SOC Analyst

A security operations center analyst, often called a SOC analyst, watches an organization's computers and networks for signs of attack. You monitor alerts from security tools, decide which ones are real threats and which are false alarms, and investigate suspicious activity such as unusual logins, malware, or data leaving the network. When something is serious, you follow response procedures, contain the problem, document what happened, and escalate to senior responders. Work often runs in shifts, including nights and weekends, since threats do not keep office hours, and you collaborate closely with IT teams and other analysts.