How Women Leaders Can Smash Cyber Security Stereotypes

Wednesday 31 July 2024

By Dakota Murphey - a Brighton-based freelancer with almost 20 years’ experience writing online publications, corporate newsletters and local company communications. Check out her website.

Cyber security, much like the tech sector as a whole, is a constantly evolving space. It has become more than just a buzzword for businesses - it’s a critical asset as the world grows increasingly more digitised.

However, over the years, it is a sector (much like construction and manufacturing, among others) that has garnered a reputation for its alarming lack of diversity and representation.

Women in cyber security: Where are we?
Women remain significantly underrepresented in this field, making up roughly 25% of the global cyber security workforce, according to a recent report from ISC2. What’s more, the stereotypes that have long dissuaded or prevented women from accessing as many opportunities as their male counterparts still linger.

Traditional gender roles and stereotypes deter women from pursuing careers in this space, with these biases manifesting in education, recruitment, and workplace cultures, creating even more barriers to entry and advancement.

While there has been progress in recent years, it’s evident that much more needs to be done.

The cyber security gender gap isn’t just a matter of ticking various DEI boxes - it’s illustrating the plethora of missed opportunities for innovation, creativity, and defence evolution against cyber threats, which are growing in severity and frequency much faster than the industry is keeping pace.

As a woman leader in Northern Ireland’s interconnected tech and cyber security sectors, you have the power to change this narrative and pave the way for a more inclusive and effective space.

Recognising the value of women in cyber security
Beyond the advantages of diversity and inclusion, there are many reasons why women’s emotional intelligence, perspectives, and skill sets are so crucial in cyber security today, and how they play a part in the industry’s continued evolution.

Cyber threats are increasingly complex, multifaceted, and covert nowadays. Recent statistics suggest that 21% of UK businesses experienced a data breach roughly once a month, while a further 24% have encountered a breach event less than once a month in the last year.

With this in mind, it’s important to recognise that women bring remarkably different and ‘outside-the-box’ approaches to problem-solving, which can help a business develop solutions and measures to address cyber threats more broadly.

Studies have shown that women tend to excel in communication and collaboration, which is vital in cyber security where incident response, vulnerability management, and CREST-accredited penetration testing (among other technical specialisms) require clear communication and teamwork across departments. Women’s skills can bridge lingering gaps and improve an organisation’s overall security awareness and posture.

Effective cyber security also goes far beyond technical prowess - women’s insights into user behaviours and psychology can be invaluable in understanding how users interact with online platforms and respond to potential phishing and social engineering attacks. As such, organisations can reinforce their security protocols and reduce their risk exposure.

The cyber security sector, as we know, faces a drastic talent shortage, with over 160,000 cyber security job listings posted in the last year (an increase of 30% from the year before) and with some 37% of vacancies being deemed ‘hard to fill’. Organisations can tap into a large talent pool of untapped potential and future cyber security leaders and management by actively recruiting and promoting women. In turn, this benefits the company, shortens the skills gap, and actively improves the industry.

How you can smash cyber security industry stereotypes
While this all sounds promising on paper, it’s up to current women leaders in the cyber security industry to cultivate a more inclusive and forward-thinking environment for other women to thrive.

Here’s what you can do:

Lead by example: As a woman leader, one of your biggest strengths is to be vocal about your role, achievements and obstacles in cyber security. Attend industry events, conferences, trade shows, and other networking events to share your experiences, which can inspire other women to pursue similar paths. Where possible, seek out and support younger women in your organisation or network, advocating for their advancement.

Rethink your organisation’s culture: Unconscious biases will exist throughout your organisation and the wider sector, and it’s up to you to address these proactively. Promote flexible work arrangements and family-friendly policies that can make cyber security opportunities more accessible to women balancing family life with their careers. Over time, strive to build more diverse security teams to improve innovation and problem-solving. Challenging biases and cultivating a culture of inclusion is integral to smashing stereotypes that have long persisted.

Champion continuous learning and development: The cyber security industry, much like the threat landscape, is constantly changing. The only way for organisations to stay one step ahead of malicious actors is to encourage ongoing learning and skills development, so your teams can excel beyond their primary roles. In turn, you’ll be building a stronger and more multi-skilled team, thereby enhancing your cyber security posture.

Emphasise cyber security across the business: While challenging stereotypes and perceptions, emphasising your in-house cyber defence position is a good way to lead by example from the top. Invest intelligently in employee training and upskilling, as well as enterprise-grade security solutions like risk assessments, incident response services, red and purple team engagements, and more, to illustrate your commitment to security in all aspects of business operations.

Measure and celebrate progress: Recognition and rewards for employees who demonstrate solid cyber hygiene, awareness, and commitment to the organisation’s goals will put you in better stead as a woman leader. Regularly assessing performance and the impact of diversity is also a great way to measure your cyber security effectiveness. As you build your team in the months and years to come, establish measurable goals for increasing representation across your cyber security function.

Build the next generation: Your role as a cyber security leader doesn’t stop with your organisation. Consider partnering with schools, universities, and colleges to introduce more young women to the world of cyber security in a culture and environment that champions their input, perspectives, and ideas. Offer internship or apprenticeship programmes targeting women in STEM fields, and advocate for work experience placements to support girls pursuing cyber security from an early age.

Empowering a cyber resilient future
The journey towards a cyber security sector where women are more prominently represented is a long one, and by no means will it be an easy one. However, as a woman leader in Northern Ireland’s thriving business community, you have the power and potential to reshape cyber security for the future. Every marginal and subtle change adds value and helps to create a more inclusive and diverse space for more women and girls to enter with confidence and enthusiasm.

Challenging stereotypes in proactive and meaningful ways will work wonders in inspiring other women to follow suit, thus breaking even more barriers that remain in the industry. Your empathetic and emotional leadership in this vital field won’t just benefit your organisation, it will pave the way to a safer digital space for all.

With so many opportunities and avenues to explore when cultivating a more cyber-ready business, why not seek an Individual Membership with Women in Business? Raise your profile across our diverse network of over 10,000 members, and take advantage of our huge range of industry events and conferences to connect with more like-minded members. Join Women in Business NI - Northern Ireland’s largest and fastest-growing business network for women - today.

Wednesday 31 July 2024