A Day in the Life of a Cyber Security Analyst

If you are interested in starting a new career as a cyber security analyst, you are probably wondering what daily tasks are involved in the role. To help you understand whether or not you should make the switch to a career in the IT industry, this guide from Lumify Learn will take you through the typical tasks completed in cyber security day-to-day. 

The cyber security industry is a unique sector of the IT industry which is expected to continue growing in the coming years. Those joining the sector will be directly involved in implementing a range of strategies that keep businesses safe online, requiring knowledge of cyber security fundamentals. A cyber security certification, acquired through one of Lumify Learn’s online IT courses, is the perfect way of upskilling in preparation for your career change.

What Does a Cyber Security Analyst Do Daily: Roles & Responsibilities

The daily tasks of cyber security analysts help keep businesses’ technology infrastructure safe and secure. Below we have listed some of the daily responsibilities of a cyber security analyst to help you understand more about the role, and whether it could be a suitable fit for you.

Monitoring for breaches & suspicious activity

A cyber security analyst continually monitors traffic to the business’ network to identify any suspicious activity or potential threats. As part of these tasks, you will use intrusion detection systems and analyse alerts to determine what threats are genuine, as opposed to false positives.

• Investigating and reporting breaches

Any genuine incidents should be investigated in detail by a team of professionals. As a cyber security analyst, it will be your job to collect evidence for internal or external use, and prepare incident reports that communicate your findings to stakeholders, legal counsel or authorities.

• Conducting penetration testing

Penetration testing is a way of assessing whether or not there are any vulnerabilities in a business’ network. Penetration testers and cyber security professionals work together to simulate attacks in order to evaluate current defences and provide recommendations to minimise the potential impacts of an attack.

• Ensuring regulatory compliance

Cyber security is a field that relies on theory as much as it does practical applications. As an analyst, you will be required to maintain knowledge of laws, governing standards and industry regulations, and audit your business’ systems and practices to ensure they remain compliant.

• Performing risk assessments

Risk assessments are crucial to identifying any potential threats to your organisation’s assets. As a cyber security professional, you will be tasked with evaluating the likelihood and severity of security breaches, and recommending strategies and processes to control or mitigate these risks.

• Recommending security tools and technologies

Another key component of being a cyber security professional is staying up to date with emerging technologies and tools in your industry. You may be asked to recommend, configure and educate staff on new technologies that can be used to keep your organisation's systems secure.

• Collaborating and reporting findings

Cyber security analysts play a pivotal role in educating their team and the wider organisation on any findings from their assessments or investigations. Regular tasks include providing updates, communicating the results of security audits and integrating new processes into the organisation.

Cyber Security Daily Tasks: A Day in the Industry

If you are considering a career change to the IT industry, you may be wondering exactly what a day in the life of a cyber security analyst entails. While every role and organisation will be different, here is what your working life could look like in cyber security day-to-day.

Morning

• Check emails for alerts received overnight or over the weekend, and respond to notifications requiring immediate attention

• Attend team meetings to discuss security priorities and recent incidents

• Update your team on ongoing projects

• Review logs from intrusion detection systems to detect suspicious activities

• Check that security tools such as antivirus programs are functioning correctly

Midday

• Monitor live network traffic for vulnerabilities, breaches or anomalies

• Investigate any system alerts or flagged incidents

• Begin collecting evidence for and drafting reports of logged incidents

• Plan scenarios to penetration-test assorted company systems for vulnerabilities

Afternoon

• Run penetration testing exercises, simulating cyber attacks on company systems

• Evaluate defences and draft security recommendations to stakeholders or management

• Research the latest advances in cyber security technology and determine whether any could be beneficial to your organisation

• Conduct further audits of critical systems and respond to any security breaches

• Ensure company systems are secured for the evening or weekend before wrapping up for the day

Become a Cyber Security Professional and Enrol With Lumify Learn

Now that you know the daily tasks of cyber security professionals, you can make an informed decision on whether a career transition is right for you. There are a number of critical tasks in cyber security day-to-day, including monitoring for and investigating breaches, penetration testing and reporting. Many of these responsibilities must be completed by cyber security analysts throughout the course of their working days, leading to a rewarding and fulfilling role.

If you are interested in taking the next steps in your cyber security career, Lumify Learn’s IT courses pair the flexibility and convenience of online learning with industry-recognised certifications. Choose from some of the best cyber security courses available and gain real-world skills that further your career progression towards a new role in the IT industry.