Courtesy : http://www.darasecurity.com/

With the increase in use of Internet across all technologies and platforms, every company maintains a website of its own. There are online transactions happening every 0.13 seconds. There is an increase in usage of online banking over the physical banking system. As shown in the graph, online banking is the most preferred one in the Asian Pacific, Europe and North America.

Courtesy : www.statista.com

With all of these increases in the usage of Internet related transactions, the major problem that companies face is the problem of Information Security. There has been an increase in the number of cyber attacks every year. But there is a shortage of information security analysts across the world. Information Security analysts are responsible for monitoring the company’s network and protecting the same from any cyber attacks.

The major duties of an informational security analyst are as follows:

• Deploy robust security software for the organization like firewalls and data encryption standards.
• Perform penetration testing in a simulated environment.
• Create and maintain a disaster recovery plan, in case of emergency.
• Always research and understand the latest trend in information security.
• Maintain service standards and establish best practices.
• Train new associates about the security model adopted.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the median wage for information security analysts was $86,170. The salaries for information security analysts are listed as below in various industries:

Courtesy: www.bls.gov

Courtesy: www.bls.gov

Job prospects for information security analysts are looking very good. With the growth in banking sector, medical sector, pharmaceuticals and oil and gas industry, a greater number of information security analysts are required to protect data. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a growth of 37% from 2012 to 2022 for this sector as shown below. Get the job while they’re hot!

Courtesy: www.bls.gov