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The cybersecurity workforce is growing rapidly, but women still make up only about 24 percent of the global industry, according to data from Programs.com. In technical and leadership roles, the percentage is even lower.
At the end of the day, this is a talent and innovation issue. The gender gap is limiting the industry's ability to solve complex problems, protect organizations, and grow sustainably.
Here's how the industry can address it with targeted, concrete actions.
1. Reframe the narrative
The way cybersecurity is marketed and portrayed often alienates women. Industry language tends to focus on combat and conquest, using terms like "cyber warriors" or emphasizing elite hacker culture. This reinforces a narrow stereotype that cybersecurity is only for lone geniuses or militaristic personalities.
Instead, companies and institutions should present cybersecurity as collaborative, mission-driven work that protects people, infrastructure, and civil liberties. Highlighting the real-world impact of cybersecurity, such as defending hospitals from ransomware or securing voting systems, can appeal to those who want meaningful, high-impact careers.
Job descriptions and employer branding should emphasize skills like problem-solving, teamwork, and strategic thinking, not just technical mastery.
2. Fix the Pipeline and the culture
Building a better pipeline is essential, but it will not matter if women continue to leave the industry mid-career. Many organizations invest in early outreach but fail to create an environment where women can thrive long term. Fixing the pipeline starts with supporting programs that expose girls to cybersecurity in middle school and high school.
Initiatives like Girls Who Code or Capture the Flag competitions can spark early interest. Just as importantly, companies need to recruit women who are career changers (ie. thosee coming from IT, risk management, law, or intelligence) and offer paid training or apprenticeships to help them transition. Internally, mentorship and sponsorship programs should go beyond advice. Sponsors must advocate for promotions, assignments, and leadership visibility.
Without structural support, women often hit a ceiling and quietly exit the field. Programs like the WomenTech Network Mentoring Program can play a pivotal role in retention by connecting women with experienced mentors and structured guidance across all stages of their career.
3. Make Leadership Responsible for Progress
Diversity targets only matter if someone is held accountable for meeting them. Organizations should measure gender representation at every level, not just at the point of hire. Tie progress to manager and executive performance reviews.
Require hiring panels to be diverse and track advancement rates for underrepresented groups. Transparency is key. Companies should publish gender diversity metrics and promotion outcomes. Auditing internal promotion practices and salary bands can also help catch unconscious bias before it causes attrition. When leadership sees these numbers tied to performance and reputation, culture begins to shift.
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4. Design Jobs for Long-Term Retention
Cybersecurity is notorious for high stress, long hours, and burnout. These conditions disproportionately drive out women, especially those balancing caregiving responsibilities. Flexible work arrangements should be the norm, not the exception.
Offer hybrid or fully remote options, flexible hours, and the ability to ramp up or down based on life circumstances. Re-onboarding programs after maternity or extended leave can help women re-enter the workforce with confidence.
Small policy changes like adjusting meeting times to accommodate different schedules or normalizing parental leave for all genders can have a big impact on retention.
5. Remove Bias from Hiring and Promotions
Bias (both conscious or unconscious) creeps into every stage of the hiring and promotion process. To reduce it, companies should implement structured interviews with consistent scoring rubrics. Blind resume reviews can help prevent assumptions based on names, schools, or gaps in employment. Diverse hiring panels can provide multiple perspectives and reduce the influence of affinity bias.
When evaluating promotions, organizations should use clearly defined criteria and documented performance metrics, not vague impressions. The goal is to build systems that minimize subjectivity and reward merit fairly.
6. Elevate Women as Experts and Leaders
Representation changes expectations. When women are seen on stage, in technical briefings, and leading teams, it challenges the default image of who belongs in cybersecurity. Companies should be intentional about putting women forward for conference keynotes, media interviews, leadership roles, and internal showcases.
Create internal databases of women experts across departments and offer support for public speaking, writing, or mentorship. Visibility helps junior staff see a future in the field and helps reshape industry norms around authority and expertise.
The Bottom Line
The gender gap in cybersecurity is unlikely to close on its own. It requires deliberate, structural action across hiring, retention, leadership, and culture. The payoff is significant. More inclusive teams solve problems faster, approach risk more holistically, and reflect the diverse populations they serve. Closing the gender gap is not just the right thing to do. It is one of the most strategic moves the cybersecurity industry can make.
