Bridging the Gap: Male Allyship as a Catalyst for Inclusion in Cyber Security

In the ongoing conversation about diversity in cyber security, it’s essential to hear honest perspectives from those working within the industry.

In this interview, Sinan Uğur Atak, Head of Revenue Operations at DeepInfo, shares candid reflections on the challenges women face in cyber security, the unique strengths they bring, and the complexities of being an ally in a male-dominated field. Their insights highlight both the progress still needed and the potential for meaningful change.

What unique skills or experiences do you think women bring to cyber security? 

Sadly, only less than 10% of my colleagues were women directly working for cyber security roles. I have had many in the sector working in cyber security marketing, sales, HR etc but we do not see them a lot in direct cyber security roles. The ones I had the chance to work with were amazing problem solvers and their confidence in themselves was exemplary.

Do you have any ideas or recommendations on encouraging women to pursue a cyber security career? 

This is a bit challenging because women encounter more challenges in this heavily male dominant sector. They generally have to prove more to get respect. Of course, this was (and is) for most other sectors but on this one more woman need to be beacons to others which is a huge burden on their shoulders. This sector has been crying out for years for lack of trained and skilled personnel gap so if they are up for challenge, I would recommend them to silence the voice of others and focus on self-improvement. At the end of the day, if they are good, this sector needs them desperately.

What do you see as the issues affecting retention of women in cyber security careers, and how would you recommend addressing them? 

This sector is filled with paranoid people who have been thought to fear and always be careful. This is not a high quality of life in general, and we see low retention in general. I don’t have a solid recommendation to solve this on a personal level.

How do you show up as an ally, or do you have any advice for being an ally to women in cyber security? 

Equal opportunity and room to grow in early stages should be there no matter what. I try to provide this on my teams, but they are cyber security sales and marketing teams. The same should be provided everywhere. To be honest I’m afraid to do more as an ally because of 2 reasons: 1- I cannot be fair if I give any personnel more opportunity than others. 2- I have seen so many toxic behaviours that women had to deal with and I’m afraid to be misunderstood by them if I treat them any differently.

This conversation underscores the importance of creating a more inclusive and supportive environment in cyber security; not just to welcome more women into the field, but to retain and empower them. While the path forward isn’t simple, acknowledging the barriers and committing to action, however imperfect, is a vital step. The sector’s future depends on the diverse perspectives and talents it can attract and sustain.