Talk about coding and software security in today’s technologically advanced world and you will find so many women entrepreneurs right at the center of this growth. From the initial stages of coding to the final deployment in various cloud settings, it is amazing to see female technologists working wonders to enhance security protocols in all walks of life. Female cybersecurity leaders like Summer Craze Fowler (Motional), Jordan Rae Kelly (FTI Consulting), and Marnie Wilking (Booking.com) are inspiring women to take leadership roles in different industries, including tech.
The Growing Influence of Women in Cybersecurity
Female entrepreneurs and technologists have developed an inclination towards the cybersecurity industry in recent years. In fact, they held more than 25% of those jobs in 2022, showing a 20% increase from 2019. The growth is not limited to numbers alone, but there has been an increase in women serving in leadership roles, especially compared to 2021.
The most fascinating thing is that women technologists are focusing on improving and implementing advanced security measures. They’ve had a huge impact on the integration of Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools. SAST involves identifying security issues in any application’s source code, binary code, or bytecode before the deployment of software. Women technologists master the art of using SAST tools throughout the development pipeline to ensure foolproof security at every stage.
The Role of Women in Reshaping the Cybersecurity Industry
With the expansion of our digital world, it is now more important than ever to take robust security measures to safeguard critical systems and sensitive data. Women technologists are leading from the front, totally changing the cybersecurity landscape, which has historically been male-dominated.
Today, women technologists make a difference by bringing innovative approaches to the industry to tackle security challenges in unique ways. Basically, the change is evident in two basic areas: Integration of security tools and empowerment of development teams.
Integration Security Throughout the Development Lifecycle
Women technologists now emphasize the point that it is vital to embrace security measures and tools right from the beginning and throughout the development process, instead of treating it as an afterthought. To achieve that, one of the most important strategies is the “shift-left” approach.
This particular approach involves making use of security practices early to identify and address any vulnerabilities before they go out of hand. And when it comes to the shift-left approach, it is equally important to understand the role of Static Application Security Testing (SAST).
The best thing about SAST is that it helps identify potential flaws even before you execute the program. This white-box testing method focuses more on an application’s internal structure to highlight any suspicious coding patterns. This way, female developers are in a much better position to catch and fix those vulnerabilities early, significantly reducing the cost and risk associated with security breaches.
Empowering Security Teams with Security Knowledge
Besides taking advantage of new and innovative technology tools, women technologists are taking up the roles of leaders to foster a culture of security awareness. This cultural shift within the development teams is achieved by promoting continuous learning about best practices and new security threats. The goal is always to create a more security-conscious workforce. Interestingly, women in tech leadership also understand the importance of ensuring smooth communication between development and security teams, and they serve as a bridge to achieve the best results.
By empowering development teams, it also becomes possible to learn new and innovative ways to secure cloud-based applications and infrastructure. Women leaders are at the forefront of this revolution and driving the adoption of Cloud Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP), which ensures proper security for cloud-native applications.
While SAST requires attention, women technologists don’t stop there and are always open to the use of other testing methods. Some interesting options available to them are Interactive Application Security Testing (IAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST).
The major difference is that DAST is a black-box testing method, which is opposite to SAST. DAST certainly helps but is not capable of scanning the application’s code; it only focuses on running the software using known attack vectors. The upside is that DAST is usually more capable of identifying vulnerabilities SAST may miss, such as internal data exposure, susceptibility to DDoS attacks, and issues with third-party services.As development teams are empowered, they are better positioned to decide what testing method will deliver the best results. And women in leadership roles truly help with that.
Endnote
It is fascinating to see how women technologists are focusing on software security issues to transform the industry for good. By securing cloud deployments, implementing SAST, utilizing DAST whenever needed, and fostering a culture of security awareness, it is clear that women in tech will surely be able to create a more secure digital world.