Reading time: 4 minsAhmad Hussain - Cyber Security Analyst
A day in the life of a Cyber Security Analyst at Visa
What does a Cybersecurity Analyst do?
At a high level, the aim of a cybersecurity analyst is to protect an organisation against cybersecurity threats that could harm or impact their data, people or technology systems. It’s a really varied role, managing everything a business does using technology from compliance to application development to ensure that we keep our information safe and secure. There are several types of analysts depending on your team and organisation structure.
I work in the incident response team; my responsibilities include monitoring, responding to and triaging incidents. Our team deals with all sorts of incidents and are available 24/7/365. We use lots of different tools, sensors and systems to respond to incidents, and work with a variety of teams across the business, not just in cybersecurity. It’s a really exciting job!
What does a typical day look like for you?
The nice thing about working in incident response is that no two days will ever be the same: every day brings new opportunities, surprises and challenges! Our team works based on 12-hour shifts to ensure global coverage – it sounds hard, but we also get plenty of days off to rest and recover (on average, I’m on shift about 7 days every 2 weeks). During my shift, my time is split between working on incidents, and other tasks including threat hunting, development and training. My day isn’t completely without structure though – we have internal processes to ensure that the work is shared fairly amongst analysts, and daily stand-up meetings to discuss any issues we might have.
What’s it like to work for Visa?
I’m really enjoying it! Visa is a very people focused company, and the atmosphere here reflects that; my colleagues are super friendly and very helpful, even as I am still finding my feet. There are loads of opportunities to get involved with the wider community through volunteering, events and employee resource groups – as a Muslim, I really enjoyed breaking my fast and enjoying a lovely dinner with my team as part of an open Iftar event hosted by the People team! I also appreciate the culture here – everyone at Visa is empowered and encouraged to be a leader, to drive sustainable change and growth for ourselves, our clients, and the payments ecosystem.
What was something that surprised you about Visa?
When joining Visa, I knew it was a global company, but I seriously underestimated just how global it is. We employ nearly 30,000 people and work in pretty much every corner of the world – I’ve responded to incidents triggered by a user based in India logging into a server based in the US, all while being based in the UK! It’s really a testament to our global reach and reputation, whilst also highlighting the need for clear and concise communication; it’s great to work with lots of different cultures and learn from different ways of thinking.
What has been your highlight since starting your role?
A personal highlight for me has been hunting for threats based on news articles and threat intelligence sources indicating that certain sandbox features of Windows could be exploited to deliver malware. It’s quite special to explore how a threat seen “in the wild” could impact Visa and other technology organisations, and I got a chance to exercise my programming and data analysis skills! It also felt good to confirm that Visa is safe from this threat, and that we maintain robust security measures across the board to detect, prevent and protect our assets.
What is the most important thing you have learned about working in a corporate environment?
Communication isn’t just key – it’s everything. Whenever you send someone an email, speak to your manager about an issue, write up documentation, deliver a presentation: you’re constantly communicating with your team, customers, and even yourself. Putting a little effort into how you communicate goes a long way and will help you to stand out from your peers. It also makes things easier for both your team and yourself.
How do you become a cybersecurity analyst?
There are several great courses and guides online about how to learn about cybersecurity, but in my opinion the most important qualities to have are curiosity and dedication to your craft. Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving target with lots of moving parts, so constantly learning is key. Understanding how a computer works, how they communicate, what the flaws are and how they can be exploited isn’t something that can be learnt overnight – it takes time and effort, but the investment is well worth it.
A good place to start would be to learn a programming language (Python is a great choice for beginners) and if you feel like a challenge, learning Linux or an alternative operating system. I would also recommend learning networking fundamentals – there are some great courses on YouTube, I especially like Professor Messer’s which will help prepare you for certifications like Network+. Once you feel confident, move onto online labs like TryHackMe and Hack the Box – these are great for developing and honing your skills in a safe environment. Finally, get involved in the community – open source projects and competitions/CTFs are a great way to learn!