INTERVIEW

PREPARATION GUIDE
FOR SOC ANALYST
L1, SOC ANALYST L2,
INCIDENT
RESPONDER AND
GRC/COMPLIANCE
ANALYST

BY IZZMIER IZZUDDIN
INTRODUCTION
1. UNDERSTAND THE ROLE

• SOC Analyst L1: Triage alerts, monitor SIEM dashboards, escalate based on
severity.
• SOC Analyst L2: Deeper analysis, threat hunting, incident reporting, malware
investigations.
• Incident Responder: Handle containment, eradication and recovery steps.
• GRC/Compliance Analyst: Focus on policies, audits and framework
implementation.

2. KEY TOPICS TO PREPARE

NETWORKING AND SYSTEMS

• OSI Model and TCP/IP fundamentals

• Common ports and protocols (example, 22, 80, 443, 3389)
• Windows logs (example, Event ID 4624, 4688)
• Linux logs (auth.log, syslog, messages)

SECURITY CONCEPTS AND ATTACKS

• Malware types and attack vectors

• Phishing, brute-force, privilege escalation
• MITRE ATT&CK framework techniques
• Indicators of Compromise (IP, domain, hash)

TOOLS AND PLATFORMS

• SIEM: Splunk, QRadar, Sentinel, Elastic

• EDR: Cortex XDR, CrowdStrike, Defender for Endpoint
• Log analysis and packet capture: Wireshark, tcpdump
• Threat intelligence: VirusTotal, AbuseIPDB, URLScan.io

FRAMEWORKS AND COMPLIANCE

• MITRE ATT&CK
• NIST 800-61 (Incident Handling Guide)
• ISO 27001 (Information Security Management)

3. COMMON INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

 TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

• What are the steps to investigate a failed login alert?

• How does a SIEM work and what are the key fields to analyse?
• Explain the difference between IDS and IPS.
• What are common MITRE ATT&CK techniques used in ransomware attacks?

SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS

• You receive multiple alerts for brute-force attempts. How do you respond?
• Describe a time when you identified a false positive in a SIEM.
• How would you respond to a phishing incident reported by a user?

BEHAVIOURAL QUESTIONS

• Describe a time you had to work under pressure.

• Have you ever disagreed with a teammate during an incident? How did you
handle it?
• How do you stay updated with the latest cybersecurity threats?

4. PRACTICAL TEST PREPARATION

• Analyse log files (CSV, JSON, Windows Event Logs)

• Identify attack patterns and map to MITRE ATT&CK
• Perform basic investigations using online tools (VirusTotal, WHOIS, DNS lookup)
• Write an incident summary report

5. RESUME AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS

• Relevant cybersecurity certifications (example, Security+, CYSA+, GCIA, SC-200)

• Technical tools you've used in real or lab environments
• Lab projects or personal investigations
• Clear articulation of your roles and responsibilities

6. ADDITIONAL TIPS

• Stay updated with threat reports (example, Unit 42, Talos, Mandiant)
• Review past breach case studies and their TTPs
• Be prepared to explain your investigation methodology in detail
• Rehearse using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for structured
answers
INTERVIEW SIMULATION BETWEEN INTERVIEWER AND
CANDIDATE
SOC ANALYST L1 – SIMULATED INTERVIEW SET (SET 1)

INTRODUCTION

Interviewer: Welcome and thank you for applying. To begin, could you briefly introduce
yourself and tell us why you're interested in joining our SOC team?

Candidate: Thank you for having me. I’m a cybersecurity professional with foundational
experience in alert triage, log analysis and threat response. I’ve developed a strong interest
in SOC operations, particularly real-time monitoring and handling early-stage incidents.
What draws me to your team is the opportunity to learn within a structured, high-visibility
SOC environment, while applying my skills in SIEM analysis and alert handling.

MONITORING AND ALERTING FUNDAMENTALS

Interviewer: What is a SIEM and what role does it play in a SOC?

Candidate:
SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management. It collects logs and events
from various sources, endpoints, servers, firewalls, identity systems and aggregates them
into one platform. In a SOC, SIEMs are used to detect anomalies, generate alerts, correlate
events and help analysts investigate and respond to threats.

Interviewer: Let’s say you're looking at a SIEM dashboard. What types of alerts do you
prioritise and why?

Candidate: I prioritise alerts involving:

• Repeated failed login attempts followed by a successful login (possible brute-force)

• Alerts on critical assets (e.g., domain controllers, file servers)
• Unusual geolocation login patterns
• Malware detection or suspicious process execution

Interviewer: How would you respond to an alert for multiple failed login attempts from a
single IP?

Candidate: I’d first review the source IP, the target account and the number of attempts. If
it’s an external IP attempting to log into a high-privilege account, I’d check for successful
logins afterward. I’d correlate it with firewall logs to see if the IP is trying multiple systems.
If suspicious, I’d escalate the case and recommend a temporary IP block or account
lockdown.

TRIAGE AND INVESTIGATION SCENARIOS

Interviewer: An alert shows Event ID 4625 repeated 50 times in one minute. What do you
do?

Candidate: Event ID 4625 indicates failed login attempts. I’d determine whether the
attempts are from one IP or multiple, whether they target one account or many and
whether there was a successful Event ID 4624 following them. If yes, this could indicate a
brute-force attack. I’d validate with login sources (VPN, RDP, web apps) and escalate to L2
if needed.

Interviewer: A user triggered a malware alert but reports they didn’t open any suspicious
files. What’s your next step?

Candidate: I’d review the alert details, what file was flagged, what process executed it and
what behaviour was observed (e.g., network connections, registry writes). I’d also check
browser history and email logs to see if anything was downloaded. If it appears benign or
false positive, I’d close it with documentation. Otherwise, escalate for deeper
investigation.

Interviewer: What’s your process for documenting an alert?

Candidate: I document:

• Date/time of alert
• Device or account affected
• Description of the alert and matching indicators
• Steps taken during triage
• Conclusion (false positive, true positive, under investigation)
• Escalation status and recipient (if any)

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

Interviewer: What’s the difference between Event ID 4625 and 4624? Why is that
important?

Candidate: 4625 is a failed login attempt; 4624 is a successful login. It’s important
because a pattern like multiple 4625s followed by a 4624 from the same source IP and
account could mean a successful brute-force attack. Monitoring these together helps
detect credential-based attacks.
Interviewer: How do you identify a phishing email if it didn’t trigger an alert?

Candidate: I check the full email headers, particularly the Return-Path, SPF, DKIM and
DMARC fields. I scan the body for suspicious URLs and analyse attachments in a sandbox.
I also compare it to known phishing templates and search for similar emails sent to other
users.

Interviewer: What types of logs would you check when investigating suspicious RDP
activity?

Candidate:

• Windows Security Logs: Event IDs 4624 (Logon), 4634 (Logoff), Logon Type 10 (RDP)
• Firewall logs: to check port 3389 access attempts
• Network logs: to verify RDP session duration or source IP
• EDR logs: to see if any malicious tools or commands were run post-RDP

DAY-TO-DAY SOC WORKFLOW

Interviewer: What’s your approach when receiving a high volume of alerts?

Candidate: I triage by severity and context. I look for:

• High-risk alerts affecting critical assets

• Alerts with known IOCs
• Alerts with supporting evidence from multiple sources

I mark lower-priority or obviously false alerts for bulk review later and focus first on
potential true positives.

Interviewer: How do you collaborate with L2 analysts or other teams?

Candidate: Once I validate a high-severity or unfamiliar alert, I escalate with full

documentation and clear reasoning. I include timelines, logs, affected systems and my
assessment. I follow up to learn how the case was handled so I can improve future triage.

Interviewer: What role does threat intelligence play in your workflow?

Candidate: I use threat intel feeds to enrich alerts, checking suspicious IPs or file hashes
against known threat lists like AbuseIPDB or VirusTotal. If I see new malware patterns in
alerts, I compare them to threat reports (e.g., Unit 42 or Talos) to understand if it’s part of a
known campaign.

Closing and Soft Skills

Interviewer: How do you stay current with cybersecurity trends as an L1 analyst?

Candidate: I follow threat intelligence blogs, participate in free labs like TryHackMe and
engage with the community on LinkedIn and GitHub. I also review MITRE ATT&CK
techniques and take notes from actual incidents to strengthen my knowledge base.

Interviewer: Why do you want to work in a SOC environment?

Candidate: I enjoy the structured, real-time nature of a SOC. It offers a learning-rich

environment where I can develop as an analyst, contribute to the security of the
organisation and grow into a more advanced role like L2 or threat hunter over time.

Interviewer: Final question: How do you respond when you make a mistake in triage?

Candidate: I take ownership, document the mistake and notify the relevant team quickly. I
review the error to understand the gap, whether it was knowledge-based or a visibility issue
and share lessons learned with my team. Mistakes are part of growth as long as we handle
them professionally.

Interviewer: Thank you. Do you have any questions for us?

Candidate: Yes, how do you onboard new analysts and are there structured playbooks or
mentoring in place during the initial phase?
SOC ANALYST L1 – SIMULATED INTERVIEW SET (SET 2)

INTRODUCTION

Interviewer: Good morning and thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. Can
you start by introducing yourself and sharing a bit about your background and how you got
into cybersecurity?

Candidate: Good morning. My name is Izzmier. I’ve been deeply involved in cybersecurity
for the past few years and started out with a strong interest in systems and network
fundamentals. Over time, I developed a passion for threat analysis, log monitoring and
investigating incidents, which naturally led me into a SOC environment. I've worked with
SIEM platforms like Splunk and have experience triaging alerts, investigating common
threats and writing incident summaries. I’m now looking to grow in a dedicated SOC
Analyst L1 position.

General Knowledge

Interviewer: What is the CIA Triad and why is it important in cybersecurity?

Candidate: The CIA Triad stands for Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability. It's a
foundational model in cybersecurity. Confidentiality ensures that data is accessible only to
authorised users. Integrity ensures data is accurate and hasn't been tampered with.
Availability ensures systems and data are accessible when needed. All security controls
should support one or more of these principles.

Interviewer: Can you name a few common types of cyber attacks that a SOC team might
deal with?

Candidate: Yes. Some of the common types include phishing, brute-force attacks,
malware infections, data exfiltration, lateral movement and denial of service attacks. Each
requires different detection strategies and triage techniques.

Interviewer: What are some typical sources of logs that you would monitor in a SOC?

Candidate: Typical log sources include Windows Event Logs, firewall logs, EDR logs,
authentication logs (like from Active Directory), email gateway logs, proxy logs and VPN
connection logs.

TECHNICAL QUESTIONS

Interviewer: How do you differentiate between a true positive and a false positive in an
alert?
Candidate: I begin by validating the context of the alert. For example, if an alert flags
multiple failed logins, I check whether the source IP is internal or external, whether the
login attempts were followed by successful access and if the account is a service or admin
account. Cross-verifying with user behaviour and other logs helps confirm whether it’s
malicious or benign.

Interviewer: What is the significance of Event ID 4625 and 4624 in Windows logs?

Candidate: Event ID 4625 indicates a failed login attempt, while 4624 shows a successful
login. These events are critical for identifying brute-force attempts or unauthorised access.
By correlating multiple 4625s followed by a 4624, we can detect a successful brute-force.

Interviewer: Can you explain what a SIEM is and what it’s used for in a SOC?

Candidate: SIEM stands for Security Information and Event Management. It collects and
aggregates logs from different systems, allowing analysts to detect threats via alerts, run
queries to hunt for indicators of compromise and generate reports for incidents or
compliance.

Interviewer: What would you look for in a suspicious PowerShell command?

Candidate: I’d look for Base64 encoded strings, use of Invoke-WebRequest or

DownloadString or execution of encoded commands using the -enc flag. These often
indicate script-based malware or command-and-control behaviour.

SCENARIO-BASED QUESTIONS

Interviewer: You’ve received an alert for a potential brute-force attack against a domain
admin account. What are your first steps?

Candidate: First, I’d gather all logs related to the alert: authentication logs, VPN logs if
applicable and any correlated firewall or EDR data. I’d verify the source IP and whether
multiple failed attempts were followed by a successful login. I’d then check if the domain
admin accessed any unusual systems or performed suspicious actions. If confirmed
malicious, I would escalate the alert, document findings and recommend blocking the
source IP or disabling the account.

Interviewer: An employee reports receiving a suspicious email. What do you do?

Candidate: I’d request the email headers and check if the sender’s domain is spoofed. I’d
analyse the attachment or links using a sandbox like ANY.RUN or VirusTotal. I’d also check
if similar emails were sent to others. If phishing is confirmed, I’d notify affected users,
block the sender or domain and trigger awareness if needed.
Interviewer: Let’s say you notice outbound traffic to an IP flagged by a threat intel feed.
How do you proceed?

Candidate: I’d identify the internal host involved and correlate with firewall, DNS and EDR
logs. I’d verify the process responsible and check for other signs of compromise like
abnormal process behaviour or registry changes. If confirmed malicious, I'd isolate the
host and escalate to L2 or IR team.

DAY-TO-DAY SOC TASKS

Interviewer: Walk me through your process for handling alerts on a daily basis.

Candidate: Each day begins by reviewing dashboards and the alert queue in the SIEM. I
prioritise alerts based on severity and asset value. For each alert, I review logs, enrich the
case with threat intelligence, check for related indicators and decide whether to escalate
or close as false positive. I document the investigation in the ticketing system with
sufficient detail and send notifications to clients or internal teams as needed.

Interviewer: How do you manage multiple alerts during a high-volume day?

Candidate: I follow a triage-first approach, categorising alerts quickly based on potential

impact and eliminating obvious false positives. I focus on high-severity alerts affecting
critical assets first, while logging basic info on lower-priority ones. Collaboration and
knowledge base references also help speed up resolution.

Interviewer: How familiar are you with writing incident documentation or alert
summaries?

Candidate: I regularly write incident summaries detailing the timeline, indicators,

impacted assets, root cause (if known) and recommended actions. I ensure the language
is clear for both technical teams and non-technical stakeholders like management.

HANDS-ON / TOOL FAMILIARITY

Interviewer: What SIEM platforms have you worked with and how comfortable are you
using queries?

Candidate: I’ve worked with Splunk and QRadar primarily. In Splunk, I can write custom
queries using search, stats and eval to filter logs, group data and detect patterns. For
example, to detect multiple failed logins:
index=auth sourcetype=WinEventLog:Security EventCode=4625 | stats count by src_ip,
user

Interviewer: Have you used any EDR platforms? What did you find useful?
Candidate: Yes, I’ve used Cortex XDR and Defender for Endpoint. What I find most useful
is the visibility into process chains, seeing if a malicious .docx file launched PowerShell or
downloaded malware. The ability to isolate hosts is also critical during live incidents.

Interviewer: How do you use VirusTotal or threat intelligence platforms during an

investigation?

Candidate: I use VirusTotal to check file hashes, URLs and IPs. It helps confirm if an
indicator is known-malicious and shows AV detections and behavioural patterns. I also
reference AbuseIPDB and URLScan.io to check IP reputation and webpage snapshots.

COMMUNICATION AND CLOSING

Interviewer: Communication is key in SOC. How do you ensure your findings are clearly
conveyed to others?

Candidate: I ensure all alerts are documented with a clear narrative, what was detected,
how it was analysed and what the impact or risk is. I avoid jargon for non-technical
recipients and I structure my writing in a way that makes it easy to act upon.

Interviewer: Why do you want to work as a SOC Analyst L1 at our company?

Candidate: I’m passionate about continuous learning and hands-on incident analysis.
Your company offers a structured SOC environment with room to grow, which aligns with
my goals. I enjoy solving real-world threats and contributing to defending infrastructure
through effective detection and response.

Interviewer: Do you have any questions for us?

Candidate: Yes. I’d like to know more about the typical onboarding process for a new SOC
analyst here. Also, how does the team handle knowledge sharing or post-incident reviews?

Would you like this turned into a formatted PDF for printing or use in practice mock
interviews? I can also generate sample documentation based on alerts to simulate hands-
on ticketing tasks.
SOC ANALYST L2 – SIMULATED INTERVIEW (SET 1)

INTRODUCTION

Interviewer: Welcome back and thank you for continuing with this interview series. Please
introduce yourself again briefly and share a case where you handled a malware infection in
a SOC environment.

Candidate: Thank you. I’m an experienced cybersecurity analyst with several years in SOC
environments, having progressed from L1 to L2 roles. One notable malware case involved
a targeted phishing campaign that led to execution of a remote access trojan. I collected
EDR logs, extracted memory dumps and traced execution via SIEM and firewall logs. After
containment, I documented the malware’s techniques and updated our detection logic
accordingly.

DEEP TECHNICAL ANALYSIS

Interviewer: Let’s dive into that. How do you identify a potentially malicious process on a
compromised host?

Candidate: I begin by reviewing the EDR telemetry: parent-child process relationships,

command-line arguments, unusual binaries running from temp directories or scripts
launched by Office macros. I check the process hash in VirusTotal, observe the creation
time and compare it to user activity. If I see unusual PowerShell or LOLBIN usage, that’s an
immediate red flag. If needed, I escalate to memory acquisition and sandbox analysis.

Interviewer: Describe your process for collecting and analysing a memory dump.

Candidate: I use tools like DumpIt or Magnet RAM Capture to collect memory. I analyse
the image using Volatility, starting with:

• pslist, pstree: Process list validation

• netscan: Suspicious network connections
• malfind: Potential code injection
• dlllist: Detecting untrusted DLLs I search for signs of persistence, injected code or
credential harvesting tools. If I find injected memory or rogue command execution, I
pivot to log correlation and isolate affected hosts.

Interviewer: How do you confirm if malware achieved persistence?

Candidate: I search for:

• Registry Run keys (HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)

• Scheduled tasks or services created post-infection
 • DLLs dropped in startup directories
• WMI event consumers or modified login scripts

If I detect any of these and correlate with EDR timestamps and abnormal reboot actions, I
classify the infection as persistent and report accordingly.

LOG CORRELATION AND BEHAVIOUR ANALYSIS

Interviewer: A malware alert fires in the EDR, but the SIEM shows no alerts. What do you
do?

Candidate: I manually pull related Windows Event Logs, looking at 4688 (process
creation), 4624/4625 (logon) and PowerShell logging (4104/4103). I also check firewall logs
for outbound traffic, especially to rare geolocations or known C2 domains. I compare the
EDR findings to SIEM log ingestion time to confirm whether it’s a visibility issue or ingestion
delay. If SIEM missed it entirely, I document it as a detection gap.

Interviewer: Give an example of how you used EDR, SIEM and firewall logs together in an
investigation.

Candidate: In a past incident, the EDR showed winword.exe spawning powershell.exe with
a Base64-encoded command. The SIEM logs showed 4624 logons and 4688 process
creation matching the same timestamp. Firewall logs revealed outbound HTTP POST traffic
to an IP in Russia. Putting it all together, we confirmed malware execution and exfiltration. I
isolated the host, exported the malicious script and provided full documentation to the IR
team for containment and cleanup.

CASE DOCUMENTATION AND MITIGATION

Interviewer: How do you document malware analysis findings for technical and non-
technical audiences?

Candidate: For technical audiences, I include:

• Detailed IOC list (hashes, domains, IPs, TTPs)

• Process execution tree
• Timeline of infection
• Screenshots from sandbox/Volatility analysis
• ATT&CK mappings

For non-technical stakeholders, I summarise:

• Incident overview
• Business impact
 • Actions taken
• Recommendations to prevent recurrence

I make sure the report is split into executive summary and detailed appendix for different
audiences.

Interviewer: What would you recommend post-incident after analysing a confirmed

malware case?

Candidate:

• Patch any exploited vulnerabilities

• Reset compromised credentials
• Review and improve detection coverage
• Update SIEM/EDR rules with new IOCs
• Conduct tabletop reviews with relevant teams
• Deliver a user awareness reminder if phishing was the vector

TEAM DYNAMICS AND PRACTICAL QUESTIONS

Interviewer: How do you work with threat intel during a malware investigation?

Candidate: I enrich IOCs by querying VirusTotal, Hybrid Analysis and internal TI platforms.
I cross-reference with MISP or commercial feeds to check if the hash or IP is part of known
campaigns. If it’s linked to an APT or crimeware family, I raise the priority and notify the
threat intel team for potential YARA/Sigma rule enrichment.

Interviewer: What’s your approach to tuning detection rules to reduce false positives?

Candidate: I analyse patterns across historical data, e.g., which alerts triggered but were
consistently benign. I adjust the logic with:

• Process exclusions
• Frequency thresholds
• Contextual filters (e.g., alert only on admin accounts) I always test in a dev SIEM
environment before pushing to production and work with L1 teams for feedback.

Interviewer: Final question, how do you improve as an L2 analyst?

Candidate: I continuously study real-world threat reports, reverse malware samples in a

controlled lab and experiment with detection engineering via custom Sigma/YARA rules. I
also engage with red teams and participate in incident post-mortems to improve both my
technical depth and threat anticipation skills.
Interviewer: Thank you. Do you have any final questions?

Candidate: Yes, how does your SOC structure handoffs between L2 and IR teams and do
you maintain a threat detection engineering pipeline?
SOC ANALYST L2 – SIMULATED INTERVIEW (SET 1)

INTRODUCTION

Interviewer: Good afternoon. Let’s begin with a brief introduction. Can you walk me
through your cybersecurity journey and how you’ve grown into an L2 SOC Analyst?

Candidate: nGood afternoon. I started my cybersecurity career focusing on L1

responsibilities, primarily triaging alerts, handling ticketing workflows and dealing with
low- to medium-level incidents. Over time, I took the initiative to study advanced threat
behaviours, work closely with threat intelligence sources and conduct deeper
investigations. I gradually started leading root cause analyses, building detection logic and
performing malware sandboxing and reverse engineering. This experience has shaped my
ability to function effectively in an L2 role.

GENERAL AND TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE

Interviewer: Can you explain the difference between L1 and L2 analysts in a SOC?

Candidate: L1 analysts focus on alert triage, basic analysis and escalating potential
incidents. L2 analysts take escalated cases further by conducting deep investigations,
validating threat indicators, correlating multiple data sources and recommending
containment and eradication actions. L2 also works closely with threat hunters, incident
responders and sometimes red teams to refine detection logic and handle complex
threats.

Interviewer: Describe the MITRE ATT&CK framework. How do you use it in your
investigations?

Candidate: MITRE ATT&CK is a knowledge base of adversary tactics, techniques and

procedures (TTPs). During investigations, I use it to map out attacker behaviours,
understand what stage of the attack chain we’re in and identify potential next steps. It
helps in both reactive investigations and proactive detection development.

Interviewer: What are some key artifacts you look for in a malware-infected endpoint?

Candidate: Key artifacts include:

• Unusual processes or child-parent relationships

• Registry persistence keys
• File hashes and dropped executables
• Scheduled tasks or services created
• Network connections to suspicious IPs
• PowerShell or WMI commands in logs
THREAT HUNTING AND DETECTION

Interviewer: How do you conduct a threat hunt from scratch?

Candidate: I start with a hypothesis, such as “A user clicked on a phishing link and
established C2 communication.” I gather relevant data sets, EDR logs, DNS logs, proxy
logs, firewall logs. I then build queries to search for anomalies: large DNS queries, rare
parent-child process chains, abnormal PowerShell usage or rare outbound destinations. I
use tools like Splunk, ELK or Sentinel and map findings to MITRE techniques to identify
patterns that may bypass existing detection rules.

Interviewer: How do you differentiate between commodity malware and APT activity?

Candidate: Commodity malware is often widespread and noisy, relying on standard tools
like info-stealers or simple ransomware. APT activity is usually stealthy, using living-off-
the-land techniques, custom tooling and lateral movement over time. Indicators include
encrypted payloads, use of legitimate admin tools (e.g., PsExec), long dwell time and
unusual access patterns during off-hours.

Interviewer: Tell me about a time you developed a custom detection rule.

Candidate: I noticed multiple alerts involving PowerShell spawning from Office

applications, but some weren’t flagged due to obfuscation. I created a rule to detect Office
spawning PowerShell with any Base64-encoded command and added frequency
correlation to reduce noise. This rule later detected a targeted attack using a malicious
Excel file in a phishing campaign.

MALWARE ANALYSIS AND ADVANCED INVESTIGATION

Interviewer: Walk me through how you’d investigate a suspicious file found on an

endpoint.

Candidate: I start by hashing the file and uploading it to VirusTotal to get AV verdicts and
metadata. If it’s unknown or suspicious, I run it in a sandbox like ANY.RUN to observe
behaviour, network traffic, process tree, registry modifications. Simultaneously, I analyse
static properties (PE headers, strings, imports). I correlate findings with threat intel and
endpoint logs to understand if it was executed and by which user. If live hosts are
impacted, I initiate containment.

Interviewer: How do you handle a case where there is no alert, but you suspect lateral
movement?

Candidate: I perform lateral movement hunts by checking for use of RDP, WMI or PsExec
between internal hosts. I review Windows Event ID 4624 with logon type 10 or 3, examine
the source and target and look for privilege escalation or pass-the-hash activity. If needed,
I script queries to identify anomalous movement patterns over a timeline.

Interviewer: What indicators would signal a ransomware deployment phase?

Candidate: Indicators include:

• Sudden encryption of file systems

• Presence of ransom notes
• Mass deletion of shadow copies via vssadmin delete
• Process spawning like cmd.exe > powershell.exe > suspicious batch files
• Network scans or attempts to encrypt shared drives
• Use of tools like wevtutil or schtasks to cover tracks

REPORTING, DOCUMENTATION AND STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION

Interviewer: How do you structure your incident reports?

Candidate: I use a consistent structure:

1. Executive Summary
2. Timeline of Events
3. Initial Detection and Alert Source
4. Root Cause Analysis
5. Indicators of Compromise
6. Impact Assessment
7. Actions Taken
8. Recommendations I tailor language based on the audience, detailed for IR teams,
concise for management.

Interviewer: Have you ever led a post-incident review? What was your role?

Candidate: Yes, after a malware incident targeting our finance department. I presented
the findings, explained the attack chain using ATT&CK mappings and highlighted detection
gaps. I coordinated with the red team and engineering to improve EDR visibility and update
detection rules.

Interviewer: How do you collaborate with threat intelligence or red teams?

Candidate: I use threat intel feeds to enrich alerts and hunts. When collaborating with red
teams, I review their attack simulation logs and map techniques missed by our tools, then
create detection rules. This feedback loop helps mature our detection capability.

TOOLING, AUTOMATION AND CLOSING

Interviewer: Which tools are you most comfortable with in deep investigations?

Candidate: SIEMs: Splunk and Sentinel

EDR: Cortex XDR, Defender, CrowdStrike
Sandbox: ANY.RUN, Hybrid Analysis
Threat Intel: VirusTotal, AbuseIPDB, MISP
Malware: PEStudio, strings, CyberChef, YARA
Automation: I use Python and Sigma rules for detection logic and SOAR for basic playbook
workflows

Interviewer: Have you used SOAR? What kind of playbooks did you work on?

Candidate: Yes. I worked on automating phishing triage:

• Extract URLs and hashes from email

• Auto-check with VirusTotal
• Search similar alerts in SIEM
• If malicious, isolate endpoint and notify user
It cut triage time by 70 percent.

Interviewer: Why do you want to be part of our SOC as an L2 Analyst?

Candidate: I’m ready for deeper technical challenges and your SOC’s maturity offers
opportunities to grow in threat hunting and incident response. I want to contribute to
proactive defence, mentor junior analysts and help drive detection engineering forward.

Interviewer: Any final questions?

Candidate: Yes, how does your team structure threat hunting sprints and how involved are
L2 analysts in detection engineering or purple teaming?

Would you like this turned into a training PDF or want follow-up mock tasks like:

• Malware analysis hands-on simulation

• Threat hunt hypothesis challenge
• Report writing based on a simulated breach?
INCIDENT RESPONDER – SIMULATED INTERVIEW (SET 1)

INTRODUCTION

Interviewer: Thanks for joining us. Can you briefly introduce yourself and explain your
hands-on experience dealing with ransomware incidents?

Candidate: Certainly. I'm an incident responder with several years in SOC and IR
environments. I’ve handled multiple ransomware cases, including user-reported infections
and wider network impact. My response involves isolating compromised systems,
acquiring volatile evidence, analysing the ransomware behaviour and working with IT
teams to restore from backups while preventing re-infection. I also document findings and
lead after-action reviews to strengthen future resilience.

RANSOMWARE RESPONSE SCENARIO

Interviewer: A user reports they can't open any files and sees a ransom note. Walk me
through your immediate response steps.

Candidate: First, I instruct the user to disconnect from the network if possible. I
immediately isolate the system using EDR tools or network-level controls. I collect volatile
data, running processes, network connections, clipboard and logged-on users. Then, I
acquire a memory dump and preserve disk images. I identify the ransomware strain using
the note, file extensions and encrypted headers. I also check for lateral movement or
scheduled tasks to ensure the threat is contained.

Interviewer: If the ransomware has encrypted files on a shared drive, what additional
actions would you take?

Candidate: I’d identify all users with access to that drive and investigate each for signs of
infection. I’d disconnect the shared drive, block related hash signatures across the
network and use the last clean backup to recover affected files. I’d also analyse access
logs and timestamps to determine when encryption started and which host initiated it.

LIVE RESPONSE AND CONTAINMENT

Interviewer: What tools do you use to perform live response and collect evidence from a
compromised endpoint?

Candidate: For live response, I use:

• Sysinternals Suite: handle, tcpview, pslist

• FTK Imager or Magnet RAM Capture: for disk/memory imaging
• Cyber Triage or Velociraptor: for rapid triage
 • Volatility: for memory analysis
• KAPE: to collect triage artifacts (registry, browser history, prefetch)

I prioritise time-sensitive data, avoid contamination and document the exact process and
hash of tools used.

Interviewer: What’s your process for isolating a host during an active attack?

Candidate: If EDR is available (e.g., Defender for Endpoint, CrowdStrike), I use the
isolation feature directly. If not, I coordinate with the network team to disable the port or
VLAN. In some cases, we remove the host’s wireless connection or block its MAC address
via NAC. I also communicate with the affected user to ensure they’re aware and do not
attempt reboot or recovery without guidance.

ANALYSIS AND ROOT CAUSE IDENTIFICATION

Interviewer: How do you identify the initial vector of a ransomware infection?

Candidate: I correlate user activity with logs:

• Email gateway logs (phishing link or malicious attachment)

• Web proxy logs (drive-by download or malicious domain)
• USB activity logs (removable media)
• Process execution (e.g., Office spawning PowerShell or script engine)
• User login patterns (initial access time, lateral movement)

I work backwards from encryption timestamp to identify patient zero and how the malware
entered the environment.

Interviewer: What indicators confirm that ransomware was deployed manually via lateral
movement?

Candidate: Signs include:

• RDP or PsExec used before deployment

• Lateral movement logs (Event ID 4624 Type 10 or 3 across hosts)
• Use of scheduled tasks or batch scripts
• Consistent timestamps of vssadmin delete and encryption commands across
systems
• Custom payloads or use of Mimikatz prior to deployment

RECOVERY, REPORTING AND COMMUNICATION

Interviewer: How do you decide whether to restore from backup or reimage the system?
Candidate: If the system is fully encrypted and there’s no sign of deeper compromise (e.g.,
credential theft or rootkits), we restore from the latest clean backup. If there’s evidence of
privilege escalation or advanced persistence, I recommend reimaging and rebuilding.
Restoration depends on asset criticality, recovery time objectives and backup integrity.

Interviewer: How do you communicate incident updates during a live ransomware attack?

Candidate: I maintain a dedicated incident bridge. I provide structured updates every 30–
60 minutes covering containment progress, affected systems and next steps. I ensure
clear escalation paths to IT, leadership, legal and possibly law enforcement. All updates
are documented in a shared IR log.

Interviewer: What should be included in a ransomware incident report?

Candidate:

• Executive summary and timeline

• Malware strain and behaviour
• Root cause and initial access vector
• Affected systems and business impact
• Containment and eradication steps
• Recovery actions
• Recommendations to improve defences
• Lessons learned and missed detection opportunities

FINAL QUESTIONS

Interviewer: How do you stay prepared for fast-moving ransomware campaigns?

Candidate: I stay current with ransomware IOCs from feeds like Mandiant, Unit 42 and
BleepingComputer. I run regular tabletop exercises, tune EDR/SIEM rules and work with
red teamers to simulate attacks. I also ensure our IR toolkit is always updated and
accessible.

Interviewer: Why do you want this Incident Response position?

Candidate: I’m passionate about responding to real threats and protecting organisations
in high-stakes moments. I bring strong technical skills, calm decision-making and a
structured methodology to the IR process. This role would allow me to apply and deepen
my skills while contributing meaningfully to your blue team’s strength.

Interviewer: Do you have any final questions?

Candidate: Yes, do you follow a specific IR framework like NIST or SANS and how involved
is the IR team in detection tuning or purple teaming with red teams?
INCIDENT RESPONDER – SIMULATED INTERVIEW (SET 2)

Interviewer: Thanks for joining us today. Could you start by telling us about your
cybersecurity background and what attracted you to incident response?

Candidate: Thank you. I’ve been working in cybersecurity for several years, starting with
SOC L1 responsibilities and gradually progressing into more technical roles, including
deep investigations, threat hunting and malware analysis. What drew me to incident
response was the hands-on aspect of actively stopping attacks, understanding adversary
behaviour in real-time and reducing business impact. I find it rewarding to respond,
contain and recover systems after an incident while learning from each case.

GENERAL IR KNOWLEDGE

Interviewer: Walk me through the phases of an incident response lifecycle.

Candidate: I follow the NIST 800-61 framework, which breaks the IR process into six
phases:

1. Preparation – Establishing policies, tools and response plans.

2. Detection and Analysis – Identifying signs of compromise through monitoring and
investigation.
3. Containment – Limiting the spread of the incident.
4. Eradication – Removing the root cause, such as malware or compromised
accounts.
5. Recovery – Restoring systems to normal operation.
6. Post-Incident Activity – Reviewing lessons learned and updating procedures.

Interviewer: How do you define an "incident" in your environment?

Candidate: An incident is any confirmed or suspected breach of security policy that could
compromise confidentiality, integrity or availability. It ranges from malware infections and
account takeovers to unauthorised access or data exfiltration. We use pre-defined use
cases and business impact thresholds to classify incidents.

THREAT RESPONSE SCENARIOS

Interviewer: Let’s say a user reports ransomware on their machine. What do you do?

Candidate: First, I’d instruct the user to disconnect the device from the network if
possible. Then, I’d access the machine remotely (if still reachable), isolate it through EDR
or network segmentation and preserve volatile memory and disk images for analysis. I’d
check logs for execution paths, parent processes, ransom notes and if any files were
encrypted on shared drives. I would coordinate with the SOC to identify lateral movement,
apply containment on other endpoints if necessary and begin recovery based on backup
policies.

Interviewer: What steps do you take if you detect unauthorised access to an admin
account?

Candidate: Immediate containment is critical. I’d:

• Disable the account

• Identify how the access occurred (e.g., password spray, credential theft)
• Review logs: successful/failed login attempts, session creation, actions taken
• Check endpoints used by the attacker
• Scan for persistence mechanisms
• If privileged actions were taken, escalate containment and initiate forensic
collection

FORENSICS AND ANALYSIS

Interviewer: What types of forensic evidence do you collect during an incident?

Candidate: It depends on the scenario, but typical evidence includes:

• Memory dumps (e.g., via FTK Imager, DumpIt)

• Disk images (full or targeted partition capture)
• Windows Event Logs and Security logs
• Browser history, LNK files and recent activity artifacts
• Prefetch files and registry keys for persistence
• Volatile data such as running processes, network connections and loaded DLLs

Interviewer: How do you analyse suspicious processes on a compromised system?

Candidate: I start by capturing a memory image and reviewing it with tools like Volatility or
PE-sieve. I check the process list for anomalies, suspicious parent-child chains, unsigned
binaries, injected memory or abnormal network connections. I hash the binaries, check on
VirusTotal and if needed, detonate them in a sandbox for behaviour analysis.

Interviewer: How do you identify lateral movement in an ongoing attack?

Candidate: I look for:

• Remote access methods like PsExec, WMI, RDP

• Unusual logon patterns (Event ID 4624 Type 3/10)
• Host-to-host SMB or PowerShell connections
• Account usage across multiple machines in a short time
 • Suspicious service installations or scheduled tasks created remotely

TOOLS AND REAL-TIME RESPONSE

Interviewer: Which tools do you rely on during active incident response?

Candidate:

• EDR: Cortex XDR, Defender for Endpoint, CrowdStrike – for isolation, process
tracking
• SIEM: Splunk, Sentinel – for log correlation and alert review
• Forensics: Volatility, FTK Imager, PEStudio, CyberChef
• IR Platforms: TheHive, Cortex Analyser, MISP
• SOAR: For automated response (e.g., account disabling, IOC enrichment)
• Threat Intel: VirusTotal, AbuseIPDB, URLScan.io, Shodan

Interviewer: Have you written any scripts or automation for IR?

Candidate: Yes. I’ve written PowerShell scripts for bulk IOC searching in Windows logs,
automated memory acquisition with preloaded tools and Python scripts to parse EDR
export files for anomaly detection. I’ve also worked with SOAR playbooks to automate
initial triage steps like isolating hosts and notifying stakeholders.

COMMUNICATION AND POST-INCIDENT

Interviewer: Describe how you communicate during a live incident with multiple
stakeholders.

Candidate: I ensure clear communication using a central incident bridge. I maintain

timelines, issue updates in regular intervals and provide clear separation of facts vs
hypotheses. I coordinate with legal, HR or PR teams if required and escalate decisions to
appropriate levels. I document everything in real time and follow a structured
communication plan.

Interviewer: How do you conduct a post-incident review?

Candidate: I conduct a root cause analysis and timeline reconstruction, map the attack to
MITRE ATT&CK and identify missed detection opportunities. I create a lessons learned
report and recommend action items like detection rule updates, control improvements
and user awareness. We hold a review session with all involved teams to validate findings
and refine future response.

Interviewer: Final question, what makes you a strong fit for this role?
Candidate: I bring a hands-on, calm-under-pressure approach to incident response,
backed by deep technical understanding and cross-functional collaboration skills. I’ve
responded to a range of incidents, ransomware, credential compromise and insider
threats and always look for ways to improve both our detection and response posture.

Interviewer: Thank you. Do you have any questions for us?

Candidate: Yes, how does your team divide responsibilities between detection and
response? And do analysts have the opportunity to participate in tabletop exercises or
purple team engagements?
GRC/COMPLIANCE ANALYST – SIMULATED INTERVIEW (SET 1)

INTRODUCTION

Interviewer: Good afternoon. Thank you for applying to our GRC/Compliance Analyst role.
To start, can you share your background and how it led you to focus on framework
alignment and audit preparation?

Candidate: Good afternoon. My background spans SOC operations and security

architecture, but over time, I’ve gravitated toward governance and compliance. I’ve been
involved in several projects that required mapping organisational controls to the NIST
Cybersecurity Framework and preparing documentation for ISO 27001 audits. I enjoy
translating technical controls into compliance language and helping organisations mature
their security posture in line with recognised standards.

FRAMEWORK KNOWLEDGE AND CONTROL MAPPING

Interviewer: How do you approach mapping technical controls to the NIST Cybersecurity
Framework?

Candidate: I begin by understanding the organisation’s current controls, technical,

procedural and administrative. I then map these to the five NIST CSF functions: Identify,
Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. For example, a firewall rule set aligns with the
“Protect” function under Access Control (PR.AC). I document each mapping in a control
register, assess control maturity and note gaps for treatment planning.

Interviewer: How do you determine whether a control is sufficient or needs improvement?

Candidate: I assess controls based on:

• Coverage (whether they fully meet the requirement)

• Maturity (ad-hoc vs repeatable vs optimised)
• Supporting evidence (logs, screenshots, config files)
• Test results from internal audits or external assessments

If a control lacks documentation or monitoring, I mark it for enhancement, even if it

partially meets the requirement.

Interviewer: What’s the difference between NIST CSF and ISO 27001 when mapping
controls?

Candidate: NIST CSF is a flexible, voluntary framework designed to guide cybersecurity

risk management. It’s more prescriptive in structure but not certifiable. ISO 27001 is a
formal standard focused on implementing and maintaining an Information Security
Management System (ISMS). It includes Annex A controls and requires clear policies,
procedures and evidence for certification. While NIST CSF is helpful for gap analysis, ISO
27001 requires governance formalisation and third-party audits.

ISO 27001 AUDIT PREPARATION

Interviewer: Walk me through how you prepare an organisation for an ISO 27001
compliance audit.

Candidate: I start by defining the scope of the ISMS, people, systems and processes. Then
I conduct a gap assessment against ISO 27001 controls. For each gap, I work with control
owners to implement missing policies, procedures or evidence mechanisms. I develop and
document risk assessments, SoA (Statement of Applicability) and internal audit plans.
Closer to the audit, I run mock interviews and gather evidence packages aligned with
Annex A requirements.

Interviewer: What documentation is essential for a successful ISO 27001 audit?

Candidate:

• Information Security Policy

• Risk Assessment and Risk Treatment Plan
• Statement of Applicability
• Control Implementation Records
• Incident Response Plan
• Asset Inventory
• Internal Audit Reports
• Management Review Minutes
• Evidence for each Annex A control implemented

These documents demonstrate control presence, implementation and ongoing review.

Interviewer: How do you handle a finding during a pre-audit?

Candidate: I assess the finding’s severity and identify whether it’s due to a missing
control, poor documentation or ineffective implementation. I immediately assign it to the
relevant owner, set a corrective action deadline and track resolution in an audit tracking
system. I also update procedures if the root cause is process-related.

RISK, GOVERNANCE AND POLICY ENGAGEMENT

Interviewer: How do you integrate risk management into the GRC function?
Candidate: I tie risk assessments to our compliance and governance efforts. For each
business unit, I identify key assets, threats and vulnerabilities. I assess likelihood and
impact, prioritise risks and propose treatments aligned with the risk appetite. Risks are
reviewed during governance meetings and tracked to closure with mitigation actions
assigned.

Interviewer: What’s your process for updating security policies?

Candidate: I review policies annually or after major organisational or regulatory changes. I

consult control owners to validate technical relevance, legal for compliance updates and
users for clarity. Once updated, I submit them to the governance committee for approval,
then publish through internal communication channels and track acknowledgments.

Interviewer: How do you ensure that different departments follow security governance?

Candidate: I work closely with department heads to align security controls with their
workflows. I avoid one-size-fits-all policies and instead propose risk-based exceptions
where necessary. I also use dashboards to show compliance status by department,
making it visible and accountable.

CULTURE, METRICS AND FINAL QUESTIONS

Interviewer: How do you promote a culture of compliance without being overly restrictive?

Candidate: I focus on awareness and engagement. I explain the “why” behind

requirements and involve teams in control design. For example, involving DevOps in
secure configuration checklists. I also gather feedback, implement low-friction controls
and celebrate compliance milestones. The goal is to embed security as an enabler, not a
blocker.

Interviewer: What metrics do you track to measure compliance and control effectiveness?

Candidate:

• Control testing pass/fail rates

• Audit findings and time to resolution
• Policy acknowledgment rates
• Patch compliance percentage
• Number of risk exceptions and treatment closure rates
• Maturity scores by control domain (based on NIST CSF or COBIT)

These help report GRC progress to leadership and adjust priorities.

Interviewer: Final question, why do you want to work in this GRC/Compliance role?
Candidate: mI enjoy building structured, scalable security programmes. Governance and
compliance allow me to contribute to long-term maturity, align security with business
objectives and reduce risk through measurable, repeatable processes. I’m excited to
support an organisation’s journey toward trusted and audit-ready cybersecurity.

Interviewer: Thank you. Do you have any questions for us?

Candidate: Yes, how mature is your current GRC programme and which tools or
frameworks are currently in use across your compliance and audit functions?
GRC/COMPLIANCE ANALYST – SIMULATED INTERVIEW (SET 2)

INTRODUCTION

Interviewer: Good morning. Thanks for joining us today. Can you start by introducing
yourself and explaining how your background led you to pursue a role in GRC and
cybersecurity compliance?

Candidate: Good morning. I’ve worked across multiple cybersecurity domains, including
SOC operations, incident response and threat management. Over time, I developed a
strong interest in the governance side, particularly how policies, risk controls and
frameworks influence security posture. I believe GRC is critical in building sustainable,
compliant and well-aligned cybersecurity practices across an organisation. I’ve worked on
mapping controls to ISO 27001, reviewing policies against regulatory requirements and
assisting in audit preparation.

GOVERNANCE AND POLICY

Interviewer: Can you explain what GRC means in the context of cybersecurity?

Candidate: GRC stands for Governance, Risk and Compliance. In cybersecurity,

governance refers to how security decisions are made and enforced through policies and
leadership. Risk involves identifying, assessing and mitigating threats that could impact
the organisation. Compliance ensures adherence to internal and external standards, laws
or frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST or PDPA. Together, GRC ensures security is both
strategic and accountable.

Interviewer: What is your experience with writing or reviewing cybersecurity policies?

Candidate: I’ve participated in drafting policies such as Acceptable Use, Access Control
and Data Classification. My process includes referencing relevant frameworks, aligning
with regulatory obligations and ensuring the language is both enforceable and
understandable. I also review policies annually to ensure they reflect updated threats,
business changes and compliance requirements.

Interviewer: How do you ensure that policies are implemented effectively in technical
environments?

Candidate: Policies must be enforceable and monitored. I work with technical teams to
translate policy into actionable controls, such as configuring MFA for access control,
setting data retention periods on storage systems or ensuring encryption standards are
enforced. I also support control testing and gap assessments to validate implementation.

RISK MANAGEMENT AND FRAMEWORKS

Interviewer: Can you walk me through a risk assessment process?

Candidate: Certainly. The process involves:

1. Identifying assets and their value to the business

2. Identifying threats and vulnerabilities that apply to those assets
3. Assessing the likelihood and impact of each risk
4. Prioritising the risks using a risk matrix
5. Recommending mitigation strategies, avoidance, reduction, transfer or acceptance
6. Documenting the results in a risk register and tracking remediation plans

Interviewer: What are some key differences between ISO 27001 and NIST Cybersecurity
Framework?

Candidate: ISO 27001 is a certifiable standard focused on establishing an Information

Security Management System (ISMS). It requires formal documentation, control objectives
and continuous improvement. NIST CSF, on the other hand, is a flexible guideline that
defines five functions, Identify, Protect, Detect, Respond, Recover. It’s commonly used for
risk assessments and control maturity mapping. ISO is more formal and widely used for
audits, while NIST is practical and widely adopted in the US and for internal alignment.

Interviewer: Have you worked on compliance with Malaysia’s PDPA or other local
regulations?

Candidate: Yes, I’ve reviewed our data processing practices against PDPA requirements,
such as obtaining user consent, defining data retention policies and ensuring personal
data is not transferred unlawfully. I also collaborated with legal and IT to draft privacy
statements, design secure data handling procedures and respond to data subject access
requests.

AUDITS, CONTROL MAPPING AND MONITORING

Interviewer: Describe your role during internal or external security audits.

Candidate: I assist with audit preparation by reviewing control implementation, collecting

evidence (example, system configs, logs, screenshots) and mapping controls to audit
criteria. During audits, I support interviews, answer auditor questions and ensure accurate
documentation. Post-audit, I track audit findings and support remediation with
stakeholders.

Interviewer: How do you map technical controls to policy or framework requirements?

Candidate: I use control matrices that align technical configurations or procedures to

specific framework clauses. For example, enforcing password complexity through Active
Directory aligns with ISO 27001 Annex A.9.2.4. I also leverage GRC platforms or
spreadsheets to maintain mappings and evidence trails, which support both internal
governance and audit preparation.

Interviewer: How do you measure the effectiveness of security controls?

Candidate: Effectiveness is measured through regular control testing, audits and incident
trends. I use metrics such as:

• Percentage of systems with MFA enforced

• Patch compliance rates
• Number of control failures or audit findings
• Completion rate of awareness training These metrics feed into dashboards or
scorecards reviewed with leadership.

COMMUNICATION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

Interviewer: How do you ensure alignment between business units and cybersecurity
governance?

Candidate: I hold regular governance meetings with key stakeholders, such as IT, HR and
Finance, to align on control objectives and priorities. I explain security requirements in
business terms, how they reduce risk, meet regulatory needs or enable continuity. I also
translate feedback from these units into more practical control designs.

Interviewer: Have you participated in or led security awareness programmes?

Candidate: Yes. I’ve helped design and launch awareness campaigns, including simulated
phishing tests, monthly newsletters and short training modules on topics like secure data
handling or password hygiene. I also gather user feedback and monitor metrics such as
completion rates and failure rates in simulations to improve content.

SCENARIO AND CLOSING QUESTIONS

Interviewer: A business unit is resisting the implementation of a new policy. How would
you handle this?

Candidate: I’d begin by understanding their concerns, whether it's operational impact,
cost or lack of clarity. Then I’d communicate the risk of non-compliance, using relevant
examples or regulatory context. I’d offer options for phased implementation, alternative
controls or compensating measures. The goal is to collaborate rather than enforce in a
vacuum.

Interviewer: Final question, why should we hire you as our GRC/Compliance Analyst?
Candidate: I bring both a technical and governance perspective. My background in SOC
and incident response helps me understand real-world threats, while my GRC experience
allows me to shape policy, manage risk and ensure compliance holistically. I
communicate well with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and I’m committed
to helping organisations build sustainable, audit-ready cybersecurity governance.

Interviewer: Thank you. Do you have any questions for us?

Candidate: Yes, how is the GRC function structured in your organisation and what
frameworks or tools do you currently use to manage compliance and risk?