What Does a Cybersecurity Analyst Do? 2024 Job Guide

Explore eight cybersecurity roles and the skills, talent and experience required. If you’re interested in starting a career in cybersecurity, consider the Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate on Coursera. This program is designed ​​to help individuals with no previous experience prepare for Microsoft’s SC-900 exam and a first job in cybersecurity, all at their own pace. While cybersecurity analysis is a technical role with some job-specific skills, you’ll also want to develop your workplace skills—some of these may even transfer from your previous experiences. Adding certifications like CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) can validate your skills in the cybersecurity field and prepare you for a more advanced role within your organization.

Earning a cybersecurity certification can be a great way to validate your skills to recruiters and potential employers. Preparing for an exam doubles as a way to learn more about the field and build your skills. Take a look at some of the most popular cybersecurity certifications companies are hiring for. The average annual salary quoted in US job listings for cybersecurity analysts from May 2022 through April 2023 was $107,517, according to CyberSeek [1]. This is nearly twice as high as the national median salary for all occupations, $61,900 [2]. A Cybersecurity Analyst is a professional who helps design and implement security systems to protect an organization’s computer networks from cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity career path

The customer is responsible for protecting their data, code and other assets they store or run in the cloud. Critical infrastructure security protects the computer systems, applications, networks, data and digital assets that a society depends on for national security, economic health and public safety. In the United States, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) developed a cybersecurity framework to help IT providers in this area. The US Department of Homeland Security’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) provides extra guidance. Ideally, the best cybersecurity professional has the proper book knowledge, skill set, and hands-on experience.

A Cyber Security Specialist is an expert in the field of information technology security. They work to make sure that networks are safe from external threats like hackers or crackers who want access for malicious purposes. Cybersecurity managers are responsible for overseeing an organization’s security infrastructure. At the same time, you’ll need to lead risk mitigation efforts, source cybersecurity tools, and ensure your organization complies with proper rules and regulations. The Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate is designed to introduce the skills and knowledge you’ll need for an entry-level role as a cybersecurity analyst.

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Today’s appsec engineers may also oversee API security and recommend best security practices for third-party application use. After assessing an organization’s risk profile, an IT auditor makes formal recommendations for improvement to key stakeholders. Other key responsibilities of an IT auditor include developing, implementing and updating the audit framework. CompTIA certifications establish cybersecurity specialist program a baseline foundation of skills that you can build upon with other vendor or technology-specific certifications. Project+ gives technical and non-technical professionals the basic concepts to successfully manage small- to medium-sized projects. Security+ provides a global benchmark for best practices in IT network and operational security, one of the fastest-growing fields in IT.

You can have an impact on your organization by keeping valuable data protected. With new threats and sophisticated attacks emerging all the time, there’s always something new to learn. Staying one step ahead of cybercriminals can be an exciting job where no two days are the same. This article provides a comprehensive cybersecurity job description covering definitions, roles and responsibilities, various career paths, and how to become a cybersecurity expert. Finally, we will conclude with an excellent opportunity for people who want to become cybersecurity professionals. Cybersecurity professionals assess security risks, design security strategies, and implement security technologies to protect organizations from cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity Job Description: What to Expect

Develop those skills, and you can make yourself a more competitive candidate for the tens of thousands of open cybersecurity analyst jobs in the US. The effectiveness of any security-focused job depends on clear definitions of roles and strong communication up and down the line as to the tasks and responsibilities for which each player is responsible. Crafting a good cyber security job description is a big challenge, because each company has different needs and has its own expectations for each role on the security team. Many cybersecurity professionals’ first jobs are in the SOC, and an entry-level analyst could go on to hold any number of positions in the field. Starting a career in cybersecurity—or switching from another field—typically involves developing the right skills for the job. If you’re interested in getting a job as a cybersecurity analyst, here are some steps you can take to get on your way.

Other professionals, such as security analysts and engineers, are finding they need to know more about working with other groups within their organizations. Newer roles such as malware analyst and incident responder are emerging to better combat threats. Network security engineers aim to minimize network security vulnerabilities without sacrificing uptime. They need technical skills, the ability to troubleshoot problems as they arise and extensive knowledge of common and emerging cyber threats. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) anticipates 32 percent job growth between 2022 and 2032—much faster than the national average [3]. There are more cybersecurity jobs than there are people with the right skills to fill them.

Job brief

In this job, you play a key role in protecting your organization’s valuable data. In Google’s Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, you’ll learn how to protect networks, devices, people, and data from unauthorized access and cyberattacks using (SIEM) tools. You’ll also learn how to identify common risks, threats, and vulnerabilities and even gain hands-on experience with Python, Linux, and SQL. Many cybersecurity professionals start out as junior cybersecurity analysts before advancing to more specialized positions. Depending on your interests, you’ll find a variety of cybersecurity career paths you can take.

This in-demand role calls for a rare combination of superior communication skills and security chops. Learn how one information assurance analyst landed his current job, the skills and training that helped him get there, and where his sights are set now. It’s difficult to navigate a career in cybersecurity, especially with all the varying roles.

Increasingly, attackers are combining DDoS attacks with ransomware attacks, or simply threatening to launch DDoS attacks unless the target pays a ransom. Malware—short for “malicious software”—is any software code or computer program that is written intentionally to harm a computer system or its users. Mobile security encompasses various disciplines and technologies specific to smartphones and mobile devices, including mobile application management (MAM) and enterprise mobility management (EMM). Our comprehensive guide explores the essentials of Identity and Access Management (IAM), covering its role in cybersecurity, components, benefits, and more. Topics covered include IoT security, its importance, types, challenges, and potential threats.

Proactively protect your organization’s primary and secondary storage systems against ransomware, human error, natural disasters, sabotage, hardware failures and other data loss risks. Disaster recovery capabilities often play a key role in maintaining business continuity in the event of a cyberattack. For example, the ability to fail over to a backup that is hosted in a remote location can enable a business to resume operations quickly following a ransomware attack (and sometimes without paying a ransom). Phishing attacks are email, text or voice messages that trick users into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information or sending funds to the wrong people.

Since cyber attacks can happen at any time, come organizations and security companies keep security analysts on-call outside of typical business hours. If you’re looking for a job with the flexibility to work evenings or weekend hours, cybersecurity could be a good fit. In this article, you’ll explore job descriptions for three different cybersecurity positions – cybersecurity analyst, specialist, and manager – to learn more about what you can expect from each one. At the end, you’ll also find suggested online courses you can take to gain job-relevant skills today. Ask a cybersecurity professional why they chose this as a career, and you might get a variety of answers.

• A veteran CISO offers advice on how to find your niche in the security industry.
• Malware—short for “malicious software”—is any software code or computer program that is written intentionally to harm a computer system or its users.
• If you handle responsibility well, enjoy working with others, and are comfortable in a leadership position, then you might consider a career as a cybersecurity manager.
• The Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate is designed to introduce the skills and knowledge you’ll need for an entry-level role as a cybersecurity analyst.
• Skilled, certified cybersecurity professionals are in heavy demand, and you can be one of them after you complete this six-month online cybersecurity bootcamp.
• Learn how one information assurance analyst landed his current job, the skills and training that helped him get there, and where his sights are set now.

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