Wondering how to become a cyber security analyst? You'll need a thorough grasp of information systems and networks, rigorously technical experience, and continuing cybersecurity training to become a successful Cyber Security Analyst.
As the demand for cybersecurity is growing, companies are focusing more on hiring employees with proven abilities and technical knowledge. And such expertise can be achieved only through high-quality training and practice. According to a report, there would be a demand of 3.5 million people in the field of cyber security.
Who is a Cyber Security Analyst?
A cyber security analyst is a professional who specializes in protecting computer networks and systems from unauthorized access or theft. Cyber security analysts may work in a variety of industries, including the government, private businesses, or educational institutions.
A cyber security analyst is primarily responsible for protecting an organization's network and systems from cyber threats. It involves developing emergency plans by evaluating the IT trends, assessing unusual activity, reporting security breaches, and informing the rest of the team about security procedures. Check out courses on Cyber Security for more information.
How to Become a Cyber Security Analyst?
As the world increasingly shifts online, the need for strong cyber security becomes more and more important. A cyber security analyst is responsible for protecting an organization's computer networks and systems from attack. The following information will help you understand how to become a cybersecurity analyst.
Step 1: Master Skills
Top Skills Needed to Become a Cyber Security Analyst:
- Proficient understanding of networking concepts, protocols, and vulnerabilities.
- strong programming skills in languages like Python, C++, or Java for code analysis and security solutions development.
- Knowledge of operating systems and their security mechanisms, along with encryption techniques, firewall configurations, and intrusion detection systems.
- Expertise in risk assessment, incident response, and threat intelligence analysis.
Top Cyber Analyst Certifications / Degree:
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) validates broad-based knowledge and expertise in various security domains.
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) focuses on ethical hacking techniques and tools to identify vulnerabilities.
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) demonstrates skills in managing and overseeing information security programs.
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) certifies proficiency in auditing, controlling, and assessing information systems.
Step 2: Determine Your Ideal Timeline
Start Learning in a Format That Suits You:
- Choose a learning format that matches your preferences and schedule. Options include online courses, university programs, boot camps, or self-study.
- University programs provide structured education with comprehensive coursework.
- Boot camps offer immersive, accelerated training for quick skill acquisition. Self-study allows you to tailor your learning journey and focus on specific areas of interest.
Earn Your Degree
Although an associate degree would be enough for certain cybersecurity analyst positions, several organizations prefer a bachelor's degree in computer science and IT, computer or software engineering, information assurance, or an equivalent field.
A bachelor's degree in computer science follows the same curriculum as a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity. Both programs begin with a basic understanding of database applications, programming, and statistics before moving on to more sophisticated areas like cryptography, artificial intelligence, and ethical hacking.
System administration, database applications, and data recovery are among the business and technical capabilities that cybersecurity analysts are taught. The coursework focuses on digital forensics, criminal psychology, and policy analysis to properly comprehend IT security.
Graduates with a bachelor's degree can work as computer forensic analysts, cybersecurity analysts, or information security analysts at the entry-level. A CEH training or a CISA certification training course can also be beneficial.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Cybersecurity Analyst?
- The duration to become a cybersecurity analyst can vary based on factors such as prior knowledge, educational path, and dedication. On average, it takes around 2 to 4 years to earn a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity or a related field.
- Specialized university programs or advanced degrees may take longer. Alternatively, intensive boot camps or training programs can typically be completed in a matter of weeks to a few months.
- However, becoming a proficient cybersecurity analyst is an ongoing process. Continuous learning, practical experience, and staying updated with evolving technologies and threats are crucial. Viewing it as a lifelong journey, supplemented by professional development and certifications, ensures ongoing growth and career advancement in the field.
Step 3: Create A Killer Portfolio
If you are a beginner in the industry, a strong portfolio is what is going to help you to land a high-paying job. So, try creating an impressive portfolio by doing various live projects that will showcase all your skills to the recruiters.
Step 4: Where and how to find a job
Top Companies Hiring Cyber Security Analysts:
1. Google: Known for its robust security infrastructure, Google often has openings for cybersecurity analysts to protect its vast network and user data.
2. Microsoft: With its extensive product and service offerings, Microsoft places a high emphasis on cybersecurity and regularly hires analysts to strengthen its defenses.
3. IBM: As a leading technology and consulting company, IBM frequently seeks cybersecurity analysts to assist clients in safeguarding their systems and data.
4. Amazon: Given its prominent role in e-commerce and cloud services, Amazon prioritizes cybersecurity and regularly recruits analysts to fortify its security posture.
5. Cisco Systems: As a major provider of networking and cybersecurity solutions, Cisco frequently hires analysts to help organizations protect their networks and devices.
Job Outlook for Cybersecurity Analyst:
1. Growing Demand: The increasing frequency and sophistication of cyber threats have created a strong demand for cybersecurity analysts across industries.
2. Favorable Job Growth: The job market for cybersecurity analysts is projected to experience faster-than-average growth in the coming years, driven by the need to protect sensitive data and critical systems.
3. Diverse Employment Opportunities: Cybersecurity analysts are needed in various sectors, including finance, healthcare, technology, government, and consulting, providing a wide range of job opportunities.
4. Career Advancement Potential: With the continuous evolution of technology and the rising importance of data protection, cybersecurity analysts have excellent prospects for career advancement and specialization.
5. Competitive Salaries: The demand-supply gap for skilled cybersecurity analysts often results in competitive salaries and benefits packages, making it an attractive field for professionals.
Step 5: Ace the Interview
A brief overview of the interview process + Tips:
- Initial Screening: The interview process typically begins with an initial screening, which may involve a phone or video interview to assess your qualifications and fit for the role.
- Technical Assessment: You might be asked to complete a technical assessment, which can include coding challenges, problem-solving exercises, or simulated scenarios to evaluate your cybersecurity knowledge and skills.
- In-person or Panel Interviews: These sessions may involve behavioral questions, technical discussions, and situational scenarios to gauge your experience, problem-solving abilities, and communication skills.
- Cultural Fit Assessment: Employers often assess cultural fit during the interview process to ensure compatibility with their organizational values and team dynamics.
Tips for Acing the Interview:
- Research the company and industry to demonstrate your interest and knowledge.
- Prepare responses for common cybersecurity interview questions, focusing on your experiences and relevant technical skills.
- Ask thoughtful questions about the company, team, and role to demonstrate your enthusiasm and engagement.
Cyber Security Analysts: Key Requirements
To become a successful cyber security analyst, you need to gain various technical, analytical, and soft skill sets. The cybersecurity analyst requirements are discussed below:
- Networking
- Programming and scripting
- Testing
- Threat detection
- Hacking skills
- Threat intelligence
- Risk management
- Operations and database management
- Incident response
- Analytics and problem solving
- Strong communication
- Ability to teamwork and collaborate.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Cyber Security Analyst
Following are the significant roles and responsibilities of cyber security analysis.
1. Investigating Security Breaches
Data leaks can ruin a company's reputation. When such incidents occur, they can jeopardize public and consumer trust; in the worst-case scenarios, it can lead to deep financial threats, such as credit card fraud, unwarranted account debits, identity theft, and much more. The analyst's responsibility, therefore, is to identify security breaches, spot the hackers, and strengthen your organization's security.
Handling digital forensics at a digital crime scene is the responsibility of cybersecurity specialists. You'll have to figure out whether there was a true or attempted breach, look for any leftover security weaknesses or malware, and try to retrieve data. You can even get to work for a firm that specializes in digital forensics if you have an aptitude for inquiry.
2. Work with a Team to Choose Vulnerabilities
What is the role of a cybersecurity analyst? Finding vulnerabilities and repairing them before a breach happens is one of the most critical components of the job. To identify potential threats to organizational security, you can conduct a vulnerability assessment. During this evaluation, you'll highlight the data and assets that are at risk and the potential causes of a future breach.
Teamwork is critical here. You need to develop rapport not only with the technical team members but also with non-technical personnel. Cyber security analysts must unfailingly keep the lines of communication, allowing the non-cyber counterparts to reach out to them without any hassle.
3. Performing Ethical Hacking
Instead of breaking security to steal data for themselves, cybersecurity professionals use this method to find security flaws and fix them before criminal actors can exploit them.
Penetration testing can be one of the fascinating aspects of the work for folks who enjoy problem-solving and unraveling complex security concerns. You could, in effect, hack and abuse your own system using software apps or your manual coding skills to figure out how to fix it.
Penetration testing can be done using Kali Linux and Metasploit tools, which are strong software programs that expose and explore vulnerabilities across operating systems. While security professionals created Kali Linux, Metasploit is utilized by both cybercriminals and ethical hackers to find the same flaws – with opposing aims.
4. Installing and Operating Software
The cybersecurity analyst's responsibility includes managing, installing, and operating security software. As a cyber security analyst, you may install the requisite software to enhance email or login security, stop malware from intruding a network, and boost your network's defenses against unwanted intrusions. You can also employ specialist tools to better penetration testing, protect your company's website, and monitor network traffic.
These professionals must also make certain that only individuals who need access to sensitive information have access to those systems.
Identity And Access Management (IAM) is one of the most important parts of this assignment. Analysts utilize IAM to ensure that each user on the network is properly identified and that their network access levels are suitable, all while limiting the system's vulnerability to security issues.
5. Implementing and Developing Organization-wide Security Protocols
As a cybersecurity analyst, you will build security policies for a full organization and its digital environment. Cybersecurity and protection are top priorities in today's systems administration and networking roles. Because security affects everyone in a business, no matter how non-technical their professions are, everyone must understand and follow security rules. As a cyber security analyst, you'll create these protocols while keeping in mind that a network's security is only as strong as its weakest links.
6. Testing Security Systems
A cyber security analyst performs security testing to evaluate the security standards of the respective organization. It also includes conducting internal and external audits to check out all the regulatory requirements. In a nutshell, a cyber security analyst needs to undergo security testing to determine the network's vulnerability and check out the areas that need to be improved.
Cyber Security Analyst Job Roles & Salary
The job roles and pay scale for a cyber security analyst may vary depending on various factors such as the type of the organization, location, skills, experience, etc. Based on the level of professional experience, the job roles and the salary of a cyber security analyst may be divided into the following three broad categories:
1. Entry-Level Cyber Security Analyst
At an entry-level, a cyber security analyst may get to work in various job roles such as Cyber Security Technician, Cyber Crime Analyst, Cyber Crime Investigator, Incident Responder, Incident Analyst, etc. The salary of a cyber security analyst at entry level may range somewhere around $63,235 annually.
2. Mid-Level Cyber Security Analyst
At mid-level, that is, for cyber security analysts with more than 3 to 4 years of work experience, you may get a job role of vulnerability tester, cyber security consultant, penetration tester, etc. The salary for the same may range somewhere around $88,596 per year.
3. Senior Cyber Security Analyst Salary
At a senior level, that is, for cyber security analysts with more than 8 to 9 years of work experience in the field, you may get to work in various job roles such as cyber security administrator, cyber security manager, cyber security architect, cyber security engineer, etc. The salary for the same will be $102,002/year or more than that, depending on the location and organization. You must also learn Ethical Hacking online for an added advantage.
Here are the top countries and their salary range:
| Country | Average Annual Salary (in local currency) |
| United States | $90,000 - $130,000 |
| United Kingdom | £45,000 - £70,000 |
| Australia | AUD 80,000 - AUD 120,000 |
| Canada | CAD 70,000 - CAD 100,000 |
| India | ₹800,000 - ₹1,500,000 |
| Singapore | SGD 60,000 - SGD 100,000 |
| Germany | €50,000 - €80,000 |
What Certifications are Required to Become a Cyber Security Analyst?
There are various certifications available online for cyber security analysts. However, here is a curated list of the courses that might help you to gain all the basic skills for being a successful cybersecurity analyst.
- Python
- Coding
- CompTIA Security+
- CompTIA CYSA+
- CompTIA Network+
What's the Demand for Cybersecurity Analysts
- Increasing Cyber Threats: The ever-growing number and sophistication of cyber threats have led to high demand for skilled cybersecurity analysts.
- Protecting Digital Assets: Organizations across industries are prioritizing the protection of their digital assets, sensitive data, and critical systems, driving the need for cybersecurity professionals.
- Compliance and Regulations: Compliance requirements and regulations related to data protection and privacy further contribute to the demand for cybersecurity analysts.
- Job Security and Career Growth: The continuous demand for cybersecurity professionals offers job security and numerous opportunities for career growth and advancement in the field.
Closing
If you're interested in becoming a cyber security analyst, you can do a few things to get started. First, learn as much as you can about cyber security threats and how to protect against them. Next, get experience in the field by working as a security analyst or engineer. And finally, build your network of contacts in the industry and stay up to date on the latest trends and developments. If you wish to learn more about how to become an information security analyst, check out KnowledgeHut's Cyber Security trainings today.
