Viewpoints: Why is there a lack of women in IT security?

August 24, 2015

Ryan Corey, cofounder, Cybrary

The main reason there are not more women in IT security is due to the lack of learning resources. The sparsity of resources has created a barrier to the opportunity to learn. Practical IT security is not offered in schools. Available training has been too expensive, with individual classes traditionally costing between $2,500 to $5,000. That price point also has made training impractical. You pay a premium for a class and then the technologies become obsolete almost immediately. Also, classes for advanced topics aren't readily available. Given that the industry started out as male-dominated, women are often automatically excluded from participating in other sources of learning, such as forums and online communities. So again, not having access to learning resources has been the primary factor keeping the number of Women in IT Security low up until now.

Phyllis Kolmus, immediate past president, Women in Technology

The lack of women in IT security stems from women's underrepresentation in computer-related careers. The number of women in computing peaked in the 1980s at 38 percent and has declined to its current 20 percent. The decline correlates to 1980s mass marketing of PCs as toys/games to boys. College Board reports 50 percent more boys than girls leave high school with computer experience and of those reporting no computer courses, two-thirds were girls. With declining interest, girls enter college and the workforce lacking confidence that they possess the skills and personality necessary for successful IT security careers. The solution lies in multi-pronged approaches that provide girls with hands-on experiences, offer up women and men in successful careers in IT/IT security as mentors/role models, and boost confidence through computer-related coursework.