Principal Threat Intelligence Analyst
At Cloudflare, we have our eyes set on an ambitious goal: to help build a better Internet. Today the company runs one of the world’s largest networks that powers approximately 25 million Internet properties, for customers ranging from individual bloggers to SMBs to Fortune 500 companies. Cloudflare protects and accelerates any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare all have web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Company Cultures list and ranked among the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company.
We realize people do not fit into neat boxes. We are looking for curious and empathetic individuals who are committed to developing themselves and learning new skills, and we are ready to help you do that. We cannot complete our mission without building a diverse and inclusive team. We hire the best people based on an evaluation of their potential and support them throughout their time at Cloudflare. Come join us!
About the Team
Cloudforce One is Cloudflare’s threat operations and research team, responsible for identifying and disrupting cyber threats ranging from sophisticated cyber criminal activity to nation-state sponsored advanced persistent threats (APTs). Cloudforce One works in close partnership with external organizations and internal Cloudflare teams, continuously developing operational tradecraft and expanding ever-growing sources of threat intelligence to enable expedited threat hunting and remediation. Members of Cloudforce One are at the helm of leveraging an incredibly vast and varied set of data points that only one of the world’s largest global networks can provide. The team is able to analyze these unique data points, at massive scale and efficiency, synthesizing findings into actionable threat intelligence to better protect our customers.
About the Role
Cloudflare is a system spanning the globe, on a mission to make the internet better, safer, and more powerful everyday. To help fulfill this mission, we are seeking a talented Principal Threat Intelligence Analyst to join us in growing our Cloudforce One Organization, where you will be instrumental in building a proactive and threat intelligence-driven approach to protecting Cloudflare and its customers from sophisticated and ever-evolving global threat actors. This position requires an innovative, OPSEC-savvy, self-starting, and detail-oriented problem solver with a passion for identifying, tracking, and assessing sophisticated cyber threats.
As a Principal Threat Intelligence Analyst, you will monitor cyber threat activity, trends, and methodologies across multiple platforms, supporting both client requests and proactive internal research. You will serve an integral role in the discovery and analysis of cyber threat adversaries, their Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), along with applying knowledge of transnational issues and geopolitical developments to understand adversary actions and anticipate their next moves. You will obtain key threat intelligence information, synthesizing both technical and non-technical datasets to derive unique insights and author timely reporting related to adversary activity. Reporting will range from brief descriptions of threat actors and their activity to finished intelligence products for clients and the general public. This will include proposing subject matter for proactive reporting on threat actor TTPs and trends, as well as leading the corresponding reporting efforts. Additionally, Principal Threat Intelligence Analysts will support priority intelligence requirements, ensuring Cloudforce One focuses resources and efforts on our clients' most relevant and crucial intelligence needs. In this role you will also collaborate with engineering teams to ensure relevant data and analytics are incorporated in internal platforms to improve and/or automate intelligence analysis workflows.
Strong candidates will have excellent OSINT research skills, firsthand experience in Threat Intelligence (in particular, familiarity with advanced persistent threats), a strong technical foundation, practical knowledge of intelligence report writing, and ability to work well in a group of distributed remote team members.
Examples of Desirable Skills, Knowledge and Experience
- Deep understanding of the cyber threat landscape and the intelligence lifecycle
- Proven expertise in tracking and clustering multiple threat groups using techniques such as the Cyber Kill Chain or Diamond Model of Intrusion Analysis
- Experience with open source intelligence gathering tools and techniques
- Experience tracking and analyzing cyber campaigns utilizing structured analytical techniques involving numerous sources of threat intelligence and varied forms of threat data
- Understanding of the latest security trends as they relate to cyber threat adversary operations and motivating factors
- Exceptional analytical and critical thinking skills
- Experience in network and/or host-based intrusion analysis
- Proficiency in one of the following: Packet, and/or Metadata analysis
- Knowledge of networking protocols (e.g., TCP/IP) and datasets relevant to intrusion and network infrastructure analysis
- Experience using a comprehensive data analysis platform, with ability to recognize patterns and transform data into useful information
- Advanced communication (written and verbal) and presentation skills, both internally to CXO level and externally to clients
- Working/in-depth knowledge of technical reporting and editing
- Ability to synthesize technical information and document it, in both a technical and non-technical manner, through written, graphical and verbal representation
- One of the following:
- BA/BS or equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Security, Computer Security, Information Systems, Intelligence, or related discipline, OR
- Military training and experience in Cyber Intelligence, General Intelligence Studies, Security Studies, or related discipline
- At least 12 years experience in one or more of the following:
- Intrusion analysis
- Cyber threat hunting
- Cyber threat intelligence
- Incident response
- Network defense
- Endpoint forensics
- Malware analysis
- Excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills with ability to collaborate with a globally distributed team
- Willing and eager to share knowledge and mentor colleagues on intrusion analysis and threat intelligence best practices
Bonus Points
- MA/MS or equivalent in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Security, Computer Security, Information Systems, Intelligence, or related discipline
- Expert knowledge of state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) groups in at least one of the following regions: North/East/Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, or the Middle East
- Foreign language proficiency with preference for Russian, Chinese, Farsi, or Korean
- Prior intelligence community background
- Familiarity with regular expressions and their practical application in tracking malicious activity
- Working knowledge of SQL and devising SQL queries
What Makes Cloudflare Special?
We’re not just a highly ambitious, large-scale technology company. We’re a highly ambitious, large-scale technology company with a soul. Fundamental to our mission to help build a better Internet is protecting the free and open Internet.
cloudflare.com/protecting-free-expression-online/">Project Galileo: We equip politically and artistically important organizations and journalists with powerful tools to defend themselves against attacks that would otherwise censor their work, technology already used by Cloudflare’s enterprise customers--at no cost.
Athenian Project: We created Athenian Project to ensure that state and local governments have the highest level of protection and reliability for free, so that their constituents have access to election information and voter registration.
Path Forward Partnership: Since 2016, we have partnered with Path Forward, a nonprofit organization, to create 16-week positions for mid-career professionals who want to get back to the workplace after taking time off to care for a child, parent, or loved one.
1.1.1.1: We released 1.1.1.1 to help fix the foundation of the Internet by building a faster, more secure and privacy-centric public DNS resolver. This is available publicly for everyone to use - it is the first consumer-focused service Cloudflare has ever released. Here’s the deal - we don’t store client IP addresses never, ever. We will continue to abide by our privacy commitment and ensure that no user data is sold to advertisers or used to target consumers.
Sound like something you’d like to be a part of? We’d love to hear from you!
This position may require access to information protected under U.S. export control laws, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations. Please note that any offer of employment may be conditioned on your authorization to receive software or technology controlled under these U.S. export laws without sponsorship for an export license.
Cloudflare is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all people and place great value in both diversity and inclusiveness. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to their, or any other person's, perceived or actual race, color, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, family care status, or any other basis protected by law. We are an AA/Veterans/Disabled Employer.
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