Threat Researcher, Sophos
Linux
Cybersecurity-as-a-Service
Open for applications
Cybersecurity-as-a-Service
1001+ employees
Open for applications
1001+ employees
Company mission
To develop powerful and intuitive products and services that provide the world's most effective cybersecurity for organizations of any size.
Role
Who you are
- Proven problem-solving skills with an inquisitive nature
- Proven ability to prioritize and organize assigned tasks
- Possess an analytical and methodical approach to workflow
- Good written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a global team
- Understanding of basic executable file formats (ELF/DWARF/Mach-O)
- Experience with a wide array of Internet technologies and protocols (HTML, JavaScript, SMTP, DNS)
- Basic coding skills (C/C++/Python/Perl/Rust/Go/ObjectiveC/Swift)
- Reverse-engineering executable binaries, both statically via disassembling and dynamically via debugging
Desirable
- Experience with x86/x64/ARM assembler
- Experience in researching and reverse engineering Linux and/or Mac malware using tools such as IDA Pro or radare2 disassembler and gdb / lldb debuggers
- Experience with Linux and/or MacOS system calls and system tracing, such as events/tracepoints/capabilities
- Experience with dynamic sandboxing
- Experience with honeypots and sinkholes
- Experience with threat hunting
- Experience with a broad range of operating systems
- Advanced programming skills and experience ((C/C++/Python/Perl/Rust/Go/ObjectiveC/Swift)
- Understanding of advanced executable file formats (PE/DEX)
- Understanding of the Unix OS architecture
- Understanding of the Mac OS architecture
- Familiarity with exploitable file formats including Java, PDF and Office documents
- Proven ability to create technical blogs / whitepapers
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Software (or equivalent)
What the job involves
- SophosLabs is recruiting a Threat Researcher to join our global team of highly skilled security experts to help secure and protect Sophos users and their systems worldwide from threats such as malware and exploits
- As a member of the Pre-Execution Detection Team, you will leverage existing skills and learn new ones
- You will use reverse engineering skills to develop new techniques for classifying and differentiating suspicious and clean files, and new methods for grouping and detecting executable threats and applications
- You will also contribute to research and data mining initiatives to discover new threats and opportunities improve protection
- The Pre-Execution Detection Team has members across the multiple locations that make up the global SophosLabs organization
- You will work with local and remote security researchers across multiple teams to analyze, classify and create protection for malware, occasionally contributing to our customer response efforts within a local rotation
- Lead research efforts within a particular threat research area
- Analysis of cyberthreats targeting *nix base platforms – primarily Linux and MacOS (Android experience is an advantage)
- Conduct analysis and reverse engineering of files to discover their intended functionality and risks to customers
- Create high-quality detection for such threats
- Build, test and publish detection data
- Document a threat’s behaviour across all stages of the cyber kill chain
- Consult with development teams to enhance protection capabilities in Sophos products
- Develop tools, workflow and/or systems improvements
- Data mining to discover new threats
- Identify opportunities and then provide threat research blog posts, articles and whitepapers on latest trends, newly discovered threats, interesting techniques found in malware for publication by Sophos
- Triage requests submitted by other departments, respond to tasks or escalate complex issues to senior team members
- Answer customer queries routed through Technical Support and internal queries from all departments
- Take part in third party reviews and tests measuring detection and protection effectiveness
Our take
Due to the fast-evolving nature of cybercrime, companies can struggle to keep their security up-to-date and resilient. Sophos provides managed cybersecurity services to identify and resolve cyberthreats within all sizes of organisations, combining cutting edge cybersecurity tech with expert support teams.
Leveraging AI and machine learning, Sophos' system automates the detection and blocking of over 99% of threats, meaning its analysts only have to hunt down and stop the most sophisticated attackers. As well as its Managed Detection and Response (MDR) product - which, serving over 15,000 customers, is the most-used on the market - the company also delivers Incident Response Services for those experiencing an active threat.
Sophos is not a new player in the cybersecurity space, but has demonstrated its dedication to innovation with continued product launches, updates, and acquisitions such as that of BAE spinout SOC.OS that have kept its tech at the front of the market. Alongside many of its peers, the effects of the economic climate have caused Sophos to cut staff as it focusses on achieving “the optimal balance of growth and profitability", but this recent hiccup does not take away from its position as a market leader continuously leading adaption in the space.
Kirsty
Company Specialist at Welcome to the Jungle
Insights
Few candidates hear
back within 2 weeks
36% female employees
-6% employee growth in 12 months
Company
Funding (1 round)
Jul 2020
$2.6m
SEED
Total funding: $2.6m
Company benefits
- Remote-first working model & hybrid options
- We encourage teams to get together in person periodically to help facilitate teamwork
- Flexible start and end times for many roles
- Leadership development program
- Access to LinkedIn Learning
- Global internal coaching program (Coach Match)
- Periodic Sophos wellness days off for all Sophos to help employees relax and recharge
- Global wellbeing program, which offers a range of wellbeing resources, including Sophos Wellbeing Webinars, Stress Management Toolkits, and Developing Resilience Courses
- Free Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for confidential advice and counseling on a wide range of work and personal issues
- Free annual subscription to the Calm app
- Paid parental leave, caregiver leave & bereavement/compassion leave available
- We host some unforgettable social experiences for our global teams including our music festival SOPH-Fest, go-karting, Sophmudder, and incredible holiday parties!
- Our annual global fitness challenge, SOPH-Fit, sees thousands of employees taking part in our virtual global race around the world
- Each quarter, we celebrate our exceptional global team by running the Sophos Values Awards, which recognizes and rewards employees who embody the Sophos values and who we are as a company
- Health care benefits available worldwide
Company values
- Simplicity: We strive to embrace design, automation, and re-engineering across our products and business operations. We aim to create instinctive next-gen products that provide IT professionals with exactly what they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively.
- Empowerment: We support and enable people to do great work. We trust people to take ownership, to take smart risks, and to deliver results. We encourage people to take action, to seek knowledge, and to question actions inconsistent with our mission, values, or principles.
- Passion: We care intensely about our success and our impact. We maintain high standards and continuously strive to improve. We inspire others.
- Innovation: We stay at the forefront and advance the boundaries of what is possible. If we fail, we do it quickly, learn, share the lessons learned, and move forward. We always seek better approaches to what we do.
- Authenticity: We are genuine, transparent, and honest. We admit our mistakes and strive to remain self-aware. We say what we think, even if it might be difficult.
Company HQ
Abingdon, UK
Articles
Leadership
Kris Hagerman
(CEO, not founder)Former CEO of Corel Corporation, who previously served as Group President of Data Center Management at Symantec. Was also Executive VP and GM of Storage and Server Management at Veritas Software, as well as CEO and Founder of both Bigbook and Affinia.
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