Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Cybersecurity

by Aspen Tech Policy Hub Staff

Many “lack of diversity in cybersecurity” conversations have fallen flat; they often include participants from similar occupational backgrounds and positions, have need of measurable deliverables or executive leadership buy-in, and lack the specificity and funding needed to make progress. Additionally, meaningful progress necessitates individual and institutional commitments to be supported by accountability and incentives to drive change.

With our colleagues at Aspen Digital and support from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, we sought to put together a concrete, impact-oriented set of commitments around cybersecurity. In October 2020 and February 2021, we convened a multidisciplinary and intergenerational group of experts for two roundtables, mixing leading cybersecurity professionals with representatives from affinity and other diverse groups. Over 60 attendees participated, representing academia, cybersecurity firms, government agencies, multinational corporations, nonprofits, and startups.

The below report details the recommendations that stemmed from these roundtables along the themes of education, recruitment and hiring, retention, mentorship, and shifting the narrative.