RIYADH: Women are playing an increasingly vital role in the cybersecurity industry, leveraging their strengths in risk management and attention to detail, according to the chair of the Cyberpsychology Department at Capital Technology University.
Speaking at the Global Cybersecurity Forum in Riyadh, Mary Aiken noted that women’s focus on evaluating risks and their intuitive understanding of threats result in stronger decision-making and strategic outcomes for organizations.
This comes as women are projected to make up 30 percent of the global cybersecurity workforce by 2025, with that figure rising to 35 percent by 2031, according to Cybersecurity Ventures.
Aiken highlighted that attention to detail is a crucial skill in cybersecurity roles like data analysis, emphasizing that women excel in this area.
“The research says you get better strategic decision-making, you get better risk management because women are very focused on evaluating risk and have good intuitive perceptions around risk,” she said.
Aiken also pointed out that women often demonstrate high levels of verbal fluency, which contributes to their effectiveness as leaders in the cybersecurity field. “They actually make good leaders and cyber leaders,” she noted.
Additionally, she emphasized that diplomatic skills and empathy, often seen as gender-based traits, play a key role in attracting and retaining talent in the industry.
Also present on the panel, Chief Information Officer at Paladin Capital Group Christopher Steed emphasized that despite the benefits of gender diversity, only 2 percent of venture-backed startups in 2023 were women-led. In the cybersecurity field, that number is slightly higher, ranging between 10 percent and 13 percent.
“Our numbers when it comes to women-led startups are actually higher than that; however, I think it’s also important to broaden the definition. It can’t just be women-founded; it can’t just be women in C-level positions. It’s also the employee base,” he added.
David Hoffman, professor of cybersecurity policy at Duke University, echoed these sentiments, sharing his experience with female students leading in cybersecurity competitions.
“Our national championship cyber team has predominantly been led by women, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t already facing an uphill struggle and barriers that some of their male colleagues and peers do not,” he concluded.
The Global Cybersecurity Forum, which runs from Oct. 2 to 3, focused on enhancing collaboration in cyberspace under the theme “Advancing Collective Action.”
The event gathers global leaders from technology, public policy, and defense sectors to address strategic priorities in the cybersecurity landscape.
