Cyber Security Analyst
Protect organisations from cyber threats by finding weaknesses, monitoring attacks and designing secure systems.
A day in the life
Run penetration tests, investigate security alerts, write incident reports, and advise teams on safer ways to build software.
Typical route
Helpful A-levels
Physics + Maths + Computer Science
Typical qualification and training
- Cyber Security, Computer Science or Physics degree
- Cyber apprenticeship or graduate scheme (e.g. GCHQ)
These are common routes, not compulsory subject combinations. Entry requirements vary between universities, training schemes and employers, so always check the current provider requirements.
Indicative UK salary
- Starter
- £25,000-£34,000
- Experienced
- £42,000-£62,000
- Senior
- £75,000+
Security-cleared and senior consultancy roles pay more.
Salary range checked against Prospects.ac.uk: Cyber Security Analyst.
UK employers
- GCHQ
- National Cyber Security Centre
- BAE Systems Applied Intelligence
- NCC Group
Worldwide employers
- CrowdStrike
- Mandiant
- Palo Alto Networks
- Microsoft
Useful route links
These links are good starting points for courses, apprenticeships, graduate routes and professional training. They open the official or specialist sites rather than another summary page.
Key skills
Explore related careers
Sources and further reading
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