What is Life Like in the Day of a Cybersecurity Analyst: Could I Learn those Skills Online?

What is Life Like in the Day of a Cybersecurity Analyst: Could I Learn those Skills Online?

Thanks to the internet, the world today is more interconnected and automated than ever before. On the one hand, this is good. It connects everyone, no matter where you are or what you do in life. On the other hand, however, increased automation and connectivity greatly fuels the activities of cybercriminals. Every day, these criminals come up with new and sophisticated cyber-attack tactics, making cybercrime a burgeoning problem.

As a result, businesses now give greater emphasis to network security, a factor that has, in turn, spurred the demand for cybersecurity analysts. This demand is not about to wane anytime soon. If anything, it's expected to grow even more. Forbes estimates that in this field there are now more than 3.5 vacant job opportunities. If you've always dreamt of a career as a cyber-analyst, now is the best time to pursue it. Below is all you need to know about this profession.

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Who is a Cybersecurity Analyst?

A cybersecurity analyst, commonly referred to as a CSA is an expert tasked with the responsibility of detecting, planning, and implementing security measures to protect an organization's network. Simply put, an analyst monitors, detects and prevents security breaches.

A Day in the Life of a Cyber-Security Analyst

Due to the unpredictable nature of data security, a day in the life of a CSA doesn't follow the generic 9 to 5 pattern of regular jobs. Therefore, while tasks such as checking in and reviewing a briefing from the previous shift follow a consistent pattern, the rest is unpredictable. To sum it up, a typical day in the life of a cyber-security analyst could start on a slow or high note based on what transpired during the previous shift.

That said, an analyst starts the day by checking in and then reviewing a briefing from the previous shift. This is usually a crucial step especially if the business in question operates 24/7. This briefing sets the momentum for the remaining part of their day. This is because their response can either be reactive or proactive based on the events of the previous shift.

For instance, if the analyst from the previous shift identified a potential risk, but their shift was over. The next analyst on duty will take over by assessing how much of a threat the risk might be. If the threat has the potential of going from 0 to 100 real quick, the day starts on a high note as the analyst works in reactive mode.

For example, if a network is under attack, an analyst will go into reactive mode by coming up with a solution to intercept the attack before any damage is done. If the attack is already taking place, they'll come up with a solution to control the damage done.

Once everything is under control, the analyst will then work proactively by coming up with a better solution to prevent such incidents from happening again. This means that the next part of their day will revolve around monitoring the system for similar threats and coming up with solution.

However, if no attack is on the verge of or is happening, that day might be slow as they'll spend it in proactive mode. Being curious beings, this practically means using tools such as pen tests to reconstruct the organization's network in search of any loopholes that attackers might use to penetrate the system.

How Cybersecurity Analysts Use Their Academic and Personal Skills Everyday

A typical day for a cyber-security analyst revolves around taking into account past and current events to determine future events. This is only possible through the analytical skills they gained while pursuing their degree and personal traits such as curiosity which drive them to reconstruct an entire system in search of problems.

Analysts also have excellent problem-solving skills. This, coupled up with various cyber-security tools and academic skills, enables them to exploit the information they have to discover threats that an unskilled person would never imagine existed. These skills also allow them to approach and solve a problem from different angles.

Why a Cyber Security Degree is Important

Pursuing a cyber-security degree is important as it should equip you with the skillset required to fill the widening skills gap left by the need for trained cybersecurity analysts. By the time you complete the program you're usually able to:

  • Perform a data analysis
  • Interpret the results of an analysis to detect threats and vulnerabilities to a network
  • Configure new solutions to protect the system.

In a nutshell, pursuing a degree could make you a perfect fit for the job market. This, in turn, unlocks a world of life-changing opportunities for you as the increasing demand for cybersecurity experts automatically translates to better salaries.

What's riveting is that you can pursue your degree online. An online cybersecurity program gifts you with the chance to better your life without making significant changes to your current schedule.

Are You Ready to Get Started Today?

The cyber-security industry is evolving at an incredibly rapid pace. As it grows, so do cybercriminals. This means that most businesses want someone who can quickly adapt to the changes and always be one step ahead of these criminals. Therefore, a career in this field is a lifelong learning process as you need to keep up with the rapidly growing and changing scope of information security.

If you want to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Cyber and Network Security - Cybersecurity Track, ECPI University offers this program at an accelerated pace. For more information, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.

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