SIDECHAIN INSIGHTS
August 26 is Women’s Equality Day – celebrating the ratification of the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote in the US. Read below to see some of the leading tech and cybersecurity women we’re celebrating this month. August is also known for the Perseid meteor shower which peaked in mid-August. This is an annual astronomical event where Earth passes through the debris trail of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, causing numerous meteors to streak across the sky. Astronomy has increasingly close links with cybersecurity, primarily because astronomical research relies heavily on technology and interconnected systems, making it vulnerable to various cyber threats.
QUICK TAKE
- As we celebrate Women’s Equality Day (and let’s not forget International Women’s Day back in March!), we’d like to highlight some of the women leading the way and shaping the future of the cybersecurity industry. Sarah Armstrong-Smith, Kirsten Davies and Nasrin Reza, to name but a few. Read more about what these trailblazers are doing here! While these women are at the forefront now, let’s not forget those who truly shared and protected our data decades ago – their inventions helped secure what has become one of today’s most important industries! Learn about them here.
- The newly created National Data Security Day occurred on August 7th. It was founded by Bedrock Data to encourage businesses to treat data security as an essential part of their infrastructure and includes “Data Security Heroes” awards! Here’s a guide to some of the things you can do on next years day of recognition.
QUIZ
In keeping with this month’s theme, test your knowledge below on “Women in Cybersecurity”! The first five people to send their correct answers to us here, will receive Sidechain swag!
1. Who is often credited as one of the first women in cybersecurity, known for breaking Nazi codes during WWII?
- Sheryl Sandberg
- Joan Clarke
- Grace Hopper
- Ada Lovelace
2. What is the approximate percentage of women in the global cybersecurity workforce as of 2024?
- 12%
- 24%
- 35%
- 50%
3. Which nonprofit organization is dedicated to advancing women in cybersecurity through education, mentorship, and networking?
- Women Who Code
- WiCyS (Women in CyberSecurity)
- Girls Who Hack
- Black Hat Society
4. Which field within cybersecurity has seen some of the largest growth in female representation in recent years?
- Penetration testing
- Threat Hunting
- Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC)
- Reverse Engineering
5. What major challenge continues to impact women’s participation in the cybersecurity field?
- Lack of demand for cybersecurity jobs
- Gender-specific certification requirements
- Limited access to foundational education
- Gender bias and lack of representation
Keep scrolling to see if you got it right!
INDUSTRY TRENDS & NEWS
- August has witnessed an alarming surge in sophisticated cyber attacks with major brands like Google, Pandora, Chanel and dozens of other organizations falling victim to ransomware groups and data theft campaigns. Read here to see how this months’ incidents highlight critical vulnerabilities in third-party platforms and demonstrate evolving cybercriminals evolving tactics. Are you protected enough??
- Google has scored a six-year deal with Meta Cloud worth over $10 billion. The deal is mainly around artificial intelligence infrastructure. This will allow Meta to use Google Cloud servers, storage, networking and other services. Google is currently in third place after Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure and have been looking to grow their 13% share. This agreement highlights how even rival companies are forging strategic partnerships to meet the enormous infrastructure demands of developing AI. While you can read about the deal specifics above, here’s 6 takeaways from Forbes on what’s behind this monolithic business agreement!
SIDECHAIN PROTECT
Continuing with our small and medium business security theme, read more here about how it can impact your customers. A data breach doesn’t just compromise systems – it shakes trust. Read our take on it and how you can lessen the impact if you find yourself in this situation
Our final post in this series talks about building a security-first culture in your SMB. In today’s digital landscape, every employee is part of your security posture — from the CEO to the summer intern. For small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), building a security-first culture is one of the most effective (and cost-efficient) ways to stay protected. Keep an eye out next week on the website for a brand new series!
DID YOU KNOW?
The answers to the quiz are:
- 2
- 3
- 2
- 3
- 4
Remember the first 5 correct responses will win Sidechain swag!
And now for some facts…in honor of the Perseid meteor shower
- Parent Comet: The Perseids are produced by debris from comet Swift-Tuttle.
- Activity Period: The shower is active from July 17 to August 24.
- Peak Dates: The peak viewing nights are typically August 11-13, with the most meteors visible on the night of August 12-13.
- Location: The Perseids appear to originate from the constellation Perseus, hence the name.
- Visibility: They are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere and down to mid-southern latitudes.
- Number of Meteors: At peak, you can expect to see 50-75 meteors per hour under dark skies, though this can vary.
- Fireballs: The Perseids are known for their fireballs, which are brighter and longer-lasting than typical meteors.
