As the world is getting more and more seamlessly connected, the chances of data being leaked or exposed have also become higher than ever. In modern times, the transfer of precious and confidential data has become very easy and so has its access by malicious actors who can misuse these data and harm businesses as well as individuals.
Cybersecurity Analysts are among the most important cybersecurity professionals within the organization who are responsible for creating a secure environment and preventing them from any kind of cybersecurity threat. They also do analyze the situations if anything goes wrong.
In this brief guide, we will explain how you can set your path to becoming a cybersecurity analyst in 2024 and master this cybersecurity career path. So, let’s get started.
What do Cybersecurity Analysts do?
Cybersecurity Analysts are also known as the first line of defense in any organization against cybercrimes. These professionals protect the organization’s computer systems, networks, and data from different types of cyber-attacks and security breaches.
To perform their responsibility, they use their cybersecurity skills which might include researching the latest trends in IT and information security, creating strategic plans, reviewing suspicious activities, etc.
Cybersecurity analysts are the cybersecurity experts who have to implement threat protection measures and security controls in their organizations. They sometimes also need to perform penetration testing in a controlled manner to identify vulnerabilities within their organization’s security system so that they can be rectified within time before the real cyber-criminals do any damage.
Skills and Qualifications required to become a Cybersecurity Analyst
To become a cybersecurity analyst, you need to possess certain qualifications and cybersecurity skills. You can earn these qualifications by completing full or part-time degree courses in reputed universities or by enrolling in the best cybersecurity certification programs to learn the required skills in this domain.
To get into a cybersecurity career, ensure you have either a bachelor’s or master’s degree in cybersecurity, computer science, information technology, or related fields. Degree or diploma courses in maths and engineering are also accepted.
And when it comes to important skills required in this domain, you must be good at:
- Risk management
- Incident response
- Threat intelligence
- Programming language
- Operating systems
- Network and systems security
- Enterprise security architecture
- Data storage and management, etc.
Apart from these core technical and cybersecurity skills, you must be good at many soft skills to efficiently perform your duties such as:
- Problem-solving skills
- Troubleshooting
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Adaptability
- Analytical thinking
- Willingness to learn and upgrade your skills, etc.
By mastering these technical and soft skills you can easily set foot on this exciting career path
Salary and Job Outlook
So, what will you get when you enter this path? And is it really worth it to get into a cybersecurity career? Well, let us have a look at some figures before we conclude anything.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported Cybersecurity Analysts take home an annual average salary of $99,730. The top 10% of these professionals have more than $158,860 per annum. Information security analysts who are also similar to cybersecurity analysts earn a median annual salary of $102,600.
Fortune Business Insights mentioned the global cybersecurity market is expected to reach a market value of $424.97 billion by 2030 with the US market being the largest share of cybersecurity products and services with a revenue share of 43.2%.
Apart from these, Cybersecurity Ventures also reported that there will be more than 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs vacant in the coming years. These numbers are enough to conclude that the cybersecurity domain is growing rapidly and the demand for cybersecurity analysts and other cybersecurity professionals will be larger than ever.
Roadmap to Cybersecurity Analyst Profile in 2024
Now that you know how lucrative and high-opportunity job is, learn how to become a cybersecurity analyst in 2024. Here is a short brief roadmap for the same:
- Earn the relevant bachelor’s or master’s degree
- Gain industry-relevant skills through online courses, cybersecurity certifications, boot camps, etc.
- Gain experience by doing internships, working on your personal cybersecurity projects, participating in competitions, etc.
- Validate your experience and expertise with the help of top cybersecurity certification programs
- Network with other cybersecurity professionals, take advantage of professional social profiles such as LinkedIn and participate in discussions in cybersecurity forums and soon you will get recognized to land your first cybersecurity job.
Popular Cybersecurity certifications for Cybersecurity Analyst
So, if you want to master the cybersecurity skills to become a cybersecurity analyst and validate your expertise from a credible source that is widely recognized among employers from various industries, then the following popular cybersecurity certifications will help:
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) from EC-Council
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Certified Cybersecurity General Practitioner (CCGP™): USCSI®
- CompTIA Security+
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
Conclusion
Cybersecurity analyst has a great profile and is full of responsibilities. The entire organization’s security depends upon the skills of these cybersecurity experts. Therefore, organizations tend to hire skilled and certified professionals who can duly perform their responsibilities. The cybersecurity career path has tremendous opportunities. So, we recommend getting the right education, gain the relevant skills and experience, and start your journey in this lucrative career path.
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