The number of women in cybersecurity is on the rise with research finding women holding 25% of the jobs in 2022, up from 20% in 2019. This increase is projected to continue with an estimated 35% of jobs held by women by 2031. Despite positive advancements, the industry is still underrepresented, leaving much untapped talent on the table due to the ongoing cybersecurity workforce gap.
To celebrate the positive strides made, March is Women in Cybersecurity month and March 8th is International Women’s Day. To gain perspective on this growth and learn how to further accelerate it, we spoke with Anna Tutt, CMO of Oort. Anna started her career in the technology consulting space and quickly moved into cybersecurity when she was recruited by Sourcefire. She shared her experiences and the challenges that the industry is facing today.
Anna believes that the environment of the industry is very noisy and it’s hard to know where to start. This leaves security teams spinning their wheels and organizations missing the basics, such as password protection. Women bring a unique perspective to the industry with the ability to multitask and organize, as well as additional creativity and empathy.
Despite the economic downturn, companies are still planning to invest in security and vendors are getting the funding to come up with creative solutions. Anna believes that as long as the good guys keep investing, the bad guys will be on the back foot. For women considering a career in cybersecurity, Anna recommends to invest in cyber acumen, trust your gut, find a trusted resource and to know your worth.
For employers, Anna recommends making diversity integral to their culture, talking about their policies in the interview process, and walking the walk. This will help to ensure that candidates don’t have to guess if they are being judged differently.
In conclusion, the number of women in cybersecurity is increasing, although still underrepresented. To continue this trend, employers should embrace equity and make diversity integral to their culture. Women should invest in cyber acumen, trust their gut, and find a trusted resource.
Key Points:
• Women are making positive strides in the cybersecurity industry, but are still underrepresented
• Women bring a unique perspective to the industry with multitasking, creativity, and empathy
• Companies are still investing in security and vendors are getting funding for creative solutions
• Employers should embrace equity and make diversity integral to their culture
• Women should invest in cyber acumen, trust their gut, and find a trusted resource