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Dave Miller – Tech Enthusiast & Security Expert – June 29th, 2022
For the firm to preserve its integrity, specialists in any subject are essential, and similarly, many people sometimes ask, what does a cyber security analyst do? We hear that these specialists are frequently the first line of defense against cybercrime. But many individuals are still curious about how they accomplish it since they are interested in applying for these positions. However, simply understanding what makes them unique will not enable you to continue this road on your own. You will need a lot more than just that.
This article attempts to help you start along the path to a lucrative career in the field. Discover more about the duties of a cybersecurity analyst by reading on.
Businesses of all sizes need to invest in cyber security since their systems and networks house sensitive and priceless data. In accordance with Verizon’s 2021 Data Breach Investigations Report, small and medium enterprises were affected by 46% of security breaches. Your company might sustain severe losses as a result of a successful cyberattack. It may impact your revenue, the reputation of your company, and customer confidence.
Therefore, maintaining data integrity, availability, and confidentiality is the aim of any cybersecurity plan. It ensures that your company’s data is secure from intrusions by both external and bad internal actors. Although it’s crucial to safeguard your company against cyberattacks, some business owners aren’t exactly sure how to do it.
Many individuals mistakenly believe cyber security refers to the software and oversight that guards against hostile attacks or data theft on their emails, system software, and networking devices. Yes, this is a sizable and crucial component of commercial cyber security. But employees also have a big part to play in safeguarding your business. As a result, you will want a professional or possibly a professional team to handle your security. Therefore, whichever model you apply, it starts with the internet and finishes with your workforce.
Fact: Some top security professionals worldwide are among Google’s 500+ security engineers, who work around the clock to identify dangers early and take swift action.
New cyber threats surface every hour of every day in today’s technological environment. As mentioned, cybercrime is growing, and governments and businesses worldwide focus on reducing cyber risk. Your company will require devoted personnel whose primary responsibility is your company’s online security. However, there has been much discussion over who is ultimately accountable for cybersecurity in recent years.
However, it is difficult to say with certainty who is ultimately in charge of what when it comes to cybersecurity and responsibility. Although they work in specialized fields, they primarily ensure that your company’s security procedures are up to date. Among the few will mostly be cybersecurity analysts or specialists. These two roles appear comparable; however, there is a fine line between what are typically significant positions in any organization. Companies often hire security professionals for both positions to improve their overall security. Still, both positions have complex and ever-changing responsibilities.
What does a cyber security analyst do? According to the standard definition for a cybersecurity analyst. A cyber security analyst can expect to assist in designing and implementing security measures to safeguard computer networks inside a company against online threats. This position is crucial to maintaining the security of sensitive and confidential information inside a business. The specialist monitors networks and systems, evaluate alarms, and analyses data. Based on their seriousness, they report on threats for either escalating or resolving.
The analyst often has at minimum a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity or a closely related discipline. He is familiar with cybercriminals’ tactics and actively works to foresee and stop these assaults. They will primarily endeavour to safeguard the safety of the company you work for in any business. But occasionally. They are also accessible for independent consultation, providing customers with advisory services.
Tech-savvy people that want to think imaginatively about new ideas, code, and experiment with new technology are a good fit for this role. There are high expectations for cybersecurity analysts, even at the starting level.
Deciding on your job may be difficult, especially when there are two subjects you are equally interested in. Because there is a slim line between the job designations for security analysts and security professionals, there is confusion in the field. However, these two do and how they do it are entirely different.
Specialists are masters in their domains and may work in various businesses. Being a specialist requires you to learn all there is to know about the industry you want to work in, including cybercrime and illegal usage. Those who work as analysts, on the other hand, may be employed in fields that primarily rely on data, information, and statistics. They concentrate mainly on data analysis and applications.
There are various distinctions between both the two to take into account. So, if you’re thinking about pursuing careers in either of these fields. In that case, you may start your career in a specialized sector and develop into an analyst position if you’re keen to work.
Note: Analysts in information security and cybersecurity sometimes get used interchangeably. However, the information security analyst would manage the stored data and oversee data security.
By common understanding, we now understand a cyber security analyst’s key responsibilities include developing and implementing security solutions to safeguard a business. By going over the job tasks in more depth, let’s take a closer look at this role and see what does a cyber security analyst do
Note: Here are a few duties and responsibilities, although the day-to-day obligations of a cybersecurity analyst will vary from firm to company
Maintaining Security Protocols: The company’s digital assets must get protected from unwanted access, and security analysts are ultimately responsible for this. To do this, he will assess the needs of the business and employ these technologies to safeguard its data. In addition, he will install, administer, and software systems on all the networks and procedures in a business and ensure they have sufficient security measures. Virus software, password protection, and risk management software are more instances of this.
Reporting & Develop Security Plans: Security policies that protect a company from online attacks are regularly developed and implemented by cybersecurity analysts. The analyst will analyze the network’s weaknesses and tell what is happening there. Cybersecurity experts spend a lot of time looking for weak points in security systems because it’s ideal for uncovering a flaw before a hacker does. The sorts of threats that cybersecurity experts are likely to encounter must get kept up to date.
They must also be aware of any vulnerabilities or hazards associated with the source code. They then use commonly used industry-standard frameworks to build and implement these protocols and report further. Additionally, they offer an audit trail so that businesses can keep track of who has viewed or modified a database. It might be a legal necessity for some businesses, while it is best practice for others.
Research Further & Evaluate Weaknesses: Their job objective is to make the network as safe as feasible because no network is entirely secure. The constant testing of all strong networks to identify vulnerabilities before malicious users or outside threats may compromise them is part of the job. Then, he will conduct more studies on open cyberspace and security developments, keep current on prospective dangers and assaults, and develop preventative measures.
Your degree of expertise may significantly affect how much money you make in many different businesses. Similarly, in cybersecurity, this is especially true. As of May 27, 2022, the average hourly pay for an Information Security Analyst I in the US is $32; the range is often between $29 and $35.
According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for cybersecurity analysts in the US was $102,600 in 2021. It is more than twice the average yearly compensation for all workers, which is $12,700 for other similar professions. The hourly wage might vary significantly based on various aspects, including education, credentials, talents, and the length of time you have been in your line of work.
The need for cyber security specialists has grown by 60% in the last year.
Fact: Cybersecurity Ventures claims that between 2013 and 2021, the number of open cybersecurity roles increased by 350%, from one million to 3.5 million.
There are over 3.1 million empty positions worldwide in the cyber security field. Over the next ten years, there will, on average, be 16,300 opportunities for information security analysts, according to a report by the cybersecurity professional association (ISC)2.
You will have an influence on any business as a cybersecurity specialist. So now that you are aware of what does a cyber security analyst do, let’s look at how you may become one.
Since this critical position requires more experience than entry-level positions in cybersecurity, You will need a certain degree. The United States Bureau of Labor states that you must possess a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity and information assurance to be eligible. 74% of job postings for cybersecurity analysts, according to CyberSeek, required at least a bachelor’s degree. Which degree should you thus pursue?
According to Western Governors University, the finest degrees for you to pursue are the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in cybersecurity and information assurance.
Since having information, security certification gets preferred by many employers. Therefore, employers employing cybersecurity analysts frequently need both a degree and industry qualifications. Because of this, this degree program from WGU includes applicable certifications along with degree programs at no additional cost.
Click the link below to learn more about the certification you’ll obtain after finishing your degree.
Note: It’s important to note that you may begin your career in cyber security without a degree by taking an entry-level position. By obtaining experience and professional credentials, you might eventually advance to a position in cyber security.
You’ll also want to build your talents to further this field and what you will learn in your degree. Since the cybersecurity analysis is a technical function that does require some job-specific skills.
The majority of assaults target networked systems. You must understand how networks operate to defend against these attacks, including essentials like network architecture and protocols. Moreover, you should be aware of how each of these concepts may affect an organization’s security.
Your ability to identify weak areas using ethical hacking techniques can help you identify possible security concerns. Your ability to manage the harmful consequences of an assault will improve. An analyst can produce proof in the case of a breach if they know and comprehend the assault.
A practical understanding of programming languages and scriptings like Java or C++ is highly valued. Although technological advancements have made it possible for cybersecurity analysts to work without writing code, having this skill will give you a competitive advantage.
Fact: Coding skills are typically not necessary for entry-level cybersecurity positions. However, coding may be required to grow in the sector if cybersecurity specialists look for mid or upper-level roles.
Cybersecurity analysts must fulfill several duties efficiently to protect their firm’s security. They are an essential part of an organization’s security processes. Therefore, you should start working towards it as soon as possible if you might picture yourself digging into the specifics of safeguarding information systems.
Although a degree is not required to work as a cybersecurity analyst, it helps simplify the process. The basics of cybersecurity may also get learned through online courses or bootcamps, and you can begin honing the abilities that will help you succeed.
In the end, understanding complex security concerns and resolving any dangers that might influence the business come down to having extraordinary critical thinking abilities.
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Dave Miller is an IT Consultant for Online Cloud Security and has over 7 years of experience in the Information Technology space. He also specializes in repairing laptops & computers. In his spare time, he loves to talk about new technologies and hosts monthly IT and Cyber Security meetings in the Houston area.
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Online Cloud Security is here to recommend you the most secure devices, from laptops to smartphones, we only want to provide you with products that we have tested and used ourselves for online security. Every product that we recommend is heavily inspected and tested for security against hackers, viruses, malware, and any other intruders that may want to steal your information.
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