“You [as a woman] have to have a very thick skin and a spine of steel to last a very long time in this industry,” she said. “Every woman I know who is a leader has the same — very tough skin and a spine of steel.”

Women in cybersecurity statistics

The ISC2, a nonprofit offering training and certifications for cybersecurity professionals, estimates that women represent 20% to 25% of the global cybersecurity workforce. According to its April survey of 2,400 women in infosec roles, on average only 23% of current cybersecurity teams are female, with 11% of survey respondents saying they had no other women on their security teams. 

Another finding: Female respondents earn around 5% less than their male colleagues, with an average salary of US$109,609 compared to US$115,003 for men — a pay gap despite the fact that women respondents hold advanced degrees (master’s and doctorate-level qualifications) at significantly higher rates than men, while they hold cybersecurity certifications at equal rates.