10 More Women in Security You May Not Know But Should

Kelly Jackson Higgins contributed to this article.

The gender disparity plaguing cybersecurity – and the tech industry as a whole – isn't new, but it is particularly discouraging when the few women in the space aren't recognized for their work.

Women make up 11% of cybersecurity professionals around the world, researchers report, and even fewer hold leadership positions. Change in the industry has been slow-going, and it doesn't help that most male security pros believe women have the same opportunities for career advancement as they do. About half of women feel the same way, data indicates.

However, women can take steps to raise their visibility in the security industry – a sector in which most women are underpaid compared with their male colleagues and are more likely to face discrimination in the workplace. Raising awareness of the problem, embracing their roles as security experts, and serving as mentors to younger women are among the best practices.

The industry can also do more to support them. Plenty of women in the industry are making moves and changing cybersecurity for the better. Earlier this summer, for example, former Twistlock strategy officer and Forrester vice president Chenxi Wang debuted the first female-led cybersecurity venture capital firm, Rain Capital, a product of her security expertise and interest in investing in early-stage startups.

Wang isn't the only woman who is driving change in cybersecurity. In an effort to acknowledge the work women are doing to shape the industry, Dark Reading is publishing a series of articles about women who are making key contributions but aren't quite as well-known (yet), and who we think will make a difference in the future.

The first installment was published earlier this year, putting the spotlight on 10 women across all sectors of security. In this second installment, 10 more women were chosen based on research and recommendations from industry peers, experts, and colleagues. (Their profiles are in no particular order.) 

We are always looking to learn about women in cybersecurity whose work is poised to make a difference. If you know someone who belongs on this list, please send their names and any information about them and their work to [email protected].