Ricky Malone
Professor Diwakar Yalpi
CYSE 201S Cybersecurity and the Social Sciences
4/14/2025
Knowledge required to be successful in the career of cyber analysts
There are many different paths to a career in cyber security. I have found myself fascinated with the role of a cybersecurity analyst, who are tasked with protecting networks, data, and central cyber threats. They require a lot of technical knowledge, as defense within the cyber world remains limitless, and threats only grow over time. This is why the principles of social science are so crucial to their daily work. By utilizing knowledge of sociology, criminology, psychology, and the ethics of human behavior, a cyber security analyst can use such knowledge to predict human behavior and seek out possible solutions with preventive measures to keep such information well protected. With the world being so technologically advanced and driven, the threat level of sensitive information rises, making the need for cyber security analysts more prominent. This essay will go into detail about the role of a cyber security analyst, highlighting the use of social science principles that can be integrated into their daily practices.
The primary role of a cyber security analyst is to defend and protect. Since cyber crimes are committed by humans rather than technical errors, it is helpful for them to understand psychology and criminology to anticipate attackers’ strategies quickly. With the understanding of psychology, the use of human emotions is a prominent factor in how attackers proceed in taking information. For example, phishing attacks rely heavily on triggering a person with a sense of urgency to discombobulate their thoughts. Hence, they act quickly and give the information requested by the attacker. The role of a cyber security analyst would be to use such information to design programs for users that would inform them of ways to identify such threats to reduce the possibility of them becoming victims of data breaches. They could also utilize the knowledge of criminology. An article by The University of South Florida mentions, “They learn how to use behavioral insights to help organizations recognize patterns in criminal behavior and prepare for cyber threats. People with this specialty often design policies that address employee and organizational vulnerabilities to reduce the likelihood of cyber threats.” Using criminology and psychology can allow cybersecurity analysts to complete their role and properly develop countermeasures to possible issues.
Attackers and their motives behind committing cyber crimes have multiple reasons. One of the more unique reasons a cyber analyst must consider is attacks on marginalized groups of people. Research shows that these groups are deemed easier targets for many reasons. The most prominent reason I’ve seen people list is either a lack of technological knowledge or a lack of help from law enforcement due to ethical background. With this knowledge as a cyber analyst, they would find the use of programs like the Diversity, equity, and Inclusion (DEI) principles to fund and create more of an outreach of helpful resources tailored to aiding and preventing further attacks on such groups of people. This process would also help understand the sociological factors of the different groups that explain how or why these groups get targeted.
In conclusion, cyber security analysts rely on different social science research and principles within their careers. To succeed in the role, it takes an active knowledge of current technology and how the world evolves with it, making it crucial to understand psychology, sociology, and criminology. With the use of knowledge from these social science principles, the cybersecurity analyst can improve different systems, address the factors that play into data breaches, and raise awareness among different ethical groups. The role of a cyber security analyst expands beyond just technology knowledge to effectively complete what is required of them.
Work Cited
Nolan, Erin. Cybersecurity vs. Cybercrime: What’s the Difference and Which Path Is Right for You?, 2022, onlineprograms.usf.edu/cybersecurity-vs-cybercrime-criminology-careers#:~:text=Cyber%20Criminology%20Concentration&text=They%20learn%20how%20to%20use,the%20likelihood%20of%20cyber%20threats.
“Improving Cyber Crime Data to Protect Vulnerable Communities.” New America, 20 Mar. 2018, www.newamerica.org/millennials/dm/improving-cyber-crime-data-protect-vulnerable-communities/#:~:text=Vulnerable%20populations%20are%20more%20likely%20to%20be,law%20enforcement%20with%20photographic%20or%20video%20evidence.
Tisdale, Nicole. “The Hidden Injustice of Cyberattacks.” Wired, Conde Nast, 12 Feb. 2024, www.wired.com/story/cybersecurity-marginalized-communities-problem/.