Cybersecurity Analyst

SCS Cybersecurity

Vulnerability Exploitation Analyst

Job Description

At Southern Company, our core objective is to ensure a safe and reliable computing environment for the consumers of our services, both internally and externally. Our complex environment generates a constant stream of challenges which require continual innovation with an evolving set of technologies. Keeping the network safe and reliable ensures that our users stay connected with our applications, products and services.

Southern Company is committed to supporting the professional development and growth of its employees and fosters an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Southern Company is seeking a passionate Vulnerability Exploitation Analyst to join our Cybersecurity organization. This technical, hands‑on role is critical to strengthening our vulnerability management program by performing exposure validation, exploit testing, and adversary simulation. You will actively identify, replicate, and validate vulnerabilities to determine real‑world impact, ensuring remediation efforts are prioritized based on risk.

• Exploitation evaluation and validation of vulnerabilities across enterprise systems.

• Attack surface reduction through proactive identification of exploitable gaps.

• Continuous threat validation to confirm the effectiveness of security controls and defensive measures.

This role partners closely with the Vulnerability Management team to provide actionable insights that drive remediation strategies and improve overall security posture.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or equivalent experience.

• 2+ years in offensive security, penetration testing, or adversarial threat simulation.

• Demonstrated expertise in supporting vulnerability and patch management programs, enhancing application security, and conducting thorough analyses of potential exposures.

• Hands on experience with manual exploitation techniques and breach and attack simulation platforms.

• Strong understanding of vulnerability research, exploit chains, and post‑exploitation tactics.

• Deep understanding of MITRE ATT&CK, adversary TTPs, and exploit development.

• Proficiency in scripting languages (Python, Power Shell, Bash; PERL a plus).

• Knowledge of vulnerability management, attack surface management, and cloud security posture management.

• Familiarity with OWASP testing methodologies and common application/system vulnerabilities.

• Understanding of system and application security threats and vulnerabilities (e.g., buffer overflow, mobile code, cross‑site scripting, code injection, race conditions, covert channel, replay, return‑oriented attacks).

• Understanding and familiarity with different operating systems (e.g., Windows and LINUX/UNIX systems).

• Knowledge of IT security / hardening best practices; including but not limited to operating systems, web applications, and network devices.

• Experience with SIEM platforms for detection validation and log analysis.

• Excellent communication skills for translating technical findings into business risk narratives.

• Ability to think like an attacker—creative, persistent, and detail‑oriented in identifying weaknesses.

• Ability to thrive in a fast‑paced environment, demonstrating adaptability and flexibility in response to changing priorities and emerging threats.

• Experience driving discussions and consensus across a broad group of stakeholders and cross‑functional teams regarding security recommendations and mitigation strategies.

• Demonstrates strong critical thinking and curiosity, essential for effectively analyzing and addressing security threats and vulnerabilities.

• Conduct attack path mapping and adversary emulation using MITRE ATT&CK and other frameworks.

• Execute breach and attack simulations and exploit validation across enterprise systems.

• Research and replicate emerging exploits, vulnerabilities, and offensive techniques to assess real‑world impact.

• Collaborate with Threat Intelligence to align testing with current threat actor behaviors and campaigns.

• Provide actionable insights and offensive‑driven recommendations to harden systems and…