With a gender imbalance in the cybersecurity field, there are lots of initiatives that aim to get women more involved. We discuss the cybersecurity gender gap and reveal more than 35 initiatives that are helping to close it Aside from a gender gap, there is also a severe talent gap, with 53 percent of organizations reporting a problematic shortage of cybersecurity skills. And we are not just talking cybersecurity firms here. Most industries these days rely on technology to function, and thus have needs in terms of cybersecurity. Having more women in cybersecurity would help boost the industry and fill the drastic need that companies have for top talent. Interestingly, the (ISC)2 study found that women in this field are, in general, better educated than men, and a larger percentage of women are reaching top positions.Aside from that, there are other benefits to gender-balanced infosec teams including:
- Helping to bring different perspectives to the table
- Changing the status quo to improve internal and external perceptions
- Providing learning and growth opportunities
Let’s look at these in a bit more detail: 35+ initiatives to get more women into cybersecurity