{"id":139,"date":"2021-09-28T15:12:01","date_gmt":"2021-09-28T15:12:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/he-cyberdegrees-org-sonic.lndo.site\/?p=139"},"modified":"2022-12-08T13:07:22","modified_gmt":"2022-12-08T13:07:22","slug":"how-to-become-an-incident-responder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cyberdegrees.org\/jobs\/incident-responder\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is an Incident Responder?"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are many jobs in the incident response field, including cyber incident responders, computer network defense incident responders, and incident response engineers. Other positions include forensics intrusion analysts, intrusion detection specialists, and network intrusion analysts.<\/p>\r\n

Regardless of the job title, most incident responders use forensic tools to address cybersecurity incidents. When not working on an incident, these professionals may lead threat prevention and education workshops with company employees.<\/p>\r\n

Typical duties of an incident responder include providing immediate response to cybersecurity threats and intrusion, network management, vulnerability testing, intrusion detection and prevention, risk management, and sometimes security audits.<\/p>\r\n

Most employers require incident responders to have a bachelor's degree in cybersecurity, information technology, computer science or a related field, while some companies also offer on-the-job training.<\/p>\r\n

Explore more details about incident responder jobs, career outlook, daily tasks, and key skills in this guide.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\n \n \n <\/a>\n\n\r\n

History of Incident Response Jobs<\/h2>\r\n

The first massive denial-of-service (Dos) attack took place in 1988, when Robert Tappan Morris created the first internet virus. The Morris Worm affected approximately 6,000 computers and cost between $200 and $53,000 to remove the virus from each infected computer.<\/p>\r\n

Such was the impact of the Morris Worm that the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) created the Computer Emergency Response Team Coordination Center (CERT), which is now part of the Carnegie Mellon University's Software Engineering Institute.<\/p>\r\n

Today, every company — regardless of its size or scale — maintains an incident response team or practices to mitigate cybersecurity threats. There are also federal regulations that require many industries to have incident response plans. With increased digitization of services, incident response has become more vital, opening up newer career opportunities for cybersecurity professionals.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\n \n \n <\/a>\n\n\r\n

Similar Specializations and Career Paths<\/h2>\r\n

Incident response is rooted in computer science and cybersecurity, providing the required skills and experience for many other tech jobs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics<\/a> (BLS) projects 13% growth for information technology and computer science occupations between 2020 and 2030. The following table indicates the job, education, and salary details for a few of these positions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t
Career<\/th>\r\n\tDescription<\/th>\r\n\tRequired Education<\/th>\r\n\tRequired Experience<\/th>\r\n\tAverage Annual Salary<\/th>\r\n\t<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
Computer Forensic Analyst<\/a><\/td>\r\n\tComputer forensic analysts gather and analyze data about cyberattacks and malicious online activities. They assist in the criminal investigation of espionage, fraud, hacking, and other forms of cybercrime.<\/td>\r\n\tBachelor’s degree in computer science, computer forensics, or a related subject<\/td>\r\n\t1-2 years of experience in the cybersecurity field<\/td>\r\n\t$74,800<\/a><\/td>\r\n\t<\/tr>\r\n\t
Security Specialist<\/a><\/td>\r\n\tSecurity specialists create and and implement security measures to protect computer systems and networks. Their job involves securing data networks, developing solutions to improve security, and prevent breaches.<\/td>\r\n\tBachelor’s degree in cybersecurity, computer science, or a related area<\/td>\r\n\tExperience in information technology, network, or security<\/td>\r\n\t$77,093<\/a><\/td>\r\n\t<\/tr>\r\n\t
Security Manager<\/a><\/td>\r\n\tSecurity managers oversee information security operations. They also manage employees in the cybersecurity department.<\/td>\r\n\tBachelor's degree in IT, cybersecurity, or related field; master's degree often preferred<\/td>\r\n\t5+ years of professional experience in cybersecurity<\/td>\r\n\t$119,240<\/a><\/td>\r\n\t<\/tr>\r\n\t
Security Architect<\/a><\/td>\r\n\tSecurity architects design, apply, and monitor computer and network security systems. They also design systems to detect and stop security threats.<\/td>\r\n\tBachelor's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, or a related field required; master's degree in IT or infosec preferred<\/td>\r\n\t5+ years of professional experience in information security or related positions<\/td>\r\n\t$127,510<\/a><\/td>\r\n\t<\/tr>\r\n\t
Software Developer<\/a><\/td>\r\n\tSoftware developers create security technologies, as well as apply security protocols to current programs.<\/td>\r\n\tBachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field<\/td>\r\n\tPreferred experience with computer programming languages<\/a> such as Python and JavaScript<\/td>\r\n\t$73,440<\/a><\/td>\r\n\t<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n

Source: Payscale, April 2022<\/small><\/p>\r\n\r\n\n

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Top Online Programs<\/h2>\n \n

Explore programs of your interests with the high-quality standards and flexibility you need to take your career to the next level.<\/p>\n \n <\/sonic-editorial-listings>\n\n <\/section>\n\n\r\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\r\n\r\n\n \n \n <\/a>\n\n\r\n

What Does an Incident Responder Do?<\/h2>\r\n

Incident responders protect and improve organizational security by preventing and mitigating security threats. Prevention duties include system monitoring, assessment, testing, and analysis to identify and correct potential security breaches. Incident responders often create security plans, policies, and training that prepare organizations to respond efficiently and effectively to cyberthreats.<\/p>\r\n

These professionals often work under pressure to assess and respond to threats through intrusion detection, security auditing, and risk analysis. Addressing security threats can involve use of network forensics, reverse engineering, and penetration testing<\/a> skills. Incident responders also create reports for management and law enforcement.<\/p>\r\n

Companies hire incident responders to protect finances and reputation from losses due to cybercrime. Incident responders may work as consultants or as employees of large companies with computer security incident response teams (CSIRTs). Many incident responder positions require 2-3 years of prior experience in computer forensics<\/a> or information security. System, network, or security administrator<\/a> positions can provide relevant experience for this career.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Key Soft Skills for Incident Responders<\/h3>\r\n\r\n