Gender diversity in cybersecurity is slowly improving but inequities continue—a new report finds that the field has 5% more women than in 2023, but that they’re more exposed to other workplace challenges than male counterparts. About 32% of women respondents said their organizations experienced security layoffs over the last year compared to just 23% of male respondents.
For Women’s History Month this March, ISC2 delved deeper into data collected for its 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. The certification and training organization surveyed 15,852 individuals responsible for cybersecurity at workplaces worldwide, of which 14% were women. In 2024, women accounted for 22% of global security teams on average, compared to 17% in 2023, with the U.S. slightly below average on representation at 19.2%.
But 16% of respondents said their company’s security team contains no women at all, and only 5% claim to have an even split of men and women. Women employed in cybersecurity roles do tend to hold seniority, as 55% of female respondents said they are in managerial or higher positions and 53% are able to make hiring decisions. Only 7% are in C-Suite positions like CTO and CISO, but there are fewer of these roles available.
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The report found that 67% of women in cybersecurity are satisfied with their job, compared to 66% of men. While this figure is high for both sexes, it marks an ongoing declining trend. In 2022, 82% of women and 73% of men reported job satisfaction, and 76% and 70% respectively in 2023. The analysts put this trend down to growing “economic and workload pressures.”
There are well-documented talent shortages in the industry leading to overworked staff, but the ISC2 data suggests that women are being more exposed to other workplace challenges than their male counterparts. In addition to the disparity between women and men who experienced security layoffs over the last year, 40% of women respondents experienced cybersecurity budget cuts and 42% experienced hiring freezes, compared to 36% and 37% of men, respectively. Only 31% of men in cybersecurity noted that their teams had frozen promotions and pay rises compared to 36% of women.
“The data shows that the organizations where female participants work have experienced cybersecurity cutbacks at higher rates than male participants,” ISC2 analysts said.
Gender diversity in the field of cybersecurity is slowly improving, according to a new report from ISC2. The report reveals that there are 5% more women in cybersecurity than in 2023, but women still face more workplace challenges compared to their male counterparts. The report, based on data from the 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, shows that 32% of women respondents reported security layoffs in their organizations over the past year, compared to just 23% of male respondents.
In 2024, women made up 22% of global security teams on average, an increase from 17% in 2023. However, there is still room for improvement as 16% of respondents said their company's security team has no women at all, and only 5% have an equal gender split. Despite these challenges, 55% of female respondents hold managerial or higher positions, and 53% are involved in hiring decisions. Only 7% of women are in C-Suite positions like CTO and CISO.
The report also highlights that women in cybersecurity are facing more workplace challenges than men. While job satisfaction remains high for both genders, with 67% of women and 66% of men reporting satisfaction, there has been a declining trend over the years. Economic and workload pressures are cited as reasons for this decline. Additionally, women are more likely to experience cybersecurity budget cuts, hiring freezes, and frozen promotions and pay rises compared to men.
Overall, the data shows that organizations with female participants have experienced cybersecurity cutbacks at higher rates than those with male participants. This highlights the need for continued efforts to improve gender diversity and address the challenges faced by women in cybersecurity.
