Women & Cybersecurity: Current Trends and Future Possibilities
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that tech jobs are growing faster than positions in many other fields, particularly in the area of cybersecurity. According to DeVry University, information security analyst positions, those in charge of network security, have an especially strong outlook.
Over the next eight years, analysts jobs in this field are expected to grow by 37 percent. DeVry outlines several key traits for those people interested in a cybersecurity analyst career, including:
- Problem-solving ability
- Keen listening skills
- The ability to explain complicated ideas clearly
- A calm demeanor
The focus of this article includes examining the projected growth of cybersecurity, how women fit into this projected growth, and areas of future vulnerability.
Projected Growth of Cybersecurity
According to a survey of industry experts by the Depository Trust and Clearing Corp., the biggest risk to markets in 2019 is the threat of cybersecurity attacks. This threat was ranked as the number one concern by 37 percent of respondents and was included in the top five by 69 percent.
The 145 responses came from industry experts and led to the Depository Trust and Clearing Corp. to warn of “pockets of weakness” in the markets, chiefly in the areas of security.
It’s a simple matter of supply and demand. As the threat of cyberattacks worsens, the need for more professionals tasked to thwart those attacks will rise.
The Balance Careers lists the seven fastest-growing tech jobs. The growth for information security analysts is looking especially robust with a projected growth of 28% through 2026. The two key traits they mention for those looking to enter this field are adaptability and flexibility, as security breaches can occur at any time and threats are continually evolving.
Opportunities for Women in This Field
Experts estimate that there are one million security jobs unfilled worldwide, and of those currently employed in the field of cybersecurity, only 11% are women. Deidre Diamond, founder and CEO of the Cyber Security Network compares the situation to a similar one during WWII.
In the mid-1940s, as men were off fighting, women stepped into predominantly male workplaces like factories to pitch in. Diamond says that this era is no different, as we are again at war, and says, “and our adversaries know we are understaffed.”
Her mission is to raise awareness of this need and empower more women, and men, to enter this field, including designing a training framework in which liberal arts graduates can make the jump.
IBM, in particular, recognizes the need for a more diverse workforce and takes pride in championing the role of women in the technology field. IBM hired its first female employee in 1899, its first female vice president in 1943, and its first female CEO in 2012, yet also are of the opinion that “women are still underrepresented in cybersecurity.”
Valerie Lanzone, currently employed by the IBM Security Business unit, says the root of this issue can be traced all the way back to high school.
“Although I excelled academically,” says Lanzone, “I was told repeatedly by peers and teachers that I would never be as good as the boys when it came to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).”
For Lanzone, the voices on the outside proved louder than her own, yet she somehow ended up in the cybersecurity field anyway.
According to IBM, by 2021 there will be 3.5 million open positions in the cybersecurity field, and the company is doing its part to make sure other girls interested in math and science are aware of this need. IBM has recently launched two programs designed to promote the industry at the middle school and high school levels that will help provide a path into these positions for young girls, like Lanzone, who are interested.
“As a young technology professional who was once so fervently discouraged from pursuing STEM,” says Lanzone, “I am proud to be part of the amazing team of women driving this societal shift in cybersecurity.”
Future Vulnerabilities in Cybersecurity
With the emergence of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, the securities industry is particularly vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. Even as more measures are being put in place to thwart such attacks. These risks are having one profound effect: They’re driving the market down.
CNBC reports that investors are always going to be concerned about their bottom line and that the current cybersecurity risks are proving too great and driving down the price of many stocks. According to the World Economic Forum, the number one business risk right now is cybersecurity, and the Pentagon has said that it’s the biggest threat to the U.S. as well.
CNN Business echoes the sentiment that cryptocurrency markets are extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks. South Korean exchange Coinrail was the target of cyber thieves recently, in a breach in which 30 percent of their virtual currencies were stolen. The Japanese exchange, Coincheck, was also recently targeted. Hackers in that attack stole $500 million in cryptocurrencies.
According to Yo Kwon, CEO of Hosho Group, a Nevada-based company involved in cryptocurrency security, this is just the beginning. Kwon estimates that one-third of cryptocurrency exchanges have been hacked, and his predictions are for much more of the same. By helping more women enter the field, we can fill critical gaps in cybersecurity staffing to better protect organizations against such attacks in the future.
