AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 15-1299.05
Will AI replace Information Security Engineers?
Information Security Engineers: AI can already handle 10 of 20 tasks; the work mostly needs a frontier-tier model.
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Every task, scored
The 20 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Information Security Engineers, from most to least exposed. 10 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.
| Task | AI exposure | Evidence | Model tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scan networks, using vulnerability assessment tools to identify vulnerabilities. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Write reports regarding investigations of information security breaches or network evaluations. | Estimated | Efficient | |
| Provide technical support to computer users for installation and use of security products. | Observed | Frontier | |
| Identify security system weaknesses, using penetration tests. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Assess the quality of security controls, using performance indicators. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Conduct investigations of information security breaches to identify vulnerabilities and evaluate the damage. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Oversee performance of risk assessment or execution of system tests to ensure the functioning of data processing activities or security measures. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Coordinate vulnerability assessments or analysis of information security systems. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Review security assessments for computing environments or check for compliance with cybersecurity standards and regulations. | Estimated | Standard | |
| Develop or implement software tools to assist in the detection, prevention, and analysis of security threats. | Observed | Frontier | |
| Coordinate monitoring of networks or systems for security breaches or intrusions. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop response and recovery strategies for security breaches. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Oversee development of plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure or to meet emergency data processing needs. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop information security standards and best practices. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Coordinate documentation of computer security or emergency measure policies, procedures, or tests. | Estimated | Frontier | |
| Develop or install software, such as firewalls and data encryption programs, to protect sensitive information. | Observed | Standard | |
| Identify or implement solutions to information security problems. | Observed | Standard | |
| Recommend information security enhancements to management. | Observed | Standard | |
| Troubleshoot security and network problems. | Observed | Standard | |
| Train staff on, and oversee the use of, information security standards, policies, and best practices. | Estimated | Efficient |
Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 6 of 20 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 14 of 20. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.
The model tier this role needs
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 100% of the work is something AI can address at some tier.
Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.
Wages, employment and outlook
- US employment
- 435,370
- Median annual wage
- $116,580
- Middle half of earners
- $79,370 to $157,500
- Projected change, 2024 to 2034
- +8.2%
Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034. BLS publishes these figures by SOC code, so O*NET occupations that share a SOC code show the same figures.
Adjacent roles
The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.
- Information Security Analysts 82% skill overlap, about 6 months to move Exposure65
- Computer Systems Engineers/Architects 71% skill overlap, about 10 months to move Exposure58
- Security Management Specialists 71% skill overlap, about 11 months to move Exposure43
- Network and Computer Systems Administrators 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure44
- Penetration Testers 66% skill overlap, about 12 months to move Exposure60
Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.
Questions about Information Security Engineers and AI
Will AI replace Information Security Engineers?
AI already handles 10 of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 58 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +8.2% from 2024 to 2034.
What is the AI exposure of Information Security Engineers?
58 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 6 of the 20 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 14 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.
Which Information Security Engineers tasks can AI already do?
The tasks with the highest exposure are: Scan networks, using vulnerability assessment tools to identify vulnerabilities; Write reports regarding investigations of information security breaches or network evaluations; Provide technical support to computer users for installation and use of security products. They are three of the 10 tasks that reach 60 or more.
What AI model tier does this role need?
A frontier-tier model or lower covers 100% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.
How many people work as Information Security Engineers, and what do they earn?
435,370 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $116,580 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +8.2% from 2024 to 2034.
How to cite
Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.
JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Information Security Engineers. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/information-security-engineers
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