Junior Security Analyst

Junior Security Analyst

Department: Information Technology

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Gainesville, FL

Reporting To: Senior Manager, IT Security

Description

As a Junior Security Analyst, you will investigate and respond to security incidents detected by Microsoft Defender, Entra ID, and our outsourced MDR (Managed Detection and Response) partner. In addition, you will assist in vulnerability management by conducting regular assessments and implementing remediation efforts. You will also perform security audits to ensure compliance with security policies and standards. Lastly, you will create proper documentation and reports of your activities to support our compliance with ISO 27001. 

Key Responsibilities

• Incident Response: Investigate and respond to security incidents detected by Microsoft Defender, Entra ID, and our outsourced MDR partner to include:
  • Analyzing alerts and associated logs to identify unusual activities or potential security breaches, determine their severity, and take appropriate actions to mitigate threats.
  • Collaborating with internal and external teams to ensure effective and timely communication, coordination, and execution of incident response actions.
• Vulnerability Management: Assist in identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities within the organization's systems and applications to include:
  • Conducting regular vulnerability assessments using tools like Tenable Nessus.
  • Analyzing and prioritizing vulnerabilities based on risk and potential impact.
  • Implementing and verifying remediation efforts to ensure vulnerabilities are effectively addressed in a timely manner.
• Security Audits: Perform security audits to ensure compliance with security policies and standards to include:
  • Reviewing and analyzing Active Directory configurations to identify and address potential security risks.
  • Assessing patch management processes to ensure timely and effective application of security updates.
• Evaluating backup processes and performing restoration tests to verify data integrity and availability in case of incidents.
• Reporting and Documentation: Prepare detailed reports on security incidents, vulnerabilities, and other security-related activities to include:
  • Documenting incident response actions and outcomes in a clear and concise manner.
  • Creating vulnerability reports that include findings, risk assessments, and recommended mitigations.
  • Compiling and presenting security KPIs and trends to stakeholders to inform decision-making and improve security posture.
  • Maintaining documentation for audit and compliance purposes.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

Education:

• Formal training in Information Technology or Computer Science, or related fields or equivalent practical experience in IT security. 
  Certifications from reputable organizations (e.g., CompTIA Security+, CompTIA Network+, SSCP) are a plus.

Functional/Technical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:

• Possesses a highly technical knowledge set. Quickly understands complex technical issues, adapts to new technologies, and utilizes technical expertise to improve security measures. For example, using network logs, threat intelligence feeds, and anomaly detection systems, to determine if an event is a false positive or a legitimate threat, and if the latter, how to swiftly contain the attack.
• Maintains honesty and strong moral principles. Always transparent, does not hide bad news, and gives credit where it's due. For instance, documenting incident response actions and outcomes in an accurate, clear, and concise manner.
• Takes responsibility for actions and results. Rarely misses deadlines and effectively manages multiple projects simultaneously. For example, ensuring all assigned audits are performed on time with complete analyses, sound mitigations, and follow through to ensure correct implementation.
• Driven and enthusiastic about the work. Loves to implement solutions and witness their impact, dives deep into subject areas, and tackles challenges head-on. An example would be compiling security KPIs and presenting insightful trends to inform decision-making for security posture improvement.
• Collaborates effectively to achieve common goals. Works well with others, quickly builds rapport and trust, incorporates input into solutions, and provides valuable insights on team projects. For example, coordinating with the MDR team and internal IT teams during a security incident to ensure rapid containment and remediation.
• Actively seeks new and effective solutions. Proactively looks ahead to trends, enjoys challenges, and continuously seeks improvement. For instance, developing an innovative approach to identifying vulnerabilities and verifying remediation efforts through unique scans and audits to confirm the success of applied fixes.