffic using packet analysis tools.
• Identify applications and OS of network devices based on traffic.
• Reconstruct malicious activity from network traffic.
• Identify network mapping and OS fingerprinting activities.
• Assist in constructing signatures for defense tools in response to threats.
• Notify designated managers and responders of suspected incidents per IR plan.

Skills

Cyber defense analysis

Intrusion detection

Packet analysis

Trend analysis

Education

BS Computer Science or related

HS Diploma + 7-9 years exp

Tools

Snort

SiLK

Job description

Contract personnel provide front line response for digital forensics/incident response (DFIR) and proactively hunting for malicious cyber activity. Our Partner is seeking Cyber Network Defense Analysts (CNDA) to support this critical customer mission.

The Computer Network Defense Analyst uses information collected from a variety of sources to monitor network activity and analyze it for evidence of suspicious behavior. Monitoring and analysis are performed to identify and report events that occur, or might occur, within the network, in order to protect information, information systems, and networks from threats. CNDAs review data collected to analyze cyber events, and the network environment, to find trends, patterns or anomaly correlations that indicate more serious attacks or future threats. The CNDAs will recommend proactive measures to contain the incident. These proactive measurers include, but are not limited to, identification of intruder local changes/suspect interactions, isolation, in-depth digital media analysis, consultation with law enforcement or counterintelligence organizations, development of signatures to detect this malicious behavior and development and deployment of eradication tools.

Responsibilities

• Characterize and analyze network traffic to identify anomalous activity and potential threats to network resources
• Coordinate with enterprise-wide cyber defense staff to validate network alerts
• Document and elevate incidents (including event's history, status, and potential impact for further action) that may cause ongoing and immediate impact to the environment
• Perform cyber defense trend analysis and reporting
• Perform event correlation using information gathered from a variety of sources within the enterprise to gain situational awareness and determine the effectiveness of an observed attack
• Provide daily summary reports of network events and activity relevant to cyber defense practices
• Receive and analyze network alerts from various sources within the enterprise and determine possible causes of alerts
• Provide timely detection, identification, and alerting of possible attacks/intrusions, anomalous activities, and misuse activities and distinguish these incidents and events from benign activities
• Use cyber defense tools for continual monitoring and analysis of system activity to identify malicious activity
• Analyze identified malicious activity to determine weaknesses exploited, exploitation methods, effects on system and information
• Determine tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for intrusion sets
• Examine network topologies to understand data flows through the network
• Identify and analyze anomalies in network traffic using metadata
• Conduct research, analysis, and correlation across a wide variety of all source data sets (indications and warnings)
• Validate intrusion detection system (IDS) alerts against network traffic using packet analysis tools
• Identify applications and operating systems of a network device based on network traffic
• Reconstruct a malicious attack or activity based off network traffic
• Identify network mapping and operating system (OS) fingerprinting activities
• Assist in the construction of signatures which can be implemented on cyber defense network tools in response to new or observed threats within the network environment or enclave
• Notify designated managers, cyber incident responders, and cybersecurity service provider team members of suspected cyber incidents and articulate the event's history, status, and potential impact for further action in accordance with the organization's cyber incident response plan

Approximately 25% of the CNDA's time will be spent executing the following:

• Prepare and update manuals, instructions, and operating procedures
• Evaluate established methods and procedures and prepare recommendations for changes in methods and practices where appropriate
• Plan and carry out difficult and complex assignments and develop new methods, approaches, and procedures
• Conduct analyses and recommend resolution of complex issues affecting the specialty area
• Ensure optimal use of commercially available products
• Prepare and present reports
• Evaluate the effectiveness of installed systems and services

Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship
• Active TS/SCI Clearance
• Ability to obtain Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Entry on Duty (EOD) Suitability
• BS Computer Science, Cyber Security, Computer Engineering, or related degree; or HS Diploma & 7-9 years of network investigations experience
• 5+ years of direct relevant experience in cyber defense analysis using leading edge technologies and industry standard cyber defense tools
• Experience successfully developing and deploying signatures
• Experience detecting host and network-based intrusions via intrusion detection technologies (e.g., Snort)
• Experience implementing incident handling methodologies
• Experience implementing protocol analyzers
• Experience collecting data from a variety of cyber defense resources
• Experience reading and interpreting signatures (e.g. snort)
• Experience performing packet-level analysis
• Experience conducting trend analysis

Desired Skills

• One or more of the following professional certifications: GNFA, GCIH, GCIA, GSEC, CASP+, CySA+, PaLMS, FedVTE
• GSEC (SANS401), Arcsight (or other SEIM solution), Network+, Security+ and Python programming experience would be ideal
• Strong math and science background.
• Experience with Carnegie Mellon SiLK tool suite

About Us

For more than 20 years, NewGen Technologies has solved our clients’ toughest IT challenges with integrity, security, and outstanding service by delivering both technology and talent. We have helped secure borders, have used artificial intelligence (AI) to fight terror, aided the identification of criminals, and have helped to prevent crime through the introduction of biometrics. Our team of Highly Cleared Specialists have hard-to-find skills and expertise in a wide spectrum of technologies to provide solutions that transform business processes and solve problems of national significance. #CJ