Did you know the meaning of cybersecurity to a/an:
- Perimeter security expert is about network security?
- Endpoint security specialist is about identifying and protecting the vulnerabilities in the operating systems?
- Application development expert is about securing the applications?
This is just a peak into the various cybersecurity roles which span across application security, cloud security, data security, security risk management, compliance and regulatory, threat monitoring/ threat hunting/threat detection/remediation, incident response and remediation, network/perimeter security, and so on and so forth.
I worked in different IT roles like development, testing and infrastructure management before I got into Security. Security was still in its nascent stages then, where the IT teams considered it more as a bottleneck and headache. Most roles were about meeting compliance and regulatory requirements or implementing standards like ISO27001 or COBIT. Security has evolved so much today that it is no more an add-on and understanding the underlying technology is critical for success. The concept of secure-by-design is key, which means security professionals are involved from the very beginning and not as an afterthought.
Security is in the forefront today due to the current threat landscape. The rapid advancement and shift from traditional to modern computing environments is bringing its share of opportunities and complications. Broad skill sets from diverse job backgrounds become an asset, just like it did for me. It cuts across most of the emerging technologies and it's evident that cybersecurity needs these varied skill sets and roles to handle the complex threat landscape.
As part of the WISE India team and the ambassador for CyberDay4Girls program(India), I have organized and participated in CyberDay4Girls and CyberDay4Kids across various locations in India. This program encourages kids to think about cybersecurity as a career option early in their life. The IBM Tech Re-entry program is another program which can help address the gender gap and skill gap that exists in the field of cybersecurity.
IBM's Tech Re-Entry Program is for talented technical professionals who took a break from the workforce and are looking to restart their careers. This initiative aims at providing opportunities to women who have worked in diverse IT roles and can choose security as a career option. It’s a three-step process which includes:
- Enablement (by providing access to the IBM Security learning Academy and giving digital badges after course completion)
- Evaluation & Selection
- Onboarding (an apprenticeship program along with assignment of a mentor)
The testament of this program’s success came through one of my colleagues who mentioned how one of the women employee onboarded through this program (she would barely speak or participate when she started) has completed the AWS cloud security certification and is contributing to the success of her team. This has happened within a year’s span. It’s truly encouraging as it is with the help of these programs that we can address the gaps. It helps bring in women from diverse IT segments to forefront, bridge the gender gap which exists today, in addition to giving opportunity to women who would like to restart their careers in cybersecurity.
Therefore, it's important to not just discover a problem but find pathways to address and find a solution.
