- Knowledge of computer networking concepts and protocols, and network security methodologies.
- Knowledge of risk management processes (e.g., methods for assessing and mitigating risk).
- Knowledge of laws, regulations, policies, and ethics as they relate to cybersecurity and privacy.
- Knowledge of cybersecurity and privacy principles.
- Knowledge of cyber threats and vulnerabilities.
- Knowledge of specific operational impacts of cybersecurity lapses.
- Knowledge of concepts, terminology, and operations of a wide range of communications media (computer and telephone networks, satellite, fiber, wireless).
- Knowledge of physical computer components and architectures, including the functions of various components and peripherals (e.g., CPUs, Network Interface Cards, data storage).
- Knowledge of cyber attack stages (e.g., reconnaissance, scanning, enumeration, gaining access, escalation of privileges, maintaining access, network exploitation, covering tracks).
- Knowledge of website types, administration, functions, and content management system (CMS).
- Knowledge of attack methods and techniques (DDoS, brute force, spoofing, etc.).
- Knowledge of client organizations, including information needs, objectives, structure, capabilities, etc.
- Knowledge of collection sources including conventional and non-conventional sources.
- Knowledge of common computer/network infections (virus, Trojan, etc.) and methods of infection (ports, attachments, etc.).
- Knowledge of computer networking fundamentals (i.e., basic computer components of a network, types of networks, etc.).
- Knowledge of cryptologic capabilities, limitations, and contributions to cyber operations.
- Knowledge of cyber operation objectives, policies, and legalities.
- Knowledge of denial and deception techniques.
- Knowledge of evolving/emerging communications technologies.
- Knowledge of fundamental cyber operations concepts, terminology/lexicon (i.e., environment preparation, cyber-attack, cyber defense), principles, capabilities, limitations, and effects.
- Knowledge of governing authorities for targeting.
- Knowledge of host-based security products and how those products affect exploitation and reduce vulnerability.
- Knowledge of how converged technologies impact cyber operations (e.g., digital, telephony, wireless).
- Knowledge of how Internet applications work (SMTP email, web-based email, chat clients, VOIP).
- Knowledge of how modern digital and telephony networks impact cyber operations.
- Knowledge of how to extract, analyze, and use metadata.
- Knowledge of intelligence reporting principles, policies, procedures, and vehicles, including report formats, reportability criteria (requirements and priorities), dissemination practices, and legal authorities and restrictions.
- Knowledge of Internet network addressing (IP addresses, classless inter-domain routing, TCP/UDP port numbering).
- Knowledge of intrusion detection systems and signature development.
- Knowledge of intrusion sets.
- Knowledge of malware analysis and characteristics.
- Knowledge of methods to integrate and summarize information from any potential sources.
- Knowledge of network security (e.g., encryption, firewalls, authentication, honey pots, perimeter protection).
- Knowledge of operations security.
- Knowledge of organization and/or partner collection systems, capabilities, and processes (e.g., collection and protocol processors).
- Knowledge of physical and logical network devices and infrastructure to include hubs, switches, routers, firewalls, etc.
- Knowledge of principles and practices related to target development such as target knowledge, associations, communication systems, and infrastructure.
- Knowledge of target intelligence gathering and operational preparation techniques and life cycles.
- Knowledge of target methods and procedures.
- Knowledge of target, including related current events, communication profile, actors, and history (language, culture) and/or frame of reference.
- Knowledge of the basic structure, architecture, and design of converged applications.
- Knowledge of the data flow from collection origin to repositories and tools.
- Knowledge of the purpose and contribution of target templates.
- Knowledge of the structure, architecture, and design of modern digital and telephony networks.
- Knowledge of the structure, architecture, and design of modern wireless communications systems.
Target Network Analyst
Conducts advanced analysis of collection and open-source data to ensure target continuity; to profile targets and their activities; and develop techniques to gain more target information. Determines how targets communicate, move, operate and live based on knowledge of target technologies, digital networks, and the applications on them.
- Skill in analyzing a target's communication networks.
- Skill in analyzing essential network data (e.g., router configuration files, routing protocols).
- Skill in analyzing midpoint collection data.
- Skill in analyzing terminal or environment collection data.
- Skill in applying various analytical methods, tools, and techniques (e.g., competing hypotheses; chain of reasoning; scenario methods; denial and deception detection; high impact-low probability; network/association or link analysis; Bayesian, Delphi, and Pattern analyses).
- Skill in assessing the applicability of available analytical tools to various situations.
- Skill in conducting non-attributable research.
- Skill in conducting research using deep web.
- Skill in conducting social network analysis, buddy list analysis, and/or cookie analysis.
- Skill in defining and characterizing all pertinent aspects of the operational environment.
- Skill in determining appropriate targeting options through the evaluation of available capabilities against desired effects.
- Skill in determining the physical location of network devices.
- Skill in evaluating data sources for relevance, reliability, and objectivity.
- Skill in evaluating information to recognize relevance, priority, etc.
- Skill in exploiting/querying organizational and/or partner collection databases.
- Skill in fusion analysis
- Skill in identifying a target's communications networks.
- Skill in identifying critical target elements, to include critical target elements for the cyber domain.
- Skill in identifying cyber threats which may jeopardize organization and/or partner interests.
- Skill in identifying how a target communicates.
- Skill in identifying leads for target development.
- Skill in managing client relationships, including determining client needs/requirements, managing client expectations, and demonstrating commitment to delivering quality results.
- Skill in number normalization.
- Skill in performing target system analysis.
- Skill in providing understanding of target or threat systems through the identification and link analysis of physical, functional, or behavioral relationships.
- Skill in recognizing denial and deception techniques of the target.
- Skill in recognizing relevance of information.
- Skill in recognizing significant changes in a target's communication patterns.
- Skill in recognizing technical information that may be used for leads for metadata analysis.
- Skill in researching essential information.
- Skill in reviewing and editing target materials.
- Skill in synthesizing, analyzing, and prioritizing meaning across data sets.
- Skill in target network anomaly identification (e.g., intrusions, dataflow or processing, target implementation of new technologies).
- Skill in using geospatial data and applying geospatial resources.
- Skill in using research methods including multiple, different sources to reconstruct a target network.
- Skill in writing about facts and ideas in a clear, convincing, and organized manner.
- Ability to communicate complex information, concepts, or ideas in a confident and well-organized manner through verbal, written, and/or visual means.
- Ability to accurately and completely source all data used in intelligence, assessment and/or planning products.
- Ability to clearly articulate intelligence requirements into well-formulated research questions and requests for information.
- Ability to develop or recommend analytic approaches or solutions to problems and situations for which information is incomplete or for which no precedent exists.
- Ability to evaluate, analyze, and synthesize large quantities of data (which may be fragmented and contradictory) into high quality, fused targeting/intelligence products.
- Ability to exercise judgment when policies are not well-defined.
- Ability to focus research efforts to meet the customer's decision-making needs.
- Ability to function effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
- Ability to function in a collaborative environment, seeking continuous consultation with other analysts and experts—both internal and external to the organization—to leverage analytical and technical expertise.
- Ability to identify intelligence gaps.
- Ability to recognize and mitigate cognitive biases which may affect analysis.
- Ability to recognize and mitigate deception in reporting and analysis.
- Ability to think critically.
- Ability to utilize multiple intelligence sources across all intelligence disciplines.
- Provide expertise to course of action development.
- Classify documents in accordance with classification guidelines.
- Collaborate with other customer, Intelligence and targeting organizations involved in related cyber areas.
- Compile, integrate, and/or interpret all-source data for intelligence or vulnerability value with respect to specific targets.
- Identify and conduct analysis of target communications to identify information essential to support operations.
- Conduct nodal analysis.
- Conduct quality control to determine validity and relevance of information gathered about networks.
- Conduct target research and analysis.
- Determine what technologies are used by a given target.
- Apply analytic techniques to gain more target information.
- Generate and evaluate the effectiveness of network analysis strategies.
- Gather information about networks through traditional and alternative techniques, (e.g., social network analysis, call-chaining, traffic analysis.)
- Generate requests for information.
- Identify and evaluate threat critical capabilities, requirements, and vulnerabilities.
- Identify collection gaps and potential collection strategies against targets.
- Identify network components and their functionality to enable analysis and target development.
- Make recommendations to guide collection in support of customer requirements.
- Provide subject matter expertise to development of exercises.
- Perform content and/or metadata analysis to meet organization objectives.
- Profile targets and their activities.
- Provide target recommendations which meet leadership objectives.
- Review appropriate information sources to determine validity and relevance of information gathered.
- Reconstruct networks in diagram or report format.
- Research communications trends in emerging technologies (in computer and telephony networks, satellite, cable, and wireless) in both open and classified sources.