The world is not a safe place for many people out there. You often come across news flashing on your TV screens that involved people who got robbed, killed, raped, or blackmailed by criminals. The same is the case with the virtual world. There are all kinds of cyber-criminals out there who are not only after your money but also your identity. They defeat security protocols by making or luring people into clicking on fake links through emails, social media posts, or blog posts.
There is an evident rise in cybercrimes during 2020, and COVID-19 played a significant role. There is a dire need to produce more cyber-security professionals to ensure global cybersecurity for individual users and businesses.
According to recent research by NexusGuard, there is a whopping 542% rise in the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks in the first quarter of 2020. People were working from home amid a global pandemic that hampered social life. It gave cyber-criminals a great advantage since home-based computers and laptops didn’t enjoy foolproof security protocols. Such attacks aim at stealing individuals’ identities. Also, these cybercriminals use this information for blackmailing and demanding ransom from large organizations. The situation requires the availability of more human resources in information security and cyber intelligence. The alarming situation has also evolved the roles of cyber intelligence analysts and information security managers worldwide. Let’s take a look at some of the critical responsibilities of cybersecurity officials amid the ever-changing and ever-evolving demographics.
- Monitoring Infrastructure and Operations
Several companies have recently fallen prey to cyber crimes, which has left them with no option to invest more cybersecurity measures. It has undoubtedly made the job of cybersecurity professionals a daunting one. One of the most critical responsibilities is to monitor the logs and alerts in real-time. It works very much like video surveillance, where security officials keep track of the total network traffic. Also, ensuring that the organization’s digital security footprint doesn’t get compromised at any cost. It does sound like a hectic job; therefore, information security manager salary generally lies in an attractive trajectory. Similarly, you can also expect a cyber intelligence analyst’s salary to be on the higher side.
- Maintenance of Security Protocols
Apart from monitoring network traffic, cybersecurity professionals ensure proper maintenance of security protocols. Generally, companies install a team of IT security officials to get the job done. They ensure that all the security protocols are maintained and updated in time and can deal with the latest types of cybercrimes.
- Ensure Internal/External Policy Compliance
Another critical aspect of a cyber intelligence analyst’s evolving role is to monitor and ensure internal and external policy compliance. It means that they make sure that the company’s vendors and employees fully understand different cybersecurity risk management policies. They also ensure that both the parties work within the gambit of the framework. The information security manager in any organization is the whole and soul of the cybersecurity risk management policies. Even if they are not the department’s top official, they maintain policy compliance at all costs.
- Manage Regulatory Compliance
Since hackers and spammers have upped their ante in recent months, it has become more important to make sure that companies comply with the regulatory requirements. Information security managers and cyber intelligence analysts monitor regulatory compliance. Some of the key areas that fall under the category include healthcare data, credit card information, and any other personally identifiable data.
- Implementation of New Technology
The world of technology never fails to amaze us. We come across something new now and then. It poses a more significant challenge to global businesses that need to implement the latest technology to plug the technological gap in their operational capabilities. Cyber intelligence analysts and information security managers take stock of the new technology before introducing and implementing the company. The evaluation helps organizations to implement the latest technology without hazards of malfunction. It is also why you should expect a higher cyber intelligence analyst salary.
- Hash Out Security Incident Response Strategy
In a world facing untoward challenges and mishaps, cybersecurity officials’ role has evolved to the extent to hash out strategies to respond to security incidents or breaches. We all know that cybersecurity is a circular phenomenon and information security managers need to ensure that it stays functional. An ongoing audit of the processes and protocols allow cybersecurity officials to identify a security breach in the shortest possible time and unleash a powerful and effective response. Their job includes the preparation of a well-articulated, documented response policy. It empowers the organization to deal with a sudden case of an online security breach.
The Final Word
Cyber intelligence analysts and information security managers have become an integral part of today’s organizations, from formulating a cybersecurity policy to its execution and implementation. From choosing the right technology to monitoring its performance, the job description of cybersecurity officials has evolved tremendously over the years. The testing times have not ended for today’s businesses. Cybercriminals are always on the loose to find weaknesses and vulnerabilities in companies’ security protocols to compromise their security and demand ransom or destroy the system or network.
Suppose you are looking for a career as a cybersecurity professional. In that case, you should be aware of the modern-day challenges. You should have the aptitude to deal with the complex and intricate cybersecurity challenges. From cybersecurity protection, detection, response, and recovery, information security managers, and cyber intelligence analysts’ emerging roles become all the more critical in the coming years.