Cyber security’s lack of women stuck in vicious cycle, report suggests

Women are being put off the idea of a career in cyber security due to the industry’s male-dominated nature.

Currently, women make up only 11 per cent of the sector’s total workforce; as a result, they are usually the only female in a room full of men.

However, Kaspersky Lab is keen to close the gender gap in IT security by encouraging and empowering women to pursue careers in the sector.

A recent report published by the cyber security company revealed that many women don’t bother pursuing a career in cyber security due to a lack of coding experience.

Women are more likely to have no interest in computing too (52 per cent in comparison to 39 per cent of men), while 38 per cent felt their maths skills weren’t up to scratch, compared to a quarter of men.

The truth is though, companies aren’t just looking for coders; they are also on the lookout for candidates with non-technical skills, such as critical thinking and problem solving - skills considered crucial for a career in cyber security.

Noushin Shabab, senior security analyst at Kaspersky Lab, said: “Working with other experts on Kaspersky Lab’s global research and analysis team, I investigate sophisticated cyber attacks and uncover APTs (advanced persistent threats), cyber-espionage campaigns, major malware, ransomware and other threats.

“My job requires not only technical skills, but also persistency, creativity and collaboration to think differently and keep up with the malicious attackers.”

Women keen to explore the prospect of a career in cyber security should visit https://academy.kaspersky.com/.