More than hackers and hoodies: Why cyber security needs an image overhaul

Abstract

Cyber activity is the centre of Australia's economy, underpinning core functions of government, business, education, health care, and emergency services. The highly interconnected and interdependent nature of our cyber landscape is increasing our vulnerability to attacks. Cybercrime, cyberterrorism, and other forms of cyber opportunism are becoming more frequent and damaging, posing significant threats to Australia’s national security, economic prosperity, and social wellbeing. Ensuring the integrity and security of our digital infrastructure, data, and communications has become an urgent priority for individuals, organisations, and governments. Consequently, the World Economic Forum has called cyber security "the most immediate and financially material sustainability risk" facing businesses today.

Amidst this increasing risk, Australia is facing an acute shortage of cyber security professionals. A lack of diversity has been identified as a key factor driving the shortage, with women comprising less than 20 percent of the cyber security workforce in Australia. Despite its increasing importance to day-to-day business operations and risk management, cyber security is still widely perceived, at best, as a highly technical subfield of information technology or, at worst, the domain of "basement-dwelling, hoodie-clad hackers". This study draws on interviews with 30 senior cyber security leaders with a combined 500+ years of industry experience to interrogate how the industry needs to redefine, reshape, and rebrand itself to better reflect the scale of the cyber security challenges facing businesses and society today, and to increase participation in this crucial sector. This session will be beneficial to anyone seeking to better understand the role of cyber security and cyber risk in modern businesses, and how to equip students to meet this rising challenge.

Speaker

Dr Meraiah Foley is a Senior Lecturer in Work and Organisational Studies University of Sydney Business School and a member of the Gender Equality in Working Life Research Initiative. Meraiah's research focuses on the gendered dimensions of technology and workplace technological change, women's experiences working in male-dominated occupations and industries, and how to build a more gender equitable future of work. She is currently a Chief Investigator on two Australian Research Council grants interrogating gender and the future of work, and a project investigating how to increase women's participation in cyber security careers. Meraiah's research has been published in Human Relations, Public Administration Review; Gender, Work and Organization; the Journal of Industrial Relations; Public Management Review; and other highly ranked international journals.