Role Snapshot SOC Analyst means Security Operations Center Analyst. In the United States, this role is widely recognized as one of the most common and realistic entry points into cybersecurity careers. SOC Analysts help organizations keep their systems safe, available, and trustworthy by monitoring activity and responding to early signs of risk. If cybersecurity were […]
Career Playbook — SOC Analyst Read More »
Cybersecurity is a broad and evolving field. There is no single role that defines what it means to be a Cyber Hero. This article introduces important cybersecurity career paths explored throughout the Be a Cyber Hero initiative, helping young people understand different roles, responsibilities, and ways to contribute to digital safety. It is not a
Choose Your Armor: Which Cyber Hero Are You? Read More »
What This Role Does A Digital Forensics Analyst investigates digital evidence to understand what happened, how it happened, and when it happened during a security incident. This role focuses on collecting, preserving, and analyzing data from devices, systems, and digital environments in a way that maintains integrity and accuracy. Digital Forensics Analysts don’t guess or
Digital Forensics Analyst: Following the Digital Evidence Read More »
What This Role Does An Insider Threat Analyst focuses on identifying and reducing risks that come from inside an organization. These risks do not always involve bad intentions. They may come from: Insider Threat Analysts help organizations understand how trusted access can unintentionally create risk — and how to reduce that risk responsibly. Why This
Insider Threat Analyst: Understanding and Preventing Internal Risks Read More »
What This Role Does A Vulnerability Analyst focuses on identifying, understanding, and prioritizing security weaknesses in systems, applications, and infrastructure. This role answers a critical question: Vulnerability Analysts don’t exploit systems like Penetration Testers do. Instead, they analyze findings, evaluate risk, and help teams decide what to fix first and why. Their work transforms raw
Vulnerability Analyst: Understanding and Prioritizing Weaknesses Read More »
What This Role Does A Penetration Tester, often called an Ethical Hacker, is a cybersecurity professional who is authorized to simulate real attacks on systems, applications, and networks. Their mission is simple and critical: Penetration Testers don’t break systems for fun. They test defenses with permission, responsibility, and clear objectives. Their work turns potential damage
Penetration Tester (Ethical Hacker): Finding Weaknesses Before Attackers Do Read More »
What This Role Does A GRC Specialist focuses on Governance, Risk, and Compliance — often called GRC. This role helps organizations ensure that security practices are: GRC Specialists don’t configure systems or respond to incidents directly. They help organizations set expectations, measure compliance, and manage risk responsibly. Their work connects cybersecurity with ethics, accountability, and
GRC Specialist: Governance, Risk, and Compliance in Practice Read More »
What This Role Does A Cloud Security Engineer protects systems, data, and services that run in cloud environments. This role focuses on ensuring that cloud-based applications and infrastructure are secure by design, properly configured, and continuously protected as they scale. Cloud Security Engineers work with environments where systems are flexible, dynamic, and shared — requiring
Cloud Security Engineer: Protecting Systems in the Cloud Read More »
What This Role Does A Cybersecurity Program Manager coordinates people, processes, and initiatives to ensure that security efforts work together effectively. This role focuses on planning, organizing, and overseeing multiple security activities at the same time — across teams, technologies, and timelines. Cybersecurity Program Managers don’t configure systems or investigate incidents directly. They make sure
Cybersecurity Program Manager: Coordinating Security at Scale Read More »
What This Role Does A DevSecOps Engineer integrates security into the way software is built, tested, and deployed. This role focuses on ensuring that security is part of every step of development and operations, instead of being added at the end. DevSecOps Engineers work closely with developers, system engineers, and security teams to make sure
DevSecOps Engineer: Integrating Security into Development and Operations Read More »