When you see hackers on a show trying to break into a computer system, you might think that looks more interesting than the job of those trying to stop them. You have to be quick, innovative, and have deep knowledge of the subject to break into a system. Well, the professionals know that too, and they tend to work both sides of the problem. Cyber security analysts not only respond to cyber-attacks, they also instigate them. When assessing the vulnerability of a system, they may attempt to hack the system themselves, which gives them a deeper insight into the chinks in their own armor.

Cyber security analysts are the soldiers in the network community that deal with cyber-attack attempts and develop solutions to stave off cyber criminals and protect data. If the idea of fighting cyber-crime and coming up with new and innovative ways to prevent cyber-attacks from happening appeals to you, then keep reading to learn more about this profession.

What Does a Security Analyst Do?

Cyber security analysts work in a variety of settings, from hospitals to the Pentagon. These workers help to protect networks by analyzing the data as it comes in and goes out and creating protections in the event that a cyber-criminal tries to infiltrate the system to get to the information of its customers. Analysts generally start out as administrators, then after a few years of experience and the addition of some certification, they move into analyst positions, although some analysts do become managers.