While this caricature misrepresents an industry that is, in reality, dynamic and varied, it also casts a spotlight on a critical issue at its core: the persistent talent and gender gap in the cybersecurity field.

As cybersecurity threats evolve and intensify, the demand for skilled professionals is outpacing supply. The overall workforce gap in the sector grew by 12.6 per cent in 2023, and the current shortage of cybersecurity professionals is close to 4mn globally. Such a state of affairs means policymakers and companies must move quickly to find new ways of attracting women to the sector.

A panel discussion entitled Cyberspace Needs You: Attracting Women to Cyberspace Careers at the GCF 2023 event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) Annual Meeting, held annually in Riyadh, has helped bring this issue to the fore. An initiative on empowering women in cybersecurity was launched at GCF's 2022 Annual Meeting, with the ambition of increasing awareness of the profession among female STEM students and workers.

 Mixed teams do better

Despite the challenges, women are making inroads in the sector, a reflection of growing awareness of cybersecurity and increased access to cybersecurity education. While this bodes well, progress isn't fast enough for the health of the global sector and the world's resilience to rising cyber crime. "More public and private sector organisations focused on empowerment of women in cybersecurity need to emerge, particularly in non-Western countries," says Hoteit. "To date, most of the efforts are concentrated in the US and Europe, and we need to see that happen across the world."

Closing the gender gap in cybersecurity is not merely a matter of equity and fairness; it's a strategic imperative that needs to be prioritised to strengthen global cyber resilience and secure the future development of national economies. Harnessing the full potential of women in cybersecurity will not only bridge the talent gap, but also foster a more resilient, innovative and inclusive space.

Leila Hoteit, Managing Director and Senior Partner at Boston Consulting Group, says that the benefits of gender-diverse teams are considerable, ranging from better business performance to higher financial returns. "Women have a lot to offer in a field that requires a combination of people, process and technology skills to succeed," she says.

Currently, women account for only 26 per cent of the global cybersecurity workforce under the age of 30, according to the ISC2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study; and their potential remains largely untapped owing to cultural, social or legal barriers. At the corporate level, these barriers include workplace discrimination, such as delays in receiving promotion, and disparities in pay between male and female employees. "It is essential to build mixed teams, as they're more successful than others," says Dr Margarete Schramböck, former Austrian Minister of Digital and Economic Affairs. "Incentives to get women into cyber are key, and one of them is to allow them to have sponsors or to build networks for them. We all need mentors, either female or male, to be successful in this space."

A coordinated global approach is needed to develop policies that encourage women to pursue careers in the field. This means sparking women's interest in STEM fields at a young age, enabling them eventually to advance to senior leadership roles in the sector, and creating effective mentorship, internship and returnship programmes.

Women as a strategic advantage

Despite the challenges, women are making inroads in the sector, a reflection of growing awareness of cybersecurity and increased access to cybersecurity education. While this bodes well, progress isn't fast enough for the health of the global sector and the world's resilience to rising cyber crime. "More public and private sector organisations focused on empowerment of women in cybersecurity need to emerge, particularly in non-Western countries," says Hoteit. "To date, most of the efforts are concentrated in the US and Europe, and we need to see that happen across the world."

Closing the gender gap in cybersecurity is not merely a matter of equity and fairness; it's a strategic imperative that needs to be prioritised to strengthen global cyber resilience and secure the future development of national economies. Harnessing the full potential of women in cybersecurity will not only bridge the talent gap, but also foster a more resilient, innovative and inclusive space.