A Guide to Launch Your Career as an Incident Response Analyst
Learn what an Incident Response Analyst does, how much they earn, and which free courses can help you start your cybersecurity career in 2025.
Cybersecurity might sound like something out of a spy movie, with words like hackers, breaches, and mysterious logs getting thrown around regularly. But at the heart of it all is a group of people quietly keeping things under control: Incident Response Analysts.
These professionals are like digital firefighters. When a cyber attack happens, they’re the ones jumping in to investigate, contain, and recover. They also help companies build smarter systems so they’re better prepared for the next threat.
And as cyberattacks get more sophisticated, companies are racing to hire more hands-on security professionals, especially incident responders. So, in more technical terms, what do they do?
What does an Incident Response Analyst do?
The role of an Incident Response Analyst is both strategic and hands-on, focusing on identifying, analysing, and responding to cybersecurity threats in real time. These professionals play a critical role in maintaining the security posture of an organisation by acting swiftly to contain and mitigate incidents before they escalate.
They work closely with security teams, system administrators, and management to investigate alerts, track malicious activity, and ensure systems are resilient against future threats. Their work requires a strong understanding of digital forensics, threat intelligence, and response protocols.
Key responsibilities of an Incident Response Analyst include:
- Monitoring networks and systems for suspicious activity or breaches.
- Investigating security incidents and gathering digital evidence.
- Analysing logs, alerts, and system behaviour to determine the scope of an attack.
- Coordinating with internal teams to contain and remediate threats.
- Creating detailed reports and updating incident response playbooks.
- Implementing preventive measures and contributing to security awareness efforts.
How much does an Incident Response Analyst make?
It depends on your location and experience, but based on information from Glassdoor, these analysts make between $80,000 and $138,000 annually, with an average of $105,000 a year.
Free Courses to take as an Incident Response Analyst
Remote jobs are growing fast, too, especially with cloud-first companies and managed security service providers.
The best part? You don’t need a four-year degree or fancy bootcamp to get started. There are free, high-quality courses that teach you the skills you’ll need to break in—stuff employers actually look for, like threat detection, log analysis, and incident handling frameworks.
1. Introduction to Cybersecurity – Cisco Networking Academy (via Skills for All)
If you're brand new to cybersecurity, start here. This Cisco course breaks things down in a way that's friendly for total beginners.
What you’ll learn:
- Core cybersecurity concepts (threats, vulnerabilities, etc.)
- How attacks happen and how companies protect themselves
- Roles in cybersecurity (including incident response)
Why take it: It’s perfect for figuring out if incident response is your vibe. The interactive format makes learning easy and engaging.
2. Introduction to IT & Cybersecurity – Cybrary
Think of this one as a tour through the cybersecurity world. You’ll explore different paths—incident response included—and learn some hands-on basics.
What you’ll learn:
- Key job roles in cybersecurity
- Basics of networking, system admin, and security
- Where incident response fits into the bigger picture
Why take it: Great for beginners who want a broad overview before diving deeper into IR-specific skills.
3. IBM Cybersecurity Analyst Professional Certificate – Coursera
This comprehensive program by IBM on Coursera offers in-depth training in various cybersecurity domains, including incident response and forensics. While the full program is paid, you can audit individual courses for free.
What you’ll learn:
- Steps of incident response (prepare, detect, respond, recover)
- Log analysis, threat intelligence, and malware basics
- Using tools like SIEMs and forensic techniques
Why take it: It focuses specifically on incident response workflows and tools. A must if you want real-world, SOC-ready skills.
4. Incident Response Training – TryHackMe
TryHackMe is all about learning by doing. This module provides hands-on labs that simulate real attacks and incident response procedures.
What you’ll learn:
- Identifying, containing, and remediating attacks
- Digital forensics basics
- Using logs, alerts, and tools to track intrusions
Why take it: Practical, bite-sized, and interactive. Great if you learn best by solving problems, not reading slides.
5. Free Incident Response Training Plan – DFIR Diva
This curated plan offers a structured path for beginners to delve into Digital Forensics and Incident Response (DFIR), combining various free resources.
What you’ll find:
- Real-world IR scenarios and walkthroughs
- Beginner-friendly challenges and CTFs
- Tools like Autopsy, Volatility, and more
Why take it: It’s a goldmine if you want to get hands-on experience without spending a dime. Plus, the DFIR community is super active and supportive.
Conclusion
Incident response is one of the most in-demand roles in cybersecurity right now—and it’s only growing. You don’t need a degree or a ton of money to start learning the skills that matter.
These free courses give you a strong foundation, whether you’re just exploring or already know you want to join a Security Operations Centre (SOC). Pick one, dig in, and start learning how to be the calm in the middle of a digital storm.
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