Information Security Analysts
Plan, implement, upgrade, or monitor security measures for the protection of computer networks and information. Assess system vulnerabilities for security risks and propose and implement risk mitigation strategies. May ensure appropriate security controls are in place that will safeguard digital files and vital electronic infrastructure. May respond to computer security breaches and viruses.
- US jobs
- 190,650
- Median wage
- $129,180 a year
- Job family
- Security
Can agents do the work of information security analysts?
We read the evidence at the level of the job family, Security:
- Task levelPartialMixed. Capture-the-flag and vulnerability-reproduction tasks are near their ceiling: Anthropic reports 100% on its 35-task Cybench subset, and the top CyberGym entry reproduces 98.5% of vulnerabilities (Level 1). Exploitation of real web applications is not shown: the last published CVE-Bench result is 12.5% (GPT-4o, 2025), and we found no newer frontier result.
- Project levelUnexploredNo benchmark in our collection tests security work at project scale, such as a full penetration test, a security review of a whole system, or a compliance audit.
Benchmarks for the job family
These cover work in security, not always this occupation's tasks.
Typical tasks
From O*NET 31.0. Core tasks first. Few of these tasks have a benchmark today.
- Develop plans to safeguard computer files against accidental or unauthorized modification, destruction, or disclosure and to meet emergency data processing needs.
- Monitor current reports of computer viruses to determine when to update virus protection systems.
- Encrypt data transmissions and erect firewalls to conceal confidential information as it is being transmitted and to keep out tainted digital transfers.
- Perform risk assessments and execute tests of data processing system to ensure functioning of data processing activities and security measures.
- Modify computer security files to incorporate new software, correct errors, or change individual access status.
- Review violations of computer security procedures and discuss procedures with violators to ensure violations are not repeated.
- Document computer security and emergency measures policies, procedures, and tests.
- Confer with users to discuss issues such as computer data access needs, security violations, and programming changes.
- Monitor use of data files and regulate access to safeguard information in computer files.
- Coordinate implementation of computer system plan with establishment personnel and outside vendors.
- Train users and promote security awareness to ensure system security and to improve server and network efficiency.
Other job titles for this occupation (80)
Information Security Officer · Information Security Specialist · Information Systems Security Analyst · Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) · Information Technology Security Analyst (IT Security Analyst) · Network Security Analyst · Security Analyst · Systems Analyst · AI Security Specialist (Artificial Intelligence Security Specialist) · All-Source Analyst · Application Security Analyst · Applications Security Analyst · Automatic Data Processing Systems Security Specialist (ADP Systems Security) · Blue Team Member · Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) · Cloud Security Architect · Cloud Security Engineer · Computer Security Coordinator · Computer Security Information Specialist · Computer Security Specialist · Computer Systems Security Analyst · Counterespionage Analyst · Cryptological Technician · Cryptologist · Cyber Defense Analyst · Cyber Defense Forensics Analyst · Cyber Incident Responder · Cyber Information Security Analyst · Cyber Intel Planner · Cyber Intelligence Specialist · Cyber Operations Planner (Cyber Ops Planner) · Cyber Operations Specialist · Cyber Operator · Cyber Policy and Strategy Planner · Cyber Security Analyst · Cyber Security Specialist · Cyber Security Support Technician · Cybersecurity All-Source Analyst · Cybersecurity Analyst · Cybersecurity Engineer · Cybersecurity Exploitation Analyst · Cybersecurity Incident Response Analyst · Cybersecurity Multi-Disciplined Language Analyst · Cybersecurity Partner Integration Planner · Cybersecurity Specialist · Cybersecurity Target Developer · Cybersecurity Target Network Analyst · Cybersecurity Threat Analyst · Cybersecurity Warning Analyst · Data Security Analyst · Database Security Expert · Exploitation Analyst · Incident Responder · Incident Response Analyst · Incident Response Manager · Industrial Internet of Things Security Specialist (IIoT Security Specialist) · Information Assurance Analyst · Information Security Analyst · Information Systems Security Specialist · Information Technology Analyst (IT Analyst) · Information Technology Consultant (IT Consultant) · Information Technology Security Architect (IT Security Architect) · International Affairs Specialist · Internet of Things Security Specialist (IoT Security Specialist) · Internet Security Specialist · Intrusion Detection Analyst · IT Auditor (Information Technology Auditor) · IT Risk Specialist (Information Technology Risk Specialist) · Mission Assessment Specialist · Network Security Officer · Network Security Systems Analyst · Red Team Member · Security Auditor · Security Consultant · Security Control Assessor · Security Operations Analyst · Security Operations Center Analyst (SOC Analyst) · Security Specialist · Source Code Auditor · Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Security Analyst (SCADA Security Analyst)