What does a security analyst do?
Triage
Security analysts triage incidents and make sure they are handled effectively. They decide which incident needs more investigation and which can be closed or resolved quickly. Security analysts stay on the alert for potential security gaps.
Investigate
Security analysts hunt down threats within a network or infrastructure. They find out where threats came from, whether they pose any danger to the organization, and how they can be stopped before causing any damage.
Troubleshoot
Security analysts work closely with incident response teams to solve the problem and prevent it from happening again. They partner with other team members, like security engineers, to fix issues with the system under attack.
Top security analyst tasks
Network monitoring
Incident response
Threat investigation
Troubleshooting
Why become a security analyst?
A security analyst’s career path is exciting and rewarding, with plenty of growth opportunities. If a security gap happens, analysts are often at the forefront, leading efforts to stop the cyberattack.
It might be the role for you if . . .
You enjoy:
- Moving at a fast pace
- Collaborative problem solving
- Being in a lead position
You excel at:
- Analytical thinking
- Decision making
- Incident management
Meet a security analyst
Popular certifications for systems engineers
Cybersecurity Associate certification
The Cisco Cybersecurity Associate certification validates your skills and knowledge in security concepts, security monitoring, host-based analysis, network intrusion analysis, and security policies and procedures.
Cybersecurity Professional certification
The Cisco Cybersecurity Professional certification builds on the Cisco Cybersecurity Associate certification. The program elevates the skills needed to address nuanced security challenges, and prepares professionals for incident response roles, cloud security, and other active defense security roles.
