Passive Income Ideas For Security Engineers [2024]
Interested in earning passive income as a security engineer in 2024?
We put together a few of the best passive income ideas you can start as a security engineer today. These will help you increase your quality of life by bringing in more income for yourself or your business.
For each income idea, we’ll show you real-world examples, revenue expectations for each idea, plus some things you might need to know before you start your passive income journey as a security engineer.
Here's the full list:
1. Make passive income with an email marketing tool ($235K/month)
As a security engineer, you could tap into the booming email marketing industry by developing an email marketing tool. Given your technical background, you could create a reliable, secure platform that helps businesses easily manage and automate their email campaigns. This could include features like bulk emailing, segmentation, and detailed analytics, all while ensuring strong security measures to protect user data.
Bringing your security expertise to the table, you could offer unique selling points such as advanced encryption, secure user authentication, and compliance with data protection regulations. Developing this tool could be a great way to generate passive income, as you can offer subscription plans and premium features for ongoing revenue. Plus, with the email marketing industry expected to reach $2.53 billion by 2028, there’s significant potential for growth in this space.
How much you can make: $120 — $2,083,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $1,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 170 days (?)
H-supertools founder Hasan developed a set of free SEO and digital marketing tools generating $2k per month in profit using Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, selling ad spaces, and email, plans to launch a membership option, and has attained over 80k registered users and 300k monthly visits in less than two years.
2. Make passive income with an ai based business solution ($55.8K/month)
As a security engineer, you could supplement your income by starting an AI-based business solution designed to optimize business operations. Leveraging your existing technical skills, you could create AI tools that enhance efficiency and reduce costs for other companies by automating repetitive tasks and providing valuable data insights.
With AI, you could help businesses make better data-driven decisions, improve their customer service, and manage inventory more effectively. The increasing demand for AI solutions means there is substantial market potential, and you could capitalize on this by developing user-friendly AI applications that cater to these needs. Utilizing your problem-solving skills in a new context, you could find a significant opportunity to innovate and diversify your income streams.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $120,000/month
How long does it take to build: 125 days (?)
Mikkelsen Twins grew an online education company from scratch with over 800 students, making over 6-figures in profit every month thanks to their successful program, Audiobook Income Academy 2.0.
3. Make passive income with a lead generation tool ($108K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your technical skills to create a lead generation tool that helps businesses efficiently capture potential customer leads. By developing software that automatically collects data like email addresses and phone numbers from websites and social media, you would enable companies to focus more on turning these leads into actual customers rather than spending time finding them.
Given your background, you could integrate robust security features into the tool, ensuring that collected data remains safe and compliant with privacy regulations. This added layer of security could make your lead generation tool especially appealing to businesses concerned with data protection, opening up a profitable niche market for you. Developing a lead generation tool could be a practical and lucrative way to supplement your income while utilizing your expertise in a new and innovative way.
How much you can make: $1,000 — $400,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $600 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Dux-Soup is a LinkedIn automation tool that helps business owners and sales & marketing professionals generate more leads, increase efficiency, and save time; with over 70,000 users and revenue of nearly $5 million, it offers automated top-of-the-funnel LinkedIn outreach activities, targeted LinkedIn campaigns and multi-touch & personalized LinkedIn drip campaigns for lead generation.
4. Make passive income with a wordpress plugin business ($33.4K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your expertise to create and sell WordPress plugins that address specific security issues, helping website owners protect their sites from common vulnerabilities. By identifying a common problem and developing a plugin to solve it, you create a valuable resource that many WordPress users would be willing to pay for.
Start by focusing on a unique security need, such as a plugin that strengthens passwords, scans for malware, or prevents brute force attacks. Once developed, you could sell your plugins on platforms like CodeCanyon, on your own blog, or through a dedicated website. This way, you could earn a steady stream of passive income by offering a solution that aligns with your professional skills and interests.
How much you can make: $120 — $120,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 120 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 5 hours/week
Wheely Sales CEO Josh created a lucky wheel popup that has grown revenue from $0 to $600/month in just 4 months since getting started and has attracted over 1.1 million users to his customers’ websites, all while proving that when it comes to creating a product, competition is validation.
5. Make passive income with a mobile app ($70.3K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your expertise to create a mobile app that addresses specific security challenges or enhances user privacy. For example, you could develop an app that provides secure messaging, password management, or digital privacy education. Your background would give you a unique edge in building a product that not only functions well but also has robust security features, which are highly valued in today's market.
Starting a mobile app business might require basic coding skills or collaboration with a developer. You'd need to focus on designing a user-friendly experience, testing for bugs, and ensuring high-security standards. Once your app is ready, effective marketing will help you attract users and generate income. With the growing reliance on mobile apps, creating one that solves real problems could lead to substantial passive income opportunities.
How much you can make: $1 — $500,000/month
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
BACH, an app that plans and books bachelorette parties, has grown from $0 to >$1M net revenue run rate in less than 6 months, gained over 100,000 users in their first 60 days, and has over 40,000 parties using the app this month.
6. Make passive income with a social media automation business ($148K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your technical expertise to start a social media automation business, where you create tools and services to schedule posts, automate interactions, and analyze data for clients. This business taps into the growing demand for consistent and strategic social media engagement without requiring a constant hands-on approach.
By integrating your software development skills, you could build or optimize automation tools that help small businesses and influencers manage their social media presence more efficiently. In doing so, you could provide valuable services that save clients time and drive their online growth, all while generating a steady stream of passive income for yourself.
Additionally, the ability to identify and mitigate security risks in these automation tools gives you a competitive edge, ensuring your clients' data is secure. By staying updated on social media trends and tailoring your services to meet client needs, you could establish a rewarding business that complements your existing technical skills.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $400,000/month
How long does it take to build: 50 days (?)
MeetEdgar, a bootstrapped social media automation tool founded in 2014 by Laura Roeder, has grown to $4 million in annual recurring revenue and more than 5,000 customers, with a team size of two dozen, achieved through content marketing, social media marketing, and organic search.
7. Make passive income with an online course sales business ($85K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your specialized skills and knowledge to create online courses that teach others about cybersecurity, network protection, or ethical hacking. Given the increasing demand for cybersecurity knowledge in various industries, there's a broad audience eager to learn from experienced professionals like yourself. By creating an online course, you could turn your expertise into a source of passive income while helping others enhance their security skills.
All you need to get started is to identify a specific area of security engineering that you are passionate about and knowledgeable in, create engaging content, and select an online learning platform to host your course. With the e-learning market expected to be worth over $645 billion in the coming years, the potential for earning by sharing your expertise is substantial. This side venture not only supplements your income but also establishes you as a thought leader in the security field.
How much you can make: $100 — $300,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $2,000 (?)
How long does it take to build: 180 days (?)
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
8. Make passive income with a laser cut coasters business
As a security engineer, starting a laser cut coasters business could be a smart way to supplement your income using your technical skills and attention to detail. With your knack for precision, you could create intricate and custom designs, transforming simple materials into high-demand products. Laser cutting technology allows you to achieve these designs efficiently and at a lower cost, maximizing your profits.
Additionally, this business can be run on a flexible schedule, making it a viable side hustle alongside your main career. Whether you have an artistic flair or are just keen on exploring new crafts, a laser cut coasters business could be both enjoyable and lucrative. This venture opens up possibilities for you to dive into entrepreneurship while leveraging your existing skill set.
9. Make passive income with an AI writing tool ($255K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your technical skills to create an AI writing tool that generates accurate and engaging content for businesses, bloggers, and students. This tool could help automate the writing process, delivering error-free and time-efficient content with just one click. By developing this kind of software, you could enter a growing market with high demand for quality content.
Additionally, your background in security engineering would ensure the tool is both robust and secure, providing peace of mind to users concerned about data privacy. This could set your AI writing tool apart from competitors and attract a loyal user base. Creating an AI writing tool could not only supplement your income but also position you at the forefront of a technological innovation that’s transforming content creation.
How much you can make: $4,000 — $1,000,000/month
How long does it take to build: 52 days (?)
Rytr, a new AI writing assistant developed by a startup platform and business incubator, has become a market leader, serving over 300,000 customers across the world and doing seven figures in ARR.
10. Make passive income with a YouTube channel ($72.1K/month)
Starting a YouTube channel could be a great way for you as a security engineer to supplement your income. You could create video content that shares your expertise in cybersecurity, such as tutorials on securing systems, ethical hacking techniques, or even reviews of the latest security tools. This type of content can attract a niche audience, and as your channel grows, you might earn revenue through ads, sponsorships, or even selling your own branded merchandise.
While building a successful YouTube channel requires effort, like planning content and engaging with your audience, you already have the technical skills that many find compelling. Over time, your consistent, high-quality videos could not only bring in passive income but also establish you as an authority in the field. This venture offers the flexibility to share your unique voice and make an impact while potentially becoming a significant source of extra money.
How much you can make: $2,000 — $333,333/month
How much does it cost to start: $5,250 (?)
How long does it take to build: 30 days (?)
This case study follows the journey of a young entrepreneur from Nigeria who started a profitable blog generating a monthly revenue of $1,500+ through sales of advertising space, sponsored posts, and information products, and shares his strategies for success including a Twitter growth challenge and guest post pitches.
11. Make passive income with an affiliate marketing business ($77.5K/month)
As a security engineer, starting an affiliate marketing business could be a smart way to supplement your income. With your technical skills, you could easily set up a website or blog focused on security-related topics and recommend products and services that you personally trust and use in your professional life. For example, you could partner with cybersecurity software companies, hardware manufacturers, or online security training programs, earning a commission for each sale made through your affiliate links.
To begin, you would need to identify products and brands that align with your expertise and audience. This allows you to provide genuine and valuable recommendations, which can build trust and increase your commissions over time. Since much of the work is front-loaded, meaning you do most of it upfront, you could potentially earn ongoing passive income from the affiliate links on your site or blog.
How much you can make: $500 — $773,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $700 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
This case study explores how Spencer Mecham founded Buildapreneur, an affiliate marketing business, and has made over half a million dollars in profit with no employees, relying solely on content marketing through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
12. Make passive income with a niche blog ($31.5K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your skills and knowledge to start a niche blog focused on cybersecurity. This platform would allow you to share your expertise and insights through informative content like how-to guides, news updates, product reviews, and commentary on the latest security trends and threats. By focusing on a specific niche within cybersecurity, such as ethical hacking, malware analysis, or endpoint protection, you could attract a dedicated and engaged audience.
Monetizing your blog could be achieved through various methods such as affiliate marketing, where you provide links to relevant security products and services, and collaborating with cybersecurity brands for sponsorships. Additionally, you could expand your content to include video interviews or tutorials on a YouTube channel, further growing your audience and increasing your earning potential. The key to success would be creating content that is both informative and engaging, and consistently interacting with your growing community of followers.
How much you can make: $100 — $650,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $650 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Starter Story grew to 1.4 million monthly visitors and millions in annual revenue by sharing the stories of entrepreneurs. Pat breaks down the early days and how he grew the business into something that changed his life.
13. Make passive income with a stock photography business ($14.6K/month)
As a security engineer, you could leverage your attention to detail and technical skills to create a lucrative stock photography business. With an eye for high-quality images and the discipline to curate a compelling portfolio, you could earn passive income from businesses needing exclusive photos for marketing and advertising purposes.
Investing in good photography gear and learning the basics of stock photo composition could be a rewarding pivot. By building an online presence, you could market your photos efficiently, selling them in different sizes, resolutions, and file formats to meet varied client needs. This venture could not only supplement your income but also provide a creative outlet alongside your technical career.
How much you can make: $1,200 — $45,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $3,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 60 days (?)
Pro Photo Studio founder Tsour Lee Adato shares how she turned a $5k investment into a business that services over 500 clients annually and makes approximately $350k per year with plans to expand and become a 7-figure business while offering advice to fellow entrepreneurs to always be innovating, learning and growing, and not to undervalue themselves.
14. Make passive income with a dropshipping business ($414K/month)
Starting a dropshipping business makes sense for a security engineer as it leverages your analytical and problem-solving skills without requiring a significant upfront investment. Since you won’t need to hold inventory, your risk is lower, and you could efficiently manage the technical aspects of setting up and running an online store using platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce in your spare time.
Choose a niche you are passionate about and find reliable suppliers on platforms like AliExpress. With your attention to detail, you could ensure that the products and suppliers meet your quality standards. Focus on marketing and customer service to grow your business, making sure to keep an eye on expenses and profit margins to ensure your new venture is profitable.
How much you can make: $6,000 — $3,000,000/month
How much does it cost to start: $8,500 (?)
How long does it take to build: 90 days (?)
Time commitment per week: Min. 10 hours/week
Entrepreneur Kamil Sattar has developed multiple six-figure drop shipping businesses, and his company, e-commerce mentoring, specializes in helping others create their own successful companies, with favorite platforms including using Shopify and apps such as Loox reviews and SMSBump.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
