#GAReads | The Lack of Women in Cybersecurity Leaves the Online World at Greater Risk
photo credit: Christina @ wocintechchat.com, via Unsplash
“The Lack of Women in Cybersecurity Leaves the Online World at Greater Risk”:
Women are highly underrepresented in the field of cybersecurity. In 2017, women’s share in the U.S. cybersecurity field was 14 percent, compared to 48 percent in the general workforce.
The problem is more acute outside the U.S. In 2018, women accounted for 10 percent of the cybersecurity workforce in the Asia-Pacific region, 9 percent in Africa, 8 percent in Latin America, 7 percent in Europe and 5 percent in the Middle East.
Women are even less well represented in the upper echelons of security leadership. Only 1 percent of female internet security workers are in senior management positions.
I study online crime and security issues facing consumers, organizations and nations. In my research, I have found that internet security requires strategies beyond technical solutions. Women’s representation is important because women tend to offer viewpoints and perspectives that are different from men’s, and these underrepresented perspectives are critical in addressing cyber risks.