Securing Our World by Empowering Women in Tech

Written by Kim Allman | Head of Corporate Responsibility and Public Policy

Gen Blog | Community

Technology is evolving at such a rapid pace that it can feel difficult to keep up with how to stay safe online. As we discussed in our most recent Threat Report, the threat landscape is accelerating quickly. But it’s important to remember that there are simple, effective ways to reduce our exposure to digital dangers and make our time online more secure. That’s what this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month is all about.

Every October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month educates people all over the world about online safety and empowers them to protect their data from cybercrime. Companies, nonprofits, government agencies and more come together to raise awareness of common and emerging cyber threats, as well as the steps we can take to keep our personal information out of harm’s way.

Simple Steps to ‘Secure Our World’

This year’s theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month is “Secure Our World,” focusing on the top four ways to protect yourself, your family and your business from online threats. These include:

• Using strong passwords and a password manager
• Turning on multi-factor authentication
• Recognizing and reporting phishing
• Updating software

Password security is also about more than choosing the right combination of letters and numbers. Petra Dlabalová is an alum of one of the training programs at Czechitas, an organization helping women in Czechia build digital skills and transition into the tech industry. Petra reminds us that threats to our passwords can emerge in the physical world, as well.

To learn more about how to protect yourself, your family and your business online this Cybersecurity Awareness Month, check out blog posts on two-factor authentication, spotting phishing, identity theft and data privacy from Norton, LifeLock and Avast three of our trusted Cyber Safety brands.

Diversifying the Cybersecurity Workforce

One of the ways we make sure that Cyber Safety skills are in the hands of as many people as possible is by promoting women in tech. Czechitas is just one example of the leading global nonprofits we partner with to expand Cyber Safety education. We also work closely with Women4Cyber, with whom we recently pledged to help close the gender gap in Europe’s cybersecurity industry through extended support of their mentoring programs.

Nikola Groverová, Senior Data Scientist, recently joined a panel on AI at the second annual Women4Cyber Conference at the Louwman Museum in The Hague, a prominent hub for cybersecurity expertise.

We also partner year-round with nasscom foundation, an organization doing similar work across India, including in rural communities. We recently heard from Chandana and Meghna Nerella, twin sisters who completed nasscom foundation’s Upskilling Women Engineers in Cybersecurity program, supported by Gen. They spoke about not only the impact of the program but also the core themes of Cybersecurity Awareness Month.

“The Cybersecurity Program has been a turning point for both of us,” they said.

For more information on our Cyber Safety education and training efforts, read our 2024 Social Impact Report.