The Ford Women in Cybersecurity (FWCyS) – India Chapter, in collaboration with Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) – India Chapter, recently hosted a “Cyber Trailblazers Unite” event in Chennai, India at the Ford Global Business and Technology Center (GTBC) in Chennai, India. This event brought together leading women in cybersecurity to foster a more inclusive and equitable future for women in the industry.
Figure 1: Cyber Trailblazers Unite at Ford Global Business and Technology Center (GTBC) – Chennai, India
Barriers To Women’s Career Advancement
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 2: Lekshmi, Founder and President – WiCyS India
The event tackled the issue of gender disparity in the tech industry, with speakers sharing their personal experiences and insights.Lekshmi, the founding member and President of WiCyS India, highlighted the stark reality of women’s underrepresentation in tech and leadership roles. She emphasized how WiCyS is working to address this issue, providing mentorship, training, and networking opportunities. Kavitha, Vice President of Technology Manufacturing and Secretary of WiCyS-India, highlighted the strength of women’s cautiousness and problem-solving skills, stating, “Women are naturally cautious and super conscious of things around them. It’s not a weakness but a strength. We learn from everything; we don’t just worry – we work on solutions. It’s in our DNA to sense danger ahead and find ways to navigate it.” The panel discussion further stressed the need for men to actively listen to the challenges women face and be conscious of unconscious bias to create a more inclusive workplace.
AI for Cybersecurity and Cybersecurity for AI
This focus on inclusivity and empowerment extended to the event’s exploration of the evolving landscape of cybersecurity. Malini Rao, Chief Information Security Officer and Data Protection Officer at DeepLearnCyber.AI, presented her insights on the expanding influence of AI in cybersecurity. Malini, an active WiCyS-India member, emphasized the need for enhanced security measures to counter emerging threats, such as adversarial AI attacks and model poisoning. Her presentation highlighted the crucial role women are playing in shaping the future of cybersecurity, a field that is increasingly reliant on AI expertise.
Figure SEQ Figure \* ARABIC 3: Cyber Trailblazers Unite panel
Success
The event’s success was evident in the inspired attendees and the clear demonstration of the power of Ford and WiCyS’ strategic partnership in advancing a more inclusive and equitable future for women in cybersecurity.
Sraboni, FWCyS India Lead, summed up the event’s impact, stating, “Women are wired to underestimate their capabilities and underplay their achievements. The day we start believing in what our potential is while ceasing to doubt our worth, our successes and achievements will know no bounds. The event was an apt depiction of this thought, endorsed by the stories from and conversations with our guests, Women leaders in the Cyber space, who did not fail to inspire, motivate the audience with their anecdotes of how the biggest of challenges did not steer them away from their goals.”
