How to Become a Cyber Security Analyst in 2025?

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 its 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! 

Table of Contents

• 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

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.

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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 cybersecurity 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 cybersecurity industry, becoming a cybersecurity 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 understand the roles and responsibilities of cybersecurity analysts, we went through the job descriptions available on LinkedIn by 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 fulfil, 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 to understand the skills required to become a cybersecurity 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 cybersecurity analyst:

1. Programming and Scripting Skills

To understand encrypted threats and make necessary changes in the software, you must have excellent skills in scripting and programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, Perl, PHP, etc.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.  

6. 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.

7. Expertise in Operating Systems

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

Enrolling in our cyber security training will help you acquire all these skills and become a certified professional in this domain.

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: 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 related specialized certification is a must.

Step 2: Understanding of Cyber Security Fundamentals

A strong foundation in computer systems, including operating systems, networking, and databases, is required. Additionally, the ability to learn and adapt to new technologies and systems is necessary.

Step 3: Learn Programming Languages

Learn a language like Python, Bash, or Powershell to enhance your skills. This will help you effectively automate tasks in pen-testing and customize various scripts used in cyber security.

Step 4: Understand the Ethical Hacking concepts and Cyber laws

You need to know some concepts related to cyber security, such as reconnaissance, authentication, authorization, security architecture, encryption and decryption. This knowledge helps you to understand security measures and countermeasures.

Step 5: Obtain Certifications

To get into cyber security, consider certificates such as CISSP, CEH, and CompTIA Security+, which will validate your skills and develop foundational concepts. Intellipaat is a trusted and authorized partner of the EC Council. If you are looking to move towards cybersecurity, do check out our Cyber Security and Ethical Hacking Course, which also includes CEH and CISSP security programs.

Step 6: Build Your LinkedIn profile and Resume 

In the latest job marketplace, a strong resume and LinkedIn profile are crucial for job seekers, as they provide a concise view of your professional experience, qualifications, and relevant details.

Step 7: Ace your Interview and Start your career.

To succeed in the job, you need to research the company you applied to, put the keyword in your resume from the company’s job description, prepare commonly asked questions in an interview, be confident, improve communication, and you will be able to crack 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 other cybersecurity roles, the salary of a cybersecurity analyst varies among 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 courses, cyber security analysts, their job descriptions, 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 a cyber security certification course, 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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