Cyber Intelligence Specialist

Part of the Cybersecurity Career Guide — This article is one deep-dive in our complete guide series.

By HADESS Team | February 28, 2026 | Updated: February 28, 2026 | 5 min read

You produce finished intelligence products that inform security decisions. You take raw data from threat feeds, open-source research, dark web monitoring, and internal security tools, then analyze it using structured methods to produce assessments that help organizations understand and prepare for threats before they materialize.

What You Will Do

Cyber intelligence goes beyond collecting indicators of compromise. You apply analytical tradecraft — the kind used in military and government intelligence — to cybersecurity problems. Your output is not a list of IOCs. It is assessed, contextualized intelligence that helps decision-makers act.

Your responsibilities include:

• Producing strategic intelligence assessments on threat actors, campaigns, and emerging risks
• Conducting all-source analysis — combining technical data with geopolitical, economic, and social context
• Writing intelligence briefs for different audiences — executives, security operations, engineering teams
• Applying structured analytical techniques — Analysis of Competing Hypotheses, key assumptions checks, red hat analysis
• Monitoring geopolitical developments that could impact the organization’s threat landscape
• Tracking adversary campaigns and providing early warning of potential targeting
• Managing intelligence requirements from stakeholders — understanding what decisions they need to make
• Building and maintaining a knowledge base of threat actors, TTPs, and infrastructure
• Collaborating with industry peers through ISACs, intelligence sharing communities, and government partnerships
• Supporting M&A activity and business expansion with threat landscape assessments
• Evaluating and integrating commercial threat intelligence services
• Mentoring analysts in analytical tradecraft and intelligence writing

The distinction between a threat intelligence analyst and a cyber intelligence specialist is depth and rigor. You apply formal intelligence analysis methods, and your products drive strategic decisions, not just alert tuning.

Skills You Need

Cyber intelligence specialists blend analytical tradecraft with technical security knowledge.

Key skills:

• Intelligence analysis methods — structured analytical techniques, cognitive bias awareness
• Strategic threat assessment — long-range analysis of threat trends and actors
• OSINT research — advanced open-source intelligence gathering and verification
• Geopolitical analysis — understanding how world events affect the cyber threat landscape
• Intelligence writing — clear, concise, properly sourced analytical products
• MITRE ATT&CK framework — mapping adversary behavior for technical audiences
• Dark web research — monitoring underground markets and forums for threats
• Stakeholder management — understanding and serving intelligence consumers

Build these in the skills library and explore intelligence roles in the career path explorer.

Certifications

Cyber intelligence certifications and credentials:

• GCTI — GIAC Cyber Threat Intelligence
• CTIA — Certified Threat Intelligence Analyst
• Intelligence community credentials or military intelligence experience are highly valued
• Graduate degrees in intelligence studies, international relations, or security studies

Plan your development with the certification roadmap planner.

Salary Range

Cyber intelligence specialists earn between $65K and $125K. Government roles may pay at the lower end but provide access to classified intelligence and unique experience. Private sector roles in financial services, defense, and large tech companies pay at the top. Specialists with security clearances and government intelligence backgrounds are in high demand.

Check market rates with the salary calculator.

How to Get Started

1. Build a foundation in either security operations or intelligence analysis — ideally both 2. Study structured analytical techniques — take a course on intelligence analysis methods 3. Take the skills assessment to evaluate your analytical and security skills 4. Practice producing intelligence products in the labs — write assessments on real threat campaigns 5. Follow geopolitical security developments — build the contextual knowledge that separates intelligence from data 6. Learn OSINT tools and techniques — Maltego, SpiderFoot, social media analysis 7. Work toward GCTI — plan your path with the certification planner 8. Read published intelligence reports from Mandiant, CrowdStrike, Microsoft, and government CERTs 9. Build a portfolio of intelligence products and add them to your resume 10. Search for cyber intelligence or threat analysis roles on the job board

If you are coming from a military intelligence, journalism, or academic research background, the career coach can help you map your transferable skills to cyber intelligence requirements.

Related Guides in This Series

• CISO: Lead Security Strategy Across the Organization — HADESS | 2026
• Security Manager: Build and Lead Security Teams

Take the Next Step

Start your career assessment. Go to the start your career assessment on HADESS.

Explore career paths. Check out the explore career paths.

Get started free — Create your HADESS account and access all career tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

What certifications do I need for this role?

Certification requirements vary by employer and seniority level. Use the certification roadmap planner to build a sequence based on your target role and current qualifications.

What is the salary range for this role?

Salaries vary significantly by location, experience, and employer type. Use the salary calculator for your specific market rate.

How do I transition into this career path?

Take the skills assessment to identify your current strengths and gaps relative to this role. The assessment generates a personalized learning plan to close the gap.

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HADESS Team consists of cybersecurity practitioners, hiring managers, and career strategists who have collectively spent 50+ years in the field.