Almost three-quarters of female cyber pros say they feel relatively comfortable in cyber security and describe the career as a welcoming one, but the same old challenges still persist and women continue to report disproportionately higher rates of layoffs, and challenges around career advancement and skills compared to men, according to an ISC2 study marking International Women’s Day on 8 March.
In an annual study of the how women perceive and are perceived in the cyber realm, ISC2, a nonprofit member organisation for security workers, spoke to more than 2,600 women in the field – although this was just 16% of the overall sample.
While 72% of women said they felt cyber was a welcoming career path, and job satisfaction increased from 67% to 71% in the past 12 months, women were more likely than men to report experiencing layoffs in the last year, and a third said that pay or promotion inequity was holding them back.
Echoing wider challenges that affect women throughout the technology industry, nearly half of female cyber practitioners identified work-life balance or caregiving demands as the biggest challenges to sticking around and climbing the career ladder. Women are also more likely than men to say they have given thought to switching careers due to current market conditions.
And two in five male participants – 42% of the total – said they were “unaware” of any challenges and had not seen any significant barriers for women, a response rate two-and-a-half times higher than reported by women.
“It is encouraging to hear that 72% of women say cyber security is a welcoming field. Yet at the same time, we are still feeling a discrepancy in the number of women represented on security teams,” said ISC2 CEO Scott Beale. “This inherently raises a question: if women feel included, why are we not seeing greater retention progress in the field?
“Our research shows that while women remain underrepresented, they are outpacing men in developing significant AI and machine‑learning capabilities. That’s a powerful signal of where this profession is headed. But the data also reminds us that challenges remain. We need to remove barriers to advancement and ensure every talented professional has the support and opportunity to grow. That’s how we not only strengthen our industry, but also build a safer, more secure cyber world,” said Beale
Beyond mentorship
Writing on ISC2’s Insights blog, Scotland-based member Oluwaseun Deborah Adebayo said that to move the conversation forward and increase the profile of women in cyber, the time had come to move away from traditional mentorship arrangements towards actual sponsorship, which she described as transformative.
Adebayo has been actively mentoring and training a 20-strong community on cyber basics but said she was limited by finance in her ability to go further.
“If I had sponsorship for my community, it would go a long way in helping me reach more interested members and provide access to more resources that can make learning easier for my members,” she wrote.
“Women benefit most when leaders actively advocate for them, recommend them for opportunities and include them in strategic conversations. Clear career pathways, inclusive leadership models and recognition of diverse strengths are key to building a resilient and representative cyber security workforce.”
Despite the persistent challenges, Adebayo said she was still optimistic about the future for women in cyber – more women are coming up in the field, reaching team leadership positions, gaining the opportunity to shape policy, educate others – especially men – and redefine what success looks like. She urged cyber leaders to keep up the focus on inclusion, learning and ethical practice, so that the security profession can evolve to better reflect the diversity of the wider world.
She added: “For women considering cyber security, my advice is simple: start where you are, stay curious and don’t wait to feel ‘ready’. As just about everyone in it will tell you, there’s no single route into this field. Confidence grows through experience. Seek out supportive communities, invest in learning and remember that your perspective is valuable.”
ISC2’s 2026 Global 50×50 Women’s Summit will take place virtually on 18 March, supporting the organisation’s Global 50×50 initiative aiming to hit 50% female representation in cyber by the year 2050.