Diversity can be a powerful tool in the fight against increasing cybersecurity

The issue of diversity in the cybersecurity sector has been present since the beginning of IT companies. The public perception of a cybersecurity professional brings with it a specific image of the type of person who works in IT and cybersecurity, and many minority groups – including women, people of color and ethnic minorities, and disabled and neurodivergent people – are severely underrepresented in China the workforce.

Diversity in the cyber workforce is more than just a social issue. Addressing cybersecurity risks is difficult, especially as the threat landscape continues to evolve and change over time. A diverse workforce is better equipped to deal with threats, and diversity should be a priority for companies looking to strengthen their defenses against cyber risks.

Cyber ​​sector diversity statistics

A report based on research commissioned by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) examines the demographics of the cyber sector in both qualitative and quantitative terms. The study looks at the part of the cybersecurity industry made up of various minority groups and compares these statistics to the demographics of the wider UK workforce.

The key results of the research include:

• Women make up a much smaller proportion of the cyber workforce than the overall UK workforce or the digital sector as a whole. While they make up 48% of the total UK workforce, they make up just 30% of the digital sector, 17% of the cyber sector and just 12% of the senior cyber workforce.
• Ethnic minorities make up a slightly larger proportion of the digital sector (18%) and cyber sector (15%) than the overall UK workforce (13%), but a smaller proportion of senior cyber professionals (9%).
• Disabled people make up 17% of the total UK workforce, 13% of the digital sector workforce, 6% of the cyber sector workforce and just 4% of senior cyber professionals.
• While there is no data on neurodivergent people in the broader workforce or digital sector, research shows that they make up 13% of the cyber sector workforce and 8% of the senior cyber sector workforce.
• Since 2020, the proportions of women and ethnic minorities in the workforce have risen and fallen, while the proportion of disabled people has fallen and the proportion of neurodivergent people has increased.

How organizations strive for diversity

The investigation goes further, examining how cyber companies have changed their recruiting processes to try to attract employees from certain minority groups. This data is based on information from 84 companies that have attempted to hire in the last 18 months.

In 2024, 37% of cyber industry organizations have made changes to recruit more women, 21% have done the same for ethnic minorities, 19% for neurodivergent people, and 18% for people with disabilities. According to the data, all of these percentages are lower than last year.

The strategies cited by the companies in the study that have made changes to increase diversity in their recruiting methods are varied, for example:

• Hiring via paths without a degree
• Participate in networking events, conferences and career programs for various groups
• Take measures to diversify the leadership of the organization
• Working with recruitment agencies to find more diverse candidates
• Carrying out lectures or events in the educational sector
• Working with third sector organizations to identify and support more diverse groups

However, some employers do not have measures in place to increase diversity in hiring. They are primarily focused on not excluding anyone from their hiring processes, either because trying to attract more diverse candidates is simply not a goal for them or because they lack the expertise or resources to take these steps.

Benefits of workforce diversification

While increasing diversity in the cyber workforce is a good step for social awareness and inclusivity, the benefits don’t end there. There are a number of ways a more diverse cyber workforce can help companies combat the increasing threat of cyberattacks.

• A diverse workforce creates a more accepting and understanding work environment for people from underrepresented and minority groups. This security allows workers to carry out their work with less stress.
• Promoting a discrimination-free workplace means employees are more likely to share core traits such as non-judgmental and open-mindedness.
• Employees from diverse backgrounds are more likely to have diverse knowledge and experiences, enabling them to approach cybersecurity issues from many angles, develop innovative new ideas, and solve problems more effectively.
• According to a study, companies with greater gender and ethnic diversity are more likely to have above-average profitability.

Diploma

Companies in the cyber industry tend to struggle with a lack of diversity more often than the broader workforce demographic. Even more affected by this disparity are experienced cyber professionals who have been in their position for six years or longer. While many organizations are taking steps to increase diversity in their recruiting processes, others are unwilling to implement diverse hiring initiatives.

Measures to increase diversity in the cyber sector can go a long way to alleviating social problems within organizations and improving their ability to deal with cyber threats. As the threat landscape becomes more sophisticated and dangerous over time, it is more important than ever for organizations to foster a diverse workforce to defend against evolving and emerging threats.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this and other guest author articles are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of Tripwire.