Cyber Defense Incident Responder
Investigates, analyzes, and responds to cyber incidents within the network environment or enclave.
Annual openings
553
BLS median wage
$135,220
Typical education
Flexible / varies by employer
10-year growth
+19%
Career requirements
What does this career require?
The education, credentials, and on-the-job competencies Colorado employers expect for this role.
Typical education
Flexible / varies by employer
Credential requirement
A credential is recommended.
Credential detail
Certifications addressing new attack vectors (emphasis on cloud computing technology, mobile platforms and tablet computers), new vulnerabilities, existing threats to operating environments, advanced IDS concepts, applications protocols, concepts of TCP/IP and the link layer, DNS, fragmentation, IDS fundamentals and initial deployment (e.g., snort, bro), IDS rules (e.g., snort, bro), IPv6, network architecture and event correlation, network traffic analysis and forensics, packet engineering, silk and other traffic analysis tools, TCP, Tcpdump filters, UDP and ICMP, Wireshark fundamentals.
Experience detail
Previous experience in malware analysis, digital forensics, data/network analysis, information assurance technician, or incident handling.
Remote work
More companies employing "blue team" or cyber defense capabilities are open to remote work, including from rural locations. To see if a job offers this opportunity, please review job postings from job banks such as ZipRecruiter, Indeed or ConnectingColorado, and look for key words such as "location independent", "remote", "virtual", "telecommute", "flex" or for companies posting the same job in many locations.
Is this work a fit?
What the work actually feels like
How people in this career tend to spend their time, the interests it draws on, and a look at a typical day.
Work style
- With kids/peopleOccasionally
- On a computerOccasionally
- Outdoors / on-siteOccasionally
- With your handsOccasionally
Interests it draws on
- Technology
- Cybersecurity
Automation exposure
Low exposure
Tasks here lean on judgement and people skills that are hard to automate.
A typical day
- Develop plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure and to meet emergency data processing needs.
- Monitor current reports of computer viruses to determine when to update virus protection systems.
- Encrypt data transmissions and erect firewalls to conceal confidential information as it is being transmitted and to keep out tainted digital transfers.
- Perform risk assessments and execute tests of data processing system to ensure functioning of data processing activities and security measures.
- Modify computer security files to incorporate new software, correct errors, or change individual access status.
- Review violations of computer security procedures and discuss procedures with violators to ensure violations are not repeated.