What does a IT Security Specialist do on a daily basic?

IT Security Specialists have a wide range of responsibilities, but the crux of their job is to protect online data form being compromised.

On the job, you can expect to safeguard an organization's files and network, install firewalls, create security plans and monitor activity.

IT Security Specialists:

- Defend an organization's Information Systems.

- Leverage an in-depth understanding of Cyber Security threats, technologies, and countermeasures to ensure secure computer systems.

- Define access privileges, control structures, and resources.

- Recognize problems by identifying abnormalities and reporting violations.

- Upgrade systems by implementing and maintaining security controls.

Job responsibilities are highly dependent on the company's need. When I was a IT Security Specialist at a University, my daily role was to monitor for compromised student accounts. We would try to determine how the account was compromised (hacked) and educate the student (sometimes even faculty) on what they could do to protect themselves from these types of incidents. I also had to monitor our campus for other types of security issues such as infected machines or someone doing something they weren't supposed to be doing. This involved a good deal of researching the problem by looking at logs and interpreting what the logs were saying. I was also involved in security engineering work, compliance, and security support. Being part of the University also meant I had the opportunity to engage with students and talk to them about security topics.