Diversity in Cybersecurity

Also during Ignite 2022, cybersecurity leaders with Palo Alto Networks, Unit 42 and AT&T Cybersecurity highlighted the need for more women and diversity in cybersecurity, and things that can be done to foster more diversity.

Jas Sood, Palo Alto Networks’ senior vice president of sales, U.S. enterprise, moderated the session. Lindsay Preuci,  AT&T Cybersecurity‘s AVP of managed security services for network operations, and Wendi Whitmore, senior vice president of Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42‘s threat intelligence team, were the panelists.

Women make up only 25% of the professional cybersecurity workforce, Preuci said.

“Diversity needs to be at the forefront of how you’re thinking about recruiting,” she said.

Job openings need to be posted on a variety of different forums to encourage interest from the widest scope of applicants as possible, Preuci said.

“I say hire for attitude, train for skill,” she said.

Retention is just as important as recruiting, Preuci said. It’s important to ensure flexibility for team members throughout their life cycle.

Whitmore said the industry needs individuals with a variety of different backgrounds, for example in terms of language and geopolitical affiliation, because solving cybersecurity challenges requires people looking at it from differing perspectives.

Outsmarting attackers requires outmaneuvering them, and that requires the “out-of-the-box” thinking that comes from diversity, she said.