Roles in Cybersecurity

The demand for cybersecurity professionals has never been more acute, and it’s a need that will grow in accordance with the scale of escalating global threats. While the breadth of roles within cybersecurity is broad, requiring a diverse set of skills and backgrounds at all levels, here are some of the more common roles and functional titles that are associated with the profession and the industry.

  • Chief Information Security Officer. Typically the highest ranking cybersecurity professional, the person with line responsibility for the entire cybersecurity function and corresponding personnel
  • Cryptanalyst. The counterpart of the “hacker,” this person analyzes malicious codes to establish their level of threats and whether and how those threats can be neutralized
  • Cryptographer. The authority on encryption, the person researches and recommends algorithms and other elements of securing and transferring information within networks and systems
  • Security Administrator. The tactician charged with installation and management of security systems, sometimes overlapping with the security analyst role
  • Security Analyst. Analyzes network infrastructure to test and assess systems before making recommendations for how to eliminate or alleviate risk
  • Security Architect. Often the head of the security team, the person primarily responsible for designing a cyber security system
  • Security Engineer. Responsible for monitoring and tracking security protocols, detecting breaches, and mobilizing responses
  • Security Software Developer. Person responsible for developing or customizing software that analyzes, monitors, and neutralizes cybersecurity threats
  • Security Specialist. A generic title that can apply to a broad range of roles and areas of responsibility

Follow a Cybersecurity Career Road Map