SOC T1 Analyst path

Dec 1, 2025 • Azzim Aina

SOC T1 Analyst path

As part of my continuous journey into Security Operations Center (SOC) analysis, I’ve been fully engaged in hands-on simulations on TryHackMe one of the best platforms for practical cybersecurity learning. Recently, I hit an important milestone:

I earned the “First Scenario Completed” badge for finishing the “Your First Scenario” challenge.


This scenario is designed to simulate real-world SOC tasks, walking learners through log analysis, alert triage, suspicious activity identification, and decision-making using the mindset of a SOC analyst. It’s the perfect introduction to the type of work analysts do every day.


To make the learning process more transparent for others following the SOC career path, I recorded and documented my entire walkthrough in three parts.


Walkthrough Videos

Part 1 – Understanding the Scenario & Environment Setup

In this part, I dive into the challenge, break down the environment, and begin exploring the suspicious activity found in the logs.

Watch Part 1: https://lnkd.in/dg9QMsSX


Part 2 – Log Review & Threat Investigation

Here, I analyze the alerts in detail, map suspicious patterns, and start forming hypotheses just like a SOC Tier 1 analyst would.

Watch Part 2: https://lnkd.in/dAVKuEv2


Part 3 – Findings, Conclusion & Final Answers

Finally, I bring everything together, answer the investigation questions, and complete the challenge.

Watch Part 3: https://lnkd.in/dJEEqdtE


What I Learned From This Scenario

Completing this challenge helped me strengthen key SOC skills, including:

  1. Understanding alert context
  2. Investigating suspicious login behavior
  3. Identifying Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)
  4. Correlating logs across different sources
  5. Thinking like an analyst before escalating incidents


It’s one thing to read about cybersecurity — but it’s another to experience a simulated incident and work through it like a real analyst. That’s why this badge means a lot to me. It represents the start of my journey into practical security operations.


What’s Next?

This is just the first step. I’ll be moving into more advanced SOC scenarios, malware investigations, and hands-on defensive labs. I’ll continue documenting my progress to help others who are entering the SOC field.

If you’re also on this path keep learning, keep practicing, and keep pushing forward.

Videos