INTERVIEW MYDFIR

Q UES TIO NS Website: MyDFIR.com

YouTube: Youtube.com/@MyDFIR

T o h el p yo u i n yo u r n ex t S OC i n t er v i ew .
Intr o.
I am a seasoned cybersecurity professional with over 5 years of
experience in the industry, specializing in security operations. Throughout
my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of
companies, including top consulting firms and government entities.

This interview question document should help assist you in your next job
interview. If you have any questions or would like some feedback on your
answers, I invite you to visit my YouTube channel and message me or DM
me on my other socials.

• Generic Questions

• Behavioral Questions YouTube

• High-Level Questions X
• Technical Questions
Instagram
• Scenario-based Questions
D e finitions
01. 02. 03.
GENERIC BEHAVIORAL HIGH-LEVEL
These are standard inquiries These are aimed at understanding These inquiries delve into your
designed to assess your overall specific situations in the past, understanding of industry trends
suitability for a role, often focusing providing insights into your and developments, helping to
on general skills, experience, and problem-solving abilities, gauge your capacity for critical
motivation. teamwork skills, and response to decision-making.
challenges.

04. 05.

TECHNICAL SCENARIO
These evaluate your expertise in These involve presenting
the technical skills required for a hypothetical or real-life situations
role, often focusing on specific related to the job role and
tools, technologies, or assessing how you analyze,
methodologies relevant to the job strategize, and propose solutions,
in question. offering insight into problem-
solving abilities and your approach
to complex challenges.
01. G ener ic
G ener ic Q ues tion

Can you tell me about yourself and

your professional background?

Objective
Understand your professional background, assess how well it
aligns with the job requirements, and evaluate your
communication skills and confidence during the interview.

Tips
• Keep it concise Steven
• Highlight relevant achievements
@MyDFIR
• Connect to the job
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Maintain a professional tone
• Practice beforehand (What you are doing now hopefully J)
G ener ic Q ues tion

Can you walk me through your

resume?

Objective
Gain a comprehensive understanding of your background,
experiences, and skill set. They want to assess how well your
qualifications match the requirements of the position and
evaluate your ability to communicate effectively.

Tips Steven
• Structure your response
• Focus on relevant details @MyDFIR
• Explain transitions (if there are any gaps) Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Talk about achievements
• Be ready for follow-up questions
G ener ic Q ues tion

What motivated you to apply for

this position?

Objective
Assess your understanding of the company, the role, and how
well your motivations align with the company's values and
objectives.

Tips
• Highlight alignment to the role/company Steven
• Show enthusiasm
@MyDFIR
• Reference company research
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Emphasize career growth
• Connect personal motivation
G ener ic Q ues tion

What are your long-term career goals,

and how does this position fit into your
plans?
Objective
Assess your ambition, commitment, and how well the position
fits into your broader career aspirations.

Tips
• Be specific Steven
• Align with the position
@MyDFIR
• Connect with the company
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Demonstrate commitment
• Express willingness to learn
G ener ic Q ues tion

What are your strengths and how

do you think they will contribute to
this role?

Objective
Evaluate your self-awareness, your understanding of the job
requirements, and how well your strengths align with the needs
of the role.

Tips
Steven
• Choose relevant strengths @MyDFIR
• Provide examples Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Relate to the role
• Demonstrate self-awareness
• Balance humility and confidence
G ener ic Q ues tion

How do you handle working under

pressure and tight deadlines?

Objective
Assess your ability to perform effectively under pressure and
meet deadlines without compromising the quality of your work.

Tips
• Provide examples
• Demonstrate time management
Steven
• Highlight problem-solving skills @MyDFIR
• Discuss teamwork
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Show adaptability
G ener ic Q ues tion

What do you consider your areas

for growth or improvement and
how do you actively work on them?

Objective
Assess your self-awareness, humility, and commitment to
personal and professional growth.

Tips
• Identify relevant areas
• Demonstrate self-awareness Steven
• Discuss improvement strategies
• Highlight progress @MyDFIR
• Emphasize a growth mindset Do Things DFIRINTLY
G ener ic Q ues tion

Can you provide an example of a project

or accomplishment you are particularly
proud of and why?

Objective
Assess your ambition, commitment, and how well the position
fits into your broader career aspirations. By providing a detailed
and compelling example, you can showcase your skills,
achievements, and the value you can bring to the prospective
role and organization.
Steven
Tips
@MyDFIR
• Choose a relevant example
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Describe the challenge
• Highlight your contribution
• Talk about the impact
• Express pride and learning
02. Behav ior al
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Can you tell me a time when you had

to quickly familiarize yourself with a
new technology or process?

Objective
Assess your ability to adapt to new challenges and your
willingness to acquire new skills and knowledge when needed.

Tips
• Choose a relevant example Steven
• Describe the context
@MyDFIR
• Explain your approach
• Highlight results Do Things DFIRINTLY

• Reflect on the experience

Behav ior al Q ues tion

How do you stay updated with the industry

trends and can you provide an example of
how you applied this knowledge?

Objective
Assess your passion for the industry, your commitment to
staying informed, and your ability to apply your knowledge
effectively in a professional setting.

Tips
• Choose a relevant example
Steven
• Describe the context @MyDFIR
• Explain your approach Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Highlight results
• Reflect on the experience
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Discuss a situation where you had to

collaborate with a team to solve a complex
problem. What did you learn from the
experience?

Objective
Assess your ability to work collaboratively, communicate
effectively, and solve complex problems within a team
environment.
Steven
Tips
• Choose a relevant example @MyDFIR
• Describe the problem Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Outline your role
• Highlight teamwork
• Reflect on the experience
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Describe a scenario where you had to handle

a high-pressure situation and what steps did
you take to ensure successful completion
of tasks?

Objective
Assess your ability to handle stress and adversity in the
workplace.

Tips Steven
• Choose a relevant example
• Structure your response @MyDFIR
• Highlight problem-solving skills Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Emphasize results
• Demonstrate personal growth
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Tell me about a time you had to deal with

a difficult coworker and how did you go
about handling it?

Objective
Evaluate your interpersonal and conflict resolution skills.

Tips
• Provide context
• Emphasize empathy and understanding
• Highlight conflict resolution skills
Steven
• Discuss the outcome @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Discuss a time when you had to communicate

technical information to a non-technical audience.
How did you simplify that message?
Objective
Evaluate your communication skills, particularly your ability to
convey complex technical information in a way that is accessible
and comprehensible to a non-technical audience.

Tips
• Choose a clear example Steven
• Understand the audience
@MyDFIR
• Use analogies and metaphors
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Avoid jargon
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Tell me a time when you provided guidance or training

to a colleague on a topic you were not initially familiar
with. How did you perform the knowledge transfer?
Objective
Evaluate your ability to adapt and learn quickly, as well as your
aptitude for transferring knowledge to others effectively.

Tips
• Choose a relevant example Steven
• Demonstrate adaptability and learning
• Discuss your teaching approach
@MyDFIR
• Emphasize the results Do Things DFIRINTLY
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Can you provide an example of a time when you

successfully managed multiple tasks or
projects simultaneously? How did you prioritize?

Objective
Assess your ability to handle multiple tasks or projects
efficiently.

Tips
• Provide a specific example
• Highlight your prioritization method
Steven
• Emphasize organization and time management skills @MyDFIR
• Highlight the outcome
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Behav ior al Q ues tion

Tell me about a time when something did

not go your way. How did you handle the
situation?

Objective
Assess your ability to manage setbacks, demonstrate resilience,
and showcase problem-solving skills.

Tips
• Be honest and authentic
• Highlight your problem-solving skill Steven
• Demonstrate resilience
@MyDFIR
• Show willingness to learn
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Behav ior al Q ues tion

What would you do if you noticed your

teammate on shift were slacking off and
not working on ticket?

Objective
Assess your ability to handle interpersonal challenges and
conflict resolution in a team setting.

Tips
• Provide an example (if applicable)
• Demonstrate support & assistance
Steven
• Think about professionalism @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
03. H igh -Le v e l
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

Explain the following: True Positive, True

Negative, False Positive, False Negative. Which
one do you think is the worst one and why?

Objective
Assess your understanding of these terms particularly looking for
your critical thinking skills & impact analysis.

Tips
• Define these terms
• Discuss potential consequences of each type
Steven
• Provide examples @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

What does triage mean to you and how

would you go about it?

Objective
Seek to understand your understanding of triage, particularly in
the context of technical problem-solving or incident
management.

Tips
• Showcase your communication skills Steven
• Focus on asking questions and work your way through it
• Emphasize prioritization @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

Can you walk me through the Lockheed

Martin Kill chain?

Objective
Assess your understanding of frameworks used in cybersecurity.

Tips
• Discuss when you would use this framework
• Don’t get bogged down into memorizing the entire framework but
have a basic understanding of how an attacker would pivot
Steven
• Provide examples @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

Can you explain to me what threat

landscape means to you?

Objective
Identify if you not only possess the technical knowledge and
expertise required for the role but also demonstrate the potential
to contribute effectively to the organization's cybersecurity
efforts and its overall risk management strategy.

Tips
Steven
• Demonstrate awareness
• Link to business impact @MyDFIR
• Showcase analytical skills Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

What are some of the ports you know?

Objective
Assessing your familiarity with networking concepts and your
knowledge of commonly used ports in computer networking.

Tips
• Start with the basic ones
• Emphasize security-related ports
• Quickly define what ports are Steven
• Keep this answer short
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

What is the difference between IOC and IOA?

Objective
Evaluating your understanding of cybersecurity terminology and
your knowledge of key concepts related to threat detection and
incident response.

Tips
• Define the terms
• Emphasize Proactive & Reactive Approach
Steven
• Provide examples on use cases (How do organizations use IOC/IOA?)
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

How do you stay up-to-date in this industry?

Objective
Understanding your commitment to professional development
and your proactive approach to staying informed about the latest
trends, technologies, and best practices in your field

Tips
• Discuss resources you use
• Talk about recent events
Steven
• Highlight proactive approach
• Showcase projects @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

What is the MITRE ATT&CK Framework?

Can you provide some examples?

Objective
Assess your understanding of frameworks used in cybersecurity.

Tips
• Discuss when you would use this framework
• Don’t get bogged down into memorizing the entire framework but
have a basic understanding of how an attacker would pivot
Steven
• Provide examples of a common TTP @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

What does threat hunting mean to you and

how would you do threat hunting?

Objective
Assessing your understanding of proactive cybersecurity
measures and your ability to identify and mitigate potential
threats before they escalate into security incidents

Tips
• Discuss data analysis & behavioral monitoring
• Importance of identifying gaps Steven
• Highlight Threat Intelligence & Frameworks
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

If you had unlimited budget, what are you

going to purchase to secure your environment
and why?
Objective
Assessing your understanding of cybersecurity priorities and
your ability to strategically invest in the most effective security
measures to protect organizational assets.

Tips
• Demonstrate holistic approach
• Think about solutions that will help reduce risk & time Steven
• Provide examples to explain why
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

Can you provide a common cybersecurity

threat that is not phishing and describe it in
detail.
Objective
Assessing your technical knowledge, industry awareness and
communication skills.

Tips
• Stay on topic and concise
• Don’t think about complicated ones
• Showcase how you may detect or prevent against the threat
Steven
• Demonstrate where in the kill chain this threat might lurk. @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

What are some characteristics of a phishing

email and how would you investigate it?

Objective
Evaluating your understanding of cybersecurity threats,
particularly phishing, and your ability to analyze and respond to
suspicious emails effectively.

Tips
• Discuss common phishing details and how you would scope it
• Demonstrate research and analysis Steven
• Walk through your investigative process
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
H igh -Le v e l Q ue s tion

Is a successful outbound connection to a

known malicious IP or a successful
inbound connection from a known
malicious IP worse and why?

Objective
Assessing your understanding of cybersecurity incident
response and your ability to prioritize and assess the severity of
potential security threats.

Tips
• Define each scenario
Steven
• Think about Impact & Risk @MyDFIR
• Discuss detection possibilities
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Communicate risk mitigation
04. Technical
Technical Q ue s tion

Can you walk me through how you would

explain how DNS works to a non-technical
audience?

Objective
Assess your communication skills and though process on how
you can simplify technical concepts into easily understandable
terms.

Tips
• Think of an analogy
• Understand how DNS works and relate that to something common
Steven
• Don’t get into the weeds, provide high-level @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Technical Q ue s tion

Can you explain the difference between TCP & UDP?

Objective
Assess your fundamental networking knowledge and
communication skills.

Tips
• Define each term
• Discuss 1 or 2 characteristics that differentiate between the two
• Provide an example of TCP & UDP
Steven
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
 Technical Q ue s tion
What can you tell me about this windows event log image?

Steven
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Technical Q ue s tion

Can you describe the 3-way handshake?

Objective
Assess your fundamental networking knowledge and
communication skills.

Tips
• Provide a high-level example
• Walk through how it works and why it is used
Discuss the protocol that uses this
•
Steven
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Technical Q ue s tion
What can you tell me about this IDS alert
logic?

Steven
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Technical Q ue s tion
What is the difference between an EDR &
Anti-Virus?

Objective
Evaluating your understanding of cybersecurity tools and your
ability to distinguish between their functionalities and
capabilities.

Tips
• Highlight detection capabilities
• Discuss Response & Mitigations
• Visibility & Integration capabilities Steven
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Technical Q ue s tion

What is the difference between IDS and IPS

and which one would you choose and why?

Objective
Assessing your knowledge of network security and your ability to
evaluate and select appropriate security solutions based on
specific requirements.

Tips
• Talk about detection & prevention
• Why might one be better than the other Steven
• Discuss functionality
@MyDFIR
• Provide examples
Do Things DFIRINTLY
05. S c e nario
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion

A client is experiencing a ransomware

attack, you have all the logs and tools
available to you. Walk me through from
start to finish on what you will do.

Objective
Assess your technical expertise in handling critical cybersecurity
incidents, your problem-solving skills under pressure, and your
ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Tips
• Structure your response
Steven
• Demonstrate technical knowledge @MyDFIR
• Highlight communication skills
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Prioritize quick action
• Emphasize security measures
• Show problem-solving skills
• Highlight lessons learned
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion
It is 3 AM and you receive 3 severity 1 alerts.
1: An IDS Outbound Cobalt Strike alert
2: Sensitive account login from China
3: Mimikatz binary blocked
All have 30-minute SLAs, which one do you take first and why?

Objective
Assess your ability to make informed decisions under pressure,
your understanding of prioritizing security incidents based on
their potential impact, and your capacity to communicate
effectively with cross-functional teams to address critical
security issues in a timely manner. Steven
Tips @MyDFIR
• Risk assessment and prioritization
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Explain the decision-making process
• Emphasize criticality and impact
• Highlight familiarity with common threats
• Communication and escalations
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion
You are asked to investigate an impossible travel
alert. You have all the logs and tools available to
you. Walk me through from start to finish on
what you will do.
Objective
Assess your ability to handle security events effectively, your
understanding of user authentication and access control, and
your capacity to communicate and collaborate to address
security concerns.

Tips
• Demonstrate usage of available evidence Steven
• Think about containment strategies
• Structure questions for yourself to walk through the incident @MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion
You are given a PCAP that is 5 Gbs in size. Your
manager asks you to see if there are any
communication towards a threat actor IP. What are
you using to analyze this PCAP and how?

Objective
Assess your proficiency in using network analysis tools, your
understanding of threat intelligence and behavioral analysis, and
your ability to document and communicate technical findings
effectively.

Tips
• Knowledge of network analysis tools Steven
• Ask questions
@MyDFIR
• Filtering techniques
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion
The client’s network is flat and has a total of 10 machines.
4 Servers, Web, Database, Backup & Active Directory and 6
computers. What would you recommend to implement on
the network to better secure this environment? - Draw me
a diagram.

Objective
Assess your ability to identify and recommend appropriate security
measures for a small network environment, as well as your capacity to
present your ideas visually through a basic network diagram.

Tips Steven
• Focus on the network and think CIA
@MyDFIR
• Think about solutions that can protect against “low-hanging fruit”
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion
You see a new alert you have never seen
before, walk me through how you would
go about investigating it
Objective
Assess your problem-solving skills in the context of
cybersecurity.

Tips
• Demonstrate learning opportunity
• Focus on research and documentation
• Evaluate available evidence to assist in your investigation
Steven
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion

You are alerted about a successful business email

compromise; you have all the logs and tools available
to you. Walk me through from start to finish on what
you will do.

Objective
Assess your ability to handle critical cybersecurity incidents, your
understanding of incident response procedures, and your
capacity to communicate effectively with stakeholders during a
security incident.

Tips Steven
• Think about the incident response lifecycle
@MyDFIR
• Discuss risk, impact and mitigation strategies
Do Things DFIRINTLY
• Talk about detection opportunities for future attacks
Sc e nar io Q ue s tion
You accidentally clicked on a malicious link
while you were investigating it, what do
you do?

Objective
Assess your ability to respond to a potential security incident.
Focusing on your understanding for mitigating the impact of a
potential security incident.

Tips
• Demonstrate containment actions
• Showcase communication skills
• Think about how you would perform analysis Steven
@MyDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY
Nex t S teps
 A d d itional M aterial s
Additional materials to help you in your cybersecurity journey. These will help
you craft both a resume & cover letter, provide you with useful bookmarks & a 1-
year cybersecurity roadmap.

Just incase you are looking for guidance on where to get started.

Resume Cover Letter Cybersecurity Bookmarks for

Template Template Roadmap SOC Analysts
Click below for your copy! Click below for your copy! Click below for your copy! Click below for your copy!

Resume Cover Letter Cybersecurity SOC Analyst

Template Template Roadmap Bookmarks
Thank You
If you are looking to get started in cybersecurity and would like FREE
mentorship with no strings attached. Feel free to sign up on my site: HERE
and join our Discord community. I would love to help you wherever I can,
and I look forward to hearing about your goals and aspirations.

If you didn’t know, I also create YouTube videos about Cybersecurity,

specifically within the Security Operations domain. If you want to hear
more or learn more about this dynamic field, I encourage you to take a
second and check it out.

Website
YouTube Channel

MYDFIR
Do Things DFIRINTLY