Cybersecurity for Online Safety Enhancement: Female Participation

The underrepresentation of women in IT translates to a need for diversity in cybersecurity. Women are put off by male-dominated fields as this chapter explores. “Cybersecurity being a crucial aspect of IT ought to involve women in the deliberation and proffering of security mechanisms and solutions; however, their representation is very minimal.” The authors choose to pioneer a qualitative approach to address this underrepresented population because there truly is a urgent need for female participation in cybersecurity.”Involving females in cybersecurity has the potential of enhancing online safety, especially for children, as women naturally are concerned about the safety of their wards both online and offline. Thus, it is imperative to engage more females in the conceptualization, design, deliberation, development, up till the implementation of cybersecurity solutions as this can help to enhance online safety. Apparently, to achieve an effective participation of females in cybersecurity, it is reasonable to immerse cybersecurity knowledge alongside awareness into young female children early enough so as to break the gender disparity as well as establish a long-lasting interest of cybersecurity in females, thus contributing immensely to online safety enhancement. The review revealed that female IT employees’ financial awareness can be impacted by investment decision relationships. Novel cybersecurity solutions should include special consideration for the female gender that can ensure that they are aware of female-targeted cyberattacks. Personal factors such as personality traits, abilities and interests, self-efficacy, gender identity, among others linked to cybersecurity, if negatively manifested, can result from exposure dearth to computing mentors and role models as well as mastery of experiential knowledge.” These women could prevent potential threat actors.