R7 InsightIDR SIEM
Nicholas Dobbs
Summary
Strategic Senior Information Security Analyst with a proven ability to drive organizational transformation through innovative, self-initiated projects. Demonstrated success in leveraging advanced technologies, such as SOAR, to optimize security operations, reduce triage times, and deliver measurable results. Adept at leading high-value MSSP programs, mentoring teams, and aligning security initiatives with business objectives to enhance client satisfaction and security posture. My proactive, solution-driven approach consistently yields operational efficiencies, improves threat detection, and strengthens client relationships.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Information Security Analyst
DirectDefense
03.2023 - Current
- Spearhead incident response (IR) processes, identifying and remediating threats (phishing, malware, insider threats) using MITRE ATT&CK, SIEM logs, & system forensics.
- Mentor junior analysts, providing training on tools and best practices, and leading team sessions to enhance SOC detection and response capabilities.
- Design and implement custom SIEM alerts and automation workflows, optimizing incident response and reducing manual tasks & triage errors across client environments.
- Lead new client onboarding and SOC tool integration, ensuring seamless transitions to monitoring and optimal security configurations.
- Perform advanced log analysis and threat hunting, fine-tuning alerts and improving detection capabilities to reduce false positives and response times.
- Manage 10+ MSSP programs valued at $9M–$11M USD, coordinating cross-functional teams—including client staff—while ensuring the successful and timely delivery of projects within budget, strengthening client relationships and satisfaction.
- Collaborate with Sales, DevOps, and IT teams to align SOC requirements with client environments and contribute to RFPs and upsells.
Associate Information Security Analyst
DirectDefense
01.2020 - 03.2023
- Managed two MSSP programs valued at $1M–$2M USD, coordinating cross-functional teams—including client staff—while ensuring the successful and timely delivery of projects within budget, strengthening client relationships and satisfaction.
- Monitored, analyzed, and correlated security events from diverse hybrid cloud environments, leveraging advanced tools to detect and respond to emerging threats and vulnerabilities, significantly improving threat detection accuracy.
- Proactively identified, investigated, and mitigated security incidents, conducting comprehensive incident response to minimize impact, enhance resolution time, and ensure compliance with internal and client security standards.
- Configured, maintained, and optimized key security tools including InsightIDR, CrowdStrike, and ProofPoint, enhancing overall security posture and streamlining incident detection and prevention processes.
- Refined communication strategies to effectively translate complex security data into actionable insights for non-technical stakeholders, improving cross-departmental understanding of cybersecurity risks and solutions.
Solutions Engineer
Varpath
05.2018 - 05.2019
- Designed and implemented robust network security solutions, including firewalls, two-factor authentication, and advanced antivirus systems, ensuring regulatory compliance for SMB clients across diverse industries.
- Directed end-to-end network infrastructure projects, overseeing installation, upgrades, and deployments while providing on-site guidance to network engineers, resulting in seamless delivery for MSP clients.
- Diagnosed and resolved complex operational issues across Local Area Networks (LANs), Wide Area Networks (WANs), and VoIP systems, improving uptime and reducing client operational disruptions by an estimated 20%.
- Represented the MSSP at leading cybersecurity conferences (RSA, BSides, WatchGuard Apogee 2019), driving business development efforts, evaluating cutting-edge technologies, and acquiring solutions to enhance service offerings.
Education
CORE Engineering - Information Security
SecureSet Academy
Colorado Springs12-2019
Bachelor of Arts - Philosophy & Computer Science
Colorado College
Colorado Springs05-2018
Skills
- Network security
- Incident response
- Cloud security
- Programming languages
- Analytical thinking
- Scripting languages
- Network monitoring
- Triage efficiency optimization
- Customer satisfaction
- Interpersonal leadership
Software
R7 InsightConnect SOAR
CrowdStrike Falcon Platform
CylancePROTECT
ProofPoint TAP/TRAP
Abnormal Security
Microsoft Entra
Magnet Axiom
Certification
CompTIA - Security+
CompTIA - CySA+ (In Progress)
Interests
Fly-fishing
Weightlifting
The Art of War
Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu
Defense Economics
Timeline
Senior Information Security Analyst
DirectDefense
03.2023 - Current
Associate Information Security Analyst
DirectDefense
01.2020 - 03.2023
Solutions Engineer
Varpath
05.2018 - 05.2019
CORE Engineering - Information Security
SecureSet Academy
Bachelor of Arts - Philosophy & Computer Science
Colorado College
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