Incident Responder

Interview Questions
 TABLE OF
COTENTS

01 Pre-Preparing

04 General

09 Network

11 Event Log

13 DFIR
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Pre-preparing
First, fully understand what kind of role you are
applying for. For instance, you should be aware of the
responsibilities and challenges faced by Incident
Responder if you're seeking a position as an Incident
Responder.
Make sure that you know about the company you are
applying for. Will you be providing support to several
businesses concurrently, or is the business seeking
an internal SOC?
If you have a friend who works at the company you
are applying to, talk to them to find out what kind of
difficulties they have encountered in the past.
Do not share your salary expectations during the
interview. An answer like: "I believe my salary
expectations are within your range. If things go well, I
will be open to your suggestions at the proposal
stage.”
Make sure you know the salary range of the job
you're applying for. For example, you can ask for
advice on Reddit.
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General Incident Response

Interview Questions:
What is an incident?
In general, an incident is a violation of computer security
policies, acceptable use policies, or standard computer
security practices. Examples of incidents include:
An attacker commands a botnet to send high
volumes of connection requests to one of an
organization’s web servers, causing it to crash.
Users are tricked into opening an emailed “quarterly
report”, which is actually malware, and running the
tool has infected their computers and established
connections to an external host.
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What is incident handling - response?

Incident handling is the process of detecting, analyzing,
and limiting the impact of incidents. For example, if an
attacker breaks into a system via the Internet, the
incident handling process should detect the breach.
Incident handlers will then analyze the data and
determine the level of severity of the attack. The
incident will then be prioritized, and the incident
handlers will take appropriate action to ensure that the
progress of the incident is stopped and that the affected
systems are returned to normal operation as quickly as
possible.
Can you explain the Incident Response Life Cycle and
its key phases?
The NIST Incident Response Lifecycle divides incident
response down into four main phases: Preparation;
Detection and Analysis; Containment, Eradication, and
Recovery; and Post-Event Activity.
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How do you prioritize and classify incidents based on

their severity and impact?
Incidents can be classified based on severity, impact,
and likelihood of occurrence. Prioritization should
consider factors such as potential damage, criticality of
affected systems, and regulatory requirements.

What are the common sources of incident alerts?

Common sources include intrusion detection systems
(IDS), security information, and event management
(SIEM) solutions, antivirus software, firewalls, and user
reports.

What are the common indicators of a security

incident?
Common indicators include unusual network traffic
patterns, unauthorized access attempts, unexpected
system behavior, and malware infections.

What is the difference between an incident and an

event in the context of cybersecurity?
An event is any observable occurrence in a system or
network, while an incident is an event that has a negative
impact on the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of
information or IT services.
Define the term "indicators of compromise" (IOCs) and
explain how they are used in incident response.
Indicators of compromise (IOCs) are artifacts or
behaviors that indicate the presence of a security
incident or compromise. These can include IP addresses,
domain names, file hashes, registry keys, and network
traffic patterns. IOCs are used to detect, investigate, and
remediate security incidents.
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What are Indicators of Attack (IOAs) in incident

response, and how do they differ from Indicators of
Compromise (IOCs)?
Indicators of Attack (IOAs) are behavioral patterns or
forensic artifacts observed within an organization's
network or systems that suggest the presence of an
active cyber attack. These indicators focus on detecting
the tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by
attackers during different stages of an attack. Unlike
Indicators of Compromise (IOCs), which are based on
known patterns of malicious activity, IOAs provide
insights into ongoing or potential attacks based on
observed behaviors rather than predefined signatures or
patterns. While IOCs are reactive and often indicate that
a compromise has already occurred, IOAs enable
proactive threat detection and response by identifying
suspicious activities that indicate an attack is in
progress.
What is the difference between an indicator of
compromise (IOC) and a signature in the context of
cybersecurity?
An indicator of compromise (IOC) is any observable
evidence or artifact that may indicate an ongoing or past
security incident, such as suspicious network traffic
patterns, unauthorized file modifications, or unusual
system behavior. A signature is a specific pattern or
characteristic associated with a known threat or
vulnerability that can be used to detect and block
malicious activity, often implemented in intrusion
detection and prevention systems (IDS/IPS).
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Explain the difference between proactive and reactive

incident response strategies.
Proactive incident response involves implementing
preventive measures and proactive monitoring to
identify and mitigate security risks before they escalate
into incidents. Reactive incident response, on the other
hand, focuses on responding to security incidents after
they have occurred, including detection, analysis,
containment, eradication, and recovery activities.
What Is Root Cause Analysis?
Root cause analysis, sometimes referred to as RCA, is a
formal effort to identify and document the root cause of
an incident and then take preventative steps to ensure
that the same problem doesn't happen again.
 letsdefend.io

Network Related Incident

Response Interview Questions
Explain the concept of packet analysis and its role in
network incident response. What tools do you
commonly use for packet analysis?
Packet analysis involves examining network packets to
understand communication patterns, identify anomalies,
and detect malicious activity. Tools such as Wireshark
and tcpdump are commonly used to capture and
analyze packets.

Define the term "command-and-control (C2) server"

and explain its significance in network incident
response. How do you detect and block C2
communications during an incident?
A command-and-control (C2) server is a remote server
used by attackers to send commands to compromised
systems and exfiltrate stolen data. Detecting and
blocking C2 communications is critical for disrupting an
attacker's control over compromised systems and
preventing further data exfiltration or malicious activity.
Techniques for detecting and blocking C2
communications include network traffic analysis,
intrusion detection and prevention systems (IDPS), and
endpoint security controls.
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Explain the concept of "intrusion detection" and its

role in network incident response. How do intrusion
detection systems (IDS) help identify and mitigate
network threats?
Intrusion detection involves monitoring network traffic
and system logs for signs of unauthorized access,
malicious activity, or security policy violations. Intrusion
detection systems (IDS) analyze network traffic patterns
and behavior to identify potential security threats and
alert security teams in real time. IDS plays a crucial role
in early threat detection, incident triage, and response
coordination.

Define the term "honeypot" and discuss its use in

network incident response. How can deploying
honeypots help organizations detect and respond to
network threats?
A honeypot is a decoy system or network designed to
attract and deceive attackers, allowing security teams to
observe and analyze their tactics, techniques, and
procedures (TTPs). By deploying honeypots,
organizations can gather threat intelligence, identify
emerging attack trends, and improve incident response
capabilities. By luring attackers away from critical
systems, honeypots help reduce the risk of actual
compromise and provide valuable insights for proactive
threat mitigation.
 letsdefend.io

Event Log Analysis Related Incident

Response Interview Questions
How is event log analysis conducted to detect and
respond to security incidents?
Event log analysis involves establishing baseline
behavior, identifying anomalies, and prioritizing alerts
based on severity. Automated tools and correlation rules
are used to streamline the analysis process. Once an
incident is detected, further investigation, evidence
gathering, and response actions are taken.
You can follow the Event Log Analysis course to get
more details.
 letsdefend.io

What methods are used to identify anomalous

activities in Windows event logs during incident
response?
Methods for identifying anomalous activity in Windows
event logs include focusing on critical events such as
failed login attempts, account modifications, and
privilege changes. Custom alerts and filters are created
to quickly identify suspicious patterns that indicate
security incidents, such as brute force attacks or data
exfiltration attempts.

Why is event log correlation significant in incident

response, and how are logs correlated from different
sources for comprehensive analysis?
Event log correlation is essential for identifying
relationships and patterns across multiple data sources.
Correlating logs from multiple sources such as servers,
endpoints, firewalls, and IDS/IPS systems provides a
comprehensive view of security events. Correlation rules
and SIEM platforms automate this process, facilitating
real-time detection and response to security incidents.
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Digital Forensics & Incident

Response (DFIR) Interview
Questions
Explain the importance of creating a timeline during a
digital forensics investigation. How does a timeline help
understand the sequence of events and identify potential
evidence?
A timeline created during a digital forensics investigation is
crucial for incident response because it helps reconstruct
the sequence of events leading up to and during a security
incident. By correlating timestamps from various sources
such as system logs, network traffic, and user activity, the
timeline provides insight into the attacker's actions, the
timeline of the incident, and the affected systems. This
information is invaluable for understanding the scope of the
incident, identifying potential evidence, and formulating an
effective response strategy.

Describe the process of conducting triage in digital

forensics. What criteria do you use to prioritize evidence
collection and analysis during triage?
Triage in digital forensics is similar to incident response's
initial response phase, focusing on quickly identifying and
prioritizing critical evidence while minimizing the impact of
the incident. During triage, evidence is prioritized based on
factors such as the severity of the incident, the potential
impact on business operations, and the relevance to the
investigation's objectives. The goal is to collect and preserve
essential evidence promptly, allowing for immediate analysis
and response actions to mitigate further damage and
contain the incident.
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How do you acquire a forensic image of a digital

device? Discuss the best practices and tools used for
creating a forensically sound image while preserving
the integrity of the evidence.
Acquiring a forensic image of a digital device is a critical
step in both digital forensics and incident response. Best
practices include the use of write-blocking hardware or
software to prevent alterations to the original data and
ensure the integrity of the evidence. Tools such as
EnCase, FTK Imager, and dd (Linux command) are
commonly used for imaging. During incident response,
the rapid acquisition of forensic images allows for the
preservation of volatile evidence and facilitates analysis
to determine the scope and impact of the incident.

What are some key Windows artifacts that are

commonly analyzed during a digital forensics
investigation? Provide examples of key artifacts and
explain how they can contribute to the investigation
process.
Windows artifacts such as event logs, registry hives,
prefetch files, link files (LNK), and user activity logs are
commonly analyzed during digital forensics
investigations and incident response. Event logs provide
a chronological record of system events, while registry
hives contain configuration and user data critical for
understanding system activity. Prefetch files store
metadata about application execution, and link files
provide insight into recently accessed files and
applications. Analyzing these artifacts helps reconstruct
the attacker's actions, identify compromised systems,
and determine the extent of the intrusion.
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Explain the concept of 'Order of Volatility' in digital

forensics and incident response. How does it influence
the collection and preservation of evidence during an
investigation?
The 'order of volatility' principle dictates the order in
which digital artifacts or evidence should be
collected and preserved during an investigation.
It prioritizes the collection of volatile data, such as
system memory and network connections, which is
prone to loss or alteration.
Volatile data is collected first to capture real-time
information about active processes and the state of
the system.
Less volatile data, such as log files and registry
entries, is collected subsequently.
Following this principle ensures the preservation of
critical evidence and increases the effectiveness of
the investigation.