How to become an Information Security Analyst

What is an Information Security Analyst?
As we share and store more data online, we need more experts to protect it. Cybercriminals and hackers regularly pose a threat to our digital world. They steal sensitive information, compromise online security systems, and put people’s online presence at danger. Information Security Analysts are highly sought after to protect one of the most important resources and data within an organization.
Major data breaches at large corporations in the 21st Century have already occurred. This exposed personal information like credit card numbers and credentials of hundreds of millions of people. Information Security Analysts protect businesses against cybercrime and data theft.
Information Security Analyst Roles and Responsibilities
The Information Security Analyst’s primary responsibility is to create sustainable security systems that can manage and prevent risk. The roles and responsibilities for an Information Security Analyst are dependent on the business. They are often available in the event that data breaches, hacking or other emergencies involve digital assets. These are the general roles and responsibilities for an Information Security Analyst:
They monitor and resolve security problems such as network security and software security.
They create and maintain organizational firewalls.
They manage credentials and file access.
Through engagement with external parties, they are made aware of the new cybersecurity risks.
They work with management and other teams to ensure that security is maintained within the organization.
They perform network system audits.
They are skilled in ethical hacking.
Skills required for an Information Security Analyst
An Information Security Analyst must have several key skills. This section will discuss some of the most important skills needed to be an Information Security Analyst.

Information Security Analysts manage the company’s network security by regularly testing for and eliminating potential threats. They are responsible for supervising a team IT experts and reporting to the upper management as a technical translator.
Security risk management: Information Security analysts evaluate security risks, potential external threats, and weaknesses within the company’s network. They also devise ways to combat threats of all sizes and types.
Cyber security expertise: An Information Security analyst is responsible for ensuring that cyber security is a top priority in any organization. This position requires a solid foundation in cybersecurity basics, such as ethical hacking and coding.
Ethical hacking: An Information Security Analyst must think like an attacker to defeat attackers. To find vulnerabilities in the system, or network, you must be able to understand ethical hacking.
Problem-solving skills: To be an Information Security Analyst, your ability to solve problems is essential in order to provide realistic and long-term solution.
Communication skills: Every profession requires effective communication, but the Information Security Analyst has a unique communication requirement. Information Security Analysts must communicate technical network concepts to executives and top management in a clear and understandable way.
Information Security Analyst Jobs
An Information Security Analyst with accreditation and training is highly sought after, as information security is a top priority for all businesses. There are many career options. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment of Information Security analysts is expected to grow by 31% between 2019-2029, which is much faster than the national average. According to Indeed, the average salary of an Information Security Analyst is $81,065 annually. However, this is a migratory figure.