Cybersecurity becomes more and more important every day– Why? Because it is important to secure more business processes, for example when it comes to Phishing or hacking, but also the diversity in this work field is rising.
At SAP Women in Tech, we had a great session about the topic ‘Women in Cybersecurity: Securing a better Future’. Our Cooperation Partner Fe:male One Zero planned the session and the Co-Founder of Fe:male One Zero, Natascha Zeljko, interviewed three women from three different countries about their knowledge and their positions as women in Cybersecurity. In the session, the women are talking about the situation of women in Cybersecurity in their country. Besides that, they give tips to the audience on how to live in a more cybersecure way and also talk about cybersecurity in companies, and the chances for women to work in that sector.
Considering the fact that the diversity in this work field is rising, why is it that women in cybersecurity are still a “wow” topic? Well, for example, they still get asked if they need help with coding from male colleagues, their husbands, or their sons. This shows a big bias, and we want to remove this bias. The question we need to ask ourselves is why is it still not normal that women fit the same professional role in cybersecurity as men?
Currently, we have about 20% women globally in cybersecurity, but we want to encourage a lot more to become professionals in that exact work field. We especially want to show women that they are high quality candidates with all different backgrounds and profiles to make that work field even more diverse.
The goal is to increase the number of women in cybersecurity. We should be more self-confident and realize that our work is just as valuable as everyone else’s, especially in technical jobs. We need to make women in technology more visible as a motivation to other women and young girls all around the world. They need a chance to see that working in tech is fun and incredibly relevant for the future. It is essential to know that cybersecurity is not just coding or hacking, it is more than that! You can find cybersecurity in Sales, Management areas, Customer Engagements, and Finances – It is an exciting field with endless opportunities, and that´s why there should be a chance for everyone to work in that sector!
So, we need both. More diverse professionals in cybersecurity, no matter if male or female, and an increased awareness of topics like Phishing and hacking. Companies should be better informed about new thread vectors, new hack tactics, and the newest threads – How? There are different trainings available. SAP employees take part in cybersecurity trainings regularly to increase their awareness. This really should be the same in every company. That means that companies should give all their employees the chance to realize themselves in the sector of cybersecurity and to improve and inform themselves about the topic every time.
But how can we make sure our daily lives are secure when it comes to cyber security? For example, we should be more aware of cyber hygiene, create stronger passwords, clean out our cookies, update our software regularly, and perform backups.
If you want to live more in a more cybersecure way, start now and watch the recording of the session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKdNQFHP96w
