Gender variety in cybersecurity is slowly enhancing however inequities proceed—a brand new report finds that the sphere has 5% extra ladies than in 2023, however that they’re extra uncovered to different office challenges than male counterparts. About 32% of girls respondents stated their organizations skilled safety layoffs during the last 12 months in comparison with simply 23% of male respondents.
For Ladies’s Historical past Month this March, ISC2 delved deeper into information collected for its 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Research. The certification and coaching group surveyed 15,852 people answerable for cybersecurity at workplaces worldwide, of which 14% had been ladies. In 2024, ladies accounted for 22% of world safety groups on common, in comparison with 17% in 2023, with the U.S. barely beneath common on illustration at 19.2%.
However 16% of respondents stated their firm’s safety group incorporates no ladies in any respect, and solely 5% declare to have an excellent cut up of women and men. Ladies employed in cybersecurity roles do have a tendency to carry seniority, as 55% of feminine respondents stated they’re in managerial or larger positions and 53% are capable of make hiring choices. Solely 7% are in C-Suite positions like CTO and CISO, however there are fewer of those roles accessible.
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Ladies disproportionately uncovered to office challenges
The report discovered that 67% of girls in cybersecurity are glad with their job, in comparison with 66% of males. Whereas this determine is excessive for each sexes, it marks an ongoing declining development. In 2022, 82% of girls and 73% of males reported job satisfaction, and 76% and 70% respectively in 2023. The analysts put this development right down to rising “financial and workload pressures.”
There are well-documented expertise shortages within the trade resulting in overworked workers, however the ISC2 information suggests that ladies are being extra uncovered to different office challenges than their male counterparts. Along with the disparity between men and women who skilled safety layoffs during the last 12 months, 40% of girls respondents skilled cybersecurity funds cuts and 42% skilled hiring freezes, in comparison with 36% and 37% of males, respectively. Solely 31% of males in cybersecurity famous that their groups had frozen promotions and pay rises in comparison with 36% of girls.
“The information reveals that the organizations the place feminine individuals work have skilled cybersecurity cutbacks at larger charges than male individuals,” ISC2 analysts stated.
