15 Essential Skills for Cybersecurity Analysts in 2024

Working in cybersecurity typically means leveraging a range of technical and people skills to protect your organization’s data. Having the right set of skills could be critical to getting hired. But what skills should you focus on developing?

To find out, we reviewed cybersecurity analyst job listings on LinkedIn and Indeed to find the skills most frequently included in job descriptions. Target, Visa, Delaware North, and Mosaic are among the companies hiring for these skills.

In this article, we'll explore some of the most essential skills that a cybersecurity analyst should have, according to employers. But, if you're ready to start building those skills now, consider enrolling in the Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate to build job-ready (and must-have AI) skills.

Expert insights: cybersecurity skills

Many employers are looking for qualified candidates who have both technical and workplace skills.

"You're going to see a critical eye [from employers], especially on the technical piece, on the ability to do the job. We also need leadership and management roles, that are aware of the kind of cyber threats and the liabilities around them," said Steve Graham, Senior Vice President Head of Product at EC-Council, during Coursera's virtual panel, "How can online learning accelerate cybersecurity careers and talent?"

What skills does a cybersecurity analyst need?

Cybersecurity analysts use a combination of technical and workplace skills to assess vulnerabilities and respond to security incidents. If you have a background in information technology (IT) you may already have some of the technical skills, and many of the workplace skills carry over from a wide variety of occupations. 

10 cybersecurity technical skills

A cybersecurity analyst's technical skills are the foundation of their career. Below, we cover ten of the most essential technical skills that you'll need to thrive in the field.

1. Scripting

Scripting is a type of coding in which you make a program do something. The difference is that coding is static, whereas scripts can make images and text move around. Knowing how to build tools and automate repetitive tasks with languages like Python or PowerShell empowers you to become a more efficient analyst. Python, in particular, ranks among the most prevalent languages in cybersecurity. As a bonus, it’s also among the easiest to learn. 

Want to get started? Enroll in the University of Michigan's Python for Everybody Specialization to learn how to program and analyze data with Python.

2. Controls and frameworks

A cybersecurity framework provides a collection of best practices, policies, tools, and security protocols designed to help secure an organization’s data and business operations. A control is a measure your company uses to protect itself from vulnerabilities and attacks. 

The framework you use will vary depending on your organization and industry. You may find it helpful to familiarize yourself with some of the most common cybersecurity frameworks, including:

• National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

• Center for Information Security (CIS)

• System and Organization Controls 2 (SOC 2)

3. Intrusion detection

As a cybersecurity analyst, a big part of your job will involve monitoring network activity for possible intrusions. Knowing how to use intrusion detection software—security information and event management (SIEM) products, intrusion detection systems (IDS), and intrusion prevention systems (IPS)—enables you to quickly identify suspicious activity or security violations. 

Learn more about the difference between IDS and IPS systems in this lecture from Google's IT Support Professional Certificate:

4. Network security control

Many cybersecurity attacks take place across a network of connected devices. The same technologies that allow companies to collaborate can also lead to security vulnerabilities. To keep an organization secure, you’ll need an understanding of wired and wireless networks, and how to secure them. 

Start learning more about network security in IBM's Network Security & Database Vulnerabilities course, which covers everything from IP Addressing and Packet Sniffing to the vulnerabilities inherent in popular database structures.

5. Operating systems

Security threats exist across all operating systems, both on computers and mobile devices. Set yourself up for success as a security analyst by building a deep familiarity with MacOS, Windows, Linux, as well as their command-line interfaces. You might also find it helpful to study the threats and vulnerabilities associated with mobile operating systems, like iOS and Android. 

Read more: What Is an Operating System?

6. Incident response

While prevention is the goal of cybersecurity, quickly responding when security incidents do occur is critical to minimize damage and loss. Effective incident handling requires familiarity with your organization’s incident response plan, as well as skills in digital forensics and malware analysis.

7. Cloud

As more and more businesses move to cloud environments, professionals with cloud expertise are in demand. According to data from GIAC Certifications, having cloud security skills can come with a salary premium of more than $15,000. The need for cloud security skills is expected to grow by 115 percent over the next four years, making it the most lucrative skill in the industry [1].

Read more: What Is GIAC Certification? A Guide

8. DevOps

Security risks often exist within applications themselves. More and more companies are adding a security focus to their software development and operations (DevOps) phase to help ensure that applications are secure from the start. 

Read more: What Does a DevOps Engineer Do? A Career Guide

9. Threat knowledge

“Know thy enemy.” General Sun Tzu could have been talking about cybersecurity. You can be a more effective cybersecurity analyst by keeping up-to-date on the threat landscape. If you’re new to the field, get started with the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top 10—a document that outlines the top 10 web application security risks.

Gain expert insights into cybersecurity threats in IBM's Cyber Threat Intelligence course, offering hands-on access to the cybersecurity tools important to a system analyst.

10. Regulatory guidelines

Cybersecurity has to protect an organization from attack, theft, and loss, as well as comply with industry regulations. If you’re working for a company that does business around the globe, familiarity with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) could be beneficial. Cybersecurity analysts in the health care industry will need to understand how to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA)—a US federal law that helps protect the privacy of medical records. Some states within the US have their own privacy laws as well.

Read more: Cybersecurity Terms: A to Z Glossary

5 cybersecurity workplace skills

Workplace skills are all those skills you rely on to actually get your work done, collaborate with others, and accomplish your professional goals. Below, we explore some of the most important workplace skills you'll need to become the best cybersecurity analyst possible.

1. Communication

Both written and verbal communication play a key role in cybersecurity. As an analyst, you may need to communicate technical concepts to individuals without a technical background, such as executives or legal teams. You may also be asked to write incident reports, where you’ll have to document what you did in a concise and clear manner. 

Wondering where to start? Try the University of Pennsylvania's Improving Communication Skills course to learn how to communicate more effectively at work and achieve your goals.

2. Collaboration

As a cybersecurity analyst, you’ll likely work with a larger security team of other cybersecurity professionals. You may also need to collaborate with other teams within your company (legal, IT, public relations) or share your findings with other organizations or the greater cybersecurity community. 

3. Risk management

Your ability to think through what could possibly go wrong, assess the severity of threats, and gauge the potential impact empowers you to focus your energy on the tasks where you’ll have the biggest impact.

Build foundational knowledge of cybersecurity risk management in the University of California, Irvine's Introduction to Cybersecurity & Risk Management Specialization.

4. Adaptability

Cyber criminals are constantly adjusting and enhancing their attacks. Technology continues to advance, introducing new vulnerabilities. Adopting the mindset of a  lifelong learner can help you keep up with (or stay one step ahead of) these changes.

5. Critical thinking

Working in cybersecurity sometimes means making high-stakes decisions about your organization’s security. Developing your critical thinking skills can help you to:

• Ask the right questions

• Evaluate and assess data

• Identify your assumptions

• Consider alternatives

• Understand context

• Draw data-driven conclusions

Learn more about the importance of critical thinking to cybersecurity in this lecture from IBM's Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate:

How to improve cybersecurity skills

There’s more than one way to build your cybersecurity skills. While you likely already possess some of the skills listed above, developing those you’re less familiar with could make you a more competitive candidate when you start applying for jobs.

Here are some options for building cybersecurity skills:

1. Take classes.

Whether you’re learning cybersecurity fundamentals or more advanced skills, enrolling in a course adds structure to your learning. Many courses that target specific technical skills, like network security or incident response, may also give you opportunities to practice workplace skills, like technical writing and collaboration. 

Consider earning the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate to develop some of these in-demand skills at your own pace.

Read more: Is Cybersecurity Hard to Learn? 9 Tips for Success

2. Stay up to date on the latest trends.

Keeping your technical cybersecurity skills up to date with the current threat and technology landscape can help you build confidence as a security analyst and give you a competitive advantage in your job search. Here are some resources to get you started:

• SANS StormCast: Subscribe to this daily podcast for five to 10-minute episodes covering the latest security threats.

• Security Now: Steve Gibson who coined the term “spyware” discusses current topics in cybersecurity on this weekly podcast.

• Reddit: Join a cybersecurity sub, like r/netsec, r/cybersecurity, or r/hacking.

• CISA Alerts: Sign up to receive technical alerts from the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

Build your cybersecurity skills on Coursera

Now that you know some of the top skills you should have as a cybersecurity professional, keep learning on Coursera. Check out the Microsoft Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate. Over nine courses, you'll learn how to develop and implement threat mitigation strategies by applying effective cybersecurity measures within an Azure environment.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)