The average cyber security analyst salary has increased 7% in the last three years. As far as scope, in the USA there is a current demand for 500,000 professionals in IT security. By 2022 the number of unfilled positions is expected to be at 1.8 million.
This snapshot of the cyber security employment sector is astonishing, and correlates with the research that suggests companies are still not taking cyber security seriously enough. Cyber attacks are very much on the increase, with 38% of organizations experiencing a cyber attack in 2019 alone.
38% of organizations experienced a cyber attack in 2019
As the cyber security landscape changes, as does the role of cyber security analyst and information security analyst, with more positional responsibility for data security, ransomware protection, network security and data encryption. According to Gartner, a larger SMB or enterprise should expect to have a team of 4 – 5 people covering 24 hour network monitoring, so just recruiting a cyber security analyst may not even be enough?
“85% of organizations reported actively pursuing digital optimization strategies” – Gartner
This article sets out to show how digital optimization and outsourcing can drastically reduce costs for SMB to enterprise level organizations, and also the pros and cons for both strategies. The simple question: To hire or not to hire?
Hiring a Cyber Security Analyst
The process of hiring new cyber security staff can be long, slow and often presents more problems than solutions; Once you have hired the cyber security analyst – what products and services will then be needed to protect your network and data? You must have a budget set aside that aligns with the research and recommendations of the analyst, of course.
Hiring also presents more questions than answers; Is it ever possible to hire the exact person for the role you have outlined? Will they be able to fulfill the needs of the users and of management? Will they be able to step outside the role of cyber security analyst and get hands-on with the implementation of cyber security? What responsibilities will fall to the IT team (where experience may be lacking in cyber defense)?
Other factors to consider when looking at this position in detail are: –
On-boarding: An individual must learn how an organization works, and how the network is structured – right down to access control and user privileges. This can take significant time when it is just one person, and requires the cyber security analyst to step sideways into a more senior role; strong leadership and management skills are required as well as technical knowledge.
Expert industry knowledge: Hiring a cyber security analyst for a hospital is significantly different to hiring one for a cardboard box manufacturer. Initiatives, technology and infrastructure is different in every industry and vertical. This is one of the most common factors in these positions never being filled. Employers want a specialist, rather than an all-rounder.
Cost effective budgeting: “Nobody gets fired for buying Cisco!” is an old adage in the cyber security realm. If you asked one hundred cyber security analysts in any vertical, you would find out that just under a fifth of them would advise you to “go with Cisco”. Cisco Umbrella, for example, is the chosen network protection solution for thousands of organizations.
So… ‘What’s the problem with Cisco?’ you may wonder.
To answer this, we look at the individual needs of a company. What problems are they looking solve? What does their user base look like? Will Cisco integrate fully with their network? Is a custom solution with multiple initiatives more effective? Above all – is the solution cost effective.
A cyber security analyst may indeed choose the most expensive, most highly rated company out there – but realistically, complete network redesigns, long on-boarding delays, and the costs involved do not always make sense.
The average cyber security analyst salary is between $90,000 and $160,000 in the USA
The biggest factor in this salary range is role experience, and Mondo.com has the average at between $90,000 and $160,000. For the more experienced analyst, they can expect the fatter end of the wedge.
Hiring A Cyber Security Analyst vs. Managed Services
There is no off-the-shelf solution that will cater to your every need. Cyber security is made up of a number of initiatives that are designed to work alongside what you currently have, reducing on-boarding time and reducing negative impact on current network operations. This also enables a scalable solution with smaller upfront costs.
There is no off-the-shelf hiring solution, either. No two cyber security analysts are the same, nor are they guaranteed to have the industry expertise you require. If we compare the actual cost of hiring versus managed service, it is absolutely cost effective.
How CybX Security Can Help
CybX Security offer various solutions that – when used together – provide a holistic solution for cyber security in any vertical. That is – a complete cyber security solution for any size organization, no matter what industry they are in. We provide network control, ransomware protection, backup solutions, DNS filtering, secure communications and also threat intelligence for SMB right up to government level.
Every CybX Security solution is so frictionless, it can work as well for investment brokers as it does for a hospital. By consulting experts in as many potential vertical markets as possible, we were able to remove every barrier that would normally be apparent in our competitor’s solutions. Our mission is to develop solutions that work alongside our clients, rather than interrupt or impact them.
Having feet on the ground in your organization is certainly preferable from a reporting and accountability perspective, but once a well organized solution is in place, the requirement for on-premise attention is no longer there. Our solutions are built with high level reporting in mind, so our clients not only understand what they are looking at, they also know if things are being taken care of when things go wrong. A managed service includes professional oversight on a client’s network, so we are the first to know of any incident; and remediation is swift and highly effective.
Cost Effectiveness
In conclusion, we feel that we have created a range of products that can answer the question of most organizations – is hiring a cyber security analyst going to cost more than outsourcing?
CybX Security enterprise clients who choose to take all managed services are paying just 10% of what it costs to hire ONE cyber security analyst.
To find out more about CybX Security, and our award winning solutions, you can call +1 866 750 CYBX (2929) or email info@cybxsecurity.com.
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