Dossier #166 // technical exposure assessment

High exposure

Penetration Testers

Category: General · SOC 15-1299.04 · Industry: Cross-industry

AI Exposure (AI-estimated)

n/a

Not assessed

Last updated

unknown

sources: BLS OES (approx) · O*NET

Evidence

0 sources

22 core tasks shown

Verdict

Penetration Testers High exposure: 7 of 22 core tasks show high task automation potential : exposure 50/100 (not assessed).

No model has published evidence mapped to this occupation yet - the score comes from generic task assessment.

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Score breakdown

Why this score?

Every component is stored with the score row and can be recomputed from the evidence table.

AI Exposure (composite)n/a/100

Methodology - · score - · input hash -

AI capability exposuren/a/100

Strength of current models on the capabilities this job's tasks require.

Task automation potentialn/a/100

Task-level exposure, weighted by task importance. A component of the headline, not the headline itself.

Observed AI adoptionn/a/100

Evidence that AI is actually being used for this work.

Labour-market signaln/a/100

Observed changes in postings, employment or earnings.

Evidence strengthn/a/100

Quantity and source quality of the evidence behind the score.

0 evidence item(s) contribute. Calculated -.

Overview

Evaluate network system security by conducting simulated internal and external cyberattacks using adversary tools and techniques. Attempt to breach and exploit critical systems and gain access to sensitive information to assess system security.

Employment

approx. BLS OES

Median wage

approx. BLS OES

Tasks tracked

linked to this occupation

Employment and wage values are approximate reference figures from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics programme, stored with an approximation flag. Verify against the O*NET record and BLS before quoting them.

Tasks

Task-level automation exposure

All tasks →

Core tasks only. Exposure describes how much of the task output current AI can produce or substantially assist - not whether the task disappears. Secondary shared-baseline edges are hidden until per-occupation curation is complete.

Document penetration test findings.85
core task · importance 4.8/5
Identify security system weaknesses, using penetration tests.35
core task · importance 4.7/5
Gather cyber intelligence to identify vulnerabilities.85
core task · importance 4.6/5
Write audit reports to communicate technical and procedural findings and recommend solutions.75
core task · importance 4.6/5
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of hacking trends.90
core task · importance 4.5/5
Keep up with new penetration testing tools and methods.85
core task · importance 4.5/5
Identify new threat tactics, techniques, or procedures used by cyber threat actors.35
core task · importance 4.4/5
Test the security of systems by attempting to gain access to networks, Web-based applications, or computers.15
core task · importance 4.4/5
Conduct network and security system audits, using established criteria.15
core task · importance 4.4/5
Develop security penetration testing processes, such as wireless, data networks, and telecommunication security tests.15
core task · importance 4.4/5
Evaluate vulnerability assessments of local computing environments, networks, infrastructures, or enclave boundaries.15
core task · importance 4.3/5
Prepare and submit reports describing the results of security fixes.85
core task · importance 4.1/5
Develop and execute tests that simulate the techniques of known cyber threat actors.15
core task · importance 4.1/5
Discuss security solutions with information technology teams or management.15
core task · importance 4.1/5
Investigate security incidents, using computer forensics, network forensics, root cause analysis, or malware analysis.35
core task · importance 3.9/5
Collect stakeholder data to evaluate risk and to develop mitigation strategies.15
core task · importance 3.9/5
Update corporate policies to improve cyber security.10
core task · importance 3.9/5
Assess the physical security of servers, systems, or network devices to identify vulnerability to temperature, vandalis…5
core task · importance 3.9/5
Design security solutions to address known device vulnerabilities.35
core task · importance 3.8/5
Develop infiltration tests that exploit device vulnerabilities.15
core task · importance 3.8/5
Configure information systems to incorporate principles of least functionality and least access.15
core task · importance 3.4/5
Develop presentations on threat intelligence.85
core task · importance 3.3/5

Evidence

Evidence trail

0 attributed item(s). Confidence reflects study design: randomised and production deployments score higher than platform observations, which score higher than projections.

No occupation-specific evidence has been mapped yet. This occupation is scored from generic task assessment only - a genuinely weaker basis, and the reason its score is marked low-confidence.

Historical trend

Exposure over time

Backcast series: recomputed at quarterly checkpoints using only the models and evidence published by each date.

No series yet

This chart fills in once the first snapshot is recorded.

Reconstruction, not measurement. 0 observed daily snapshot(s) exist for this occupation; the earlier part of the curve is derived by applying the current methodology to the model releases and published evidence available at each past date.

Recent events

Signals affecting this occupation

No events match this filter yet. New verified events appear here as analysis completes.

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faq

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions regarding Penetration Testers and AI exposure.

Will AI replace Penetration Testers?

Current AI models show an exposure score of 50/100 for Penetration Testers. This measures technical capability to assist or automate specific tasks rather than predicted immediate job loss. Moderate exposure reflects assistance in routine information-handling while core responsibilities require human judgment.

Which tasks in Penetration Testers have the highest AI exposure?

The most exposed tasks for Penetration Testers include "Maintain up-to-date knowledge of hacking trends." (90% exposure) and "Document penetration test findings." (85% exposure).

What aspects of Penetration Testers can AI not do yet?

Tasks with the lowest AI exposure for Penetration Testers include "Assess the physical security of servers, systems, or network devices to identify vulnerability to temperature, vandalis…" (5% exposure) and "Update corporate policies to improve cyber security." (10% exposure). These responsibilities typically require physical dexterity, licensed human accountability, or complex interpersonal navigation.

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Notice: All ratings shown are AI-estimated technical exposure scores measuring technical capabilities across O*NET task statements, not predicted job loss. Contains information from O*NET 31.0 by the U.S. Department of Labor, ETA, used under CC BY 4.0.