A comprehensive catalog of cybersecurity job roles and positions, with IT industry acronyms
As a “cybersecurity journalist,” I constantly face a shifting and evolving lexicon of industry terminology and complex abbreviations. As such, I keep a searchable document of general cybersecurity terms, industry standards and legislation, technical job roles, acronyms, and abbreviations, updated and at hand. Mt colleagues here at TrueFort suggested that this list might also be helpful to other people, so I’m sharing it as part of a series of posts covering common cybersecurity acronyms and phrases, industry standards and legislation, and industry roles and responsibilities (with their abbreviations). This is alphabetical or searchable with Command+F (Mac) or Control+F (PC), and I hope you find it of value.
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Cybersecurity job role acronyms and IT security positions
- AppSec (Application Security) Engineer – A security professional responsible for assessing and improving the security of an organization’s software applications, including web, mobile, and desktop applications.
- BC/DR (Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery) Specialist – An IT security collegue responsible for developing and implementing plans and procedures to ensure an organization can continue operating and recovering from disruptions, such as natural disasters, cyberattacks, or equipment failures.
- Blue Teamer – A cybersecurity operative responsible for defending an organization’s systems and networks from simulated attacks conducted by a “red team,” with the goal of identifying and addressing potential security weaknesses.
- CA (Certification Authority) – An organization or IT security professional responsible for issuing and managing digital certificates, which are used to establish secure connections and authenticate users, devices, and systems.
- CCP (Certified Cybersecurity Professional) – A general term for an individual who has earned one or more professional certifications in the field of cybersecurity, demonstrating their expertise and knowledge in various aspects of information security.
- CIO (Chief Information Officer) – The executive responsible for managing an organization’s overall IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, and networks, as well as ensuring alignment with the company’s strategic goals.
- CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) – The senior-level executive responsible for developing and implementing an organization’s information security strategy, policies, and procedures.
- CND (Computer Network Defense) Analyst – An IT security professional in charge of the protection of an organization’s computer networks from unauthorized access, data exfiltration, and other cyber threats.
- CodeMonkey – “Maybe manager wanna write g*ddamn login page himself?”
- CSO (Chief Security Officer) – The executive responsible for the overall management of an organization’s security posture, including physical, information, and cybersecurity.
- CRO (Chief Risk Officer) – An executive with the responsibility of identifying, assessing, and managing risks across an organization, including IT and cybersecurity risks.
- CTI (Cyber Threat Intelligence) Analyst – A security professional responsible for collecting, analyzing, and disseminating information about current and emerging cyber threats, with the goal of informing and improving an organization’s cybersecurity strategy.
- CTO (Chief Technology Officer) – The executive responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and management of an organization’s technology strategy, including the adoption of new technologies and digital transformation initiatives.
- DFIR (Digital Forensics and Incident Response) Analyst – A security operative specializing in collecting, preserving, and analyzing digital evidence related to cybersecurity incidents, as well as developing and implementing incident response plans and procedures.
- DPO (Data Protection Officer) – A cybersecurity officer responsible for ensuring that an organization complies with data protection laws and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and for overseeing data protection policies and practices.
- DRM (Data Risk Manager) – A security professional responsible for identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks related to the storage, processing, and transmission of sensitive data.
- GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) Analyst – An IT security colleague responsible for ensuring an organization’s security policies, practices, and controls align with relevant laws, regulations, and industry best practices are met.
- IAM (Identity and Access Management) Analyst – A cybersec professional responsible for managing user access to systems and resources, ensuring that only authorized individuals have access to sensitive data and systems.
- ICS/SCADA (Industrial Control Systems/Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) Security Analyst – An IT security teammate responsible for protecting critical infrastructure systems, such as power plants, water treatment facilities, and manufacturing plants, from cyber threats.
- IR (Incident Response) Analyst – A security professional responsible for identifying, investigating, and responding to cybersecurity incidents, as well as developing and implementing incident response plans and procedures.
- ISSO (Information Systems Security Officer) – A mid-to-senior-level security professional responsible for the implementation, management, and enforcement of security policies and procedures for a specific information system or group of systems.
- NetSec (Network Security) Engineer – A security professional responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining secure network infrastructures, as well as identifying and mitigating potential threats to network security.
- PT (Penetration Tester) – An individual who specializes in identifying and exploiting security vulnerabilities in systems and networks, with the goal of helping an organization improve its security posture.
- Purple Team – A ‘neutral’ group of cybersecurity professionals who leverage the insights and findings from Red Team exercises to improve the defensive capabilities and incident response strategies of the Blue Team.
- Red Teamer – A security professional who conducts simulated attacks on an organization’s systems and networks to identify vulnerabilities and test security controls, often working in opposition to a “blue team” responsible for defending against such attacks.
- SecArch (Security Architect) – A senior security colleague responsible for designing and implementing an organization’s overall security architecture, including policies, procedures, and technical controls.
- SecDevOps (Security Development Operations) Engineer – An IT security professional who integrates security best practices and tools into the software development lifecycle, ensuring that security is a priority throughout the development process.
- Security Auditor – A cybersecurity professional with a remit of assessing an organization’s security posture, including policies, procedures, and controls, and providing recommendations for improvement based on industry standards and best practices.
- Security Trainer/Educator – A person responsible for developing and delivering training and education programs to help employees, contractors, and other stakeholders understand and comply with an organization’s security policies and practices.
- SOC (Security Operations Center) Analyst – A cybersecurity operative responsible for monitoring and analyzing an organization’s security posture, detecting and responding to potential threats, and providing real-time situational awareness.
- VA (Vulnerability Analyst) – A security professional who identifies, assesses, and prioritizes cybersecurity vulnerabilities in an organization’s systems and networks.
As the cybersecurity industry continues to change, there’s no doubt the roles within IT security departments will also change. Alas, I can only guarantee the accuracy of this list at the time of publication, though I will try to keep it updated as time permits. This particular post focuses on cybersecurity job role acronyms and IT security positions, while an additional two companion posts which discuss legal body abbreviations/cybersecurity standards and general cybersecurity terminology.
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I very much hope it’s of use, and if you see anything missing, please let me know.
