Women in Israeli Cyber Field Face Old Stereotypes Amidst AI Revolution

Despite progress, women remain underrepresented in Israel's cybersecurity sector, with only about 26% of employees and 5.1% of companies led by women, according to recent data. This situation is highlighted on International Women in Cyber Day, observed annually on September 1st. Experts attribute the disparity to outdated perceptions that technological and analytical roles are more suited for men, a view that influences career choices from a young age.

Liron Yusefian, a research group leader at Check Point, notes that while the perception is changing, its lingering effects are significant. She entered the field after studying computer science and has spent ten years at Check Point, progressing from sales development to R&D and now leading a research group focused on developing defenses against cyber threats. Yusefian emphasizes that the AI revolution is transforming both offensive and defensive capabilities, providing new tools for analysis and response.

Gal Cohen, a 26-year-old development team manager at MIND, was drawn to cybersecurity during her military service in Unit 8200 due to its complexity and the required analytical thinking. She believes the historical male dominance in tech and security has contributed to the field's image, but sees a positive shift with more women in significant technological roles. Cohen suggests that early exposure to technology and cyber for girls is crucial for increasing female participation.

Noam Raveh, Product Team Lead at Sweet Security, highlights the cultural stereotype of the 'hacker' as a major barrier, making it difficult for young girls to envision themselves in the field. She advocates for early exposure to STEM subjects in schools and presenting cybersecurity as a broad field encompassing technology, product, research, data, business, and creativity. Raveh points out that women constitute 32% of Sweet Security's workforce, a relatively good ratio but with room for improvement.

All three women stressed the importance of curiosity, courage, continuous learning, and self-initiative for success in cybersecurity. They also advised against fearing failure, encouraging women to ask questions, voice their opinions, and seek out role models who have broken through industry stereotypes.