First-ever SANS Women in Cybersecurity survey reveals significant mentorship gaps

March 30, 2020 TH Author

Promo As women take more senior positions in the field of cybersecurity, there’s a shortage of women available to mentor others.

That’s according to the results of the SANS Institute’s first survey on Women in Cybersecurity, here, which found while mentoring is a hugely important part of career progression, only seven per cent of those polled had been mentored by another woman. That’s compared to 31 per cent mentored only by men and 37 per cent by both men and women. The final 25 per cent received no mentoring.

“The future of cybersecurity is the responsibility of everyone,” concluded SANS analyst and survey author Heather Mahalik. “We need to reach out and become a mentor.”

SANS also asked respondents, who had attained positions of leadership in cybersecurity, how they’d made it. Thirty-eight percent credited “varied experiences,” and 34 per cent said “pursuing certificates,” were major contributions. However, 41 per cent reckoned simply “being in the right place at the right time” accounted for having attained their leadership roles.

Full results of the SANS Women in Cybersecurity Survey are available as a webcast in association with LogRhythm, ThreatConnect, and Threat Quotient. You can register to watch the webcast right here.

You can also tap here to register for a recording of a companion webcast on March 24, 2020: this panel discussion features Mahalik and selected sponsors digging into the results. A whitepaper Women in Cybersecurity: Spanning the Career Life Cycle also by Mahalik is available for free download right here.

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