Security Administrator

Computers hold tons of valuable information that thieves and hackers would love to steal or destroy. The Security Administrator serves on the front lines of defense for all this helpless computer data.

How do you go about protecting a virtual resource like data? On a daily basis, as a Security Administrator, you research computer security methods –new software and encryption techniques, for example – and determine how a client might make use of them. You program passwords, install software, and run checks to make sure the computer system is locked down like a vault in a bank.

Being a Security Administrator requires creativity and critical thinking and provides plenty of action. When parts of a computer network or its security system experience a problem, you respond to the distress call. If a password isn’t working or a computer refuses to access the internet, you run tests to find out why.

In complex situations or at larger companies you may instruct a staff of IT Security Analysts to work on specific parts of the job: Mike may run diagnostic tests while Mary tries resetting the system to see if that fixes the problem. But whatever the size of your project, your work will ensure the privacy of information.