How to Become a Cyber Security Analyst in 2024?

Did you know, that almost 46 million cyber attacks are launched every day? Tycoon organizations such as Google, Meta, British Airways, and Uber have all fallen victim to these attacks over the last two decades. Last year, cybercrimes cost the world 8 trillion USD, according to the report by Express VPN. Considering these high stakes, every organization, be it a large MNC or small startup, invests heavily in their cyber security infrastructure.

As reported by cyber security ventures, there will be 3.5 million cyber security positions available by 2025. So if you want to create a strong IT career, there is no better IT domain than cyber security. In this article on How to Become a Cyber Security Analyst, we cover everything from job role definition to the step-by-step roadmap for becoming a cyber security analyst. Keep reading! 

Who is a Cyber Security Analyst?
Why Become a Cyber Security Analyst?
Cyber Security Analyst Job Description
Skills Required to Become Cyber Security Analyst
How to Become a Cyber Security Analyst: Step-by-Step Roadmap 
Cyber Security Analyst Job 
Cyber Security Analyst Salary
Begin Your Career in Cyber Security
FAQs

Check out the video on how to become Cyber Security Analyst:

Who is a Cyber Security Analyst?

Cyber security Analysts are trained professionals who monitor the computer networks, databases, computer infrastructure, etc. of an organization and make sure that they are safe and protected from malicious activities, such as security breaches, external threats, cyber attacks, cyber terrorism, etc. These professionals are often referred to as Threat Intel Analysts or Information Security Analysts.

They identify and correct various flaws and anomalies in systems, applications, programs, networks, and more to keep them secure. Further, it is in their job description to suggest new and necessary measures that can help the overall security of the business and inform the key members of the respective steps that have to be taken.

Now that you have learned who cyber security Analysts are, let’s read about what they do and what their roles and responsibilities are in an organization.

Why Become a Cyber Security Analyst?

With a large number of organizations moving online, cyber-attacks are on the rise. The FBI reports a 300% rise in cybercrime since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. As cybercrime continues to rise, the demand for cyber security analysts is at an all-time high.
To realize its overpowering importance, check the given data. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs in cyber security will grow by 32% by 2032, which is much faster than the average of all occupations.
Interestingly, CNBC reported that there are over 6,00,000 cyber security jobs available in the US, and about 3.5 million jobs worldwide. The average salary of a cyber security analyst in the US is $105,332, and in India, you can expect ₹5,00,000 lakhs, according to Glassdoor.

Given the number of job opportunities, attractive salary packages, and the crucial role of a cyber security analyst, the profession is considered one of the best IT job roles. Plus, if you are looking to get into the cyber security industry, becoming a cyber security analyst could act as an initial stepping stone. 

Cyber Security Analyst Job Description

The best way to identify precise role definitions for any job role is by going through the available job descriptions on the job boards. To exactly understand the roles and responsibilities of cyber security analysts, we went through the job descriptions available on LinkedIn by companies: Wipro and CloudSEK.

Source: LinkedIn

As a Cyber Security Analyst, you need to perform various responsibilities while working in an organization. Some of the significant and general responsibilities that you will have as a professional in this domain are mentioned below:

1. Network Monitoring

You should learn how to use network security tools to monitor security and make sure that the network remains secure.

2. Access Monitoring

When it comes to Access Monitoring, you should stay informed about security measures and employee access to business data. As an administrator, you can access the company’s systems to oversee these details.

3. Software Management

You need to install, maintain, and update various software on the network and systems that you monitor to make sure that they are working as required and keep the network secured. Also, you must audit system flaws to prevent possible attacks.

4. Reporting

This responsibility is very vital, as you need to compile reports regularly consisting of details regarding problems in the network and system security. The reports should also include the measures that are taken to resolve them.

5. Development of Security Plans

Starting with this, you will be required to generate security plans and distribute them to the organization’s members. To do so, you need to establish the required processes and research. The plans can contain small to large details concerning the security of the company.

6. Avoiding Breaches

One of the main goals of any cyber security expert, including an analyst, is to examine security clearances, architecture, etc., and prevent any possible security breaches.

7. Ensuring Compliance

To protect data, the company needs to meet numerous regulatory standards. You need to ensure that your organization is compliant with the same.

8. Dealing with Disaster Recovery and Incident Response

You need to coordinate with the organization’s SOC team (Security Operations Center) in case of any data breach.

9. Research Advancements and Renewing Skills

Update constantly, as you need to keep up with the latest technologies and advancements in the field of cyber security to meet market demands.

After reading the long list of responsibilities that these analysts need to fulfill, you might be wondering, ‘How much does a cyber security Analyst make?’ You will get an answer to this question a little further in this blog. For now, let’s try and understand what are the skills required to become a cyber security analyst.

Skills Required to Become a Cyber Security Analyst

When it comes to cyber security, you need a mix of multiple skills, such as networking, firewalls, risk analysis and mitigation, etc. Below are the critical skills you will need as a cyber security analyst:

Programming and Scripting Skills

You must have excellent skills in scripting and programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, Perl, JavaScript, PHP, etc., to be capable of understanding encrypted threats and making necessary changes in the software.

Skills in Networking

Be familiar with various networking protocols, along with their functionalities, workings, uses, network security, etc. You must be able to identify how each element of the network can impact the company’s security.

Experience in Risk Analysis

Elevate yourself with strong analytical skills to assess all the security requirements of the company and the clients to secure their networks, data, and systems.

Knowledge of Security Principles and Protocols

You should be thorough with various security principles and protocols, such as access control, confidentiality, privacy, etc., to build less vulnerable systems.

Understanding of Different Cyber Threats

You must have technical know-how about different cyber threats like DDoS Attacks, Malware threats, Phishing, Ransomware, Trojan Horse, etc. Not just that, you should know how to defend the system against these threats as well as mitigate them if such a threat occurs.  

Ethical Hacking Skills

To be a good Security Analyst, you must have skills in ethical hacking to foresee, identify, and prevent cyberattacks and protect systems.

Expertise in Operating Systems

You should be familiar with different operating systems, such as Linux, iOS, Windows, and more.

You can easily acquire all these skills and become a certified professional in this domain by enrolling in our cyber security training.

Now that you have a clear picture of the skills required by cyber security analysts, let us now discuss the step-by-step roadmap to becoming a cyber security analyst.

How to Become a Cyber Security Analyst: Step-by-Step Roadmap 

Step 1:  Meet Educational Requirements

To become a cyber security analyst, you must have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, or a related field. If you want to get advanced roles in this domain, then pursuing a master’s or any specialized certification is a must.

Step 2: Gain a Solid Understanding of Cyber Security Fundamentals

You must get yourself familiar with some basic concepts such as operating systems, databases, and networking. This will help you build your understanding of cyber security fundamentals. You can learn these basics from various online sources. You can even focus on learning these concepts while pursuing your degree.

Step 3: Learn Programming Languages

Now start focusing on learning programming languages such as Python, and C++, or scripting languages such as PowerShell. Learning these skills helps cyber security professionals in automating tasks, penetration testing, security tool customization, and much more. 

Step 4: Explore Cyber Laws and Ethical Hacking Concepts

Now you should get yourself familiar with the basics of cyber security concepts such as reverse engineering, access control, authentication, cyber law, security policies, encryption and decryption. These concepts will help you implement effective security measures. 

Step 5: Acquire Certifications

Acquiring the top cyber security certification will help you build your foundational concepts of cyber security and validate your skills, meet industry standards, earn industry recognition, and much more.

There are various certifications, such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), which can improve your status quo as a cybersecurity professional. 

Intellipaat is a trusted and authorized partner of the EC-Council and provides state-of-the-art cyber security programs that cover both CEH and CISSP, if you are looking to make a move towards a career in cyber security, do check out our Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking Course.

Step 6: Build Your Resume 

When it comes to getting a job, a resume is really crucial. If you are applying for an internship or a full-time job, a resume is required. A resume is a summary of your professional background, talents, and other pertinent information.

Step 7: Prepare for Interview, and Ace Your First Job

The next step would be to get an interview. Before you go to the interview, make sure you’ve researched the organization and read the job description thoroughly. Sprinkle the crucial keywords from the job description throughout your CV. Go through the most commonly asked cyber security interview questions, to analyze what kind of questions will be asked in the interview.

Be confident throughout your interview, and after a few attempts, you will be able to land your first job as a cyber security analyst.

Cyber Security Analyst Jobs

Finally, what matters most is the availability of job opportunities on the market. According to LinkedIn, there are over 3000 jobs available in India, and 23000+ jobs are available in the USA. Of course, these numbers could be much higher if we consider other job boards as well.

Source: LinkedIn

Cyber Security Analyst Salary

The salary of cyber security professionals varies based on their experience in the field, job location, organization, job role, and more factors. We will discuss a few of these salaries based on three broad categories and the figures by Glassdoor and Payscale.

Based on Location

Below are the average salary figures in various locations across the globe:

Source: Glassdoor

Based on Organizations

Similar to the other cyber security roles, the salary of a cyber security analyst varies with different organizations. We have listed some of the salary figures below:

Source: Glassdoor

Based on Experience

Below is a description of the salary structure for cyber security analysts based on experience levels:

Source: Payscale

Begin Your Career in Cyber Security

You are now familiar with the steps that are mandatory for you to take to become a Certified Cyber Security Expert. Here, you have learned about cyber security Analysts, their job description, the requirements to get into this profession, and so on. After reading in detail about all this, you also learned about the numerous opportunities available in this field and the intriguing salary packages.

To apply for similar job roles and get a high income, you must go for training in cyber security, complete it, and gain experience. So, without wasting time, take the first step toward taking off your career in cyber security!

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