Cybersecurity Essentials for Every Business Analyst in 2024

Uncover the growing overlap between cyber security and business analysis. This blog explores why cybersecurity is no longer optional for Business Analysts, and how tools like Wireshark, RSA Archer, and frameworks such as ITSCM and DORA are reshaping the expectations for BA roles.

Introduction

In 2024, cyber security is not just an IT concern — it is a strategic business imperative. As digital transformation deepens across every industry, Business Analysts (BAs) are being called upon to play a pivotal role in identifying risks, designing secure processes, and bridging the communication gap between tech teams and business stakeholders. From handling sensitive data flows to shaping security-first system requirements, today’s BAs must understand the core principles of cyber security.

This blog will walk you through the tools, frameworks, scenarios, and responsibilities that every BA should master to thrive in a cyber-aware business landscape.

1. Why Cyber security Now Matters to Business Analysts

As organizations become more reliant on digital infrastructure, every business process carries some level of cyber risk:

• Requirement miscommunication can lead to data leakage vulnerabilities.
• A poorly scoped integration may introduce third-party security flaws.
• Regulatory misalignment (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA, DORA) can expose the company to fines.

 

Business Analysts are uniquely positioned to:

• Act as the first line of defense by shaping secure business requirements.
• Help translate security policies into functional and technical specs.
• Ensure cross-functional awareness of risks during workflow design.

Real-World Example:

A BA working with a fintech startup integrated a third-party payment API. Dueto the lack of authentication parameters in the BRD, the system was exposedto session hijacking. Post-incident, the BA was asked to include OWASP Top 10considerations in future requirements.” –

2. Cyber security Tools Every BA Should Know

While BAs aren’t expected to be penetration testers, having working knowledge ofcybersecurity tools enhances cross-team collaboration and improves documentation quality.

Wire shark

• Used for network packet analysis.
• Helps BAs understand how data flows between systems.
• Useful when documenting process flows involving APIs or networked devices.

RSA Archer

• A widely used governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) platform.
• Helps track application-level risks, pentest findings, and audit status.
• BAs often align project scopes with Archer findings and SysID mappings.

Nessus or Nmap

• For vulnerability scanning or port/service discovery.
• BAs working on integrations or external APIs benefit from basic port understanding.

ADOIT

• Enterprise architecture tool that BAs use to document system interdependencies.
• Tracks criticality, ownership, delivery model, and compliance dependencies.

Jira & Confluence

• Enable tracking of security stories , audit tasks, and compliance action items.
• Confluence can be used to maintain up-to-date security SOPs, access logs, or design reviews.

3. Key Cybersecurity Frameworks for Business Analysts

Understanding security frameworks helps BAs align business goals with risk controls.

DORA – Digital Operational Resilience Act (EU Regulation)

• Applies to financial institutions: BAs must understand the role of critical IT systems and how to ensure recoverability, integrity, and third-party governance.
• BAs help maintain recovery objectives (RTO/RPO), criticality ratings, and documentation compliance.

ITSCM – IT Service Continuity Management

• A process within ITIL focusing on business continuity and system resilience.
• BAs ensure that recovery plans, failover procedures, and SLA-bound processes are well documented.

OWASP Top 10

• The top 10 most common web application security vulnerabilities.
• Should be referenced during requirements gathering and UAT planning for web-based platforms.

4. Security in the BA Lifecycle – From Discovery to Deployment

Let’s map where cyber security intersects throughout the BA workflow:

Discovery / Elicitation

• Identify compliance needs: GDPR, HIPAA, DORA
• Include infosec in stakeholder interviews

Documentation

• Explicitly list authentication, encryption, access control requirements
• Add audit trail features and logging scopes to BRDs/FRDs

Process Mapping

• Visualize data sensitivity levels in Lucid Chart or Miro
• Mark entry/exit points where encryption or validation is needed

Testing / Handover

• Collaborate with QA to ensure security test cases are executed
• Work with cyber security team to validate threat models or pen test results

6. Common Security Pitfalls BAs Can Prevent

• Incomplete Role Definitions: Missing user roles and permissions in the BRD can lead to privilege escalation.
• Lack of Logging Requirements: Makes post-breach audits difficult.
• No Backup or Failover Logic: Results in poor recovery posture and longer outages.
• Assuming HTTPS is “secure enough” without checking certificate handling, expiration, and revocation.

5. How BAs Can Start Building Cyber security Awareness

• Attend cyber security boot camps tailored for analysts or PMs
• Collaborate regularly with the CISO or InfoSec team during sprints
• Stay updated on regulatory changes, especially in your industry
• Use platforms like TryHackMe, OWASP Juice Shop, or HackTheBox to learnattack/defense fundamentals hands-on

Conclusion: The BA Role is Expanding — Be Security-Ready

Cyber security awareness is no longer optional for Business Analysts. From safeguarding stakeholder trust to aligning with global regulations, the modern BA must play a proactive role in securing business solutions.

BAs who add cyber literacy to their skill set will find themselves at the intersection of compliance, innovation, and leadership. The future of business analysis is not just agile — it’s secure, intelligent, and risk-aware.