What Does a Computer Security Specialist Do?

Computer security is of utmost importance to company managers responsible for protecting their company’s information assets. Computer security specialists, or information security analysts, are responsible for protecting those assets on a day-to-day basis. A computer specialist’s job is to make sure only authorized people gain access to confidential information.

Planning Security
Security specialists strive to build in security during the planning stage of software systems, networks and data centers. It is less costly to build in security from the beginning than to retrofit systems after they have been implemented. Security specialists analyze specifications for critical components of computing infrastructure to determine vulnerabilities, risk and mitigating actions.

Securing the Infrastructure
Even the best built systems and buildings retain overlooked vulnerabilities found later during an audit or an actual security breach. The security specialist’s job is to determine the best way to secure the infrastructure, including physical security and cyber security. Information may be compromised by an unauthorized data center intruder as well as by a hacker who finds a cyber door into the network. Placing a secured door on the data center or a firewall on the Internet connection is the responsibility of the security analyst.