Ten capabilities that cyber threat analysts should have

Cyber threats are not static , New threats and attacks are emerging in endlessly , The damage is also getting bigger and bigger , Specifically, it includes social engineering attacks 、 Malware 、 Distributed denial of service （DDoS） attack 、 High level persistent threat （APT）、 Trojan horse 、 Content erasure attack and data destruction . According to Cisco prediction ,2022 year DDoS Or the total number of social engineering attacks will reach 1450 Ten thousand times .

But in the face of the above industry situation , After all, the functional scope of network defense products and technologies is limited , The development of network security cannot leave people , Only those who have both emotional intelligence and skills can understand the internal operation and motivation of the attacker . Network threat analyst is such a professional security talent , Be able to analyze and solve all kinds of network threats for enterprise organizations , They revealed the causes of cyber attacks through research , It can help enterprise organizations prevent and respond to attacks more effectively . This article discusses the job responsibilities of cyber threat analysts 、 Salary level and some work skills required to become a good cyber threat analyst .

The responsibility and value of cyber threat analysts

Cyber threat analysts need to protect organizations from digital threats , And actively formulate plans to respond to and contain cyber attacks . Cyber threat analysts are responsible for protecting the infrastructure of enterprise organizations （ Such as network ） And related software and hardware systems （ Such as server or workstation ）, And try to keep the enterprise organization away from attackers who attempt to cause damage or steal sensitive information .

Cyber threat analysts focus on networks and IT Infrastructure security , They need a comprehensive understanding of cyber attacks 、 The nature of malware and cyber criminals , And spare no effort to prevent and stop these attacks . Besides , Cyber threat analysts are also known as threat intelligence analysts , They need to be able to analyze digital threats , Be able to clearly report any capture indicators it finds （IoC）, And according to the analysis results , Take action to protect assets vulnerable to cyber attacks , The completion of these tasks requires the ability to pay high attention to details 、 Research and technical skills and creativity .

Cyber threat analysts play a vital role in protecting sensitive information of enterprises . They need to work across departments and processes , Find and repair defects in the organization's safety system and plan in a timely manner , And take effective strategies against these defects , This will help enterprises develop a network defense system 、 Preventing potential attacks is critical .

Besides , Cyber threat analysts are also responsible for protecting the hardware of enterprise organizations 、 Software and networks are protected from theft 、 Missing or unauthorized access . In small businesses , The responsibilities of cyber threat analysts may be broader , But for big companies , Cyber threat analysts are just part of the enterprise security team . The following is a more specific analysis of the responsibilities of cyber threat analysts ：

1. Prevent data leakage

Data leakage events can be fatal to enterprise organizations , Data leakage may reduce the trust of the public and consumers in enterprise organizations , Lead to credit card fraud 、 Identity theft or other serious economic losses occur . Identity Theft Resource Center Report ,90% The above data leakage is related to network attack . The impact of these leaks may include ： Database corruption 、 Intellectual property is stolen 、 Disclosure of secret information , Business organizations need to inform and compensate affected people .

Network threat analysts have the responsibility to carefully examine security vulnerabilities in enterprises and identify malicious attackers , And then improve the safety protection level of the enterprise organization . Besides , Cyber threat analysts are also responsible for digital forensics at digital crime scenes , To determine whether the leak really happened , At the same time, find out stubborn security vulnerabilities or residual malware , And try to recover the data .

2. Find security holes

One of the most important job responsibilities of cyber threat analysts is to find vulnerabilities , In order to plug the loophole in time , In order to avoid the occurrence of leakage . Cyber threat analysts should evaluate the potential vulnerabilities they find , And point out the potential risks faced by enterprise data and assets during the evaluation , And elaborate on why these vulnerabilities may lead to disclosure .

The successful implementation of this task lies in teamwork , This cooperation is not limited to enterprises IT Cooperation among other members of the team , And other non-technical personnel whose work may be affected by safety problems . Network security analysts need to establish open enterprise communication channels , In order to help colleagues in the non network security technology team understand how to use the updated network security program and how to stay away from external attacks .

3. Implement penetration test attack

Penetration test attack is another important responsibility of cyber threat analysts . This behavior is not intended to break through the security line to steal data , But to find and block the security back door before the attacker succeeds . Cyber threat analysts are in the process of conducting penetration testing through the use of software or manual programming skills , You can further crack and use the system , In order to determine how to repair the system once an attack occurs .

4. Formulate and implement organizational safety protection process

Cyber threat analysts need to develop security processes for the entire enterprise organization and its digital ecosystem . Because security is closely related to everyone inside the enterprise , Therefore, everyone in the enterprise must understand and abide by the safety process , Cyber threat analysts must set relevant process standards , And focus on the weakest link in the process .

5. Use, operation and maintenance of security tools

management 、 Installing and using threat discovery software is another important responsibility of network threat analysts . Network threat security analysts may need to install software in the entire system of the enterprise organization to improve email or login security , To prevent malware from entering the network through personal terminals , And strengthen the security of mobile devices , To reduce the possibility of accidental threat penetration of network defense .

Besides , Cyber threat analysts need to ensure that only authorized employees in the enterprise can access sensitive data systems . Adopt identity and access management system （IAM） Can meet this requirement . But analysts are applying IAM Scenario time , We should ensure the IAM The system can correctly identify each user in the enterprise intranet , Ensure that these users have appropriate network access . The recent report of the world economic forum shows ,95% The leakage of network security is caused by human error , There are also some serious extortion software incidents caused by employees who do not know technology inadvertently downloading malware . So if IAM The procedure is implemented and used properly , This risk can be greatly reduced .

In addition to the above main responsibilities , Cyber threat analysts may also be involved in the following other duties ：

• Develop a security strategy , To protect data systems from potential threats ;
• Analyze security leaks , Assess the extent of damage ;
• Keep up with current digital security trends , Suggest best practices for strengthening security for the organization ;
• Fix the detected vulnerability , Ensure that the penetration risk is very low or even zero ;
• Respond to network attacks quickly and effectively , In order to minimize damage ;
• Promote network security training , To ensure that all departments of the organization maintain high safety standards ;
• Liaise with stakeholders on cyber security issues , And provide suggestions for the future .

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics （BLS） The latest statistics , The current average annual salary of U.S. cyber threat analysts is 103590 dollar . The level of salary depends on skills 、 Experience 、 Qualifications 、 Location, industry sector and other factors , This means that the more experienced you are in this field , The higher the salary level . Besides , If you have a good academic degree and professional skills , You may also enjoy higher salary .

Required skills of cyber threat analysts

Cyber threat analyst is a very professional job , To be a successful 、 Excellent cyber threat analyst , You should have the following ten skills ：

1. Intrusion detection capability

Monitoring network activities is one of the important responsibilities of network threat analysts . Learn how to use intrusion detection software such as security information and event management （SIEM） product 、 intrusion detection system （IDS） And intrusion prevention system （IPS） Products such as , Discover possible intrusions , To help enterprises and organizations quickly find suspicious activities or security violations .

2. Safety incident response capability

Although prevention is the main goal of network security , However, in the event of a security incident, rapid response is essential to minimize the possible damage and loss to the enterprise organization . Effective handling of incidents requires understanding the incident response plan of the enterprise organization , It also requires skills in digital forensics and malware investigation .

3. Threat intelligence analysis capability

Cyber Threat Intelligence is a set of information , Through this information, enterprise organizations can understand the past 、 Threats now and in the future . Through Threat Intelligence , Business organizations can expect 、 Prevent and identify network threats that attempt to control important resources of the enterprise .

The Threat Intelligence survey results collect raw data about old and new threats from multiple sources , Then analyze and study these data , Generate threat intelligence sources and management reports , These reports contain information that computerized security control solutions can use . If cyber security analysts keep up with the trends in the threat field , Can become more valuable . Cyber threat analysts need to have the ability to collect and analyze cyber Threat Intelligence .

4. Understand regulatory requirements

Network security is designed to protect business organizations from attacks 、 Theft and loss and meet legal compliance requirements . If a cyber threat analyst works for a company that does business around the world , be familiar with 《 General data protection regulations 》（GDPR） It may help . Data privacy is becoming an integral part of enterprise security and compliance . Cyber threat analysts should understand the basic principles of data privacy and relevant regulations , such as GDPR、《 Health Insurance Portability and Liability Act 》（HIPAA） as well as 《 Children's online privacy protection act 》（COPPA）.

5. Familiar with common operating systems

Almost all operating systems have security risks , Including computers and other portable devices , So very familiar MacOS、Windows and Linux And its command line interface , Is expected to become a successful cyber threat analyst , Besides , Research and iOS Threats and weaknesses related to mobile operating systems such as Android are also of great help to cyber threat analysts .

6. Understand the network system

Many network attacks occur on the network of networked devices , But other applications that allow enterprises to collaborate can also lead to security vulnerabilities , Therefore, in order to ensure the safety of the enterprise organization , Analysts need to understand wired and wireless networks and develop targeted protection schemes .

7. Familiar with common security frameworks

The network security framework provides a set of best policies 、 Software 、 Tools and safety procedures , Designed to help organizations protect data and business processes . Security management is a measure used by companies to protect themselves from vulnerabilities and intrusion . The choice of security framework varies from company to company and industry , Therefore, familiarity with some of the most common network security frameworks may be helpful to network threat analysts .

8. Endpoint Management

With the normalization of home office , Enterprise organizations protect many endpoints （ Like computers 、 Phones and IOT devices ） The demand for safety professionals is increasing . Therefore, network threat analysts can pass through the firewall 、 Antivirus software 、 Network access control and virtual private network （VPN） And other tools to improve the ability in this regard .

9. Data security

Data has provided valuable help to many organizations . So cyber threat analysts want to know how to protect data , You need to master data encryption 、 Access management 、 Transmission control and Internet Protocol （TCP and IP） as well as CIA Three elements （ Confidentiality 、 Integrity and accessibility ） The content such as .

10. Programming ability

Although technological advances have enabled cyber threat analysts to handle their work without writing code , But yes. JavaScript、Python and C/C++ A basic understanding of programming languages such as can also bring competitive advantages to cyber threat analysts .

It should be noted that , Although cyber threat analysts are a technical job , But technology alone is not enough , In addition to the above ten professional abilities , Some important career skills are also important for the growth of analysts ：

• communicate ： Threat analysts need to communicate with others often , And cooperate with the team responsible for safety . When a security incident occurs , Need to contact the security team , And clarify the investigation and retrieval process . Besides , Analysts may also be responsible for training colleagues , Let them know best safety practices .
• Pay attention to the details ： Threat analysts need to pay attention to detail to be qualified for this role , Pay special attention to the most subtle adjustments and modifications in the organizational network , Because noticing subtle anomalies may mean that organizations avoid serious data loss .
• critical thinking ： Whether responding to threats 、 Fix vulnerabilities or develop new security regulations , Critical thinking skills enable cyber threat analysts to make decisions based on data .