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Today’s episode is a follow-up interview with Joe Klein, who is my good pal, a former coworker, and a SOC analyst extraordinaire. You might remember Joe from things such as…this podcast – episode #290 to be exact.

When we last left Joe, he had just started an exciting new journey as a SOC analyst, and also picked up a new sweet gig teaching college-level security courses. So Joe and I sat down last week in the 7 Minute Security studios to talk with Joe about:

• How to be an absolute beast at networking
• Seizing new opportunities (even if it seems scary)
• Good certs for security newbs (and not-so-newbs) to pursue
• Life as a SOC analyst
• How to learn security by teaching it!

This interview was an absolute blast to work on with Joe, and after it was over, neither of us could believe that the run time was nearly 2 hours! So in order to help you navigate the episode and have the best listening experience possible, we created the following "Choose Your Own Adventure" timeline with the high (and low?) discussion points of the interview. Enjoy!

Interview timeline

• 07:21: Interview begins(!)

• 08:00: Recap of what we talked about during Joe’s first interview

• 12:42: What kind of skills/certs should someone pursue to get an entry level SOC analyst position? And is SOC analyst the "go to" position infosec newbs?

• 16:00: What can someone new to the infosec community do to network with others if their current LinkedIn network is pretty slim?

• 24:55: What are some good certs to get while I’m waiting to qualify for the CISSP? (This part of the podcast is NOT brought to you by Starbucks, but we wish it was)

• Insert banter about listening to podcasts at 2x

• 29:00: Actually answer the question, "What are some good certs to get while I’m waiting to qualify for the CISSP?"

• 32:00: Rage against tests that don’t let you go back to review your answers! And how to be ok with failing certs.

• 37:47: How to successfully prepare for a computerized exam

• 43:29: What’s it really like to be on the SOC? Is it just like watching an episode of 24?

• 47:00: Joe spots Rick from Walking Dead on my desk.

• 48:00: Brian reveals a major spoiler about Walking Dead season 9.

• 48:30: Joe scolds Brian for not letting people prepare for the spoiler.

• 49:12: Brian hated Carl, and hoped for seasons and seasons that he would get bit on the face.

• 50:47: Joe notices more toys on Brian’s desk.

• 51:08: Brian removes all of Wolverine’s limbs.

• 51:40: A commercial for water(?)

• 51:58: Joe thinks Brian should perhaps do voiceovers for theater trailers.

• 52:39: Joe describes what a tier 1 SOC analyst does.

• 55:35: The importance of setting up a home lab to test tools/tricks/scripts/techniques in a safe environment (and the correct pronounciation of the word "dude")

• 58:00: Are the tools a SOC uses totally proprietary / black magic / super secret / don’t-ask-don’t-tell kind of stuff?

• 1:03:00: What does a tier 2 SOC analyst do in their daily work?

• 1:05:00: Joe talks about his life as an adjunct professor (ok not really…but dude…he teaches impressionible young college minds!)

• 1:06:34: But first…this message from our lovely sponsor, ITProTV

• 1:10:30: Ok now we seriously are going to talk about Joe’s life as an adjunct professor.

• 1:11:20: Joe notices Brian is typing on his computer, and he does not appreciate it.

• 1:11:45: Joe and Brian’s wives wonder where they are.

• 1:13:00: Joe really, really talks about becoming a teacher

• 1:17:25: Joe breaks Brian’s toy Freddy Krueger, and the interview is over, as is their friendship.

• 1:20:00: Joe resumes talking about teaching.

• 1:22:35: Brian gives Joe a chance to redeem himself by allowing him to hold "cord-holding Batman." Brian and Joe do bad Batman imitations.

• 1:23:42: Brian starts to ask a question but both he and Joe start doing bad Arnold impersonations instead.

• 1:25:37: Brian asks if Joe is a better SOC analyst because of his experience in a professorial role.

• 1:28:24: The guys talk about the importance of communication – not only in IT/security, but everything you do.

• 1:32:36: The interview is almost over, but Brian remembers he hasn’t engaged Joe in a brand new 7MS studios tradition called "7 Random Questions with 7 Minute Security." (but Brian only has 5 questions prepared. Actually, he only has 4. What an idiot.)

• 1:38:30: Joe and Brian are joined by Mrs. 7 Minute Security!

• 1:41:15: Brian asks Joe the final question of the interview. A question that could change the very course of Joe’s life.

If you’d like to chat more with Joe, you can email him. His email is joekl3in and that’s at the domain called gmail.com. He’s also on LinkedIn and Slack as @Urban Mongoose.