Inside the SOC: A Day in the Life of a Cyber Threat Intelligence Analyst
Threat Hunters often work with a CTI Analyst. What does their day-to-day look like?
Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) Analysts play a crucial role in a Security Operations Center (SOC) by collecting, analyzing, and interpreting threat data to predict and prevent cyberattacks.
Unlike SOC analysts who focus on real-time monitoring and incident response, CTI analysts take a proactive approach—studying adversaries, understanding attack techniques, and providing actionable intelligence to strengthen security defenses.
But what does a day in their life look like?
Let’s explore.
A Day in the Life of a CTI Analyst 🔍
1. Threat Intelligence Gathering – The day typically starts by reviewing open-source intelligence (OSINT), dark web chatter, and threat reports from trusted sources like MITRE ATT&CK, threat feeds, and government agencies.
2. Analyzing Emerging Threats – CTI analysts study the latest malware, phishing campaigns, zero-day vulnerabilities, and nation-state threats to understand how they operate and how to defend against them.
3. Correlating Threat Data – They map threat indicators (e.g., IP addresses, domains, hashes) to real-world attacks, helping SOC analysts and incident responders detect malicious activity before it escalates.
4. Threat Actor Profiling – CTI analysts track cybercriminal groups and nation-state actors, understanding their motives, tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) to anticipate future attacks.
5. Intelligence Sharing & Reporting – They compile intelligence reports and provide actionable insights to SOC teams, security leadership, and sometimes even external organizations.
6. Supporting Incident Response – When a major security event occurs, CTI analysts assist in identifying the attack source, gathering forensic evidence, and suggesting countermeasures to mitigate the threat.
Challenges of Being a CTI Analyst ⚠️
Constantly Changing Threat Landscape – Cyber threats evolve daily, requiring continuous learning and adaptability.
Information Overload – Sifting through vast amounts of intelligence to extract relevant insights is time-consuming and complex. As a CTI Analyst, you will need to conduct gap analysis within your organization and establish the intelligence requirements. Framework will help overcome data overload but this still depends on what your organization wants to achieve.
Attribution is Difficult – Pinpointing the exact threat actor behind an attack can be challenging due to deception tactics. It might take some time but it is still possible.
Balancing Proactive & Reactive Work – CTI analysts must juggle long-term research with immediate security incidents.
Key Skills of a CTI Analyst 🛠️
Threat Intelligence Frameworks – Proficiency in MITRE ATT&CK, Diamond Model, and Cyber Kill Chain.
OSINT & Dark Web Research – Ability to gather intelligence from various sources while maintaining operational security.
Analytical & Investigative Thinking – Strong ability to connect the dots between threat data and real-world attacks.
Knowledge of Malware Analysis – Understanding how malware functions and how it’s used in cyber campaigns.
Effective Communication – Writing detailed threat reports and presenting intelligence findings to stakeholders.
Why Being a CTI Analyst is Rewarding ✅
You Stay Ahead of Cyber Threats – The proactive nature of threat intelligence means you’re always one step ahead of attackers. You might think it is impossible, but if you have the right framework, program plan, and strategy. It can be done.
You Provide Critical Insights – Your work directly impacts how an organization defends itself against cyber threats.
Opportunities for Growth – CTI analysts can advance into roles like Threat Intelligence Manager, Red Team Lead, or Cyber Strategist.
Final Thoughts 🔥
Being a CTI analyst is not just about looking at threat feeds—it’s about understanding the enemy and staying ahead of cyber adversaries.
If you enjoy research, pattern analysis, and predicting cyber threats before they strike, this could be the perfect role for you.
Are you interested in Threat Intelligence or already working in the field?
Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments!
LET’S BUILD TOGETHER
Your feedback and questions will be invaluable in shaping this newsletter.
If there’s a topic you’re curious about, let me know.
I want this space to be as collaborative as possible, so please feel free to reply and share what’s on your mind.
I’m here to help you grow, learn, and succeed in the world of cybersecurity.
Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Here’s to learning, sharing, and making an impact together!
With you on this cyber path,
Jeff