Despite being more than two decades into the 21st century, we are yet to achieve the dream of equal space, opportunities, and support for women in the STEM and cybersecurity workforce. Even today, a common misconception still stands against women’s competence for working in challenging spaces, while statistics might suggest otherwise. Male domination is not only a serious concern in the STEM field, but the limited presence of women in leadership positions further highlights the gender bias in many cases. Often, it deters young women aspirants from joining the STEM and cybersecurity spaces, while making the environment quite daunting for those joining the information security space despite the odds.

The Importance of Inclusion in Cybersecurity

The cybersecurity industry is experiencing a severe staff shortage, which has grown to be a serious concern across the globe. A recent Statista survey shows that 60% of companies had understaffed IT teams in both 2023 and 2024. With such a major skill gap in the industry, it is essential to encourage a major half of the population to join the workforce. A 2013 study report by Frost & Sullivan in partnership with the ISC2 Foundation showed that female cybersecurity professionals contribute to only 11% of the total cybersecurity workforce. Although the situation has improved in the last 10 years, female participation is still limited to a concerning 20-25% of the total workforce, according to a 2024 report by the ISC2 Foundation.

Progress and Challenges in the Industry

One of the main challenges of women’s progress and inclusion in the cybersecurity industry is the lack of awareness around the topic, along with social stereotypes and gender biases. The outdated gender norms, while present barriers, the limited female presence in leadership positions often end up discouraging young women from choosing this field or make them question their place in the sector.

However, the recent report by the ISC2 foundation shows a positive trend in women’s participation in the industry. The report shows an upward trend in female interest in the industry, especially among the youth. The study reflects the growing percentage of women joining the sector, with participation going up to 26% among the young cybersecurity professionals under the age of 30.

The Role of Women in Cybersecurity: Past and Present

Women’s direct and enthusiastic participation in the cybersecurity space has been more recent. However, this statement can not negate their significant contribution to the computing and information security sector.

Pioneers Who Paved the Way

Women have played a foundational role in computing and cybersecurity fields over the years, yet their contributions have often been overlooked. Ada Lovelace, considered the first computer programmer, laid the groundwork for modern-day scientific computing. During World War II, Bletchley Park codebreaker and “Enigma project” fame Joan Clarke contributed to cryptographic advancements that shaped modern cybersecurity practices. These pioneers demonstrated that women have been integral to technological innovation from the very beginning.

Today’s Women Leaders: Leading the Cybersecurity Space from the Front

Modern-day female leaders continue to shape cybersecurity across various domains. Women such as Parisa Tabriz (Google’s “Security Princess”), Window Snyder (security expert and entrepreneur), and Shamla Naidoo (former Global CISO at IBM) are driving innovation, leading organizations, and shaping security policies. Today, from ethical hackers to chief information security officers (CISOs), women are making significant contributions to securing digital infrastructure worldwide. This not only represents a positive trend towards women’s inclusion in significant roles but also encourages young women to pursue this profession and contribute to the security field.

Breaking Barriers: Challenges and Opportunities

To encourage young women to join the cybersecurity workforce, it is imperative to first recognize the existing challenges and preconceived biases that hinder them from pursuing this career. It is only when we actively address these stereotypes and create opportunities for breaking these barriers that the industry will be able to overcome the gender and skill gap in the industry.

Addressing Gender Gaps and Stereotypes

Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in cybersecurity, making up only 20% of the global workforce. As mentioned earlier in the article, women are still considered the less favorable workforce when it comes to working in STEM fields. Persistent stereotypes and biases often discourage young women from pursuing careers in the field. 

Another prominent barrier towards female inclusion in the cybersecurity space would be the prevalent misinformation and lack of understanding of the significance of the cybersecurity efforts. It is often misunderstood by the young aspirants as a coding-heavy job. However, information security, like any other job, is multifaceted, and requires the involvement of other specialties like analytics, UI developments, communication, problem-solving, and logical-thinking.

The male-dominated environment in cybersecurity space may appear intimidating, making women choose different career spaces while some of them switch to the non-technical areas of the cybersecurity sector. 

Bridging this gap requires active efforts from organizations, educators, and industry leaders to dismantle barriers and foster an inclusive culture to encourage more women into partaking in the technical side of this sector. It can be in the form of giving a platform to women thought leaders to attract young minds or promoting gender-inclusive recruiting and internship initiatives.

Initiatives Promoting Women in Cybersecurity

Several programs and organizations are dedicated to increasing female participation in cybersecurity. Initiatives such as Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), the Executive Women’s Forum (EWF), and Cybersecurity Ventures’ mentorship programs provide opportunities for networking, education, and career advancement. Scholarships, internships, and leadership training programs are also paving the way for greater inclusion.

Encouraging Young Girls to Pursue Cybersecurity Careers

Study shows that around 14% of women in the cybersecurity workforce have chosen this career path by pursuing cybersecurity in school or being encouraged by a mentor or family member. So, early exposure to STEM and cybersecurity can inspire more young women to enter the field. Schools, universities, and outreach programs play a critical role in cultivating interest through coding workshops, cybersecurity competitions, and mentorship initiatives. 

Representation matters, and seeing successful female professionals and leaders can encourage young minds to follow their paths. It is also paramount to amplify the opportunities in the cyber security fields to gain their interest in this sector.

Encouraging young women to join the cybersecurity space exceeds the need for promoting diversity and inclusivity. Women’s participation can be a major driving force as it promises bringing different perspectives, unique viewpoints and approaches to solve the security issues.

The Role of Businesses in Fostering Inclusivity

Companies must take an active role in creating inclusive workplaces where women professionals can thrive. We must encourage a working environment where women’s voices and ideas are appreciated while they receive the right opportunities to hone their skills. Organizations like RiskProfiler are committed to supporting diversity in the cybersecurity landscape by implementing inclusive hiring practices, providing leadership opportunities, amplifying the voices of female experts pioneering in the field, and fostering a culture that values diverse perspectives.

Resources and Networks Supporting Women in Cybersecurity

For aspiring and current female cybersecurity professionals, various resources exist to aid career growth. Industry networks, online training programs, and mentorship opportunities provide valuable support. By investing in these initiatives, businesses and educational institutions can help bridge the gender gap in cybersecurity. Reaching out to aspiring female students studying or showing interest in the software engineering fields with the brilliant opportunities present in the cybersecurity can draw them towards the cyber space.

How RiskProfiler Supports Diversity in Cybersecurity

RiskProfiler is an external attack surface management (EASM) service provider that focuses on promoting diversity in our workforce. We encourage brilliant female minds to join our workforce and contribute to the field of cybersecurity while building a strong career path for them. We harbor a positive, inclusive environment where everyone is encouraged and supported to present their thoughts forward, away from gender biases.

As Roma Negi, RiskProfiler’s UI developer, says, “As an UI Developer, I’ve had the chance to create interfaces [with RiskProfiler] that not only look good but also make security easier for our users.” While talking about the working environment and the working atmosphere, she added, “Grateful for the journey, the challenges, and the awesome [RiskProfiler] team that makes it all worth it!” Adding to the conversation, Piyali Bhadra, RiskProfiler’s Marketing Lead, explained how female inclusion and participation are encouraged in the team. In her words, “The team and Setu [Parimi] welcomed me as a valuable member to the team, where my curiosity was answered with enthusiasm and suggestions were encouraged by the team.”

As the cybersecurity start-up steps into its sixth successful year, the team continues to spread external security awareness and provides security against external threats and vulnerabilities to global businesses. In their pursuit of achieving their goal and building a world secure from external threats, RiskProfiler continues to spread awareness through webinars and blogs, where cybersecurity experts Ms. Vandana Verma (OWASP BoWAD), Ms. Trupti Shiralkar, and Ms. Gunjan Chillar (Security Specialist, Crowdstrike), continued to share their insights with our audience.

Final Words

It is impossible to thrive or reach our full potential by ignoring or denying half of its population. Thus, it is only in our best interest to include the brightest minds from our workforce to solve the emerging global issues, and that certainly cannot be achieved if women’s participation continues to be overlooked. In cybersecurity spaces, it is essential to look into the problems from all unique perspectives to find all plausible solutions. Diversity and inclusion allow us to take a step closer to that different perspective and the unique view.

At RiskProfiler, we are dedicated to making the digital space safer and accessible for businesses and our workforce, within or outside our family. On this International Women’s Day, let us pledge to build a world where we thrive and achieve our goals together, forgetting the biases limiting someone’s aspirations or brilliance.