Written by Camellia Chan and May Chng
We often talk about the skills gap and talent shortage in the cybersecurity industry, but do we really understand how dire the situation is?
According to Cyber Security Ventures1, the number of unfilled cybersecurity jobs is expected to reach an estimated 3.5 million in 2022 and continue through 2025. This is roughly the same population size as Uruguay, and to put it into perspective, it is larger than Lithuania.
What percentage of cybersecurity employees are women? According to the same report, only 25% of cybersecurity jobs worldwide are held by women. An obvious solution to closing the talent gap is to encourage more women to enter the cybersecurity field. Because their contributions not only address the shortage of skilled talent, but also bring valuable perspectives and dynamics to the industry.
As female leaders in the industry, we have a front row seat to the challenges women face when entering the industry. Many amazing female tech leaders have already shared their strategies for advancing women's involvement in the industry, so we'll take a slightly different route here.
We want to answer the 'why' in hopes of further inspiring you to step forward and play a role in this important industry. This article highlights some of the important contributions women can and are already making in the field of cybersecurity.
We're all in this together, and women's perspectives matter
Just as personalization is fundamental to service-based industries, customized attacks are the norm for hackers in today's digital environment. They exploit our differentiated weaknesses, such as phishing emails crafted to appeal to specific demographics or targeted malware campaigns aimed at exploiting vulnerabilities unique to specific groups. To do. In such scenarios, having diverse perspectives and understanding of how different attacker and victim groups behave is paramount.
Consider the case of last October's “rom-com” cyber attack. The campaign specifically targeted women, including political leaders, using their interests and personal information to create persuasive phishing emails and social engineering tactics.
Examples like this highlight the need for a more comprehensive and nuanced approach to cybersecurity that takes into account the diverse experiences and vulnerabilities of all potential targets.
Evolving with hackers, no longer an “old boys club”
Do cyber criminals attack better than cyber defenders? Given the anonymity of hacker forums, it may be accurate to say that skill matters more than gender in the criminal world.
The ongoing conversation surrounding diversity and women's participation in cybersecurity is disheartening to think that it is still necessary in the 21st century. While we continue to advocate for diversity, hackers operate in the shadows and exploit our weaknesses with impunity.
It's no surprise that in the hidden criminal world of cybercrime, skill is often more important than gender. Cybercriminals operate independently and are recruited based on ability, not gender.
Perhaps it's time for the cybersecurity industry to evolve beyond the outdated notion of an “old boys' club” and adopt a more inclusive, meritocratic approach to recruiting and upskilling talent. yeah.
By prioritizing diversity of skills and thought over traditional gender norms, we can form stronger, more cohesive, and more insightful perspectives in tackling cybersecurity challenges. .
Bridging communication across the organization
Within companies, women make up the majority in fields such as human resources, communications, and public relations. According to a 2020 study by the American Public Relations Association, 70% of public relations professionals in the United States are women.2.
So, is it just a question of being suitable for a particular job? In our opinion, this mindset is slowly changing and needs to change even faster.
This current state of affairs is primarily due to the recognition of the skill sets required for the above roles, such as communication, empathy, and relationship building.
Is this limited to women? No, these are traits that many men possess and can demonstrate in their work. Both men and women often limit themselves based on preconceived notions of what roles are appropriate for their gender.
But what if individuals of different genders, ages, races, and backgrounds are evenly distributed throughout an organization? Then we can create an invisible chain of “us” and “them.” freed up and able to work more seamlessly within the organization.
Eliminating unconscious gender barriers between departments creates smoother communication and mutual understanding, leading to more efficient outcomes and performance.
This means that leaders can avoid negative stereotypes and experiences in the workplace that can undermine an employee's early experience in the industry, such as not being taken seriously or being asked to bring coffee. It also means that you need to work hard to remove anything that might reduce your ability to be equivalent. table.
Unite your employees to always fight cybercrime
The importance of gender diversity in cybersecurity cannot be overstated. It's not just about filling skills gaps or filling vacancies. It's about leveraging the full potential of a diverse workforce to counter the ever-evolving threats posed by cybercriminals.
As we strive to build a safer and more secure digital future, let's recognize that women's perspectives matter in the fight against cyber threats, not just on International Women's Day but every day.
About the author:
Camellia Chan and May Chng are co-founders of Flexxon, a hardware cybersecurity and memory storage specialist. Since founding the company in 2007, Camelia and May have grown her Flexxon into an international company with offices in Singapore, the United States, Malaysia, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The company holds more than 40 patents for innovative hardware-based cybersecurity solutions that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to proactively detect, respond to, and remediate cyberattacks.
