Cyber Job Roles
There is such a wide variety of jobs in Cybersecurity that it can be confusing as to where to start when considering a career in cyber. Let’s take an initial look at the more common cyber roles starting with an entry-level role – the SOC analyst.
1. SOC Analysts work in Security Operating Centres monitoring traffic on an organisation’s network and IT infrastructure to identify any breaches of security protocols and possibly cyber-attacks. SOC Level 1 analysts monitor activity, manage alerts and investigate security events while senior SOC analysts may lead incident management and client communications.
2. Cybersecurity Analysts/Specialists work with closely with IT teams to protect the integrity of an organisation’s network, data and IT system from cybersecurity risks, threats, and vulnerabilities. Analysts may work in-house or as an external consultant and responsibilities can cover assessing, advising, investigating, analysing security systems as well as managing security incidents.
3. Cybercrime Investigators work at the crossroads of law and IT to investigate how a malware and/or a person has compromised an IT system using both criminal and digital forensics methodologies to identify and convict cyber criminals.
4. Incident Responders work closely with security operations to advise or lead the management of a security incident. They conduct the analysis of the incident and its underpinning cyber data to evaluate the scale and impact of an incident as well as pinpoint vulnerabilities to manage and resolve the breach.
5. Security Auditors analyse and assess a company’s technological infrastructure to check that its systems and processes as well as the people using them are secure and acting in line with compliance regulations. Auditors also need to identify and communicate clearly cyber issues and risks to gain buy-in to change.
6. Penetration Testers, (aka Ethical Hackers), are highly skilled specialists who test an organisation’s computer and network security systems. Testers work across applications, platforms and virtual and physical infrastructure to identify vulnerabilities in a company’s security posture.
7. Cybersecurity Managers are typically the company’s in-house expert on cybersecurity protection, detection, response and recovery. They need to manage an organisation’s cyber policies, tools, software upgrades, risks, audits and the in-house cyber team (or service provider).
8. Cybersecurity Engineers role is to identify cyber threats and vulnerabilities in systems and software and then apply their IT skills to developing and implementing high-tech solutions for these to defend against hacking, malware and ransomware, insider threats and all types of cybercrime.
9. Cybersecurity Architects are senior-level engineers who have an overall responsibility for planning, designing, integrating, testing, implementing, and maintaining an organisation's overall computer and network security infrastructure.